Gun Quality at Wal-Mart/K-Mart

I'm in the market for a Winchester M70 Classic Featherweight. I've been shopping around and have reviewed comments in this forum about purchasing at Wal-Mart/K-Mart.

It seems that many hunters out there feel that the guns at Wal-Mart/K-Mart are of an inferior quality even if the model/make is identical to the same model/make elsewhere.

That is, it appears that some believe that the manufacturer (i.e. Winchester) will produce inferior products for mass distribution at these kinds of stores and will reserve quality weapons (in the same model/make) for more high scale retailers.

Does anyone have experience or knowledge in this area.

Personally, I would purchase from my local gunshop. Yes it will cost a few more bucks. But if I ever need a little work done on it or any of my other *toys* my gunshop will be there and ?-Mart can't work on them. Quality differences? No. the 'Marts' purchase by the truckload and are able to warehouse them until they are ordered by the individual stores - in other words - they have bulk-purchase-power. the 'Marts' also have thousands of other items to help defray the overhead costs. The manufacturers would not take the chance of letting an 'inferior' product out the door, even to WallyMart.

I have heard that the ruger 10/22 that they sell has a lower quality wood used for the stock......as far as any other guns I'm not sure.

Hello

A friend bought one two years ago; it shot two inches low at 100 yards right out of the box ( scope included ). He raised it four inches and hasn't touched the scope since ( shot 1 deer and 2 antelope ). It fits his body and shoots like a dream, and I am starting to cast covetous glances at similar rigs...

I want to second this notion of buying guns at your local gunshop. After a local dealer gets to know you, really fine deals become available. Personally, I do all my dealings at an Austin, Texas gun shop that many others dislike. Because I have spent some money and a lot of time there, I get an early crack at the good deals. Any problems I have are quickly handled. Like any other place, some of the counter help stinks, but there is some real expertise available at local shops. Spend some money, but more importantly, spend some time at your local gun shops. It may take a little while to find these shops, but well worth the effort.

Okay I admit it!! I bought a Winchester 94, 30-30 at Wal-Mart. I shopped the local gunshops, pawn shops etc.

My basic guideline was price, I had a $250.00 budget. I bought the Model 94 for $269.00 at Wal-Mart. The gun shop was selling the same gun for $369.00.

At the gun shop the gunsmith said he would let me try it on the range and if I ever bought a scope from him, he would zero it for me.

Being the do-it-yourself kinda guy, I didn't take him up on his offer.

I also bought a 3-9 x 50mm Tasco for $60.00 from www.swfa.com and I was able to zero it at 100yds.

I took a 4 pt white tail with it this year and hope to take many more next year.

I believe if I was buying a higher power gun I would purchase it at the gun shop and let the gunsmith zero it for me.

What your hearing is untrue. However, these stores buy in mass and under cut the store front ffl dealer.

I haven't bought any new guns lately, but I do like to give whatever business I can to our local (Beloit, WI) K-Mart and Walmart as both stock a full range of hunting equipment plus hunting licenses, whereas our local Shopko has done away with all hunting and fishing license sales as well as hunting equipment. So I don't give Shopko much business.

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i agree, if you support your local gun shop you will be doing the right thing. you might pay a few more dollars but if you need help they will be there.

I have to say that I will pay a little more at my dealer, but not a lot. Example, my closest gun dealer has a used gun for $120 that is $97 at Wal-Mart brand new. I will buy from Wal-Mart in that case. Same basic thing with a shotgun I saw. Wal-Mart had it for about 20% less. Ammo is another thing too. My dealer was selling me milsurp 7.62x54R for $8.00 per box of 20 and $18.00 per box of soft tip hunting ammo. I ordered the EXACT same brand of hunting ammo off the net and paid $62 for 200 rounds! I also cannot pay that much extra. That is $6.20 per box versus $18.00 per box for the same exact thing, brand and all. Ouch! I don't mind paying a little more at a 'real' gun dealer, say 1% to 5%, maybe more, but not 20% to 300%. Paying more than you should only encourages them to not lower their prices. If you go elsewhere they will lower their price. Competition... It keep severybody honest and working harder for better service and prices. Of course, it is up to you as to how much is too much. I like for small dealers to be around, but like any good business person, dealers can learn to adjust and they must. It is like when I used to work for Amoco. They expected oil to be going for about $35-$40 per barrel in the early 90's. WHen it didn't they started making gas stations into convenience stores and making their money off the store items with the gas a break-even or loss-leader product. Maybe gun dealers can adjust too. I hope so. I just can't susidize it at those rates.

I have purchased a model 700 in .270 as well as three mossberg shotguns at wally world and have had no problems with them, except for my poor marksmanship off-hand. Bench rest is as good as any off the shelf rifle or