FLEET FARM BRAINERD

[Holland&Holland]

While Bills is not my regular go to, I have found a few deals there over the years. Their prices are not out of line with what FF was charging on the normal stuff I felt. They definitely are no Gander when it comes to making a profit.

[FJ540]

I've found some buys at Bill's over the years too. It's just that there's a lot of stuff that's higher than I'd expect, even in a retail outlet.

Gander's just plain laughable. I don't know how they stay in the gun business. Reading their tags is a semi-favorite rainy day activity in Baxter. Where else will you find a .45 acp 3.5" barrel micro 1911 labeled as "small game"?

[Squib Joe]

John's got a good business model that's obviously working for him, and I'm happy for his success. I'm just not his customer at the prices he charges.

We will match prices with any store in town, and we also give free range time (limited value to some, I know) - but we often can't beat some of the online deals out there. I don't know of any brick and mortar shop that can.

[Squib Joe]

I really liked the fleet farm range up there. Nice and spacious. Hope Bills takes good care of it, I'm just happy it isn't shutting down for good.

It will be more spacious once we convert the archery range into ten more pistol lanes

[FJ540]

In Baxter, the range is of limited use to many. As I've discussed with the old staff there, they had a good thing going with leagues and classes. Otherwise, there's gravel pits or WMA's within 10 miles in any direction you point.

Matching prices only works if someone else stocks it. Fleet had a big selection of rifles that was unique to that store, and the prices were reasonable without having to leverage someone else's deal - I'll miss that.

[Jackpine Savage]

I'm just hoping they continue with the action pistol league. It's nice to get some trigger time and really helps the winter go by. So far it sounds like they will be starting one in January.

[FJ540]

The guy who ran the leagues is supposed to be staying on just to do that into the future.

When we move, the leagues really appeal to me. I'd like to get involved, and hope it remains a viable option.

[Jackpine Savage]

He has a different job but is coming back to do the winter league and training someone in to carry on.

[BigBlue]

We will match prices with any store in town, and we also give free range time (limited value to some, I know) - but we often can't beat some of the online deals out there. I don't know of any brick and mortar shop that can.

I developed a bad taste for that business model from car dealers who would match prices. To me it essentially says "We're going to suck as much as we can out of unsuspecting people but if we're caught being overpriced we'll be competitive just to save that sale." Only when a business demonstrates that they have a value proposition offering more than their competitor (like longer service hours, free loaners, service on Saturday, to extend my car dealer analogy) am I OK with the higher prices. Otherwise they are just opportunistic.

BB

[Hmac]

Matching retailer prices in the area? So, that range will try to match Gander Mountain's prices. Cool .

That range in Baxter is pretty nice, but shooting there is very restrictive. All you do is stand there and point the gun. No holster work is allowed. I get it, but it's the primary reason I go to a range...pointing the gun is not a challenge for me. The draw and presentation is the thing that requires the most training and where I need the most practice.

I'm sure that owning and running a shooting range is a nightmare. Fleet Farm did an OK job with it, but it was still so highly regulated that its value to one's shooting skills are marginal. From reading here about Bill's, and my limited experience with them...I'm not optimistic that there will be any positive change. Time will tell. I still have about 10 ranges sessions that I've prepaid. I'll likely swing by for a look soon, assuming that my range sessions are still valid.

[FJ540]

Hopefully John honors those sessions, because that business has been officially closed for a week.

My intention is to have a pistol pit with 270+ degree berms at some point. When I'll have it done is up in the air.

My 750ish yard rifle range should start taking shape Next month if my forester can get it happening. This cold has prevented him from getting the ground work done on my South 40 to finalize the areas of the sale. He says next week it should be done.


I agree with the gouging unless you have to price match viewpoint that's been shared. I'm not so hell bent on getting the absolute cheapest price as to drive across the street to save a couple bucks, but when I look around and realize that everything is jacked up higher than every other advertised price I'm used to seeing (I do watch the Cabela's ads), it shuts me down as a customer. I get the feeling I'm going to be screwed on the purchase and I stop actively looking for something to buy, and then just look at the guns and walk out. This is what happens when I go to Bills.

I paid a little more for the Ruger P22, figuring the range pass made it as good as any other price, and Bill's had them. I've bought a couple other guns there over the years (my first 4473 was filled at Brooklyn Center). I've used the range(s) for years in the metro. So I'm not anti-Bill's, but it's not my ideal for what we're losing (the Brainerd area) as a community. Stuart built that shop to be a model of what his grandpa built FF to be: TONS of variety, with good value. I'm not looking for mail order pricing, but I want to feel like I'm not getting raped too. Much of what they had wasn't a gun-show hobbyist price over wholesale, it was regular price with everyone else - but they had it marked at that when you looked at the tag, not when you told them "so and so" had it for that, and would they match it.

[Randygmn]

We will match prices with any store in town, and we also give free range time (limited value to some, I know) - but we often can't beat some of the online deals out there. I don't know of any brick and mortar shop that can.

I developed a bad taste for that business model from car dealers who would match prices. To me it essentially says "We're going to suck as much as we can out of unsuspecting people but if we're caught being overpriced we'll be competitive just to save that sale." Only when a business demonstrates that they have a value proposition offering more than their competitor (like longer service hours, free loaners, service on Saturday, to extend my car dealer analogy) am I OK with the higher prices. Otherwise they are just opportunistic.

BB

^^^this!!!!

[mmcnx2]

Matching retailer prices in the area? So, that range will try to match Gander Mountain's prices. Cool .

That range in Baxter is pretty nice, but shooting there is very restrictive. All you do is stand there and point the gun. No holster work is allowed. I get it, but it's the primary reason I go to a range...pointing the gun is not a challenge for me. The draw and presentation is the thing that requires the most training and where I need the most practice.

I'm sure that owning and running a shooting range is a nightmare. Fleet Farm did an OK job with it, but it was still so highly regulated that its value to one's shooting skills are marginal. From reading here about Bill's, and my limited experience with them...I'm not optimistic that there will be any positive change. Time will tell. I still have about 10 ranges sessions that I've prepaid. I'll likely swing by for a look soon, assuming that my range sessions are still valid.

In fairness, I don't know many indoor ranges that will let you do holster work, except when they have special events like IPDA/USPSA league. But day in day out most don't let you draw. If you saw most people handle a firearm you understand the risk of letting shooters draw. Heck I would not stand next to a stranger doing holster work - quick way to get shot!

[LumberZach]

Matching retailer prices in the area? So, that range will try to match Gander Mountain's prices. Cool .

That range in Baxter is pretty nice, but shooting there is very restrictive. All you do is stand there and point the gun. No holster work is allowed. I get it, but it's the primary reason I go to a range...pointing the gun is not a challenge for me. The draw and presentation is the thing that requires the most training and where I need the most practice.

I'm sure that owning and running a shooting range is a nightmare. Fleet Farm did an OK job with it, but it was still so highly regulated that its value to one's shooting skills are marginal. From reading here about Bill's, and my limited experience with them...I'm not optimistic that there will be any positive change. Time will tell. I still have about 10 ranges sessions that I've prepaid. I'll likely swing by for a look soon, assuming that my range sessions are still valid.

In fairness, I don't know many indoor ranges that will let you do holster work, except when they have special events like IPDA/USPSA league. But day in day out most don't let you draw. If you saw most people handle a firearm you understand the risk of letting shooters draw. Heck I would not stand next to a stranger doing holster work - quick way to get shot!

Agreed. As much as I want to do holster work, I know what happens with the general public. If you want to fear for your safety, come out to the pistol range at horse and hunt some time when it's busy.


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[Hmac]

As I said, I get it. If I owned or managed a shooting range, I'm sure I'd be forced to make policies based on the lowest common denominator of range customer just like Bill's does, and like Fleet Farm did. My complaint isn't about any one particular range, it's a basic limitation of almost all ranges. But it is the thing that makes shooting there a very ho-hum boring experience.