Back around 1980 when K Mart, WalMart and of course Sears were selling lots of guns, it was rumored that those guns were lesser quality than guns sold at gun stores. Maybe they got lower quality wood. Was there ever anything to this, or was it false but intended to increase gun store sales?

I'm not referring to price point built or low frills store brand guns, I'm talking about same Model 700 and Model 70 sold at both stores.

It depends on the definition of quality. Some of these guns might have, for example, beech or birch stocks (instead of walnut) with stamped (or no) checkering, less polished bluing and other measures made to sell the gun at a lower price point. I know of no functional differences.

stores bought guns on a price point,

the Store named brands were usually built to a price, marked as required by the store, and not always available by the parent company (on some, mostly some 22's)
some were basically identical , other than markings, as the parent or maker marked guns,


usually wood was an easy way to lighten the price,

quality, was the same,

and this was long before 1980
everyone wanted a piece of the pie

I've heard the same thing about appliances sold at big box stores vs. mom and pop stores. I don't know how true. Brad?

Rawlings did it with baseball gloves. Their K-Mart gloves were marked KM6, KM8 etc. Good USA gloves but the leather was a little thinner and they cut a few corners in the lining.

No, their guns weren't seconds/rejects/etc.

But they definitely did carry some exclusive models, oftentimes budget models made to hit a certain price point.

My first rifle was a Glenfield Model 60 purchased from Montgomery Wards. It was a budget version of the Marlin Model 60, basically identical save for the different company markings and the cheaper wood stock. These were produced for department store sales.

And that practice wasn't just in the 1980s. It was going on before that, as well as afterwards. Walmart did similar with some of their guns as recently as the 2010s. (And may still do it, since I haven't paid attention to Walmart guns since they stopped selling most guns and ammo several years back.) In addition to the standard guns they stocked, they would stock a few special SKUs of certain models that were different in one way or another from the standard models of that line. Sometimes these were made with corners cut to come in at a lower price point, but they also had some mid-tier models that were Walmart exclusives as well, like a specific model of stainless longer barreled Ruger 10/22 that was highly regarded and affectionately referred to as the "Walmart Special".



I know that Walmart and warehouse stores like Sams and Costco also do the same currently with some of their electronics, like TVs. They'll have an exclusive model number with features that are similar to that manufacturer's standard one just with some corners cut or some very slightly different specs. These exclusive models are designed both to come in at a certain price point as well as prevent price-matching with competitors (since no other store carries that exact same model number, there's no way to match).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: RogueJSK,

I have a Ted Williams Model 94 (Sears) which I would guess is 50 years old. Shoots just like a Winchester, who actually made it. I think the stock is made of Birch and a genuine Winchester was Walnut. Only difference I could see.

I know that Brother and other sewing machines sold at big box stores are different than ones sold to sewing centers. Not bad little machines, but different quality.

I do not know what the answer to this is. I have heard a variety of answers over the years. I used to use a fairly large FFL. He told me that if it was the same Brand and Model it was the same as what you would get in a gun store. A Winchester Model 94 was the same everywhere. But if it was branded something like J.C. Higgins or Ted Williams, it might be made with cheaper wood or not polished or fitted or blued as well. This came up when I was asking about a Remington Model 700. At the time Walmart or K Mart was selling them for a pretty good price. But you could only get one or two calibers. I asked the dealer about some other caliber. He told me he could order it. He said he did not routinely stock Model 700s because Walmart could sell them cheaper than he could buy them. I think this makes sense.

quote:

Originally posted by Ironworker:
I do not know what the answer to this is. I have heard a variety of answers over the years. I used to use a fairly large FFL. He told me that if it was the same Brand and Model it was the same as what you would get in a gun store. A Winchester Model 94 was the same everywhere. But if it was branded something like J.C. Higgins or Ted Williams, it might be made with cheaper wood or not polished or fitted or blued as well. This came up when I was asking about a Remington Model 700. At the time Walmart or K Mart was selling them for a pretty good price. But you could only get one or two calibers. I asked the dealer about some other caliber. He told me he could order it. He said he did not routinely stock Model 700s because Walmart could sell them cheaper than he could buy them. I think this makes sense.

I bought a 30-06 700 BDL at K Mart in 1984 for $310. I don't know how that compares with what gun shops were selling them for but its $941 in todays dollars.

My Walmart Savage 111 shoots as straight as any rifle I own

I bought my Marlin 336C 30-30 from K-Mart in Abilene, Tx in the early 80’s and the quality was/is great it just has plain wood without checkering of any kind.

As with so many guns from that time they were able to sell at reduced pricing through volume and special builds with less frills.

Right after the AWB expired, I bought a Colt LE 6920 at Walmart. I don't know how it could have possibly been a cheaper version. As far as I know it was the same rifle that was being sold at my local gun shops. And it shoots great!

As anyone older remembers, this was a very widespread and common practice for all sorts of big retailers, esp. 22 rifles, 30-30 lever guns, single shot break shotguns and break-open combination guns, and pump shotguns of all gauges. I once saw a list of all the store brand gun models and their manufacturers, it was a very long list. It was a fun time.

On two different occasions I ordered a gun from Walmart . The guy at the gun counter handed me the catalog from their distributor and said " Pick out the one you're looking for ." I saw no difference in the guns as far as fit and finish .

Do K’Mart and WalMart qualify as department stores?

My Colt Python was purchased at J.L. Hudson’s on Woodward Ave. in Detroit. I have no doubt it was the same as any Colt Python from a gun store at the time.

On the other hand, I bought my Weatherby 7mm REM Mag from WalMart. I’m sure the plastic stock was cheaper than the ones on the gun store models. For $270 on clearance, I could afford a nice stock from Boyd’s to rectify that issue.

Faucets are price point products at the box stores. Moen has separate tech support for box store faucets and plumbing supply products.

quote:

Originally posted by 6guns:
I've heard the same thing about appliances sold at big box stores vs. mom and pop stores. I don't know how true. Brad?

If the manufacturer's part number is the same in both stores, they are the same unit.

Short story: We're buying/building a new house in Florida. Fridge A was priced at X, and upgraded Fridge B was X + $1,270. I looked up both part numbers. The two units had a $100 difference in the current street price.

The design center rep who worked with us said, "There is a difference between what we get from the big box stores and what we get from Whirlpool." I politely told her there was no difference, and there was no way Whirlpool would allow the same part numbers with different specs.

I offered $200 for the upgrade. Nope - they do not negotiate on pricing for upgrades. OK, no upgrades then.

She was either lying or was lied to during training.

There was a lot of that when it came to upgrade costs. The markup on everything from tile to cabinets to faucets was absurd. Painfully, I looked up everything.

I never want to build another house, but I'll buy land and GC it myself if I do.

I bought a Browning A-Bolt Medallion .270 Win at Walmart in the 80’s.

I was working there and told the sporting goods department manager they had in mismarked as a Hunter with the Hunter price. He said nope.

I immediately put it on lay-a-way.

I shot a buck and a doe with it last month.

To continue with "urban legends", I was told/led to believe that lawn mowers at big box stores were constructed with inferior components vs that sold from lawn and garden stores.