2 A sales in Jessup ... review !?

[Maverick0313]

Ahem. This is not a paid announcement. I have been a customer at 2A for about three years....give or take a few months. Dropped a fair amount of $$$ at this shop. Helped out for a little while. I am a bit biased. I like this shop. Mark is never to busy too answer questions, help folks out, put up with a hefty amount of blather at times. ("Hey, I can get this for $10 less at blah blah". "Hey, I can get a transfer at blah blah for $10"). OK. Overall I TRUST this place, and for me that's all that really matters. He and his staff have been good to me, my family and numerous friends that shop there. End transmission. :-)

 

[hawxter996]

i went last saturday to get some parts for my LRB build.
i waited in line for about 40 mins,and started sweating my ass off.
hey guys dial the heat back just a lil bit!

 

[jeganrocks]

I hear what you're saying about small businesses staying in business, but I went in pretty much knowing what I wanted. Maybe I'll see a return on my investment later when I do need some real service or advice.

All I'm saying is that I think the gun I bought is worth less than I paid. It's a nice gun, and I'm not going to be the a**hole who tries to return something because he found out later that he could have saved a few bucks, but for what I paid I could have a brand new gun, or a nice used gun AND a case and/or cleaning kit and/or ammo for the same amount. Like I said, it's my fault. Service was decent. Gun is decent. Price wasn't anything to write home about. I'm just letting people know they need to shop around since they may very well pay new-gun prices for a used gun here.

Isn't consignment prices based on what the market is used guns for right now? Currently in this maddening time, panic buyers are pushing up used prices. Unfortunately the big department stores with locked in prices are probably going to be lower. In the past, prices at 2A have been great, its just bad timing for you.

 

[cantstop]

I like to shop around for best prices on guns. The folks at 2A Sales usually are in that group. A large percentage of their floorspace is dedicated to EBR's. The last couple weeks our prez has basically said he wants to put EBR sales folks out of business.

I'm surprised that anyone would go in and antagonize the owners of a store in this environment.

Are you really that stupid?

 

[Justin B.C.]

I went to 2A sales a week or so ago, bought an HBAR (technically, my wife did). Was the price high? Apparently, given the market prior to the political climate. Was I butthurt? Not in the sense that I felt these guys were ripping me off. I paid current market price, and am happy.

You know why I'll go back, even though I now live a 30 min drive away? These guys had a line out their shop on a Saturday. They joked with the crowd, helped the window shoppers even when they blabbed on, and when it was my turn, answered all the questions I had. It was a pleasant, professional experience from guys who were obviously tired. They earned my trust in one visit with their absolute professionalism when dealing with customers, and the atmosphere they engendered in their shop.

 

[corbex]

The guys at 2A have been nothing but good to me. I highly recommend them. If you want to shop your prices, do so.. Blabbing about cheaper this, cheaper that isn't going to get a warm welcome at any small business. They are in the business to make money.

 

[Flipz]

Anyone who knows me knows that 2A is my shop of choice. Ive been doing business with Mark since shortly after he opened up. I have never felt taken advantage of or felt that I overpaid. The prices are fair and the service is excelllent. Within a few miles in any directions I have multiple other FFL's I could do business with. 2A is a little further away but is well worth the extra few miles. Im not saying the FFL's which are closer are bad. I just like 2A more. Mark, and now Tom, have always been great to work with and I will continue to do business with them for years to come.

 

[robertgreen79]

I've purchased a few items from them and they've been awesome. They even stayed open late for me one night when I was stuck in traffic trying to pick up my new Sig from them. Great place to do business!

 

[Catch-10-22]

Mark has always been great to me as a customer. I have bought from other folks that were great too, but 2A is a special shop.

You may pay a bit more than a big box store but you are paying them to have a dream-worthy inventory. In fact, I can't think of a gun I have bought at 2A that I came in planning to buy. After a few trips, I stopped coming in with a specific request and went to browse and learn - and it worked out for the best each time. Sure, you do your research up front on pricing, specs, etc. He isn't going to pressure you into buying anything so if you walk away to do more research or to think about it more he's very cool about it. Obviously all of this is a lot tougher right now with demand and reduced inventories - he doesn't have a wall full of dreams and you can miss out if you don't act quickly. But that is the market right now.

I have also consigned a few guns there and they have a good feel for market demand and pricing - it was still up to me to set a price. Right now everyone buying feels stung because guns (even used) are selling at a premium. When demand was lower and my guns went for a big discount, I felt stung. When I got great prices from Mark that couldn't be matched anywhere else I felt great. At least you got what you wanted - that is not a guaruntee these days.

Different stores are going to have different sales philosophies and approaches. I am very thankful that 2A is around.

 

[Revvin' Evan]

Anyone who knows me knows that 2A is my shop of choice. Ive been doing business with Mark since shortly after he opened up. I have never felt taken advantage of or felt that I overpaid. The prices are fair and the service is excelllent. Within a few miles in any directions I have multiple other FFL's I could do business with. 2A is a little further away but is well worth the extra few miles. Im not saying the FFL's which are closer are bad. I just like 2A more. Mark, and now Tom, have always been great to work with and I will continue to do business with them for years to come.

ALL of this.

2A restored my faith in gun stores. Before I bought my first item from them, I bought everything online. Since then, every gun and NFA item I have purchased has been from 2A.

Edit: Let me add that having a good, long running relationship with a gun shop can really pay off when you really need something.

 

[RNGJeep]

I'll hop on this train and say Mark and 2A have always been great to me as well. I usually go in to the shop knowing what I'm looking for beforehand, but Mark's willing to answer any questions. Definitely never experienced any kind of rudeness there, in fact always felt of sense of going above and beyond for the customer. This is coming from someone who hasn't spent as much money in the shop as maybe other customers have (simply from not being able to line the budget up with the want list) and I've always felt I've been treated with excellent service.

 

[Wojo]

The guys bitching are probably the type that always have issue everywhere. They think it's the shop but they should take a look in the mirror. If you have issues everywhere you go, maybe it's actually you...

 

[marte616]

They have done trasfers for me in the past, and i just ordered more stuff to transfer through them. Good service, always a smile and prices are ok for a brick and mortar shop...plus it is 10 mins from my home in Columbia. What is not to like?

 

[hawxter996]

Yeah.. I have a wife and 2 kids and I have a poopie job so I can't afford to pay a whole lot .. next to a wasr ... this was the cheapest thing I could buy. If I had the money to get the better gun from Mark I would have.

maybe the price from their distributor was the reason it cost more.
im most certain it was.
by the way i have a poopy job also.
give them another chance,they wont dissapoint.

 

[Billman]

"Service was decent. Gun is decent. Price wasn't anything to write home about."

But it is something to whine about on the Interwebz?

To the OP, I simply say move along. If you've bothered to check back on this thread, you may have noticed your opinion of Mark, Tom and 2A doesn't match with most.

 

[amoebicmagician]

Yeah I like to start off any conversation with the store owner/employees by answering another customers question with suggestions of where you can buy it cheaper. Really dude?

yes, really dude. He was, until that very second that I chimed in claiming that he undesells cheaperthandirt on most of his items.

I didn't start that conversation, and even if I did I don't think it authorizes him to go into cosmic dick mode.

 

[amoebicmagician]

1. I'd be pissy with you too if you're in there dicking around and squeeze into a conversation not your own and tell someone they can find something cheaper at wal-mart.

2. When you bought the firearm, did you inspect it before you paid for it? Was the sight broken then? If not, and you didn't break it, I might be concerned. But how likely is it that it just broke all by itself sitting in a case in a safe? More likely is that your friend didn't notice when he bought the gun in the first place.

3. Gun stores don't warranty guns. At least none that I've ever heard of. If you have a problem with the gun, you send it back to the factory or pay a gunsmith to fix it. Usually people just deal with the factory. And Ruger has great customer service so you should have done that. If the gun is defective it isn't the gun shop's problem.

4. "the guy behind the counter said that when he assembles mark 3s he uses a hammer." Okay? What is your point? He was probably referring to a rubber mallet to drive one particular stubborn pin in. Also, last time I checked, 2A Sales and Supplies is not Ruger, so why would he have been assembling the gun? You realize ruger doesn't sell them a box of parts for them to assemble and then sell, right? They sell them assembled firearms...

5. If you came back and made a scene and refused to leave I'd have told you to GTFO and if you didn't I would have called the police. Consider yourself lucky that they gave you a free rear sight.

I was there on both occasions, and the sight was on it and functional when he filled out his paperwork. I agree, not much should happen to a gun while sitting in a safe, which is why we didn't inspect it thoroughly before pickup. That and the fact they were total dicks that last time. So yeah, I was a little curious as to how the hell it happened.

And yes I'm aware that they don't get their guns in pieces usually, but as to how a rear sight comes peened off, I was kind of at a freaking loss to explain how the hell it happened.

Also, it was an ONGOING conversation between all of us that started with me saying that these guys had decent prices on stuff and the other guy asking ME for info, what am I going to do, lie to the guy to please the store owner?

Fourthly, no matter WHAT the hell happened and even if I was a complete and utter dick, he has a right to refuse service to me, that's his prerogative, but I refuse to accept second rate merchandise on the premise that an item broke in the five minutes I've had it in my possession. I think if the same happened to you you'd have done the same.

And if he REALLY didn't want to deal with me they could have just cancelled the sale, taken posession back of the gun and refunded our money, even though my friend would have had to wait another 30 days to buy a regulated firearm we were willing to do that at that point just to not have to deal with them.

I think I was more than fair throughout the whole process and I can't understand why you're so eager to jump to their defense instead of just taking my anecdote for what it's worth- a personal recounting of an experience I had, YMMV. You don't want to take my advice, that's fine, but don't sign on as apologist for these guys' bad behavior and customer service.

 

[amoebicmagician]

The guys bitching are probably the type that always have issue everywhere. They think it's the shop but they should take a look in the mirror. If you have issues everywhere you go, maybe it's actually you...

actually, I don't have issues nearly ever, I'm a very laid back guy and it takes a lot to rile me.

I've dealt with Gus at Accurate Pawn and Tackle for years, and he can be a gruff mother, but when it comes down to it, he's always gone out of his way to make me feel like a friend.

The reason I was so upset about the situation was because it such a rare event for someone to step so far over the line that it demands redress.

Even after that anecdote, I've referred people to 2a for their transfer rates- I'm not the bad guy here. A fellow member asked for feedback on a subject and I gave it

I think the real question is why people get so butthurt about an honestly reported anecdote.

You have a different experience, that's fine, post that and it'll cancel mine out.

But without being there at the spot of the foul you forfeit your right to draw conclusions on the subject of me being a dickhead and asking for special treatment wherever I go. To do so is the same as Feinstein blabbing on about things she knows absolutely nothing about, but feels entitled to speak to since she read a gun magazine in 1999.

 

[Bang]

I hear what you're saying about small businesses staying in business, but I went in pretty much knowing what I wanted. Maybe I'll see a return on my investment later when I do need some real service or advice.

All I'm saying is that I think the gun I bought is worth less than I paid. It's a nice gun, and I'm not going to be the a**hole who tries to return something because he found out later that he could have saved a few bucks, but for what I paid I could have a brand new gun, or a nice used gun AND a case and/or cleaning kit and/or ammo for the same amount. Like I said, it's my fault. Service was decent. Gun is decent. Price wasn't anything to write home about. I'm just letting people know they need to shop around since they may very well pay new-gun prices for a used gun here.

Economics state that an items value is dictated by mostly what people are willing to pay for it. At that time you were willing to pay x amount for the shotgun. Sounds like you got caught up in all the panic and you bought something you now are regretting after doing a bit of googling. It's ok, we have all done it.

But here is a little food for thought. Now it seems like firearms are using crappier materials compared to a few decades ago due to these conglomerate bean counters trying so save every penny they can to maximize profit. It's a good chance you have a better gun.

Have you had a chance to hold a new one yet to see? I'm interested if you notice any perceivable difference.

 

[TxAggie]

My .02 FWIW. All 3 of my Maryland firearms purchases have come from 2A. I do hospital sales, so it gives me the opportunity to stop in almost every IP between Baltimore to NOVA and I spent weeks researching what I thought would be my first purchase, an M&P 9. Through all of my searches, 2A consistently ranked at the top for answering my questions on multiple visits and on their pricing. I ended up following their IP board and before I could get my pistol, they posted a used, barely fired, M&P 15 at an unbelievable price. I snagged it. Them I saved for the pistol, ended up with the range kit for basically the same price as the basic version from Bass Pro. I rounded things put with a Remington 870. Honestly, I could have saved 15 bucks on the Shotty at Dicks, but Tom had already spent about an hour going over shotguns with me and they always treated me well when I came in, so I brought my business back.

So now the only problem is, the current climate combined with their great service means that they are too busy for me to just drop in and see what they have in stock!

Hopefully all this will die down soon so I can come in and talk to them about bolt guns!

Keep up the great job, guys. I'll still check on ammo periodically until I can afford more hardware.