Gun shop etiquette

[thoffman]

every gun shop i have been in, the person behind the counter had been a complete d*ck.
acting like they know everything when i spend hours upon hours researching the item i go to look at and they think im stupid. i hate gun shops and avoid them. i stick to private sales.

 

[thunderchicken]

What it all comes down to for me is..When I walk through the door don't assume that I'm gun ignorant. I'm not an expert on all things gun, but after being involved in the shooting sports for better than twenty years I have picked up a few things. It's not my first picnic. I'm not the internet ninja who thinks he knows it all, or the guy always wearing tactical clothes and telling BS stories. As I have said it's not my first day in camp and I won't put up with BS from the person at the counter who tries to sell me something I DON'T want.
jmarriott, I assume you were at KSE on Pendleton Pike. I have bought a lot of stuff from them but I never put up with their crap. But, they are rather unprofessional and always bickering. Like I said, I have gotten great deals in there but you have to get in make the buy and get out. If you stay too long you will lose IQ points.

 

[sepe]

I was in a shop in Warsaw that annoyed me. The shop owner had no clue what the firearm in his hand was. I HAD to do business with him because I got the gun at an auction and they did all handgun transfers through him. I know a couple people that really like him/his shop because his prices are decent enough and he isn't a bad guy. My problem with him was that he only knows about the guns that he owns or sells the most. Another shop in Warsaw doesn't have the best customer service and their prices are a little on the high side but they have a pretty decent selection of surplus ammo and ammo you can't get at Walmart or the shop I don't like in town. There is another shop in Warsaw but I haven't been back in years because the prices were pretty high. Probably 7-8 years ago they were 50-75% higher on some milsurp rifles they had that were in worse condition than the other shop that carries them off and on.

The good shops I've been in are Midwest Gun Exchange and Midwest Gun & Range. The know their stuff and aren't pushy and are more than happy to make small sales.

Stopped in at the Warsaw Dunham's and the manager really knew her stuff and had no problem pulling rifles out of the display case and talking about them. Can't really say the same about the other 2 people I've encountered in the same store.

 

[Que]

Oh yeah, I like a store to takes the time to get to know me and not automatically think they know my politics. I also hate those places where the shop keepers believe that I'm buying a gun because my neighborhood is terrifying. Also, the answer to "What is the maximum affective range of a gun or rife?" isn't "As long as you hit 'em it don't matter much."

 

[Titanium Man]

That rant aside, Bradis is my new favorite place. Been there once, was addressed respectfully, my questions were answered and was treated like a regular on my first visit. I live a little ways away, but will have no problems making the drive for the kind of service and hospitality I recieved.

I get a kick out of their sign out front. It says, "Call First". I always say to myself, "Why?, so I can find out it's $50-100 lower in price somewhere just a little to the North of there in Plainfield.

 

[Titanium Man]

I can deal with the dudes behind the counter, as I have ultimate control whether my credit card gets swiped. I don't usually make spur of the moment purchases, unless I know it's a heck of a deal.

I appreciate it when I buy a gun, and the staff is not badgering me to buy accessories, because that is where they makes the real money. Where I buy, they don't bug me because I'll send 10 people in there as referrals, so that's where they'll make all the money.

I do have ONE real buggaboo, and that goes at all gun shops. Most are guilty of this, somewhat, others more so. I get a little annoyed when "groupies", are hanging out, not buying anything, and I can't even get past them, because that's their spot, and they ain't movin. Hey! I want to look down in those counters too!!

 

[Eddie]

The first thing I look at is whether or not there is one of those signs on the door that says some version of "No loaded weapons." or "Only Law Enforcement may carry loaded weapons.". I won't do business with a gun dealer that doesn't recognize my right to carry.

When I walk in the door I expect someone to say hello and ask if I am looking for anything in particular.

If I am looking for something in particular I expect to be told a) whether or not that item is present and b) where the item is located in the store. If they want to inform me of their opinion as to a similar, better or cheaper item I am listening, but if I make it clear that I am seeking a particular thing then either they have it or they don't.

If they don't have what i am looking for then I expect an honest answer to that effect, not a high pressure sales pitch for an unrelated item.

If I just want to browse I'll say that I am just there to browse. If that is the case then I expect a) small talk, b) being left alone to browse or c) information about different things in the store. I do not expect a high pressure sales pitch if I am just there to browse.

 

[Tactical Dave]

I had to buy the one in the display case once because it was the only one they had. He told me when I said I wanted it that it may be the only one but that he would go look. Sure enough it was the only one. I had no problem with that mostly because he was nice about it.

 

[down3green]

I get a kick out of their sign out front. It says, "Call First". I always say to myself, "Why?, so I can find out it's $50-100 lower in price somewhere just a little to the North of there in Plainfield.

Bradis seems to be a good shop - they do a decent job of customer service for the amount of traffic that goes through there. There is ~one~ counter guy who seems to be "paid-by-the-opinion" but he's easy to avoid.

Agree about the prices though, usually a bit lower as you go a few miles north to Plainfield. I've had Bradis offer to "match" Bob's prices, but why would I do that? It's like you're admitting you were willing to overcharge me in the first place!


.

 

[kwatters]

every gun shop i have been in, the person behind the counter had been a complete d*ck.
acting like they know everything when i spend hours upon hours researching the item i go to look at and they think im stupid. i hate gun shops and avoid them. i stick to private sales.

There are no good shops around Muncie. Take a little drive to Blufton and visit 21st Century. Every time there they ask what I am looking for and don't try to sell me anything else unless I ask.

 

[Squirt239]

catch 22:

at the store I work at people complain about the racks not having guns on them, but then those same customers (typically) don't want to purchase the gun that's on the shelf, they want the one that's in the back. we kind of get caught between a rock and a hard place :-)

 

[drgnrobo]

Not like H&H employees,more like 21st century staff. If I have questions about a certain gun(or anything) that I dont have experience with, I want the person Im talking too honest opinion of that product .Not a rolling eyes ,big sigh, generic answer that Ive gotten in the past. Common courtesy is important to me at a shop ,to be asked for help & follow that fine line of being allowed to browse without feel like being under survelience yet welcome in the store.

 

[turnandshoot4]

I don't work in a gun store but my problem is with THE CUSTOMERS.

Don't point a gun at me.

Don't pull the trigger.

Don't waste the everyone's time by debating weather to get the .25 cobra or the .32 jennings. Just step away from the counter.

No, you aren't as smart as you think you are.

No it isn't worth what you think it is.

No, the AK can not be converted to full auto.

Don't like how much it costs? Buy it on gunbroker.

This isn't 1973, yes it has gotten more expensive.

Yes it is legal to open carry.

I don't care what your nephew said, yes it is legal.

Yes you saw this on Modern Warfare.

No you can't touch it.

Unless you have a large stack of cash.

165 is the grain weight of the bullet, not how much powder is in it the cartridge.

No we don't sell burst kits for sks rifles.

No your glock can not be modified to be a G18.

Like in modern warfare.

There should be minimum hygiene requirements to buy a gun.

 

[Eddie]

Not like H&H employees,more like 21st century staff. If I have questions about a certain gun(or anything) that I dont have experience with, I want the person Im talking too honest opinion of that product .Not a rolling eyes ,big sigh, generic answer that Ive gotten in the past. Common courtesy is important to me at a shop ,to be asked for help & follow that fine line of being allowed to browse without feel like being under survelience yet welcome in the store.

I get the surveilence thing sometimes when I go into a store that I've never been in before. There are tactful ways to handle it though. I don't mind being engaged in polite conversation or having a knowledgable salesman point out interesting things.

OK Comments:
"Man, we could sure use some rain."
"Do you hunt?"
"Did you catch the game last night?"
"AR mags are on sale."

Not OK Comments/actions:
-worldlessly staring at me
"You really should buy this AR, another guy was in here lookin' at it."
"What do you want?"
"What do you want one of those for?"

 

[WebSnyper]

IMO I'd expect to purchase the one that was in the case. That's the one I said I wanted. All of my pistol purchases have gone that way, rifles too, except for a Savage I bought at Dick's.

I generally expect and want one that's not sitting in the case if they have it. I've seen too many folks walk into a store and let the slide fly on an empty chamber, etc.

My most recent purchase at PSS was great. Walked in, place was crowded, but made my way to the counter, as I was there to purchase. Had Bob and another gentleman greet me, I asked to see the gun in question. Was able to check it out without any issues, and when I said I'd take one, Bob promptly went to the back, got a new one in a sealed case, cut the seal on it, opened and handed it to me to inspect. Write up and call were quick, and payment handled without issue. Out the door rather quickly.

A few weeks before when I was in looking at the same make/model at PSS in preparation for purchase, I was shown all the same courtesy, but I was just looking that day. Asked a couple of questions, got good answers, without any issues.

 

[Cemetery-man]

Midwest will always get a NIB gun for you unless the display is the last one. If they are out, they will usually give an additional discount if you take the display piece. This has only happened once in all the times I've been there since I think they keep a pretty extensive inventory.

 

[Expat]

It would never occur to me to get upset about which gun they sold me, the one in the case or one in back. Unless I specifically asked if they had any others because of something on the display that I didn't like.

I do like to have someone say "hey", "hi", "wassup" when I walk in. Other than that, it doesn't really matter to me. I am not very demanding. If I want something, I give them the "look". If that doesn't work, they get the excuse me, I want to take a look at...

 

[JJGatesE30]

I get a little annoyed when "groupies", are hanging out, not buying anything, and I can't even get past them, because that's their spot, and they ain't movin.

Yep, that gets on my nerves to. These guys are watching you as you shop and I'm sure talking about you after you leave. I can think of one place around here that actually has stools for them to sit on while you shop in front of them. It takes away from a good shopping experiance having people watching you.


So I always figured gun store guys worked on commission, which as far as I'm concerned is good. They will WANT to sell you something. I have heard that is not the case with a few places around here, anyone know which shops work on commission?

 

[critter592]

+1

Midwest Gun Exchange &
Midwest Gun and Range

I've been in both shops more times visiting than I've bought. Never felt ignored when ready to buy something and never blown off when just browsing. It's like when I go to the airport. Sometimes I just want to look at the planes. Doesn't mean I'm going flying. But a welcome environment keeps me coming back for the day I do fly.

The most curious thing about gun stores I think is how I was greated when I knew nothing about guns. I got the question "what do you want a gun for?" Now I'm sure how it was meant to come across was "what can I help you find or talk about." How it came across was "are you a nutjob that I need to be weary of?" And it was NOT MWGE or MWG&R. This was my experience from years ago at other stores in IL (which might explain a lot).

I wonder how many gun store employees read here. I hope someone from the Midwest stores does read here as I do appreciate the treatment I've received over the years.

 

[bigg cheese]

Crawfordsville Big R.

I've probably met you and didn't know it then