Atlantic Guns in Silver Springs

SciereVeritas said:

He clearly takes pride in getting ripped off and taken for every penny they can squeeze out of him. But hey, thats all personal preference.

I know many people with guns also and I would say the majority of them have at the minimum 2 guns and they are not shooting enthusiasts.

Provide your sources for your "statistics" for all of us also, thanks.

It makes sense for you to make 3 sales, when you know wholeheartedly that you could sell more if your prices were lower? Hopefully you are not a business owner. Sorry to break it to you but people do shop around based on price. People shop around for the best price on everything. If they don't then they clearly are not smart with their money and are impulse buyers. People wouldn't ask dealers in the Industry Partners section prices on guns they have if what you said is true, they would just go in and buy it no matter what.

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Yet I went in there, was quoted a price> Yes, it was higher than I wanted to pay. I countered that it was $XXX on the net, could they do better, and they came down to within $25 of that price. Worked for me!


Jamie

Of course you can do that. But if you are some unknowing person they are just going to suck every penny they can out of you, which their prices are evident of.

Of course you can do that. But if you are some unknowing person they are just going to suck every penny they can out of you, which their prices are evident of. It is just unfortunate that that is how gun shop owners run their businesses, most places make it seem as if you are getting a good deal on a gun (because you are for the most part) but stores in Montgomery County just dont have a good sense of business practice.

SciereVeritas said:

Of course you can do that. But if you are some unknowing person they are just going to suck every penny they can out of you, which their prices are evident of. It is just unfortunate that that is how gun shop owners run their businesses, most places make it seem as if you are getting a good deal on a gun (because you are for the most part) but stores in Montgomery County just dont have a good sense of business practice.

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Atlantic Guns est 1950 60 years in business Potomac Trading Post / Engage Armament 40+ years in business they clearly have no idea what they are doing...

SciereVeritas said:

Of course you can do that. But if you are some unknowing person they are just going to suck every penny they can out of you, which their prices are evident of. It is just unfortunate that that is how gun shop owners run their businesses, most places make it seem as if you are getting a good deal on a gun (because you are for the most part) but stores in Montgomery County just dont have a good sense of business practice.

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That's pretty much how everybody does business. An educated consumer is, er... well, educated!


Jamie

sigs4me said:

Atlantic Guns est 1950 60 years in business Potomac Trading Post / Engage Armament 40+ years in business they clearly have no idea what they are doing...

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Yeah they have been scraping by for that long also due to their prices. All I am saying is that they would make more profit by selling more guns at a cheaper price and in turn they would get even better dealer pricing due to the quantity they would sell.

SciereVeritas said:

Yeah they have been scraping by for that long also due to their prices. All I am saying is that they would make more profit by selling more guns at a cheaper price and in turn they would get even better dealer pricing due to the quantity they would sell.

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Wrong Wrong Wrong they have been around this long due to a strong customer base(Repeat Customers) and great customer service. both of these stores have a inventory and customer base that most shops would be love to have. A lot of shops have come and gone in the last 50 years but they get bigger and make more money every year.

But your way is better?

I run a very successful pool and spa company and it is the same thing sure you can buy pool chemicals cheaper at the Home Depot but people come to my store because of service not because they are shopping for the cheapest price. You get what you pay for in life good service beats good price any day of the week...

sigs4me said:

Both of these stores have a inventory and customer base that most shops would be love to have. A lot of shops have come and gone in the last 50 years but they get bigger and make more money every year.

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Atlantic does have almost everything under the sun. I dont think they are so overpriced either, they have great customer service too.

They have a very good long standing reputation, lots of connections, and lots of buying power. They can get things and keep them in stock that most smaller establishments can only hope for.

And I run an IT security firm that is the main contractor behind the technology used in CAC cards. Oh well, we all have our ways of doing business and everyone is entitled to their own opinions!

I like guns.

SciereVeritas said:

And I run an IT security firm that is the main contractor behind the technology used in CAC cards. Oh well, we all have our ways of doing business and everyone is entitled to their own opinions!

I like guns.

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And it's just that my opinion and you have yours. there is a lot of ways to run a business and they can all work or fail. All I was saying is that being around for 60 years is very hard in any industry and anyone who can do that must know what their doing. If you don't like Atlantic thats fine but I don't see the need to jump online and start bashing every dealer who dose not do what you would do or what you think they should do..

sigs4me said:

I run a very successful pool and spa company and it is the same thing sure you can buy pool chemicals cheaper at the Home Depot but people come to my store because of service not because they are shopping for the cheapest price. You get what you pay for in life good service beats good price any day of the week...

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Good service is huge. Retailers of any kind get my business based more on the service than the prices. Case in point: Up until recently, there was a family run video game store up the street. Granted, their prices on things weren't always fantastic, but the service was top notch. They let me play things before buying them, they let me hang out and BS for a while and they never made me feel unwelcome. Good people. Unfortunately they aren't around because of some other issues, but they will be missed. I can shell out a few bucks for convenience of location and good service.

Robby The Sheef said:

Good service is huge. Retailers of any kind get my business based more on the service than the prices. Case in point: Up until recently, there was a family run video game store up the street. Granted, their prices on things weren't always fantastic, but the service was top notch. They let me play things before buying them, they let me hang out and BS for a while and they never made me feel unwelcome. Good people. Unfortunately they aren't around because of some other issues, but they will be missed. I can shell out a few bucks for convenience of location and good service.

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This is a good summary.

Lots of people would be happy to see every small local store/business go under as long as theres "Super Stores" such as Home Depot, Chain Resturants, Lowes, Bass Pro, Cabellas, Gander Mountain, Walmart, Target, Costco, BJ's, Rite Aide, Goodyear, Pep Boys, Walgreens, ect....

Meanwhile all of the Local Drug Stores, Auto Repair SHops, Hardware Stores, Grocery Stores, Gun Shops, and General Stores that have "Good Service" close down.

I see lots of people who like to complain about poor service at big chain places but dont want to support the local guys. Cant have it noth ways all of the time. Most big places have terribel service so you get what you pay for.

I guess Im too old school; I like local Drug Stores, Local Food Joints, Local Mechanics, Small Grocery Stores, Local Gun Shops, ect...........

I bought my AR and two pistols from them. I really have no issues with the store and they are good people. Some prices might be a tad on the high side but for the most part I see that they're prices are in line with some online retailers. We also have to remember they're in Monkey County. I think they do a damn good job trying to keep their prices sane.

Something like a Kimber Desert Warrior might be about $100 more than average but that's "want me gun". If I see something a little too pricey there I will give Dan a call. Ammo, accessories, gunsmith and customer service is excellent. I got my FiveSeven from them back in Dec 08 for $950 out the door and two boxes of ammo that they threw in. I was seeing those run for $1k in some of the bigger online retailers and GB. So after transfer fees and the two boxes of ammo that was good.

buffalobob said:

It wasn't in Maryland. I hunt a lot of places.

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true, true, my mistake for jumping to conclusions. i appologize.

now on the Atlantic Guns:

i have shopped there since i was a little kid; and bought my first gun from Dale down in at the Silver Spring store. i have heard a lot of bad things about the service in the silver spring store (though knowing a few of the guys since i have been around so long, i don't get that end of it) and i agree that something should change...it is a pretty common complaint and i feel management should address the issue, or deal with losing business.

that said, i usually deal with the Rockville location, and though they dont have be best prices (although surprisingly, some of their prices are lower than anywhere else, but not many...) i am always greeted with a smile and even if all the sales staff is busy, someone at least says hello and eventually comes over and asks me if i need a hand with anything. again, their prices are high, but i feel that you are paying for the customer service. aside from the knowledge, i had an issue with a smith and wesson that i bought there, and they listened to what i had to say, grabbed a repair tag, and took my information. three weeks later, i had the gun back from the factory, fixed, better than new, and THEY DIDNT CHARGE A DIME!

i have also been in the store when someone comes in with a gun in pieces in a shoe-box (can anyone say Ruger MKII?) and needs help putting it back together. whoever ends up helping them walks them through the process (at times providing tools from the back, if needed) and makes sure that by the time the customer leaves, they are confident they can put it back together on their own.

the same holds true when buying a new gun; they make sure you can field strip it and clean it before you leave the store. i know you dont get this kind of service from Basspro Shops or Dicks.

i dont want to sound like Atlantic Guns is the best shop in the world; they certainly have their flaws, and no one is arguing that their prices aren't high, but i dont feel that they are trying to insult anyone by spiking prices. if you want the gun, and you like the service, great, if you want it cheaper elsewhere, that's fine too. no harm, no foul.

long story short, i like Atlantic Guns, and will continue to shop their for their service, but if they dont have the right price on something, i won't hesitate to ask for a reduction, and if they can't do it, i'll get it somewhere else. again, no harm, no foul. cheers

-The Cat Man

SciereVeritas said:

Yeah they have been scraping by for that long also due to their prices. All I am saying is that they would make more profit by selling more guns at a cheaper price and in turn they would get even better dealer pricing due to the quantity they would sell.

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Ahahaha delightful! I don't really get how those guys at Atlantic can put their kids through college, what with scraping by and all. Atlantic and Engage are some of the most powerful small businesses in Montgomery County. Boy, it's such a shame they have to scrape by to do it.

It's funny to see some people with a vendetta against a certain store. Yes, prices are probably very high for you, because these stores probably don't like you enough to make you a deal. Shocker.

I don't think Jamie knows who I am, but I've seen him at the store. And what he said is accurate. I've seen them give Jamie a much better price on things a few times, because they like dealing with him and he's a reasonable person.

On the flip side, if you don't know anything and ask for a Glock revolver, I've seen them spend a ton of time those new customers getting their knowledge up to speed, even if it doesn't look like it's going to end in a sale. It's those know it all customers in the middle who use phrases like "Hey Chief, price that out for me" (generally wearing an Ed Hardy t-shirt) who aren't getting any type of deal.

If you're an average customer or nice to deal with, they'll do everything for you. If you're a jackass, they wont. Pity.

Sounds like they're really scraping by.

SciereVeritas said:

And I run an IT security firm that is the main contractor behind the technology used in CAC cards. Oh well, we all have our ways of doing business and everyone is entitled to their own opinions!

I like guns.

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Is that why CAC cards always work so shitty?

sigs4me said:

Wrong Wrong Wrong they have been around this long due to a strong customer base(Repeat Customers) and great customer service. both of these stores have a inventory and customer base that most shops would be love to have. A lot of shops have come and gone in the last 50 years but they get bigger and make more money every year.

But your way is better?

I run a very successful pool and spa company and it is the same thing sure you can buy pool chemicals cheaper at the Home Depot but people come to my store because of service not because they are shopping for the cheapest price. You get what you pay for in life good service beats good price any day of the week...

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You're a huge Sig fan and a pool shop owner. That's pretty cool.

MrBojangles said:

Is that why CAC cards always work so shitty?

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The initial problems with them were due to their physical design, reader problems, and clients not installing the software on their readers correctly. There were no problems behind the actual IT and software aspect of the cards themselves.

Anyways, enough with this bickering. I do like Atlantic and Engage, but do believe they could lower their prices a bit, but as mentioned their service is top notch when they actually feel like talking to you.

MrBojangles said:

I don't think Jamie knows who I am, but I've seen him at the store. And what he said is accurate. I've seen them give Jamie a much better price on things a few times, because they like dealing with him and he's a reasonable person.

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Ooh! A secret admirer!


Jamie

P.S. Speak up next time!

MrBojangles said:

You're a huge Sig fan and a pool shop owner. That's pretty cool.

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Yeah, what pool shop/company? I have heard of a few out of Silver Spring but the only one I can think of off the top of my head is #1 Pools. I am going out of town for 3 months this coming spring and could actually use a pool company to get them open.