I did once, didn't care for the walk of shame they do. Felt dirty for not buying local but that's just me. They DO run some good specials during the holidays.

 

I've bought several at Academy. Very good prices and painless process. No qualms about buying there again.

 

Recently bought an LCP II at Academy.

This was my first Big Box store firearm purchase in over a decade. Not exactly sure when the last one was.

I have bought a couple from a few LGSs, but most were online purchases. Well my FFL decided to retire. Have since tried three different FFLs and none have been great. One was bad.

Wanted an LCP II. Noticed that Academy has the LCP II on sale for the same price as PSA. Academy has an order-online, pay-online and pick-up in store process. Gave it a try.

A couple bumps. The confirmation email said to go to customer service. I waited in line at customer service to be told that I had to go to the gun counter. No big deal. I will know next time. I was first up at the gun counter. This took longer than at most dedicated FFLs in my experience. It was not terrible. Just a little slow as they have one guy do the paperwork and a second guy do a double check. The people I dealt with were polite and in the end it was cheaper than PSA. Same price, same taxes, no transfer fee. While they cautioned that all firearms were not returnable, they said if there were issues, I could bring it to them and they would deal with shipping it back to Ruger. That was nice.

Not a bad experience. Will probably do it again.

I didn't do the on-line order with Academy but just purchased the Beretta ARX100 off their rack. No fuss, no muss. Yes on the two guys doing the Yellow Form and double checking. No difference from other gun shops that I've dealt with.

I also didn't mind the escort out of the store with the gun. It's totally understandable.

 

I also didn't mind the escort out of the store with the gun. It's totally understandable.

I don't think they go far enough. The escort should be to your home and they should further ensure that the firearm is placed in an approved firearm storage container.

 

I wonder how long it will be before they cave to the PC crowd and quit selling firearms and firearm accessories.

 

I hope it never happens. Academy is a store I've grown up in. They're based here in the Houston area. It's a Texas company deep rooted in hunting, fishing, football, etc...

 

Academy is OK. I buy ammunition there pretty frequently. I will not buy a firearm there unless I have already shot it before because their "company policy" will not allow them to remove the trigger locks. So you can't even check a handgun for trigger reach, let alone dry fire it. But that policy is not unique to Academy Sports.

Academy sure beats an experience I recently had at a Bass Pro store. They had a particular model of Ruger 10/22 on sale. I called the store before driving there to confirm that they had the rifle in stock before driving there because the store was an hour away. When I got there one guy was at the gun counter and the guy I had talked to had gone home. I told the guy I was there to look at a Ruger 10/22 and he acted like he had never heard of such a thing. I explained that it was one of the two most popular semi-auto 22LR rifles ever made and that I had called that AM to confirm that the model was in stock. He then told me that the guy I had talked to would be back the next morning.

After explaining to him that I had just driven an hour to look at this gun, he started walking around aimlessly looking at the rifles on the rack. I had to find the Ruger 10/22s for him, then point out the model I wanted. He said he couldn't leave the counter to go in the back to get one and had to call for another employee to go get the gun. After a lengthy wait, another guy showed up and got a rifle from the back. I asked if I could at least do the paperwork during the wait but he said he had to first have the serial number of the rifle before I could start on the ATF form 4473.

Well, the rifle the guy brought out was damaged with a big ding that had taken the finish off the top of the receiver. But by that time the second guy had left and had to get called back. Another wait. The second rifle looked OK so I was allowed to start on the form 4473 on the computer. After completing the NICB check the clerk had to call another guy back a third time to double check that all the Ts and been crossed and the Is dotted properly and I was finally allowed to pay and leave. The entire process took about 2 hours from the time I entered the store.

 

Academy is OK. I buy ammunition there pretty frequently. I will not buy a firearm there unless I have already shot it before because their "company policy" will not allow them to remove the trigger locks. So you can't even check a handgun for trigger reach, let alone dry fire it. But that policy is not unique to Academy Sports.

Academy sure beats an experience I recently had at a Bass Pro store. They had a particular model of Ruger 10/22 on sale. I called the store before driving there to confirm that they had the rifle in stock before driving there because the store was an hour away. When I got there one guy was at the gun counter and the guy I had talked to had gone home. I told the guy I was there to look at a Ruger 10/22 and he acted like he had never heard of such a thing. I explained that it was one of the two most popular semi-auto 22LR rifles ever made and that I had called that AM to confirm that the model was in stock. He then told me that the guy I had talked to would be back the next morning.

After explaining to him that I had just driven an hour to look at this gun, he started walking around aimlessly looking at the rifles on the rack. I had to find the Ruger 10/22s for him, then point out the model I wanted. He said he couldn't leave the counter to go in the back to get one and had to call for another employee to go get the gun. After a lengthy wait, another guy showed up and got a rifle from the back. I asked if I could at least do the paperwork during the wait but he said he had to first have the serial number of the rifle before I could start on the ATF form 4473.

Well, the rifle the guy brought out was damaged with a big ding that had taken the finish off the top of the receiver. But by that time the second guy had left and had to get called back. Another wait. The second rifle looked OK so I was allowed to start on the form 4473 on the computer. After completing the NICB check the clerk had to call another guy back a third time to double check that all the Ts and been crossed and the Is dotted properly and I was finally allowed to pay and leave. The entire process took about 2 hours from the time I entered the store.

Seems to be the norm. I can`t ever recall having a good experience at Basspro. The name of the place should be changed to Asspro, because these people dont know their ass from a hole in the ground. They couldnt pour piss out of a boot if the instructions were written on the heel.

I miss all the old mom & pop shops. Most have been turned into either big box jokes, and corporate idiots. The smaller shops independently owned seem to have the tactikewl dudes that dont seem to bright either, but parade around like they think they know something. I`ve got one local shop i go to that is really good. They always give me great deals. They are for the most part, knowledgeable about what they sell. They always try to match prices with the local big dogs. But sometimes even beat the big box store prices.

I cant speak for Academy. We dont have any here in my area. I`ve seen there prices on line, but it dosent seem like a place that would intrest me. As for walking people to the door that by guns, thats a corporate thing i guess. Dont make any sense to me why they do that, but whatever.

 

Recently bought an LCP II at Academy.

This was my first Big Box store firearm purchase in over a decade. Not exactly sure when the last one was.

I have bought a couple from a few LGSs, but most were online purchases. Well my FFL decided to retire. Have since tried three different FFLs and none have been great. One was bad.

Wanted an LCP II. Noticed that Academy has the LCP II on sale for the same price as PSA. Academy has an order-online, pay-online and pick-up in store process. Gave it a try.

A couple bumps. The confirmation email said to go to customer service. I waited in line at customer service to be told that I had to go to the gun counter. No big deal. I will know next time. I was first up at the gun counter. This took longer than at most dedicated FFLs in my experience. It was not terrible. Just a little slow as they have one guy do the paperwork and a second guy do a double check. The people I dealt with were polite and in the end it was cheaper than PSA. Same price, same taxes, no transfer fee. While they cautioned that all firearms were not returnable, they said if there were issues, I could bring it to them and they would deal with shipping it back to Ruger. That was nice.

Not a bad experience. Will probably do it again.

Academy has officially changed that policy and are not supposed to ship them back for customers. The local store by me doesn’t always abide by that and still does it. Academy does things a little different.

- They also have their own checklist they follow to make sure employees followed all the steps and re-record your personal info on that.

- They will not release a firearm after three days with no NICS response. (except MO, they will release the firearm)

-They wait 30 days for a response if no deny/proceed response, they kill it in their system and make you start over.

- A manager or other ‘lead’ has to disposition the firearm from their inventory to your possession in their system. They re-record all your information in their inventory system.

- Academy also has their own DENIAL database. If you make an employee uncomfortable, or they suspect a straw sale, or get a NICS denial whatever the reason, the enter you into their denial database and bar you from buying at any Academy store for 30 days. They look at the reason and can extend that.

I have a couple friends that work there behind the gun bar.

 

- Academy also has their own DENIAL database. If you make an employee uncomfortable, or they suspect a straw sale, or get a NICS denial whatever the reason, the enter you into their denial database and bar you from buying at any Academy store for 30 days. They look at the reason and can extend that.

.

I don't have a problem with this. A shop should have the right to refuse services.

 

I have bought about my last half dozen firearms at Academy, just because its close to me and the largest gun stores in my area have closed in the last few years. The employees are not "gun guys", but are friendly and do their job. It takes a little while to fill out the electronic form and for them to do their paperwork, but its a decent experience. They sent a S&W 686P back to the factor twice for me at no charge, because the front sight is not straight. S&W sent it back to me in the same condition both times, btw.

Academy does have a corporate policy of asking to see your ID before they show you a gun, to prove state residency. I think this is horse crap, but whatevs. My Academy knows me so well by now that they stopped asking.

 

I have bought several guns from Academy, never did they ask to see my ID to handle a firearm. I bought a S&W Performance Center 327 8 shot revolver. They were asking $1199.00 I think. So many people had fingered it, it had a shiny score mark on the cylinder. I offered them $1k and walked out the door with it.

 

Learn your lesson from Walmart. The corporate stores can, and have, shut down their guns and ammo businesses on the whims of folks in some big liberal city. Your local LGS will continue to sell guns and ammo because that is their business.

I used to buy ammo by the case from the GREAT online ammo dealers. However, they are at the mercy of payment processors, search engines, and ISPs. With my LGS, I can stop by, order a case of ammo (they give me a good price), and wait for their call (no porch prates to worry about). Then I can stop by, and, if the card companies have gotten snotty, pay them in cash.

The Local Gun Shops are our last line of defense. Make sure they get your business.

 

I would support a good LGS if there was one around here.

We had a few. One guy died. Others faded away. The last one I liked went crazy during the ammo shortage and never came back to reality. The last time I was in there they had a used Maverick 88 that looked like it was used as a multi tool (prybar, hammer, door prop) . The asking price was more than a brand new one. I understand they will dicker, but when they start that high, too far to go.

 

If you get an Academy Sports credit card it's 5% off gun purchases and all ammo purchases as well when you use the card.

 

When I bought my Beretta, they had some sort of weird deal with their gift card. Something about getting 10% off if you were to buy $1000 gift card and then use the gift card. So, that's what I did, bought the $1000 gift card and paid the $800 gun with it (with 10$ discount) and used the remainder on ammo. Hey, $100 saving is still $100 saving. That was $100 more to spend on ammo.

 

You pull one over his or her head and smother them to death. That's what they are made for, correct?

 

Duplicate post.

 

Never had a problem at Academy, bought two there. Bass Pro is a pain, I live 6 mi from the main store and most of the counter guys are gun ignorant.They have told me to buy online due to the 60-100$ above everybody else. I have gone there to hold a gun then order it from Bud's.Dumb on their part.Most of their stuff is high priced.

 

In some areas buying local means a big box store. Here in NH i have a lot of FFLs to chose from. When i lived in maine It meant a decently long drive to get to an indpendent store.

 

I bought a 590a1 from gander when they were switching hands.....it took close to an hour, and then they said they had to walk me out with it....after they took the trigger guard lock off, he walked me right through the shotgun shells.

 

What I think is humorous is being escorted to the front after buying a .22 while having a .45 on my hip. By a 90 lb. escort. We both were giggling a little.

 

I've bought a few guns there because their prices are usually pretty good. The walk of shame is silly.

 

I’ll bet this dude wished that he had walked the gun outside of the store.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BdjdpoqITXk

 

I've bought a few guns there because their prices are usually pretty good. The walk of shame is silly.

It’s a walk of pride fir me. I don’t understand why you guys think purchasing guns is a shameful thing to do.

 

You pull one over his or her head and smother them to death. That's what they are made for, correct?

Well you do pull one over a head alright...

 

Ive bought 2 handguns at cabelas. One brand new they walked me out. Another old gun bought on my C&R they boxed it for me and let me walk it out myself.

 

I'm glad there are Academy's in my area. Good selection of guns, ammo, and cleaning supplies. And while I'll buy ammo or or other supplies there, I won't buy guns there for the reasons mentioned above: 1 - You can't even get a proper grip on the gun and/or try the trigger. 2 - The escort to the parking lot.

If I have to go somewhere else to to hold the gun without a trigger lock, I'm not then going back to Academy, wait much longer to complete the purchase, and then be escorted out. Maybe if I were buying a $1,000+ gun and Academy had it for hundreds less I might reconsider.

I don't fault those that do purchase guns there, but it's just not for me.

 

I am fortunate to have a really good LGS that takes care of all of my needs.
He has always been fair on pricing but even if I have to pay a couple of bucks more, I would just rather give this guy my business than any big box store.

 

my LGS (1 man shop) will meet or beat any new gun price. most of the time when I ask his price, it's less expensive than I can find online or elsewhere. if not, he will match any advertised price. and no waiting in line.

and he will make an FFL transfer for $20. that makes me feel better on FTF sales.

 

Academy is OK. I buy ammunition there pretty frequently. I will not buy a firearm there unless I have already shot it before because their "company policy" will not allow them to remove the trigger locks. So you can't even check a handgun for trigger reach, let alone dry fire it. But that policy is not unique to Academy Sports.
.

The one I go to allows fondling, cocking, dry firing, aiming etc.