Local gun shops who WON'T answer phones!!!!!

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berserk

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After the run on ammo a few years ago I stopped shooting or looking at gun related web sites for the most part. I got tired of waiting inline for hours before a store opened to buy two boxes of ammo.
Then two weeks ago a friend told me he bought a new pistol and I decided it was time to look around at local shops. I wanted to change a few things on my Colt 6920 to make it a SPR clone, so I called or went to literally ALL the shops I could find looking for an 18" precision barrel. I was pleased to find some good AR parts at places like Kings Pawn, Cold Hand Arms and Village tactical but they didn't have the barrel I wanted.
So after looking online I found Fat Boy Tactical, they have very cheap prices on there barrels which to me is a red flag for quality. So I called during business hours to see who makes the barrels for them and some specs.
First call no one answered, an hour later I called again with no answer so I leave a detailed message, 24 hours later no call back! So I decided to just call them about 5-7 more times throughout the day, they never ANSWERED!!
I was frustrated and called them back and left another message to let them know I would do business else where so there was no need to return my call.
In the meantime I decided to make a trip out to Marks Firearms. It had been 2-3 years since I had been in the moore shop so I looked up the hours and headed down there from Edmond. When I walked up to the door it was LOCKED, I went back to my car and called the number and Mark didn't answer. So after thinking on it I remembered the last time I was there(prob 3 years ago) the same thing happened! At that time the store is supposed to open at 11:00 but it was around 11:30 and the door was still locked so I called and left a message and heard back in about ten minutes. So I decided to leave a message and drove around the packed moore traffic for 20 minutes getting more and more frustrated. In the end I called back and left a message telling him the same thing I told FBT Ill do business else where.

FOUR hours later he calls back and leaves a message saying he was laid up with GOUT! There was no message on his voice mail telling his customers this when they called, no note on his door! I know his store phone is forwarded to his cell so he could have at least answered his phone during the day and let his customers know his situation. Its a good thing I didn't wait around in Moore for longer than I did.

I don't know the FBT guys as there 1 hour and 45 minutes away from me but I would have made that drive and spent around 300-500$ to get what I was looking for. Ive known Mark for years just as a customer from the gun shows and always thought he was a good guy. But if this is the way they do there business, I guess I'll stick to online sales or the few shops I mentioned.
 

Cavedweller

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FBT used to have message on their website saying not to call and email is best way to contact them. Also you know the FBT owners and Mark are members who post on this forum regularly, right?
 

tRidiot

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FBT used to have message on their website saying not to call and email is best way to contact them. Also you know the FBT owners and Mark are members who post on this forum regularly, right?

This was what I thought. I remember there USED to be a message, I don't know if there still is. I think email is the preferred method.

I just text them. ;)
 

berserk

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I called FBT on Tuesday and Wednesday mid morning. And yes I do know that both Mark and FBT post on here regularly. I haven't been very active in the past 2 years but I have been a lurker and then member for 6 or more years. I know Mark from the gun shows for 6 to 8 years. I get that they are small operations but I feel some common courtesy would have helped a lot in this situation. I think most shop owners would......leave a message on there voicemail, note on there door or website saying we don't regularly answer calls or will be out for several days. It would have taken 5 minutes to set up and saved me a lot of frustration. I try to by local and from the small shops but for me it's not worth it if I have to get the run around when I could just order online or to a larger shop like hh or Wilshire.
 

cowzrul

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How many of you remember "Let your fingers do the walking" commercial? I don't care if its a restaurant, a lawyer, a gun shop, etc. For me it's 50/50 that somebody answers the phone when I call a business. Most do have answer machines though. It's a sign that they usually are busy and don't have the staff to answer phone calls.
 

montesa

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I understand being annoyed by that. I would be too and that stuff if mostly why I don't bother going to gun stores. I understand wanting to support local but you shouldn't have to force your business on them.
 

saddlebum

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I have been to Mark's probably ten times at various times of day ,never been open. I bought a lower and upper on fbt web page showed both in stock and paid with c.c.. drove from moore to Tulsa two days later(they are closed Sunday and Monday) to pick it up and was told they didn't have it. Never again
 

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