Question/Poll: How far would you drive for a gunsmith/gun shop?

[nehalemguy]

If I ever locate a store that has bins of surplus HK parts to paw through I would plan a pilgrimage to go there.

E

 

[RVTECH]

Very few AK platforms are quality. They are designed to be cheep to manufacture and distribute to untrained troops.

I agree - just because something operates well does not mean it is high quality either and most AKs fall into this catagory. They operate satisfactory because they are made with relatively heavy, large parts, not particularly precision fit to hopefully continue to operate under adverse conditions. I hardly think an AK is the measure of 'quality' in the world of firearms.

 

[DirectDrive]

I agree - just because something operates well does not mean it is high quality either and most AKs fall into this catagory. They operate satisfactory because they are made with relatively heavy, large parts, not particularly precision fit to hopefully continue to operate under adverse conditions. I hardly think an AK is the measure of 'quality' in the world of firearms.

If Walmart was a nation, the People's Army of Walmart would be issued AK's.
What an image....

 

[Boboclown]

If Walmart was a nation, the People's Army of Walmart would be issued AK's.
What an image....

Aside from garbage I.Os and RAS47s, AKs aren't cheap enough for that.

They'll get ARs instead now.

Sidenote: AKs aren't cheap to make. Former combloc nations that import them have the benefit of cheap labor and already having the machines. Different rifles have different standards of quality. What is quality for an AK is not the same as what is quality for a 1911, as an example.

 

[Member 5605]

Quick question I am posing before some decisions are made

How far would you drive for a gun shop or a gunsmith shop?

Is the old Dollars Corner (for those of you not familiar with Vancouver, take I-5 to Battle Ground exit, go East for about 5 min) too far out or would the extra 15-20 min drive be too much vs a shop that is in town? I know some of you live in the Battle Ground area so you would probably love it but what about those of you who live in Vancouver, or Portland for that matter. I know Dollars corner is pretty synonymous with a gun shop (the old LL Guns) and just curious is there was another shop out there if people would make the drive.

Thanks for your input!

I've drove to Estacada for smithing work, I've drove to Portland for a firearm a few times.

Albany -> PDX

 

[Dan Adams]

I once drove from Seattle to the Philomath (Oregon) Gun Shop to buy a Ruger Precision Rifle (purchased from them via Gunbroker), not only because I was tired of waiting for one to show up locally, but also because there's no sales tax in Oregon to hike the price by 10%. If I had known it was the night both Oregon and Oregon State were playing football in their home stadiums, I would have gone the next day! Took the RV and made it a nice weekend with my wife on the Oregon Coast—where nobody could (or would) tell me where I could go to shoot my new rifle. I'd do it again, just to deprive Washington's Governor of the tax!

 

[Flymph]

I once drove from Seattle to the Philomath (Oregon) Gun Shop to buy a Ruger Precision Rifle (purchased from them via Gunbroker), not only because I was tired of waiting for one to show up locally, but also because there's no sales tax in Oregon to hike the price by 10%. If I had known it was the night both Oregon and Oregon State were playing football in their home stadiums, I would have gone the next day! Took the RV and made it a nice weekend with my wife on the Oregon Coast—where nobody could (or would) tell me where I could go to shoot my new rifle. I'd do it again, just to deprive Washington's Governor of the tax!

Technically I think you are still obligated to claim it on your tax return. I don't know tho, I'm an Oregonian and don't have to deal with that. Explaining sales tax is like having me explain how to pump gas, I'm just guessing based on rumors.
Can I itemize purchases of firearms? That would be awesome.

 

[Diamondback]

Technically I think you are still obligated to claim it on your tax return. I don't know tho, I'm an Oregonian and don't have to deal with that. Explaining sales tax is like having me explain how to pump gas, I'm just guessing based on rumors.
Can I itemize purchases of firearms? That would be awesome.

*Supposed* to file a Use Tax form with State Dept. of Revenue or somesuch and send it in with payment of tax due, IIRC; I've been know to ask businesses out of state to charge me *their* sales tax which is almost invariably a lower rate.

Then again, if you buy a rifle in Oregon, pay no tax on it, and USE it in Oregon before you bring it back... I dunno, but their might be an exemption sort of like not being charged Customs duty on the souvenir shirts I brought back on my last trip to Canada because of the fact that I'd worn them all while up there so they became "used personal effects." Gaming The System FTW!

 

[11Charlie]

*Supposed*

Being the key word here!

 

[Diamondback]

Being the key word here!

Truth, brother. Then again, it's also why Assbag Ambulancechaser (P*ss Be Upon Him) is screaming about wanting a Commerce Clause-violating Internet sales tax...

 

[Dan Adams]

Flymph is pronab

Technically I think you are still obligated to claim it on your tax return. I don't know tho, I'm an Oregonian and don't have to deal with that. Explaining sales tax is like having me explain how to pump gas, I'm just guessing based on rumors.
Can I itemize purchases of firearms? That would be awesome.

You're probably right. I know I have to pay "use tax" on anything I purchase for my business out of state. Use tax just happens to be exactly the same rate as sales tax. I'm Oregonian by birth, so sales tax rubs against my grain, and Washington has one of the highest rates in the nation, with cities and towns adding their own varying fractions to the State's percentage. Nonetheless, every year my wife and I drove to Portland to buy the kids their school clothes. No sales tax often meant new shoes for both of them on our limited budget. To your question: if I purchased a firearm for use in my business, it would be a deductible expense on both Federal and State returns. I looked into that some time ago, thinking I'd sponsor a shooting team (consisting of myself and a partner), in which case expenses for shooting and travel would be deductible as a business promotional activity. I did sponsor a show car club in which my son participated, put my business name across several cars' windshields—and actually got some business as a result.

 

[Boboclown]

Technically I think you are still obligated to claim it on your tax return. I don't know tho, I'm an Oregonian and don't have to deal with that. Explaining sales tax is like having me explain how to pump gas, I'm just guessing based on rumors.
Can I itemize purchases of firearms? That would be awesome.

Depends on the state. Normally, if you're physically there in the other state then you do not.

 

[Argonaut]

Depends on the state. Normally, if you're physically there in the other state then you do not.

It is absolutely true between Idaho and Qregon. We have a controversy the last couple of years over sales tax on groceries because people that live near the Oregon border shop in Oregon and do not declare and pay taxes as required with our state income tax filing. Our (Idaho) tax is relatively low but whenever anything is expressed as a percentage the actual cost gets pretty big as prices inflate. My wife and I used to do pretty well on a couple of hundred dollars a week in groceries. I am sure some weeks we spend twice that now but in truth we havn't had to live on a budget for a long time.

 

[best defense]

Quick question I am posing before some decisions are made

How far would you drive for a gun shop or a gunsmith shop?

Is the old Dollars Corner (for those of you not familiar with Vancouver, take I-5 to Battle Ground exit, go East for about 5 min) too far out or would the extra 15-20 min drive be too much vs a shop that is in town? I know some of you live in the Battle Ground area so you would probably love it but what about those of you who live in Vancouver, or Portland for that matter. I know Dollars corner is pretty synonymous with a gun shop (the old LL Guns) and just curious is there was another shop out there if people would make the drive.
Thanks for your input!

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Honestly it would depend entirely on how much I trusted the gunsmith. The guy who works on my rifles lives and works in Shed Oregon. That is down past Corvallis. I don't know any good pistol smiths in this area. Wish I did.

 

[best defense]

I would drive up to an hour away for a really good smith & shop. BUT...if you were anywhere near the old LL Guns I would probably be there at least 1xday as that is only about 10 minutes away.

Is LL Guns still in business. The last time I was there the door was locked and the place looked empty.

 

[11Charlie]

Is LL Guns still in business. The last time I was there the door was locked and the place looked empty.

NO they are not.

 

[Flymph]

I guess I can relate my tax inquiry to the fact that Oregonians don't want to pay sales tax, and I think firearms are not exempt. I would worry more about business in my own state with people who know what to expect. Anyone in Oregon willing to pay Washington tax will also likely be willing to drive 20 miles more.

Good information! Maybe I should start some business that makes my hobbies deductibles. LOL

 

[Boboclown]

It is absolutely true between Idaho and Qregon. We have a controversy the last couple of years over sales tax on groceries because people that live near the Oregon border shop in Oregon and do not declare and pay taxes as required with our state income tax filing. Our (Idaho) tax is relatively low but whenever anything is expressed as a percentage the actual cost gets pretty big as prices inflate. My wife and I used to do pretty well on a couple of hundred dollars a week in groceries. I am sure some weeks we spend twice that now but in truth we havn't had to live on a budget for a long time.

The state must really want their taxes.

 

[best defense]

I guess I can relate my tax inquiry to the fact that Oregonians don't want to pay sales tax, and I think firearms are not exempt. I would worry more about business in my own state with people who know what to expect. Anyone in Oregon willing to pay Washington tax will also likely be willing to drive 20 miles more.

Good information! Maybe I should start some business that makes my hobbies deductibles. LOL

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Like the old saying goes, "Find a job you love and you will never work another day in your life."
I enjoy shooting, but I don't want to work at a shooting range. There is usually a position open at Tri County Gun Club for range safety officers, but I frequently hear them talk about dumb people inadvertently pointing guns at them, and that would make the job less than fun.

 

[Diamondback]

The state must really want their taxes.

Yup; even every dime the productive citizens of this state make wouldn't be enough to satisfy the King Kounty Kornhole Kommie Kleptocracy's limitless appetite...