gun dealer vs. Bi-Mart?

[pakrat57]

Can't say as to price difference, but Wes at Philomath is a good guy to deal with. I drive up to his shop from Reedsport cause he will order just what I want from Davidson's and his price makes the drive worthwhile. Plus it lets the wife get out of town for the day and that helps lots.

 

[ZachS]

Also they're based out of Eugene (right? ) so that makes them more local in my book.

Yep...


I just wish they sold handguns.

 

[Neil]

Bi-Mart has amazing prices when there guns go on sale. I have often found that I can buy a new gun at Bi-Mart or I could buy the same gun used for about the same money... They will order a gun if they can get it, so one isn't limitted to just their gun rack.

There 10/22 prices are almost always good. There Black Friday sale prices are quite reasonable, and they actually have 5-10 of each sale item in stock.

The fact they are employee owned shows, they have always treated me well.

I only wish they carried pistols!

 

[cbzdel]

Bi-Mart has amazing prices when there guns go on sale. I have often found that I can buy a new gun at Bi-Mart or I could buy the same gun used for about the same money... They will order a gun if they can get it, so one isn't limitted to just their gun rack.

OT again, but can Walmart do that? Order a gun not on the rack, that is.

There is no Bi-Mart in WA so I dont have the luxury of shopping at one, so Walmart is my thing haha

 

[ORBrit]

There is no Bi-Mart in WA so I dont have the luxury of shopping at one, so Walmart is my thing haha

yes there are but not near Fife

<broken link removed>

I'll ask my friend if they are planning on developing more up the I-5 corridor - he's the head of construction for BiMart and is responsible for maintaining and building all the stores.

 

[Member 5605]

OT again, but can Walmart do that? Order a gun not on the rack, that is.

I'm sure they could, but they would, but you'd probably pay a 'special order" charge, and it may be higher in price since it's not a stamped generic order.

 

[NWPilgrim]

I try to support both Bi-Mart and local shops. I want to keep guns being offered at Bi-Mart. I remember when you could buy guns at any Sears store, Montgomery Wards, and most local sporting goods stores. Or through mailorder. I would hate to see a time when guns disappear from Bi-Mart. And they are as friendly if not more so than most gun shops about browsing and purchasing.

Just a side note about lo prices. I know for a fact that Wal-Mart negotiate with manufactures to get exclusive model variations that can be offered at prices lower than anyone else. This usually means replacing some metal parts with plastic and simplifying designs. This is usually done on just the low end model. I worked for a non-FFL manufacturer and our engineers had to come up with a way to make a $10 wholesale item be profitable for us at $7.

You should be able to compare the manufacturers model number at the gun shop and Bi-Mart. the cheapened model number (if this is the case) usually has a letter or number suffix at the end to designate it is exclusive to some retailer. Also, look at the parts to see if they are exactly the same. Is the trigger guard and mag plate of the same material? Does one have nicer wood (walnut versus stained birch), one has iron sights or scope base and the other not? Usually shows up in minor details.

You may find that Bi-Mart is just passing savings on from volume purchasing and low overhead. Or you may find minor part substitution that may or may not be significant to you compared to teh cost savings.

 

[PBinWA]

There is no Bi-Mart in WA so I dont have the luxury of shopping at one, so Walmart is my thing haha

There are down here at the good end of the state!

I have nothing but good things to say about Bi-Mart's gun section. I support them weekly.

 

[cbzdel]

yes there are but not near Fife

<broken link removed>

I'll ask my friend if they are planning on developing more up the I-5 corridor - he's the head of construction for BiMart and is responsible for maintaining and building all the stores.

Wow, I am impressed, I have never heard of them before until I came across this forum, but from the way it sounds they need one in the Puget Sound area. Maybe they are thinking twice bacause there seems to be an overabundance of Walmarts in the area! Thinking of it, there are 8 Walmarts within a half hour distance from my house, probably more that I dont know about to!

 

[Mookie]

Love Bi Mart, even better that it is in walking distance. Always have good sales on guns/ammo and everything else. I love the fact that they are cheaper but are always running a sale on something. They just had a $9.97 a box of HMR.
They are cheaper because they have the capital to purchase tens of thousands of firearms for their store while your basic gun store is not a chain and can only stock a few of each.

If you go to a distributor and offer to buy 100 of an item or a thousand of an item which price will be cheaper?

I do support local stores, usually they are more knowledgeable and they have a bigger selection. One thing about BiMart is they purchase American owned firearms products. Remington, Savage, Ruger, Marlin, Henry.

 

[sheepman]

Local Bi-Mart had 22s at a decent price when others didn't have any or were 35.00 a brick. They also have good prices on long guns. We shop there at least once a week.

 

[cyclesarge]

Don't forget about LUCKY NUMBER TUESDAY!!!

 

[Member 5605]

Don't forget about LUCKY NUMBER TUESDAY!!!

I always do forget..

DOH! aper:

 

[OcelotZ3]

I've bought a few guns & other items from Philomath but I haven't had the same wonderful experiences there others have had. Neither has a friend of mine who has been buying firearms much longer than I have.

A number of years ago I brought in a WWII surplus belt loader for a 1919, in fantastic shape, with original box, that was in my father's estate and I needed to sell it to help generate money for the estate. Wes had a friend who was looking for one (he called him on the phone while I was there), and asked what I wanted for it, and I said $800, knowing it was worth more but willing to give in some. He laughed at me and said "you won't get $700 for it".

He was right. I sold it on eBay a few weeks later for $1250...

 

[madcratebuilder]

Another +1 for Bi-Mart, long guns, ammo and re-loading supplies, even gun safes.

 

[Dan-Dee Sales Inc]

Bi-mart has great prices on the firearms that are on sale. Sometimes less than our cost. We have been able to beat most of their regular prices except the ruger 10/22 and the basic savage 17hmr. They beat the crap out of those prices. And maybe they are selling them below cost for a lead item. You should not assume that another dealer is ripping you off because they have a higher price.

 

[Natty Bumpo]

BiMart remained civil and priced right on their ammo during the shortages of last year. I haven't forgotten that and I hope some of you haven't either. Which is more than can be said of some our gun shops, who, in my view, misused the "crisis" to gouge their customers. (Spare me the "supply/demand/capitalism" lecture). So, for that reason alone, I will continue to patronize BiMart, at least in the product areas in which they excel.

I also recognize that in order to keep our local gunshops, we must patronize them as well....particularly those whose idea of customer service exists in a dimension similar to my own. As far some as the others go, (we all know who they are) they can either change their ways or go under for all I care. I value decent and personalized service and value it enough to pay "extra" for it. So price is not all I consider because value consists of more than price alone.

 

[LE6920]

BI Mart has the cheapest prices on 10/22 in the nation when they are on sale. I purchased four of them (two wood & two syn) at one time in December 2007 for $159 each and paid only one $10 form fee. Last of the metal guns too. With no sales tax in Oregon, the price cannot be beat.

 

[hondakilla98]

If you don't mind blued steel. Dicks sporting goods has a blued version of the 93r17 btvs that comes with a simmons 3-9 scope mounted for $350 every day. They put it on sale every few months for $299. That's a price you can't beat.

 

[cyclesarge]

If you don't mind blued steel. Dicks sporting goods has a blued version of the 93r17 btvs that comes with a simmons 3-9 scope mounted for $350 every day. They put it on sale every few months for $299. That's a price you can't beat.

You're kidding right? BiMart has that gun for $179.97 ($209 reg. price) right now, $120 will buy A LOT nicer scope and rings than that Simmons setup.