Nagels Gun Store

[jblack58]

I agree with the negative comments about Nagels. Two years ago I took a P38 to them that I had bought when I was stationed in Germany in 1966. I had never fired it and wanted the gunsmith to check it out before I did. After three weeks of excuses why it hadn't been looked at, I picked it up and took it to Dury's. Had an answer in two days and have never been back to Nagels.

 

[shortround]

The Walther P-38 I in bought in Germany in 1986 (twenty years later) never gave me one bit of trouble.

Why would you take your pistol to a gun shop if you never fired it?

If the gunsmith could not have given it an immediate "function check," I would have walked out with no obligation to pay.

I work on guns (mine) all the time, and I never tell myself to wait for a diagnosis.

Be well.

 

[Texan2]

The Walther P-38 I in bought in Germany in 1986 (twenty years later) never gave me one bit of trouble.

Why would you take your pistol to a gun shop if you never fired it?

If the gunsmith could not have given it an immediate "function check," I would have walked out with no obligation to pay.

I work on guns (mine) all the time, and I never tell myself to wait for a diagnosis.

Be well.

I can think of lots of reasons someone would take it to get checked out, but the better question is why cant a gun shop take a few minutes to take a look at a gun a customer brings in and tell him it looks ok or it doesnt.
The answer is ... the good ones can.

 

[nitronate33]

i bought my first handgun at nagel's. it was a CZ P01, which isn't exactly the easiest gun to find locally, and nagel's may be the only CZ dealer in san antonio. the amazing thing was they had every CZ handgun i wanted to feel and compare in the back room of that place. i was surprised. i tried to talk them down on the price, knowing that budsgunshop online had it for $520 without tax and free shipping. it was $580, so not horrible but they wouldn't budge on their price.

i bought it there because i really didn't want to purchase my first gun ever online and i knew i wanted a CZ and i really had no other choice. however, now that i'm a regular at the bullet hole, i buy all my guns online and have them shipped there.

i just haven't found a single gun shop here in SA that has reasonable prices, really annoying considering it's friggin' texas.

 

[TexasRedneck]

You're talking about a 10% difference....and a world of difference when you WANT someone local to fix one. I buy local whenever possible, but there are times when you just can't - my recent STI Elektra purchase as a perfect example - no one had one locally, so there really wasn't much choice if I didn't wanna wait months for it.....

 

[nitronate33]

after figuring TAX and FFL fee (for the online purchase), it was about an $80 difference, so closer to 15%. like i said not terrible in the case of the gun i was looking at. the purchases i have made online were far more significant in their discount over what local gun stores wanted.

price is not everything, and if i can get close, i would certainly prefer to purchase local. however, when it's a couple hundred bucks, i'm gonna buy online. i just can't understand, considering it is SA, why the prices aren't better.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Legally speaking, you are SUPPOSED to pay sales taxes for online purchases directly to the state (essentially no one does, but you are SUPPOSED to), so the gap narrows. Add to that the fact that the local presence has a cost - and if they in fact have it in stock, you get it TODAY, rather than in a few days (and eliminate to worry of getting one that's got a bad finish/other issues).

 

[nitronate33]

meh, just looking to see if there are better deals to be had. apparently, from what i gather, the saxet gun show is the best bet. haven't been there yet, so i'll check it out next month to see what they have.

 

[TexasRedneck]

I hear ya - and don't blame you....it's just another line of reasoning to consider - bottom line, it's YOUR money, YOUR choice!

 

[nitronate33]

as far as this thread goes, relating specifically to nagel's, i haven't had any bad experiences there and hit them up from time to time. the selection is great and anything i've asked to look at they manage to find in the back room somewhere.

unfortunately, the reality is that with this economy i'm a little more focused on price than 5 years ago. there are so many guns i want and am itching to have but i am forcing myself to one per year, right around now before christmas as a gift to myself. it's an addiction that has to be controlled.

 

[TexasRedneck]

i am forcing myself to one per year, right around now before christmas as a gift to myself. it's an addiction that has to be controlled.

NOTE TO WIFE AND KIDS:

He's LYING!!!!!!

 

[nitronate33]

ha ha, you gotta have a few vices. i figure it's safer and cheaper to be a gun addict than an alcoholic.

 

[Soldiernurse]

nitronate... I'll drink to that

 

[wiredgeorge]

My 2 cents on Nagels... they would do well to take a bulldozer and push out about 90 percent of the non-gun related junk in there. I don't think they can possibly make any money on the clothing or knives... if they do, then that is fine as it is smart business but when I go into a gun shop, I like to look at guns. The counters are covered with STUFF and you can't see the guns. And the people in those close-in aisles make it very uncomfortable to shop...

I haven't found the staff too bad. They have been busy when I went in and I have had to wait my turn but they have been helpful. Problem is, I doubt I would buy a gun there are their prices are too high across the board. There may be a bargain hiding in there but I doubt I have the patience to find it. Dury's and Powderhorn are much easier to navigate with much better sales staff and Dury's at least is always crammed with people as well. Somebody mentioned Don's shop on F-burg/410 and I probably have more pistols than they do. That place is truly depressing. There is a new shop just opened outside 1604 on Potranco called Lock & Load Guns and Gear. They are real friendly but as yet don't have much of a stock of guns. I guess I will pretty much continue to buy guns used through the various internet forums or from Davidsons via my FFL, Bandera Gun Club as they give members are real nice price; usually lower than the lowest the Gun Genie comes up with or right in that neighborhood.

 

[Texas Bulldog]

Thank you to those who have supported Nagel Gun Shop, Inc., over the years, as well as to those who are supporting us on this blog. We would appreciate any issues being brought to the attention of management or the owners, as we cannot correct a problem if we do not know about it. Also, we would appreciate it if people could understand that the national "box" stores have national buying power and they can usually sell an item for way below our cost. We are a privately-owned gun store - the largest privately-owned gun store in South Texas - and do not have the same costs as those other stores. Please be aware that we are in the process of making changes that take time and your continued support is appreciated.

That's great to hear! I love all the stuff, and there is a younger gentleman who is very enthusiastic and his passion was enough to push me across the line from "Looking" to "buying" a Dan Wesson 1911.

IMO its too stale with grumpy people. This is a very passionate hobby and it would be great if the employees were like that guy and treated it as such. I would love to work there on weekends to share my passion with all the others that enter. Its a great shop with huge potential. I hope it works out for you

 

[Texas Bulldog]

i bought my first handgun at nagel's. it was a CZ P01, which isn't exactly the easiest gun to find locally, and nagel's may be the only CZ dealer in san antonio. the amazing thing was they had every CZ handgun i wanted to feel and compare in the back room of that place. i was surprised. i tried to talk them down on the price, knowing that budsgunshop online had it for $520 without tax and free shipping. it was $580, so not horrible but they wouldn't budge on their price.

i bought it there because i really didn't want to purchase my first gun ever online and i knew i wanted a CZ and i really had no other choice. however, now that i'm a regular at the bullet hole, i buy all my guns online and have them shipped there.

i just haven't found a single gun shop here in SA that has reasonable prices, really annoying considering it's friggin' texas.

Powder horn is a great shop from my experiences.

 

[TexasRedneck]

The experience will be what you make it. I like having the one-on-one rapport with the various shops. Powderhorn, Nagels, HoGuns (before they closed) - I could walk in and folks know me. Bob Nagel WILL deal - you've simply got to ask. 99% of the time, they'll try to work out something to make it yours.
Bob and I have had several emails back and forth since this string started. He understands the issues - wants ANYONE that thinks they're being treated unfairly to insist on speaking w/him so he CAN address it, but also points out that he IS cramped for space - and part of the experience of his place is all the different stuff they've got tucked away in there. I know that when primers were so hard to come by, he would always have some stashed away for those in need.

 

[alamo308]

But steer clear of Texas Thunder, way too expensive!

+1
Strange huffy attitude, too.
Plus you can only shoot ammo you purchase there (overpriced). Everyone I talked with says their store (Texas Guns) has the absolute highest markup (profit margin) in town, possibly all of Texas.
Stay away.

 

[Texas Bulldog]

+1
Strange huffy attitude, too.
Plus you can only shoot ammo you purchase there (overpriced). Everyone I talked with says their store (Texas Guns) has the absolute highest markup (profit margin) in town, possibly all of Texas.
Stay away.

I am absolutely shocked they are still in business. The prices are out of this world.

 

[majormadmax]

I am absolutely shocked they are still in business. The prices are out of this world.

Probably because there are a lot of uninformed consumers out there...

As for Nagel's, the wife and I dropped by there on a weekday afternoon a couple of weeks back, and I have to say they were a lot more friendlier that I had experienced in the past. Of course, I wonder if that is because I had an attractive woman with me! Prices were still high, but it almost appeared as if someone had cleaned things up a bit as well. Not a lot, but some.

I am still not overly impressed with Nagel's, but this visit was better than previous ones. Hopefully it will continue to improve, I would much rather see it turn around and become a profitable and respectable local gun business than watch it go down the tubes...

Cheers! M2