I like Brownells, I always have, including their acquisition of Sinclair many years ago. I don't buy from them often, but over the years I've always liked them.

I long time ago I talked to one of their tech guys regarding some stock refinishing projects, and they gave me solid advice with product recommendations that I followed exactly with great results.

Is my fondness for the company overrated ? If it is who do you prefer over Brownells ? What do you guys use them for, and don't use them for ?

Twelve or so years ago I built several ARs and I purchased a slew of Colt parts from Brownells. When you asked what they do (did) for me better than other vendors, it was that I knew that the parts I was purchasing were genuine OEM Colt parts.

At one time when I had no information about other sources that might have carried similar items, it was their selection of obscure tools and other aids for gunsmithing. It’s been a while since I ordered anything like finishing stones, but now their “Edge” program is nice to provide free shipping. And although I seldom use it, their return policy is great.

On the other hand, more and more it seems they are out of stock of many items or they are available only by backorder. And then they’re constantly dropping items that I had come to rely on. I usually go to them first when looking for an item, but very often they don't carry manufactures' full product lines, and then I have to go someplace else: often Midway.

The greatest irritant is their abysmal search feature. Ironically a couple of years or so ago they claimed that it had been revamped and improved. I don’t see that. Just a couple of days ago I was trying to find a slotted cleaning rod tip large enough for patches suitable for .50 bore. Because it seems the function only recognizes exact names for things and the item goes by different terms depending upon manufacturer, I finally had to send a specific question to be directed to what I wanted.

I really wonder if they’re having business problems. I’d really hate to see them fold, but I wouldn’t be the least surprised to see that announced one day.

ordered from them yesterday,

box of 100 tags, and a can of foaming bore cleaner,


they offer the tags I need to put on my firearms (I am a dealer) cheaper than anyone else, and I am not sure you can be thier options for supplies, including thier screwdriver kits,

They sold me a pair of Ed Brown built 1911s for $3k several Christmases ago. About 25% off retail at the time.

Otherwise, they tend to have small or hard to find parts when i need them.
Unfortunately, I too have found myself going to Midway more and more often for things I need.

They have tools. Sometimes they have things when others don’t. I mostly buy from PrimaryArms.

They let you checkout without shoving the NRA at you (I'm lookin at you midway!).

But yeah.... they drastically need a website overhaul.

Actually, they did overhaul their website, more than a year ago.

Shit, AFAIC, they can put it back like it was before that. I knew how to navigate it and find what I was looking for.

I miss their coupon page, too.

I used to get the big book from them but have not gotten one for quite a while. I check Brownells if I need a specialized tool.

quote:

On the other hand, more and more it seems they are out of stock of many items or they are available only by backorder.

I like Brownells a lot, and have ordered a ton of stuff from them over the years. I really like their house branded gunsmithing tools as they tend to be well designed and of quality construction. The problem is, lately I've been finding the above to be true more and more. It's not just on third-party stuff that they stock, either, but with their own house-branded products. IMO there's no excuse to run out of that stuff...when you get low, make/order more!

When you can't keep stuff in stock, you're no good to me as a vendor. It costs them sales of other stuff, too, as I'm usually looking to order several items at once and want to get everything in one place to combine on shipping. If they don't have everything I need, the whole order is likely to go to somebody else who does.

Lately their website sucks, too. I can navigate it just fine, but the popups drive me nuts. You load the page and are just starting to browse when you get interrupted by some popup asking if you're 21. Click though that bullshit, start typing in the search box and then you get interrupted by another one trying to get you to enter your email for their mailing list to get 10% off your first order. News flash, it doesn't work if you've ever made an order in the past. I've tried. So now you're just inconveniencing and irritating your repeat customers. Get rid of that popup and start typing again and now something else is popping up trying to promote this or that product that isn't what you're looking for.

It's irritating as hell. I know what I need, and I'm literally at your site trying to spend money. Get out of my way and let me do that.

I’ve purchased several things from them over the years that I was not happy with (my last was a Vortex illuminated prism scope that would shut on and off between shots from recoil…I contacted them ASAP and they sent me a shipping label online to return the item and credited my CC for a refund quickly…I’ve always been very pleased with their customer service

I like them, stopped by the store a few years ago driving I-80. It was very clean, one could just order from the site also, they would collect the items from the warehouse.

I just used my ‘thin’ screwdriver bit set yesterday. I think it is advertised for the Browning A-5 shotgun, sizes.

I think I’ll be on I-80 again in May, may plan a stop if timing is right.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:


I miss their coupon page, too.

bookmark this page or use the Capital One Shopping app / Chrome plug-in

Their Lifetime guarantee keeps me coming back. I just upgraded my Magnetospeed that I bought several years ago to a Garmin.

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
At one time when I had no information about other sources that might have carried similar items, it was their selection of obscure tools and other aids for gunsmithing. It’s been a while since I ordered anything like finishing stones, but now their “Edge” program is nice to provide free shipping. And although I seldom use it, their return policy is great.

On the other hand, more and more it seems they are out of stock of many items or they are available only by backorder. And then they’re constantly dropping items that I had come to rely on. I usually go to them first when looking for an item, but very often they don't carry manufactures' full product lines, and then I have to go someplace else: often Midway.

The greatest irritant is their abysmal search feature. Ironically a couple of years or so ago they claimed that it had been revamped and improved. I don’t see that. Just a couple of days ago I was trying to find a slotted cleaning rod tip large enough for patches suitable for .50 bore. Because it seems the function only recognizes exact names for things and the item goes by different terms depending upon manufacturer, I finally had to send a specific question to be directed to what I wanted.

I really wonder if they’re having business problems. I’d really hate to see them fold, but I wouldn’t be the least surprised to see that announced one day.

I agree with this assessment 100%. Brownell's is supposed to be one of the Parts Suppliers for Beretta Shotgun parts and many critical parts are now being listed as "Discontinued". As a result I now order these parts from Cole's. Another item that has gone missing is Checkering Tools. Seriously how can you call yourself the Gun Parts Store if you don't even stock something as basic as checkering tools. IMO if you are looking at the volume of parts in stock I expect that it's about 35-40% of what it was 15 years ago.

Beretta had issues with their sparing program with Brownells and moved it to Midwest Gun Works (MGW).

Brownells overall is on the downslope. I’ve long been a fan and it’s my go-to for most stuff but Edge doesn’t provide the value it once did. I used to be able to order stuff I needed on a Sunday and have it in hand by Wed/Thurs with free two-day shipping. Now it takes a week to get tracking and then two days after that to arrive. I typically work on stuff on Sundays so it’s nice to put an order in for small parts I need and have it for the next weekend.

A couple years ago I stopped into the Brownells retail store in Iowa and purchased some Brownells brand electronic ear muffs. The electronics turned out to be dead the first time I tried to use them a couple days later.

When I called to see if I could exchange them for a pair that worked, they said the lifetime guarantee doesn't apply to some things and since they left the store they can't be exchanged or returned. So much for the lifetime guarantee.

If you have been to a qualified Armorers School, you can sign up as such trained and you get a little discount on almost everything they sell.

I am an outlier here as I live reasonably close to the store. If I am headed for Des Moines, I almost always stop in and end up spending some unplanned money. I have also made specific trips to the store if in need of something they had in stock. They almost always have something I want or need. Beautiful store with great staff, in fact I ran into a friend from my youth that now works there.

I am an "Edge" member and they always seem to have at least one 10% off coupon available that works.
So with free shipping and at least somewhat competitive prices, I check it and use it quite often.
I especially use them for reloading.
Plus I am from Iowa and that's a plus.
To the question of what they do better?
Not sure if much is better but everything seems to work well in their system and it gives me confidence to buy.
Maybe the embedded videos to learn about some of the stuff I buy.