First I need to disclose my conflict of interest here, I am the Lodge Lead for Dick's Westroads. There is constantly being made the claim that Dicks will not sell AR's, that is not entirely correct. They do not stock AR's at their Dick's locations but will special order them for people. This was made as a business decision before Sandy Hook though it has been publicized as a reaction to it. Much like most Dick's locations do not sell handguns (some do but none in this area), this is not based upon anything to do with politics but more to do with where the stores are and what staffing they have for the Firearms area. Dicks owns Field and Stream and they carry in stock AR's and handguns at those locations, why because there they have full time firearms staffing and the businesses are located in the south and are stand alone locations, unlike the Dick's stores which have a high occurrence in the North Eastern part of the country and are associated with Malls if not attached to them and have done this at the behest of their property managers (they rent their facilities from the mall). That combined with a business plan that does not allow for there to be at least one person behind their gun counter at all times makes it where for security reasons they made the decision to limit what they actively carry in stock.
Pricing, I think we can all find things that everywhere is overpriced upon, you would not believe the number of times I have been told I have something at even a lower price than even DE Guns, If you understand retail that's the way it works you can have a great price on one item and the next you are over what the local market carries, hopefully you have more of the items with the great price and not so many with the high. That said Dick's will price match anyone (not internet auction sights) on the price of anything they have in stock. So you found a great price on that Ruger Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor online, take it to the Dick's in Lincoln and if they still have one of the two that they had a week before opening and they will match it. Nothing needed but they ability to show them the offer made elsewhere, no transfer fees ect. Remington Gun Clubs, yes there everyday price is on the high side, but they regularly put them on sale at $5.24 (even had that price for 2 weeks during Remington's Dove season rebate deal where you got a Dollar back for up to 20 boxes) and have even had them on sale at $4.99 in the last 6 months. Like any big box retailer watch for the specials and make your purchases when the price is right, needing a pallet load for your trap team check with management and they can usually get you the sale prices anytime.
Dick's primary business is not hunting, fishing, and the outdoors, that only makes about 10% of what they do. Primarily they sell sports apparel (shirts, shorts ect.) and that is best done at a Mall, and Mall Management limits what the retailers that rent from them can do. Do the businesses that rent from them always like it no, but they do what they must to drive their primary business concerns.
Oh and I'll add Dick's does not do intermediary's for firearms transfers, receiving and processing guns coming in is a lot more complicated than a t-shirt or baseball bat and they simply do not have the staff on hand to handle those shipments coming in at any time.
