Where's the value, Dick's?

meth0d

meth0d

Joined
Jan 3, 2007
Messages
4,122
Likes
196
Location
In the back of the truck
Feedback: 7 / 0 / 0
I just went to Dick's in Plymouth (awful idea, I know) for some .45 ACP. As usual, we poked around the Lodge area trying to find/waiting for an associate, after about 10 minutes I had to go out back and ask one of the women if there was anyone in the lodge this evening, she came out and started yelling for him.

He burst through the doors yammering something about packing up guns...anyway, I digress. [rolleyes]

They had 3 boxes of Remmington UMC for $19.99 each, and a couple boxes of Ultramax reloads for $64.99. I figured the bulk packs of Ultramax would be cheaper since they're reloads and...a bulk pack. So I ask the guy how many rounds are in the box of Ultramax and he tells me 150. I then inquire about the count in the UMC, and he says 50 each. Needless to say, I went with the 3 boxes of Rem UMC for $62.96.

The Ultramax would have cost $68.24 for the same quantity of bullets, but they're reloads.

So where's the value in the bulk pack of reloads? Or was the guy misreading the round count on the bulk pack?
 
The quantities in the Ultramax boxes vary by caliber - I believe the .45ACP only has 150 rounds and the 250 is for the 9mm [thinking] .38 special maybe 200 rounds...
 
wait wait wait --- your local Dick's Sporting Goods sells handgun ammo??? Ours only sells shotgun & long barrel rounds.
 
There is no value...It's marketing...[wink]

We must be lucky out here in Pittsfield, as we still have a good supply of ammo, (though it's dwindling). Shipments weekly have dropped of from half-pallets, to a few cases here and there. I work at DSG and I rarely buy ammo unless there's a sale and I have ScorePoints or a gift card. Otherwise, for the calibers I shoot, it's cheaper to buy online...

As far as Ultimax goes, 'Value Packs" are 150-rounds in .45ACP. They are lead reloads with varying range brass. Some people have had issues with it - others swear by it. Me? I avoid it, but that's just me...

The real "value" at buying ammo at DSG beyond having a sale, coupons, rebates, ScorePoints or the awesome buy 1 - get 1 50% off, is the instant gratification factor. Where else are you going to buy a box of 7mm at 9pm or on a Sunday...[thinking]

At least in Pittsfield, we have a broad selection. I put in a request for 77k of varied calibers and so far have not received much outside of some .17, .22, 7.62x39 and .223, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed....
 
Yea, I've run the Ultramax .223 through my Bushy and it fed ok. Dick's does have it's advantages, as you mentioned, but I guess I'm just biased due to the poor customer service I've gotten in the past. Maybe you could pick up some hours at the Plymouth one? [laugh]
 
meth0d said:
Yea, I've run the Ultramax .223 through my Bushy and it fed ok. Dick's does have it's advantages, as you mentioned, but I guess I'm just biased due to the poor customer service I've gotten in the past. Maybe you could pick up some hours at the Plymouth one? [laugh]
Click to expand...

LOL...If they'd pay mileage - I'd do it....[cheers] I sort of like working there. I'm not sure I could do it full-time unless they paid me a bundle, but it's not bad. I've heard horror stories, but in Pittsfield at least, they treat me very well and actually appreciate me working there and genuinely seek out my thoughts on a variety of things there. I'm one of the few "gun guys" working there and though I'm no guru by any stretch, you'd think I was. Customers actually hold off buying guns, ammo - especially scope mounting and boresighting, etc until I'm there...That makes me feel pretty good. As I've said in other DSG threads, Dicks is not a gun shop - it's a gun department in a sporting goods store. Many who work there are not interested in firearms - they may be into kayaking and camping gear. Me? I'm into everything except fishing tackle - hate the shit. I love fishing, but use the same stuff for 20-years. There's so much crap out now and insane marketing toward "gear heads" that it's mind boggling. Keep me behind the gun counter, or in the camping gear or kayaks and I'm a happy camper. When I'm there, I do my best to make the gun department feel like a gun shop - but it isn't and a kayak sale, or a guy looking for bank sinkers brings my chats behind the gun counter back into retail reality....
 
MassMark said:
LOL...If they'd pay mileage - I'd do it....[cheers] I sort of like working there. I'm not sure I could do it full-time unless they paid me a bundle, but it's not bad. I've heard horror stories, but in Pittsfield at least, they treat me very well and actually appreciate me working there and genuinely seek out my thoughts on a variety of things there. I'm one of the few "gun guys" working there and though I'm no guru by any stretch, you'd think I was. Customers actually hold off buying guns, ammo - especially scope mounting and boresighting, etc until I'm there...That makes me feel pretty good. As I've said in other DSG threads, Dicks is not a gun shop - it's a gun department in a sporting goods store. Many who work there are not interested in firearms - they may be into kayaking and camping gear. Me? I'm into everything except fishing tackle - hate the shit. I love fishing, but use the same stuff for 20-years. There's so much crap out now and insane marketing toward "gear heads" that it's mind boggling. Keep me behind the gun counter, or in the camping gear or kayaks and I'm a happy camper. When I'm there, I do my best to make the gun department feel like a gun shop - but it isn't and a kayak sale, or a guy looking for bank sinkers brings my chats behind the gun counter back into retail reality....
Click to expand...

Yea, it's a good point that bears repeating about them not being a gun shop.

However, I'm more put off by their lack of customer service than anything else. It would be nice if they were a little more knowledgeable, but it's on the buyer to know what they're looking for too. I'd be happy if they just had someone at the counter when I walked in and didn't have to spend 10 or 15 minutes hunting them down, haha.
 
meth0d said:
Yea, it's a good point that bears repeating about them not being a gun shop.

However, I'm more put off by their lack of customer service than anything else. It would be nice if they were a little more knowledgeable, but it's on the buyer to know what they're looking for too. I'd be happy if they just had someone at the counter when I walked in and didn't have to spend 10 or 15 minutes hunting them down, haha.
Click to expand...

Yeah, good luck with that...LOL The problem is - they're a retail store - bound by the economy, shareholders and profit. Generally, customer service is good, (at least here) when you can find someone, but there's the rub. You may come into the Pittsfield store to buy a box of .45ACP, walk up to the gun counter to no one there. I may be doing a kayak sale, (which can sometimes take 15-minutes, to a half hour or more depending on the customer). I then have to go across the store, into the warehouse, up a flight of stairs into the mezzanine, dig through kayaks stacked like cord wood for the "pretty yellow one", that's under a pile of 50 others. This - and I'm a one man show in The Lodge that day....[thinking] I get back to the gun counter to you being pissed because no one is helping and guess what? I understand your frustration. Much of what frustrates me about being a customer, frustrates me about being an employee...This may sound weird, but I love customer service. The fun of my job - part time as it is - comes from helping people. I get jazzed when people go away happy, (I just wish they'd fill out their surveys more - 10 dollar gift card!). Certainly, there are those working that could care less - that's the game.... I generally have low self-esteem, so I say this humbly, but the best thing that can happen to a customer is to get me as an associate when they come to The Lodge - unless you're looking for some kind of whacked out fishing lure or to get line put on your reel...[grin]
 
We seem to have gotten a bit off topic, haha. I get where you're coming from, and as someone who's worked in a crazy busy retail operation or two, I totally agree. Thanks for your input Mark. I'll continue to shop at Dick's, and I'll try to keep this stuff in mind when I'm on the hunt for Lodge employees, hahaha.
 
Quite frankly, the Ultramax is higher quality than the new production UMC. I've had zero problems with the Ultramax, especially their .38 which is freakishly accurate in my Model 520. The UMC is a different issue entirely.
 
vellnueve said:
Quite frankly, the Ultramax is higher quality than the new production UMC. I've had zero problems with the Ultramax, especially their .38 which is freakishly accurate in my Model 520. The UMC is a different issue entirely.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip...I may give the .38 Special a whirl...I'm burning though Gold Dots lately, (100 yesterday)...And on the UMC - found 2 boxes of 223 in my ammo can from November and ran through it like water...New stuff - not so much...Remington has some consistency issues for sure...
 
I was there (Dick's Plymouth) last week to by a case of Shotgun Shells, watched the counter guy shoot the shit with some women for 20 minutes while I was standing there waiting (I could hear them so he was clearly not with a customer). As I was storming out he asked if he could help me, I simply replied f%*k you!
 
WillyHank said:
I was there (Dick's Plymouth) last week to by a case of Shotgun Shells, watched the counter guy shoot the shit with some women for 20 minutes while I was standing there waiting (I could hear them so he was clearly not with a customer). As I was storming out he asked if he could help me, I simply replied f%*k you!
Click to expand...

Were they at least hot women? [grin]
 

Similar threads

From Newsweek. Price Increases on the way.
Replies
1
Views
242
Amputee Marksman
Amputee Marksman
Anyone have an idea of when these were last produced? 12ga federal
Replies
3
Views
149
drgrant
drgrant
Where are all the Velocitors?
Replies
14
Views
752
MaxStravinsky
MaxStravinsky
Is the 6.8 x 51 round the military just adopted the same as 6.8 SPC?
Replies
8
Views
2K
mac1911
M
Old Ammo Value?
Replies
13
Views
1K
mac1911
M
Back
Top Bottom