Dealers, I need ? answered about supply-distrib...
I went to my local dealer on Saturday to order a gun. His catalog had gun XYZ but not in Stainless Steel. He said he'd check Monday (today) and has called me back saying that they don't have that rifle but he could order the one in blue. I would assume since it's a new gun and I know that the factory makes a Stainless Steel version, shouldn't he be able to get it somehow? Am I misguided on how the firearms-dealer industry works? If I go to a car dealer and they don't have model Y with the features that I want they can just order it from the factory. Does he just not want to put the effort into finding me that gun?
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Sometimes, when someone is talking to me, my mind drifts off and I
start thinking about guns I'd like to own.
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Sometimes, when someone is talking to me, my mind drifts off and I
start thinking about guns I'd like to own.
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"I would assume since it's a new gun and I know that the factory makes a Stainless Steel version, shouldn't he be able to get it somehow?"
What kind of gun is it?
Is that finish new on that model for 2004?
Most factories have a minimum order requirement of $5,000 to $10,000. I happen to know Browning has such a requirement. Not many dealers want to or are able to go direct to the factory for this reason. Also it may be that gun, XYZ, is brand new this year in that finish. Did you see it on the factory website? Just because it is on the website does not mean it is actually available.
The fact that your dealer called you back a day or so later to tell you he isn't able to get the gun in that finish tells me that he is going the distance.
Regards,
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Mr. Green, I have been sending you mail, are you getting it????
It will hurt you, More than it will hurt me..
Life Member... NRA & Friends of the NRA
American Legion, MECU, MWCA, SMSC, NASDS
Thanks for all the help!0 -
The US car business does, in fact, generally permits dealers to order direct exactly what you want from the factory.
The gun business is more like the FOREIGN car business; the dealers can order whatever the distributor has in stock, & that's usually all he can get. Some gun manufacturers will accept orders for custom guns & engraving, but not many. And, like Drobs said, just because it is listed doesn't mean it's really available; there may have been production problems.
Your gun dealer probably uses just 1 distributor for the gun you want; he (or you) may have more success phoning another distributor.
Neal0 -
Maybe I'm in the wrong here. I was looking at the Howa M1500 Lightning in .300 WSM in SS.
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Sometimes, when someone is talking to me, my mind drifts off and I
start thinking about guns I'd like to own.0 -
quote:Am I misguided on how the firearms-dealer industry works?YEP! Just because the factory makes it, it does not mean that the rifle is out for comercial distribution; especially since it is new.
Boomer
"Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as it is by the obstacles which one has overcome while trying to succeed"
NRA Life Member0 -
GreenLantern see if your dealer buys from Sports South down in LA. They have 6 of them in stock at the moment.
(6) 86330 HOWA HWR65312 1500 LIGHTNING SS 3OOWSM -- $439.66
AlleninAlaska
Delta Firearms & Supplies
http://canadianfirearmsexchange.com
aglore@gci.net0 -
If Sports South don't work out try Gunfinder.net.
Don't be mad a your dealer, they are most likely very limited in what they can get, regardless of what is cataloged.
The day of the small dealer, sadly, is coming to an end. They are getting squeezed a little more every day. Support them when you can.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0 -
If I am not mistaken, I am under the impression that the factory allocates models to distributors and some distributors are able to get more of the new or more desirable ones due to past order history, especially volumes.
added 01/20/03
The distributers in turn save some of these guns for their preferred dealers. This kind of screws some of the smaller dealers because they can't compete with the stores with huge volumes.0 -
I'm not really trying to slam my dealer. He said he tried 3 different places and none of them had ever had the SS version. I prefer to deal with him since he is the 'small guy'. Though in someways it's a dilema for me. He's really the gunsmith not the owner, and I don't much care for the owner.
I've never dealt with Gunfinder.net but I was over at the 'competition' reading their feed back and though they had 400+ positives, their 25 negatives made me think they list every gun under the sun and only have about 80% on hand.
Is Sports South a distributor?
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Sometimes, when someone is talking to me, my mind drifts off and I
start thinking about guns I'd like to own.0 -
GreenLantern I e-mailed you the contact info. Gunfinder.net buys most everything from Davidson's. Davidson's didn't have any in stock. Yes Sports South is a Distributor.
AlleninAlaska
Delta Firearms & Supplies
http://canadianfirearmsexchange.com
aglore@gci.net0
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