Benelli Nova 12ga? I really thought that a gun shop could beat them. $399 at Academy... Everyone else is $439 and up.

Academy make up their low cost in volume. Most gun stores have only one location.

Yep, and they get a better price buying from the manfacture, and most gun shops have to buy from a wholesale warehouse.

Buds should be cheaper but more of a hassle.

Any big box store should be less expensive. More buying power equals lower prices to the customer. My employer is like a
900lb. gorilla stomping on the neck of our vendors.

I buy the majority of my firearms online and out of state to avoid tax. Academy has had the lowest price on a few firearms I have bought the last couple of years.
Sig P238
Browning Buck Mark Camper
Marlin Model 60
Marlin 336W
The only thing I have found at Cabela's is a NIB Weatherby SA-08 Youth that was steeply discounted because it had a very small ding on the forend.
Haven't found anything from Gander Mountain.

Have bought a number of firearms and optics from Bud's but there are six or seven online stores I buy from when they match or beat Bud's pricing. I will buy from Bud's but will always buy from someone else if I can. I do not care for Bud's.

I have bought from Get-R-Done Guns, Michael Murphy & Sons(best pricing I have found on Beretta, Franchi and Benelli shotguns), Kentucky Gun Co and several other stores I cannot think of off the top of my head. I can look up the others for anyone that wants them.

One more thing about Bud's. They sell a number of firearms on GunBroker but you will pay more buying them off GunBroker than you will buying direct.

I have bought a few firearms NIB off of GunBroker that were least expensive comparatively than any I have bought from the above online dealers.

All the ones I have dealt with other than Bud's were great people to deal with.

I have found Academy to be the cheapest box store for guns as well. And usually the guys behind the gun counter there are nicer than people at mom n pop gun stores, at least the one in Austin.

Had a Mossberg crap out on me and the guy at academy took care of everything, I left the shotgun and he dealt with Mossberg and called me when it came back fixed up

-

Online I have bought from impactguns, jgsales and buds with no complaints. It's usually cheaper but if Academy has it for a bit more and I can go home with it I'll buy it from them.

I absolutely hate doing the FFL transfer. I use GT and their 2 day wait period feels like gun control. Others are faster but twice the cost.

Academy is cheaper than Cabelas sale price...lol

Academy people are much nicer to deal with IMO.

You would be suprised. Most big stores get same pricing as mom and pop stores that have the ability to buy direct.

Difference is Academy usually buys cheapest price point ideas and sales at or below map and big mfg look other way or allow them to because of high sale volume

Academy also has models that are exclusive to them so they can keep them cheaper.

I checked a Nova 20 ga at Academy in San Antonio yesterday $409, there,s a used 12 ga Camo in Boerne at another dealer that wants $400 which I figure if he has all the chokes that it came with should be about $3-350 tops.