Rural King

Rural King is a farm and home supply chain that sells more guns than most actual gun stores. Started in 1960 in Mattoon, Illinois, they've grown to 130+ locations across the Midwest and Southeast--and their firearms department is a major piece of the business.

Rural King runs rkguns.com with ship-to-store transfers that skip the usual FFL transfer fee. On a $400 rifle, that saves you the $25-50 you'd pay anywhere else--basically a 6-12% discount just for doing the paperwork at their gun counter instead of your local shop.

The trade-off is real though. You're getting farm store customer service on firearms transactions, and that ranges from "perfectly fine" to "what the hell were they thinking."

These aren't sporting goods stores--they're farm stores that happen to have substantial gun departments. You'll find feed, fencing supplies, work boots, and hunting rifles all under the same roof. The target customer is rural and small-town America, which explains why they stock more deer rifles than tactical gear.

Rural King serves communities too small for Bass Pro but too big for the local hardware store—the sweet spot of American gun retail.

Rural King focuses on communities too small for Bass Pro but too big for the local hardware store. Highway locations with big parking lots where you can actually get your truck close to the door.

Rural King's gun selection hits the sweet spot for hunters and practical shooters. You won't find high-end competition guns or exotic calibers, but you'll find what most people actually buy at prices that make sense.

The gun counter staff situation is hit or miss. Some locations have guys who know their stuff and can walk you through the ATF 4473 without drama.

Others have part-timers who clearly got pulled from the feed department and are still figuring out which end of the rifle the bullet comes out of.

Staff knowledge varies significantly by location. Some Rural King counters are staffed by former law enforcement or experienced hunters who understand the paperwork and can guide you through the process. Other locations clearly have newer staff learning firearms compliance on the job.

Here's where Rural King actually shines--their online platform eliminates transfer fees entirely. Buy online, ship to your nearest Rural King, do your background check at their gun counter, and walk out. No $25-50 FFL fee.

• •Rural King's ship-to-store process eliminates FFL transfer fees

No FFL transfer fee means Rural King can offer some of the lowest total costs for online gun purchases in America.

• •What this means for you: On common purchases, this makes Rural King one of the cheapest ways to buy a gun in America. The pricing is already competitive, then you save the transfer fee that every other online purchase would cost you.

The downside is their online order fulfillment gets legitimate complaints. Delays, poor communication, and the occasional "we don't actually have that in stock" email after you've already paid.

Set your expectations accordingly.

Rural King works when you know what you want and the price is right. They don't work when you need guidance, have a problem to solve, or want to handle three different options before you buy.

The complaints about Rural King are consistent enough to pay attention to. BBB filings mention delayed shipments, poor communication on backorders, and gun counter staff who don't seem to know the paperwork requirements.

The bigger issue is inconsistency. One location might have a former cop running the gun counter who knows his business. The next town over might have someone who's clearly new to firearms and learning on your dime.

Some locations have had ATF compliance issues--not widespread, but it happens when you're running 130+ gun counters with variable staff training.

• •Rural King's geographic expansion over six decades

• •Midwest core: Illinois (25 stores), Indiana (18 stores), Ohio (15 stores)
• •Southeast expansion: Kentucky (12 stores), Tennessee (10 stores), Alabama (8 stores), Georgia (7 stores), North Carolina (6 stores)
• •Mid-Atlantic: West Virginia (5 stores), Pennsylvania (12 stores)
• •Central states: Missouri (8 stores), Arkansas (3 stores), Michigan (6 stores)

They stick to small and mid-size communities, typically 10,000-50,000 population. Places where Walmart might have stopped selling guns but people still hunt and shoot.

Rural King is the budget-conscious gun buyer's farm store. The ship-to-store model with no transfer fees makes them legitimately one of the cheapest places to buy firearms in America--when everything goes right.

The customer service inconsistency is the real wild card. Your experience depends entirely on which location you visit and who's working the gun counter that day. Some Rural Kings run smooth operations with knowledgeable staff. Others feel like they're winging it.

If you have a good Rural King nearby, take advantage of the pricing. The savings are real. If you're ordering online, understand that you're trading lower prices for higher hassle potential. And if you need your hand held through the buying process, this probably isn't your store.

Rural King delivers legitimate value for straightforward gun purchases, but don't expect premium service at budget prices.

For straightforward purchases of common guns--hunting rifles, basic shotguns, standard handguns--Rural King delivers solid value. Just don't expect Bass Pro service at Walmart prices.