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Sportsmans Trading Co. Bad deal?

soloman02

soloman02

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Ok, I have friend who went to a gun shop here in NH and, well, first they guy sold the P99QA for MSRP. Second, he required that my friend pay that 800 up front as he did not have it in stock, but did have it at his "warehouse." Third, he said it was the stainless steel slide version, which isn't made anymore. This is supposed to be a new gun as well.

The dealer, Al also said that the gun sold by a competitor (fox ridge outfitters) for $520 wasn't the same since this is the stainless steel slide in matte black (again Walther does not make a stainless steel matte black version as of 2009 as far as I can tell, they only make the "tenifered" version). As a result he refused to honor his "we'll meet or beat the price of any competitor." The gun has to be the same because walther does not make any different models of the P99 QA except for caliber. Even the caliber was the same at both places: 40 S&W with the LE magazines.

The sku he was quoted as getting was WAP78013. This was coming up in Kittery trading posts system as the discontinued stainless steel model and sportsmans, even though walthers website lists it as the teniferred version.
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...ted=tech&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=43803

I have read that this guy is shady and has even sold used guns as new in the past (wish I knew that before my friend paid for the gun).

Does anyone know How a gun can be checked to determine if it is new or used? I was thinking it may be possible to determine how old a gun is by its serial number. Does anyone know where I could find such info for the P99?

And yes, my friend was even more stupid by not paying for it with his CC and instead used cash.

Many of you already know about some of the shady stuff that goes on at this place:
Sportsmans Trading Company Amherst NH
http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...t=34924&highlight=sportsman's+trading+company

I try to help my friends but there is only so much you can do, especially since I was not with him at the time.

Also the guy was giving him a deal by selling 550 rounds of 40 S&W 180grn FMJ independence ammo for $160. I have never heard of independence ammo so I am unsure if it is a good deal since I cannot find it through the normal channels such as midway.
He also bad mouthed the wally world WWB as being dirty, even though he sold the same stuff for double the price.

Also, this guy will not give my friend his money back (only store credit) even though he has not even ordered the gun or gotten it from his "warehouse." That seems odd to me, and turns on the "scam alert" detector.

This all started because he was gonna get the SIG Mosquito which the guy did not have in stock, and decided to cancel it. Even though the guy had not ordered it, he would not give him a refund. So he decided to go with the P99 not knowing that the MSRP was 800 or that it could be had for $520 from another dealer with a far better reputation (my dad bought his P99 from fox ridge).

My friend did not do his homework on this one. I would like to see if I can help him not get screwed, but I have a sinking feeling that its gonna happen.

I seem to get lucky with my gun purchases and my friends get the short end of the stick lol.
 
I did not do my homework on ammo and got ripped off by this guy.
He sold me a 2 cases of brown bear ammo for "cheap as its only 2 bucks a box more than what you pay on cheaper than dirt"...then when i got home and checked online I realized I was paying DOUBLE.

When I called him back to "verify the price again" and give him a chance to redeem himself for his overpriced ammo...he tells me that his stuff burns cleaner, jam free and is more accurate...blah blah blah, I was like whatever dude.

Stay away from this shop at all costs.
 
Unfortunately the gun could still be old and sold as new if it was sitting on a shelf. As for telling if the gun is used or not, only a close inspection of the gun dis-assembled may offer some insight. All guns get tested at the factory so the slide will already have brass markings on the breech face.

Outside of raising a huge stink and threats with BBB and such, not sure what options he has given he paid cash. I would definitely not buy the ammo under any circumstances. Don't give this guy another dime.

Its funny, your post reminded me of my experience there which I just shared in the dealer review section. Had a very similar experience a number of years ago.
 
Ditto, this guy is a loser. Stopped by about 6 months ago looking for preban Glock mags. He opens his desk and pulls out a post-ban hi cap with the cutout in the front of the mag body and tries to convince me that it is preban. No sale. Then he got pissed because my boy sneezed as he didn't want to get sick. Foul mouth, rude, dishonest or completely ignorant (not sure) poor prices and stock.
Poison, Poison stay away.....
 
He kind of reminds me of a stereotypical New York City salesman. Most likely a Yankees fan also. Obnoxious, rude, probably got beat up in highschool on a regular basis.

If you have never been there it might be fun to visit just so you appreciate shops like Four Seasons and the place in Mason, NH (Great people and very helpful to us lowly Ma. slobs)
 
I don't like telling this story, because it underscores how stupid I can be sometimes.

I was in the place the very first day I was in Amherst, and then once more, on the off chance I had been wrong in my initial impression. Both times I walked out disgusted by the attitude and lack of customer service, and the last time I swore I'd never be back, despite the "SALE" sign out front 24/7/365.

Back in 2005, when IDPA changed their holster rules, I had a last-second crisis of confidence in my holster the day before the NE Regional IDPA shoot. Thought it might have a bit too much "offset," depending on how anal the looker was. With no time to run to Riley's or even MFL, I thought I'd try this guy one last time, as he was on my way home. (God, I am so stupid sometimes. Denial is a powerful thing.) Maybe he had some Kydex in stock that would fit the bill. After all, this was a right-hand strong-side holster for a 1911, not a left-handed cross-draw holster for a Luger. I called ahead, to ask if he stocked holsters.

"Yup. We got a good selection."
"Do you have any in Kydex?"
"Yup. We carry Kydex, leather and Corfam."

I think, "Corfam?" I thought that was for shoes...but maybe they make some of the shiny black leather stuff for police use. We'll see. (Stupid: ignore DANGER signs.)

Stop by, walk over to the holster rack. Uh, oh. 85% Uncle Mikes floppy Cordura stuff. (Epiphany: he meant Cordura, not Corfam.) 10% Fobus. 5% no-name leather. This might be bad.

Me: "I'm looking for a Kydex belt holster, right hand, for a 1911. I need one that sits tighter to my belt than my current one to make sure I'm IDPA-legal."

Al: "Never going to find it. Kydex doesn't sit close at all. Here's what you need."

He shows me a no-name leather pancake holster with thumb-break. $70. Now, I'm thinking that a pancake holster might not be a bad second choice, and maybe an impulse buy, but this one is 1) $70 for...like..."Bob's Holsters" brand; 2) literally two round pieces of unlined leather stitched together; it's not blocked, no sight channel, no welt around the opening, nothing; 3) marked "Colt Large Auto," which tells me something about the fit and 4) a thumb-break, which I do not want to fukc with.

Me: "Hmm...a pancake, huh?"

Al: "No, that's not a pancake holster."

I look at him, and read from the BIG letters on the package. "Right Hand Pancake Holster."

Al: (crickets)

Me: "I'd really rather not screw with the thumb-break in competition. I haven't trained with it."

AL: "You don't have to use it if you don't want. That's legal."

Me: "No, it's not. If it's there, you have to use it."

Al: "Well, this is what all the guys use." (I love this phrase. Who are "all the guys," I wonder? This place has the worst reputation in New England, and I'm the only guy in the store.) "I sell hundreds of these each year."

I glance back at the rack, thinking maybe I had missed something (What kind of idiot am I? Like I was going to all of a sudden spot this row of Blade-Tech or Sidearmor holsters that I'd missed among that shit.)

Al: "I do carry Fobus, which is the top of the line in Kydex, but I only have it in paddle, not belt. This is what most police departments are going to."

I just stared at him, trying to count how many things were wrong with that statement.

Me: "Well, I think I'm going to keep looking for Kydex. Thanks for your time."

Al (annoyed): "Go ahead and stop by in Manchester and see Mitch Rosen. He'll sell you the same holster, but charge you $260 for it!"

Me: "Thanks, again."

Run away fast, kicking myself for being an idiot. How many times do you have to stick your finger in the light socket before you figure out it's not a smart thing to do?
 
Last edited:
soloman02 said:
The sku he was quoted as getting was WAP78013. This was coming up in Kittery trading posts system as the discontinued stainless steel model and sportsmans, even though walthers website lists it as the teniferred version.
Click to expand...
[long story about ordering, not ordering, no money back, etc.]

Yikes. So as has been said many a time with this place, it's like dealing with a used car salesman. If he actually lands the discontinued version your friend wants, then I'd say your friend got what he wanted for what he was willing to pay. Not a great deal, but a lesson to be learned.

If it's anything else, your friend should show the specific SKU on the receipt and demand his money back. If the place can't get the stainless version, then the place should meet a reasonably competitive local price and refund the rest. Just M.O.

Also the guy was giving him a deal by selling 550 rounds of 40 S&W 180grn FMJ independence ammo for $160. I have never heard of independence ammo so I am unsure if it is a good deal since I cannot find it through the normal channels such as midway.
Click to expand...

I have never used that brand, but that is a surprisingly good price, actually. http://www.ammunitiontogo.com/catalog1/product_info.php/cPath/23_71_116/products_id/3418 [shocked]
 
All the bad press that store gets I'm amazed he's able to stay in business … I've never set foot in there after hearing virtually every account posted here as being a negative one.

I guess he's able to screw over a certain amount of new customers every year without needing to try to convert them into repeat customers.
 
Yea, My friend hasn't picked up the gun yet. After talking to the guys at fox ridge outfitters, the slides on the p99 are stainless steel that got the "tenifer" treatment to prevent corrosion, which makes them black. Al refused to honor his "we'll meet any price" sign because he says they ones fox sells for $520 are "blues steel." Which is a huge lie as I was just there myself and saw that the p99's are the tenifer'd version. Also, according to fox ridge outfitters, it is very difficult to get the WAP78013 sku because S&W is slacking on the importation of them. Which makes me think that Al is gonna try to pass off a used P99 as a new one for $800.


Al actually did his math wrong and on the slip wrote down 1000 rounds of independence ammo for $160. He called my friend to say he made a mistake and that my friend can only have 500. However, Al signed the receipt as did my friend. That makes it legally binding correct? Therefore we can threaten him with a lawsuit if he refuses to honor that correct? I am hoping we can use the lawsuit threat to force him to cancel the sale and give my friend his money back.

Items on the bill of sale:
1000 rnds of independence ammo $160
an extra 12rnd mag $50
Walther P99 QA $800
total: $1010

At the very least, he will have learned his lesson, and will be doing his homework and consulting me. I'll have to have him create an account here so he can build up some knowledge.

EDIT--- If anyone wants to "show up" when my friend goes to get it, let me know. Al is supposed to get it Thursday, and My friend wants to pick it up Friday when I can be there as well.
 
Last edited:
Make the guy stick to the 1000 rounds of ammo. It sounds like your friend paid for it.

The image that I'm getting in my head of this guy is the character from the movie "Falling Down" that ran the army navy store.
 
soloman02 said:
Items on the bill of sale:
1000 rnds of independence ammo $160
an extra 12rnd mag $50
Walther P99 QA $800
total: $1010
Click to expand...


Seems like if is not willing to honor the terms of the contract then he should be willing to refund you friends money in full, OR honor the sale..

On the flip side..

I had been wondering what happened to Bay State Arms for a while now.. Appears he just reopened out west..
[rofl]
 
ScottS said:
Al (annoyed): "Go ahead and stop by in Manchester and see Mitch Rosen. He'll sell you the same holster, but charge you $260 for it!"

Me: "Thanks, again."
Click to expand...

I think you were there for Al's blind squirrel moment.

After reading the rest of this thread, I suspect there aren't many of them.
 
Yea, my friend did pay for it already, hence why I am leaning towards using the fact that the receipt is legally binding since both parties signed it as leverage to try to get his money back. At the very least to make Al give him everything stated on the bill of sale for the price on the bill of sale, cause 1000 rounds of decent 40S&W for $160 is a good deal in my book. Especially since it would cost $280 for the WWB at wally world's price of $14/box
 

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