Posted: 4/2/2009 1:37:40 PM EDT
| Ok so I was in a gunshop today chatting with a friend and he told me a couple things about the goings ons. I just want to know if its true or more smoke blown. So I here that he has a buch of AR's coming in and he had a list of people to call that all wanted them really bad, when his big shipment came in he called everyone and when he had a good enough crowd he held up the first rifle and said ok lets start the bidding! It sounds like somthing that could happen and it definately sounds like somthing brent would do, but he wasnt there and neither was I. I also heard that he went to fiocci and tried to bitch because another distributor was selling ammo locally cheaper than him and he didnt want them selling ammo to them any more. Im just speaking here I wasnt envolved but im wondering if this is happening to anyone else. |
| Im not trying to start shit about them. The gun shows do have them too, "AR's" however I dont think that this is the point. The point is Brent has been ruinning his buisness by all the shit he has pulled from what I know. The price hike and all the other stuff. I personally stopped going in there when he was little highschool bitchy cheerleader to me. He personally pissed me off enough to make me never want to go in ever again. I have heard of others too that wont give him a dime. |
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I WILL NOT BUY FROM HIM, been in there several times, each time he has rubbed me more than the wrong way. I am fairly new to firearms and anytime i would ask a question he would look at me and respond as if i were a complete dumbass. IMO, he's an asshole and everything in that shop is over priced. I am now a religious LOFTIS buyer, everyone there is more than kind and does not hesitate to help out a newbie like me!
Also, try gunsmoke over on division and Glenstone i think it was. I have bought two pistols from them, they have very reasonable prices and seem to be pretty decent guys, but i don't go there alot |
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last time I went out looking to buy a new gun I had $600 and was just looking for a basic rem 700 .308 these guys "gunsmoke" had one priced seperate and were wanting $899 for the rifle $150 for the bipod and $500 for the scope, I over heard a guy that seamed like to be a regular ask the guy what the best deal out the door cash was and he came down $20 on a pistol, I thought hey thats nice. I finally found somthing I thought might be alright for the right price and then he told me the price marked was the best he could do and then threw a bunch of tax on it. then tried to sell me a $500 taurus that should've been marked $400 new. I dont care much for this shop either they seem to be nice to the right people but werent willing to work with me so I probly wont return any time soon. I too am a loftis buyer though they are great guys in there and have a really good selection and as long as they keep their prices where there at they will always have customers.
I just dont know why anyone though "417" would have a good buisness and then get so full of themselves and so greedy that they will kill the buisness themself. Maybe he needs a shock back to reality. I'd rather have a bunch of regulars then more 1 timers, and its his job to educate a new person so they can make the best posible decision on what they spend their hard earned money on. |
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Ah yes, the kids that work at 417...no offense to anyone in there that actually has an education or knows how to run a business.
I was in 417 early last fall before the 'insane' grabbing started as I had never been there. I walked in and was immediately given the stare down. Ok, so I am not a regular, but I am a potentially (key word here is potentially) paying customer dressed in nice clothes as I was coming back from a business meeting. I look around at the misc stuff he has, and nothing really blows me away (at least not for the reputation I had heard). I peruse the ammo wall, and not once do any of the 3 guys in there ask if they can help me or if I am looking for anything. Thats fine, as some businesses seem to smother you. I pipe up and ask about some ammo and not a single one of those kids working in there would help me, as they instead wanted to talk to another kid of maybe 18 years of age. Blowing smoke about how cool your black rifle is, or how you could hit a gnat at 1200 yards with an AR is not good business. I left as a result of this. After the first of the year I had went in to try to order a set of uppers for a build I was looking at doing. I figured they deal in AR stuff, I was in the area on business, why not see what they could do. I dropped in, hoping for a better experience, and found out why I will never go in there again. Not only would they not attempt to help me, they gave me a run-around as to why I wanted to buy these certain components. The little ____ working in there tried to tell me that there was no use for a 6.8 upper and I should instead get some fancy 5.56 which would "shoot dead on farther than I could see". I planned to hunt larger game with this particular build, a fact which I explained to him, but I guess kids who sell this stuff don't really use it practically. I wanted to tell him zombies were not coming, but figured he would cry. So, I left again, but this time with about five grand in my pocket as I didn't spend it. I happily will drive the distance to deal with CMMG of Model 1. Loftis is great if you avoid dealing with a few of the guys. Gunsmoke is a lot like 417, and I will not shop there, and please do not get me started on that one   . I have seen 417 do some shady stuff at shows, and did not find them to be a friendly business.
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I want to like 417 but they make it hard. I don't live too far away and they did my suppressor transfers for me so I often stop in to check things out. Now I'm not a business guy, (yet) but even I know that they could use a more efficient layout than what they have. Glass counter space used for watches, miscellaneous used AR parts, opened boxes etc. all covered with other boxes and paperwork. The rifles on the wall at too far a distance to truly determine what they are or see the price. The ever changing price of a Pmag, the $35 Glock mags or the Cproducts 9mm mag that was originally quoted to me as $35 but 10 seconds later $45 (went to Loftis and bought the same exact thing for $19.95).
I think the place has a lot of potential and I'm sure they have quite a bit of overhead to deal with but you can't make the customer feel like he's inconveniencing you or getting a bad deal once he walks into another store and see the same item for half the price. Just my .02, and another plus one for Loftis. They've got a great selection to include higher end items and great pricing, picked up a Surefire X300 in there yesterday for $189. yak |
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417 has, for the most part, been cool with me. When I used them to transfer my 4 Essential Arms lowers, they only charged
me $10 per lower instead of their standard $20, saving me $40. I bought three of there $20 PMAGS, didn't seem unreasonable considering no s&h or 3 month wait. At the gun show I bought an HK USP 45 mag for $25, got it home and opened it up and had a Wolff extra power spring, that mag should've cost about $48. I am not remotely a "regular" nor have I spent a ton of money there, but they always treated me fairly. I also frequent Loftis and Kelley's, both great places. Not defending any bad service or attitudes, just my 2 pence. |
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Brent, John, and the others at 417Guns have always been more
than helpful, and informative. Anything I wanted ordered, was ordered. Brent has "wiggle room" built in to the prices, so you can negotiate. There are 2 no-go gun stores for me in SW MO, Steve's & Bass Pro. I think we should all understand that the demand is so great for EBRs, and the dealers are doing their best to deliver the goods to customers. Denny[GTS], Brent[417Guns], etc., are completely overwhelmed by shit eating customers who are now trying to perform a miracle like it's 2006. Demand was far less then, but in reality they are now buying in a post Obama election 2009 climate. These dealers are abused, yelled at, and generally unappreciated by the fucking morons who couldn't read the 2008 election tea leaves. I understand why they are thinned skinned, and generally irked by the new face in the shop wanting all things under the sun, and they want it now! My co-worker and I were in the Scottsdale Gun Club last week, now here's a paradox in action, A bunch of 50-60+ year old millionaires buying their first EBRs, and needing to be spoon fed every aspect to the operation and features of the Colt 6920s, Bushmasters, etc. Well... at least the rich sheep are finally waking up.... But I felt so sorry for the salesmen... no appreciation granted by the customers for the salesmen's extra efforts, demands by the customers that were totally unreasonable. The customers were so aloof, arrogant, and ignorant that I wanted to scream READ FUCKERS! rant off.. |
| its not just been after the election though. I have bad dealings with brent way, way before anyone even knew who was running for office. He just isnt al of a sudden becoming an ass he has just had more people to come in and notice it more now. John is a very nice guy, but the fact that he is in with brent will not get him any buisness from me either. Brent will give you a price depending on his mood who you are and or current national happenings. Is that somone anyone wants to do buisness with? And as he may have wiggle room it doesnt mean he will use it or raise it up so high in the first place that a wiggle is maybe just over retail. Now loftis is the same for everyone, they treat everyone great and the prices are good no matter what, and you dont see them running out and tattling on people for crap like brent does like a little girl. its the gun store owners and workers job to educate rich or poor about the weapons they are buying even even more so if its their first. |
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Two things
1. What is this "kids" BS about 417? The owner is probablly early/middle thirties. There are no " 18 year olds" that work there. I go there almost weekly to look for guns and reloading components and never see a kid at the counter. 2. I have obtained 3 guns from 417 and have always been treated fairly (lately his inventory has been down). Some of this crap that I am hearing makes me wonder if we are talking about the same store. Also, I saw some negative comments about Steve's in Nixa. Get past his goofy and at times annoying demeaner and he will do you right. You can't have a thin skin and go into Steve's, though. |
| I recently went to a gunshop in Miller Mo. the customer service was great he knew i wasn't buying and still talked and showed me rifles from 400 to 2000 very knowledgable too. The biggest surprise was the inventory of rifles and handguns. I typically buy from edi (steve) and have also had good expeirences you just have to understand he is blunt. Brent at 417 I bought one gun from a few years ago and some ammo among other things but he treated two of my friends bad after I told them to go there and I wont go back. |
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This is Brent from 417 guns and I would like to clear up some things that were brought to my attention from one of my customers. My goal at my shop is to provide the best customer service possible, I know that I cant please everyone and no matter how hard I try there are going to be some people that no matter what I do or say they are going to trash me every chance they get. I would appreciate it if anyone has a problem with my customer service please bring it to my attention so I can address the issue. If I dont here feedback from my customers as to what they like and dont like I cannot improve my business and my customer service. I am here for my customers and without return customers I am nothing. I know that right now things are tough and trust me we fight daily to get new product and yes sometimes I have to pay more for things than I would like to but I do my best to keep the shop full of product that I think people are looking for.
something else I would like to address is the whole "auction" thing. This did not happen, would not happen and never will happen in my shop. I noticed that this was a I heard from a friend of a friend rumor, there again if you here something like this call me and if I was stupid enough to do something like that i would be man enough to explain it to you. Springfield Is blessed to have some very good gun shops IE kellys, loftis, edi, gunsmoke and so on. I know that there are people that are loyal to each shop but I dont trash talk the other shops in town and would appriecate people not trash talk me just because you shop some where else. Each shop it town has a great business and Im sure they are all doing very well. I will end in saying one again if anyone out there has any questions or concerns about my business please call me at 417-886-4861 and I look forward to serving you in the future. And for the person that said we had a bunch of 18 year old kids working here we are 35,37,44 and 60. |
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Quoted:
This is Brent from 417 guns and I would like to clear up some things that were brought to my attention from one of my customers. My goal at my shop is to provide the best customer service possible, I know that I cant please everyone and no matter how hard I try there are going to be some people that no matter what I do or say they are going to trash me every chance they get. I would appreciate it if anyone has a problem with my customer service please bring it to my attention so I can address the issue. If I dont here feedback from my customers as to what they like and dont like I cannot improve my business and my customer service. I am here for my customers and without return customers I am nothing. I know that right now things are tough and trust me we fight daily to get new product and yes sometimes I have to pay more for things than I would like to but I do my best to keep the shop full of product that I think people are looking for. something else I would like to address is the whole "auction" thing. This did not happen, would not happen and never will happen in my shop. I noticed that this was a I heard from a friend of a friend rumor, there again if you here something like this call me and if I was stupid enough to do something like that i would be man enough to explain it to you. Springfield Is blessed to have some very good gun shops IE kellys, loftis, edi, gunsmoke and so on. I know that there are people that are loyal to each shop but I dont trash talk the other shops in town and would appriecate people not trash talk me just because you shop some where else. Each shop it town has a great business and Im sure they are all doing very well. I will end in saying one again if anyone out there has any questions or concerns about my business please call me at 417-886-4861 and I look forward to serving you in the future. And for the person that said we had a bunch of 18 year old kids working here we are 35,37,44 and 60. Welcome aboard. I figured you would have been a member here already. Now you know you're required to give your fellow Arfcommers a discount at the shop right?  " />
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Ive always been treated well from the start! If they are busy with something it may take them a minute to get to you but in the end I never leave feeling ignored,cheated, or mistreated in anyway! If people find prices lower at another location the answer is simple....keep going where the price tickles your fancy! Just because a few people felt neglected doesn't mean you should speak so poorly...over a rumor for that matter!
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| This is brent from 417 and I take great offense to your comment about "shady" stuff going on at gun shows. I understand if you dont like my shop or my prices but one thing I take VERY seriously is my reputation and my credibility. I have been a law enforcement officer for over 11 years and I take the same pride in my shop and my business dealings as I do my work behind the badge. I would like to know what you think you saw me do at a gun show that you call shady. 417-886-4861. thanks |
| Do what you want but i would sick my attorney on his ass..Unfortunately some people listen to what others say on the net without first hand knowledge..Whether you know it or not I'm sure this idiot cost you some money..Not to mention being stupid for putting it on a public forum...Anything out side of factual information is slander and deflamation of character...Ask the attorney |
| either which way you look at it. My personal problems still exsist and I will not return anytime soon. I bought a pistol from 417 and then 2 weeks later a buddy went in and got the same thing for $55.00 less. Thats bullshit. and there cant be any excuse for that. |
| and as far as a customer is concerned a NEW gun price is a price period. Treat every customer like they were your only one. Not Oh okay It looks like I can take advantage of this person so ill charge more. That is bullshit. Its not like this is a pawn shop or and individual this was supposed to be a reputable gun store. I can see that im not the only one with this opinion though so no big deal to me. I learned from my mistake and I will shop elswhere. And as for earlier I said I wasnt trying to start shit. I can have my own opinion or can I is somone here going to tell me NO. |