Alrighty,
I finally sold my SASS stuff which means I now have $1800 for "gun stuff" (money from guns goes to guns).  I have 2 Colt 70's and a SA WWII.  I'm thinking of either a "modded" (high grip, no mod to grip safety, Colt "rowel" hammer, Kart) 1* from YoBo or send the SA to George at EGW for a "Spartan" (high grip, maybe a beavertail, action job, sights, Kart) build and then having it Etreated.  The other alternative is get a Wilson through KBlagg's group buy (the prices are very good)....or just get another AR upper.

SO....what would YOU do?


Rich

What do you think I picked?

YoBo, without a doubt.

I vote for the Wilson if you can swing it, and FWIW, Kblag cannot deliver anything out of a group buy. He may well give you a great deal on a Wilson (better than you might be able to get elsewhere) but I talked to Wilson and they will not give him or anybody else a group buy discount. You can get master dealer pricing (which I believe is his current status) and you can get an even better deal as a wholesaler, but you MUST make an annual contract to  move X pistols a month... and of you don't, you're SOL.

EDIT: I see Kblag has changed his group buy to "it's official" with a breakdown of the price break. This means one of two things:

Wilson has bent the rules in his case (which I find dubious)

Kblag is misrepresenting "who" is doing the price break (meaning he would be lowering his profit margin with more buys, not that Wilson is giving him better prices).


I don't know which it is so I am not going to speak out of turn until I get to the bottom of this. There is nothing wrong with the practice of doing a group buy with lowering the profit based on more purchases, but I believe it is unethical to represent a manufacturer discount when it is in fact a dealer discount. The other way sounds like real misrepresentation.

Quoted: I vote for the Wilson if you can swing it, and FWIW, Kblag cannot deliver anything out of a group buy. He may well give you a great deal on a Wilson (better than you might be able to get elsewhere) but I talked to Wilson and they will not give him or anybody else a group buy discount. You can get master dealer pricing (which I believe is his current status) and you can get an even better deal as a wholesaler, but you MUST make an annual contract to  move X pistols a month... and of you don't, you're SOL. EDIT: I see Kblag has changed his group buy to "it's official" with a breakdown of the price break. This means one of two things: Wilson has bent the rules in his case (which I find dubious) Kblag is misrepresenting "who" is doing the price break (meaning he would be lowering his profit margin with more buys, not that Wilson is giving him better prices). I don't know which it is so I am not going to speak out of turn until I get to the bottom of this. There is nothing wrong with the practice of doing a group buy with lowering the profit based on more purchases, but I believe it is unethical to represent a manufacturer discount when it is in fact a dealer discount. The other way sounds like real misrepresentation.

Pulp,
Do group buys always have to be manufacturer discounts?  Can't they be dealer sponsored?  Seriously, regardless of who is doing the discounting does it really make a difference?  I didn't read it as Wilson was giving Kyle any special prices, I thought of it more as getting permission (he wants to keep his Wilson dealer status...always best to get the A-OK first)  from Wilson to lower the profit margin.  I mean a good deal is a good deal.  I don't see what the problem is.

Thanks
Rich

Pulp, Do group buys always have to be manufacturer discounts?

Not at all.

Can't they be dealer sponsored?

Absolutely. And in the absence of the manufacturer being willing they are very much appreciated.

Seriously, regardless of who is doing the discounting does it really make a difference?

That might depend. Some people say "Hey, 15% off is 15% off. Who cares where it comes from?" Some people on the other hand, might think that the manufacturer is giving them a lower price scale, one that is unique to this sale and the only way to capitalize on these "savings" is to go with the buy. These people would see this as an unethical misrepresentation

I didn't read it as Wilson was giving Kyle any special prices, I thought of it more as getting permission (he wants to keep his Wilson dealer status...always best to get the A-OK first)  from Wilson to lower the profit margin.  I mean a good deal is a good deal.  I don't see what the problem is. Thanks Rich

Your reading of his intent might be clearer than mine and I will re read, but that addresses the first part (who is giving the discount). As for Wilson letting him lower prices, that is BS ANy Wilson dealer master or otherwise is at liberty to sell the pistol for whatever price they wish (although there may/may not be a contractual agreement to advertise MSRP or some other such advertising agreement). Wilson doesn't care if the guy makes 5%, $25, or ZERO money on the pistol, so long as the dealer pays Wilson what they charge the dealer on the weapon. Larry Lyles at Wilson communicated this with me citing cases of dealers who bought the gun as a gift (at their price) for a friend and guys who moved the pistols with minimum profit margins.


Edit: This was the pertinent part that caught my eye in the group buy advertisement

Wilson Combat Group Buy: Keep in mind that the currently quoted price is the highest price that they will go for. We need an order of at least 5 to get the current pricing, there will be another price break at 15. The more people who join the Group Buy will help in reducing the price even further. So I wouldn't necessarily opt out just yet.

That suggests plainly to me that Wilson is in charge of the pricing which (unless they made a specific exception for this sale) is not the case. Maybe I am over scrutinizing this, maybe others might see what I mean. I certainly don't want to bring down a guy trying to help himself and his customers, but I want to ensure that there is no impropriety (if there is any) either.

Hmmmm...just got a little "closer".  I just found out that the CQB I'm contemplating could be ordered with custom mods (No forward cockers, etc)