Firearms Friday: ‘Tis The Season For Deals

This time of year it seems that everything is on sale. While some deals are better than others, you are pretty much guaranteed to receive some kind of discount on whatever you order. And these sales are not just limited to the national retail chains or products with general consumer appeal, there are even deals to be had for those of us that enjoy the shooting sports. Having written about this before, in one form or another, you can basically consider this as the annual lock and load post.

As many of you have experienced, especially over the last few years, some retailers have better deals than others. While I won’t call out any websites or stores, we all know which ones to avoid. However, there are always great prices on a variety of items with some being sent to email subscribers, Facebook followers, and others exclusive to club members or existing customers. There are also great sites such as Slickguns that make it easy to find the prices that are just too low to pass up. Keep in mind that these sites usually don’t include local gun shop deals.

Over the past couple of months there have been a number of deals that caught my attention with the majority of them being discovered first in my email. Here are a few examples of the tempting products with retailer, item, and sale price included for reference:

• Palmetto State Armory (Daily Deal) - 7.62 x 39 Complete 7.5” Upper (with BCG and Charging Handle); $269.99

• Sportsman’s Guide (with Double Discount coupon) - S.W.T 30 Round AR15 Magazines: $5.59 - 30 Round Beretta 92 Magazines: $11.99

• Delta Team Tactical (Black Friday / Cyber Monday) - Crosshill Tech / Davidson Defense Right Side Charging AR15 Upper Receiver (with BCG): $239.99

• Damage Industries (50% off sale) - AR15 Short Barrel Muzzle Break and Sleeve: $34.95

• Amazon (Flash Sale) - Stack-On PDS 500 Drawer Safe: $31.99

Basically, anyone who is looking to build an AR has had a heck of a time and saved a lot of money recently. Some of these are more recent than others but not all of them were Black Friday / Cyber Monday prices and that is the most important point that I can make in this post. Sometimes the best prices are not during the holidays, they can really happen at any time. The key to finding a good deal is waiting (and getting to know your local shop owner) but sometimes, especially recently, the deals seem to just happen and if you’re paying attention, and didn’t spent too much somewhere else, you can take advantage of them.

Holiday Shopping

Because I haven’t had enough to do lately, I have also been looking around and taking care of some holiday shopping. In addition to the “Black Friday” and “Lightening Deals” that are found all over now, there have also been some moments over the past couple of months when better deals were found. And some of those discounts didn’t even require haggling like at Raymour and Flanigan. At this point, because we started so early, we are basically done our holiday shopping. We have either already ordered or picked up gifts or we know exactly what we are getting for some people.

Of course, that has only been half of the purchasing equation lately as many of our orders haven’t been for others but rather for things that we need around the house. Furniture obviously being the biggest of these expenses which would have cause a coronary had we not known the total beforehand and certain death had we not negotiated a decent discount. Most of the other exciting things have been replacements for what was obviously worn out and we had been putting off purchasing until now.

While there is a little more of a sense of immediacy in these orders, especially for our kitchen, I was still able to wait on a number of items and get really lucky on others. Most of the effort was actually in scanning through the Amazon “lightening deals” while keeping a slightly open mind as to brand and style. We managed to get a lot of the things we need for a significantly lower price than we were expecting to pay and, in most instances, the quality of the product was much better too.

With all of this said, there is a word of warning that I would like to share with you. While most of you are aware of this fact, the reality is that Black Friday and Cyber Monday aren’t always the best days to find deals. I spoke with one retailer who specifically said that those days might be the worst times of year to find deals as they already know people are going out to shop so they specifically offer a smaller discount compared to other holidays throughout the year (President’s Day was mentioned as an example). My response to this and my advice is simple… keep shopping around, track the prices of what you are looking to buy, and never be afraid to either price match with another retailer or haggle them down beyond the sale price.

We are all watching our pennies and, like taxes, why pay more than you absolutely have to… a good rule of thumb is to never accept a discount less than 40% during Black Friday sales. This is the generally accepted bar for a good deal. If you take your time, shop around, get to know some retailers and salespeople, and sometimes price match, you can get the best deal no matter what time of year no matter what you are buying. It really is that simple.

From Anorexia To Gluttony

Following a weekend of sugar shock and house cleaning it would have been nice to enjoy a simple fall day before the last vestiges of color seeped from the fall foliage. A day without holiday anticipation, decorations, expectations, or advertisements. That is the way that things used to be. The week following Halloween was a time when we were given a seasonal reprieve, a few days to rest before turning up the obnoxious advertising to eleven.

Well, that was then and this is now. There were a few hours in the middle of the night when the commercials stopped and the decorations in the stores were taken down. However, by the time we got out of bed and turned on Sunday Morning, the Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and Christmas promotions began trickling across the airwaves (keep in mind that Hanukkah commercials will begin the night before). And, in the stores, the Christmas decorations were immediately put in place where the ghouls, goblins, witches, and vampires once dominated the shelves. Santa was back and he really wasn’t waiting any time this year.

It seems like I find myself saying this every year but the holidays keep getting earlier and earlier. Heck, even when logging on to Amazon, they are already starting to promote their Black Friday sales… let’s hope they are better than their summer debacle. On top of all this, stores are starting to come out with their holiday, i.e. Thanksgiving, hours. Better not eat any turkey this year or you won’t have the energy to beat everyone to get the good stuff. And, if you do enjoy a nice feast, you might want to consider moving everything to lunch time as many stores will be open by dinner this year.  

It really is a shame that the marketing for all these holidays has gotten so out of hand. It is a beautiful time of year, my favorite season, when the weather is usually warm enough to be comfortable but cool enough that you appreciate the moments you spend walking among the fire falling from the trees. It is the last moments that we have to enjoy being comfortable outside before the bitterness of winter descends. It seems as though the spectacular season beyond the windowpane is no longer enough for most people… they need to focus on what they can buy, what they can look forward to, and what they want to get rather than enjoying the present which doesn’t cost them a thing.   

And You Thought Wal-Mart Was Crowded!

There were a lot of 4473's filled out on Friday
which means we will soon be accused of killing trees. 

Black Friday Facebook posts seemed to be the norm this past week especially for the local shops in the area that don’t put the money into fancy commercials or newspaper inserts. This was especially true for the small shops around the region. Even the local gun shops took to Facebook to promote the discounts that they were offering this weekend (Tanner’s Sports Center is a perfect example of this). And, as it turns out, my local mom and pop shops were not the only ones cutting prices.

While I kept reading about the lines at various retailers across the country, it didn’t quite click that the same thing would be happening at the local gun shops and big chain stores. Just like last year, I didn’t have the need to go wait in those lines and none of those stores are along my usual commute so I was fairly oblivious to the rampant sales that were happening across the nation. Those thoughts were soon chipped away when I started reading through some of the comments left on the Facebook sale posts.

These demonstrated that there was a higher than normal pace to the sales but the volume was still something that I didn’t fully grasp until additional posts were made by a few of these stores. As it turns out, the PICS system was completely overloaded (no back door gun control theories here just the pointing out of a crappy antiquated system). Something that I cannot remember happening for some time and not this bad since the first few months of 2013. That is when I really began to wonder how many firearms were being sold on Black (Rifle) Friday.

And then I came across a CNN article (via The Blaze) that summarized the mass buying that was taking place across the country and why the system was unable to handle the load. Here is a little bit from the article:

The busiest shopping day of the year also saw a major boom for gun sales, with the federal background check system setting a record of more than 175,000 background checks Friday, according to the FBI.

The staggering number of checks -- an average of almost three per second, nearly three times the daily average -- falls on the shoulders of 600 FBI and contract call center employees who will endure 17-hour workdays in an attempt to complete the background reviews in three business days, as required by law, FBI spokesman Stephen Fischer said.

"Traditionally, Black Friday is one of our busiest days for transaction volume," Fischer said.

Indeed, Friday saw the highest number of background checks ever for a Black Friday, and second in history. The highest day on record was December 21, 2012, with more than 177,000 background checks.

Without any major controversies or political maneuvering currently being considered, it really came down to price this year. While there may not have been great Black Friday deals to be had overall, it seems as though the firearms industry is doing well and the real deals were in the gun shops. Like it or not, firearms are part of our culture and the ownership thereof is our right. Thankfully, there are many people out there who choose to exercise that right and Black Friday was there opportunity to embrace that right… and at a discount.

Black Friday Turning Grey

Every year the same pattern persists as Thanksgiving all too quickly gives way to the consumer holiday shopping spree also known as Black Friday. More so than any other year, the emails came heavy and soon filled my inbox with deals. Actually, the digital deluge began on Monday as pre-sales and teasers streamed across the screen. However, the fact of the matter is that the deals are not nearly as good this year as they have been in the past.

A few years ago I was one of those people who, eager to fill a few holes in what we needed for our new apartment, ventured out on Thanksgiving night to try and stretch our money as far as I could go. That trip was a success as lower prices combined with a few coupons I had on hand allowed us to completely furnish our place as well as check off most of the people on our gift list for the season. With the economy still recovering the discounts were deep especially for those of us who took the time to put a game plan together and leverage every discount available to us. This allowed me to get everything done all while not waiting in a single line.

This year was almost the exact opposite as there was nothing being sold that offered the same kind of bargain. Don’t get me wrong, we still spent a few dollars but not like the flurry of activity from just a few years ago. Everything has pointed to a resurgence in the retail environment and the lack of discounts reflects that change… although that fact didn’t seem to stop people from filling the stores and clogging the roads.

So this year my wife and I did exactly what the stores didn’t want us to do… we stayed home and kept our money in our pockets. The few things that we were keeping an eye on just in case didn’t seem to change much in price so why would we buy now? There is plenty of time for us to look for those things at a later date and there are definitely other things on which we can focus our attention. Maybe part of the equation is that we have changed and our priorities have shifted but at the same time if the deals aren’t there it is not worth the time or the money.

Would People Wait In Tents For A Tent Sale?

While we didn’t make it out of the apartment on Friday, my wife and I spent nearly the entire day going from store to store trying to get as many gifts purchased while the sales were in full swing. In the end, we could have done better but we could have done much worse. Our list isn’t completely crossed off at this point but there is a rather large hole in it with the rest of the items being relatively cheap and easily found on Amazon.com.

What did get in our way today was the desire to buy more than we really needed to get. Even though we purchase some extra items they were all cheap and we still kept ourselves within reason. However, Staples did provide us with a different challenge in trying to find more stuff to buy when we essentially had free money to play with… you know, when you have three things on your list that you need to get and a coupon that allows you to pick out several other things for free. I guess that was the best problem of the day.

One thing that I have noticed this year, more so than in previous seasons, is that all the sales remain the same throughout the holiday weekend. What used to be a heavily tiered system is now one that is nothing more than a sales plateau. Granted, there are a handful of items that are limited time (usually hours) offers but nothing that I would want to cap out for.

Granted, some of the selection is lost in the days following Black Friday Thanksgiving Thursday but there is still plenty of deals to be had in the aftermath. And by going on Saturday or Sunday you can avoid the risk of being tased trying to get in the door a half second before a disgruntled hoochie. I think that is pretty much a win-win situation.

It makes you wonder what is wrong with people that they have to miss work and/or time with family so they can camp out at Wal-Mart for a big screen television when you know they spent more money on the preparations for the extended stay in on the cold sidewalk than what they could conceivably save on electronics. Of course, as had been proven time and again, these people are whack jobs who will do whatever they can to get their hands on that discounted item (which will most likely be outdated within 12 months anyway driving the price down). This is just nuts.

Now, I have gone out on Black Friday, I have even gone out on Thanksgiving in the past, but I have never waited in line to enter a store, I have never fought someone for a product, and I have always walked out with everything on my list. If you have the patience and put in just a little bit of thought beforehand, it can be a very easy and smooth process. And that rule of thumb still applies to this day.

So, the next time the new Cabbage Patch Kid, Ferbie, big screen television, of laptop goes on sale put some thought into it… maybe there is a better place to buy, maybe you can get there 30 minutes later, avoid the line, and still get one, maybe it is, in the end, a POS not worth your time. Maybe there is greater discount at another, less popular, store. You don’t know until you stop, put away your tent and taser, and start thinking.

Turkey Fallout

Since we were out all day yesterday, today was our turn to cook the turkey. This was a maiden voyage for my wife and the first time I had attempted cooking a bird since college in 2001. Heading into the experiment we knew it was at least going to be an interesting experience.

With my wife prepping the carrots, celery, and onions I began getting the gobbler ready. Everything went smoothly with the exception of my wife getting a little disturbed by the innards neatly tucked away in the carcass. Having gone much faster than expected, the bird was in the oven in about thirty minutes swimming in a warm pool of Muscato wine.

Four hours later, the button had popped and we unwrapped the turkey to crisp up a bit. While it never achieved the golden brown seen in the cook books and on television, it was still a very tasty result with leftovers to last a week. We shouldn’t have any problem doing this again in the future.

Although it probably would have been smarter to get out of the apartment today and walk around. So much food, actually I wasn’t too bad this year, and little activity has given me the Thanksgiving lean and the occasional hunch. It is not a pleasant feeling and one that I haven’t felt in a while… it is the kind of feeling that sucks all the energy out of you and leaves you looking for the nearest soft and flat surface to lay on.

It is this sensation that took over soon after our dinner and began making me feel the fowl fallout. My body isn’t used to having to process so much turkey let alone two nights in a row and my body is slowing down rapidly leaving my eyes and fingers to struggle tapping the keys on my laptop. This is the lean to one side to get comfortable and yawn every fifteen seconds blog.

The only think keeping me up tonight at this point is the Comedy Central standup (or in the case of Bill Cosby, sitting down) marathon. Nothing like some dummies and a fluffy guy to keep you awake as you continue to laugh through the discomfort. But it is a pretty good end to a day that felt like Sunday from the time I woke up. Knowing that I don’t have to set an alarm for tomorrow makes everything better.

A Little Too Early!

Two days from tonight we will all, at least those of us in the US, will be sitting down for Thanksgiving Dinner. After stuffing our faces many of us will be heading home on the slow sleepy drive back home while others will roll themselves into the adjacent room, beach themselves on the couch, and go to sleep. It is a great day to spend with family without the obligation or expectation of gifts, it’s simply a time to get together and give thanks for what you have and the people around you (at least most of them).

At the tail end of the day, with only a couple/few hours until the calendar page is turned, stores will be opening their doors to throngs of people looking for the best deal of the year (until it hits the clearance rack) and the cheapest gifts possible for the impending gift giving season. Every family has that one person who goes to the Black Friday sales (or whatever you call the Thursday openings) and I will admit it that I am no stranger to the chaos although I have never waited in line to get into a store.

I can understand the need for a good deal and with Thanksgiving over it is natural for retailers to capitalize on the next big holiday on the horizon… Christmas. However, Black Friday does not mark the debut of the decorations, displays, cards, or freaking music. All of that holiday gaudiness begins creeping out right after Halloween.

At this point, I am pretty sick of it. It is too much, too soon, and it has to stop. Growing up I loved the Christmas season and I recall the sights, sounds, and music immediately surrounding the big day. Immediately surrounding, not the surrounding months. What has happened over the years?

While it is not my chosen celebration in my adult life, it is still a season that surrounds us. The message is positive and people are generally in a good mood but let’s stop trying to extend the season every year. Let’s go back to simple way that it should be and start all of the extravagance just after Thanksgiving. Actually, start it on Thanksgiving as it used to be. When Santa comes down the street on the float, the holiday season has officially begun.

So, sit back and enjoy the holiday season. Enjoy the fact that you are allowed to blame the dog for your farts for an entire month. Embrace the gifting ability to pick favorites in the family without saying a word. Reminisce about the days when Chevy Chase was funny and watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (snicker, snicker, snicker).

And, finally, enjoy your one day late in the year… long after we celebrated our eight days of Hanukkah (we will be celebrating while you are just starting your shopping). You might have missed the beginning since we don’t have a lot of songs to mark the holiday because we were too busy writing Christmas songs. By the way… O J Simpson, still not a Jew.

Prepping For Black (Rifle) Friday!

In honor of the Eugene Stoner’s birthday (the engineer behind the AR-15) which I mentioned yesterday in my post about the assassination of President and NRA member John F. Kennedy I have decided, after numerous requests, to post an AR-15 parts list. Not just a simple list of what you need to get but a list of some of the prices I have seen over the past couple of months in order to build a budget rifle. I will tell you the websites and the lowest prices I have seen but I am not going to link to the product page as many of the dollar amounts have changed.

Of course, there are a few things to keep in mind with this list. While these are sale prices that I have seen during different moments may not be available now, you must be patient and wait as these parts will go on sale again for the same price or lower (I have no idea what Black Friday will bring). The quotes below do not take into account shipping or transfer costs (I am not even going to try and calculate that in as a factor). In addition to this list, there are tools that you would need to purchase to build the firearm and certain things that you may want to have a trained gunsmith work on rather than doing it yourself.

Lastly, keep it legal. Don’t build something in such a way that it would be deemed illegal (if you don’t like the laws in your state move). Make sure you go through your local FFL when you purchase your lower receiver. And, generally speaking, don’t be an idiot. You are building a firearm and you need to respect that fact.

 So, without any further delay, here is the list:

1. Blemished Lower Receiver                                         $50 (PSA)
2. Blackhawk! Lower Parts Kit                                       $30 (PSA)
3. Blackhawk (Mil Spec) Buffer Tube Assembly           $30 (PSA)
4. Blemished Upper Receiver                                          $40 (PSA)
5. Upper Receiver Parts Kit (w/ barrel nut)                     $25 (PSA)
6. PTAC Bolt Carrier Group (w/ Charging Handle)       $80 (PSA)
7. 16” M4 Barrel (1:7 Twist)                                           $85 (SG)
8. A2 Front Sight / Gas Block                                         $25 (PSA)
9. A2 Flash Hider                                                            $8 (PSA)
10. Carbine Length Gas Tube                                           $8 (PSA)
11. Front Sight Post                                                           $8 (PSA)
12. Carry Handle / Rear Sight                                           $20 (AM)
13. M4 Hand Guard                                                           $10 (T)
14. 30 Round Polymer Magazine (No Name)                   $6 (T)

NOTE: PSA = Palmetto State Armory; SG = Sportsman’s Guide; AM = Amazon; T = Tanner’s Sport Center

For those of you keeping track that brings the total up to $425 compared to an off the rack rifle (new) which would cost you a minimum of $650 plus the additional tax put on complete firearms. This part list will complete the most basic of rifles but, if put together correctly, will function as good as or better than a basic AR that would cost you a minimum of $225 more. But, as I stated before, it takes patience both in waiting for the right price for parts but also in putting all the pieces together. It is not a complicated process but one that should be given your full attention.

However, be forewarned, I have seen people get carried away with their builds which is not that hard to do. Start with the basics. If you want to switch out parts later than go ahead. For now, you don’t need that $250 Geissele trigger in your first build. Keep it simple. Simple works. The last thing you want to do is build a FUBAR rifle.  

Finally, be a smart gun owner and support your right to own your firearm. Set aside time to train, enjoy, and appreciate what you have created in a safe and controlled environment. Know your rifle, become fluent in firearms safety, and make sure everything is locked up. And become a NRA member (or one of the following Gun Owners of America, Second Amendment Foundation, Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership). Pick one or pick them all just make sure you show your support. This is your responsibility.