I hate gun shops!!

[Kirk Freeman]

I come in every day hoping to get to that level of competence where I can pick up a Mosin 91/30 and look at the incompetent a$$ behind the counter and say "What's the round count on this rifle?"

I'll teach you how to say numbers in Russian.

 

[17 squirrel]

Its like going in the HD dealership for an oil change and riding out on a new bike. Hasn't happened to me but impulse buys get a lot of ppl in trouble. I have a few stories of walking in for a couple thing at a few LGS and walking out with an empty wallet. $39 Anderson lowers..... my will power is only so strong. Gen 3 P-mags for under $10...... yes, yes and uh YES.

I have that when looking for nos parts for my pan, the last time I walked into a big old fancy dealership the parts man asked me what I needed. I told him a few 1950 mousetrap parts and he replied,, " what "... Then I headed to the old man over in Anderson..

 

[chef1231]

I pretty much decided today that I am done with my LGS. I stopped in there today to buy ammo and they had 3 cases sitting there for $300 which is about $40 more then Basspro and about $60 more then what I just bought it for online with shipping and no tax. Same thing with a rifle I just bought and am waiting on to get here. Bought it from a guy I've done biz with in the past and just sent him an email asking about the rifle and he shoots me back his best deal and I buy it. Which by the way I was at the same gun store last week looking at the same rifle and asked the guy the price and it was $300 more then I paid my guy in VA, my local guy never asked if I wanted it and never asked or offered to discount it. I'm in sales and you need to ask questions if you want to sell stuff. Just my 2 cents

 

[Gluemanz28]

I have that when looking for nos parts for my pan, the last time I walked into a big old fancy dealership the parts man asked me what I needed. I told him a few 1950 mousetrap parts and he replied,, " what "... Then I headed to the old man over in Anderson..

I had the same issue with a 72 FLH. It was a builder that was assembled with an aftermarket frame and misc parts from various bikes. It was a really beautiful bike but put together poorly. When I went to the HD "stealership" the kid behind the counter would say "What year is the bike" I would reply it depends on which side you standing on. It blew his mind and I always had to get the old mechanic from the back to come help.

Got tired of fixing someone else's mistakes and sent it down the road with $500 profit.

 

[red46239]

I've been to Wanamaker Guns, too!

Having been to WG, this made me laugh.

 

[wtburnette]

Having been to WG, this made me laugh.

Ironically, I grew up in Wanamaker and visited WG years ago with a buddy and had a pretty good experience. That was a LONG time ago though...

 

[LarryC]

I guess I don't have the expectations some have. I can't say I have ever failed to get a counterman to give me his attention. However I have a pretty thick skin and am not adverse on insisting on service loudly. I have owned firearms for over 60 years and collect many types, mostly military but also have several new and or modern arms. I do my research long before I purchase any firearm (except for low cost impulse purchases) and sure don't want or expect a counterman to know more about a certain firearm than I do. As far as round count ~ I could care less.

The only firearms that really are hurt by normal round counts are as stated before. Precision long range rifles or small caliber high velocity rifles. Many like the 22-250 and 22 Swift can have the throat eroded with just a few shots if the shooter "rapid fires" the rifle without letting the chamber cool. So I inspect the bore and chamber of any firearm I purchase. If a firearm has a real high round count it certainly would be visible with a cursory inspection. I have seen many firearms damaged far more by lack of normal care (rusted, bore pitted) than ones "shot out" with excessively high round counts.

I also don't concern myself about comparing prices, just because a certain dealer has a firearm price much higher than someone else, it may be he has much more invested in the gun, or it may be an exceptional condition firearm. In my 74 years no one has forced me to purchase anything, so I just look at the other firearms in that shop. If all his prices are too high I may not return, but I have seen (several times) that a shop with an overpriced rifle may have an exceptional low price on another firearm.

Yep, I do have the same issues as the op. It sure is easy to fall in love with a firearm and leave the shop owning it, but I have learned to restrain myself after the last few years (most of the time)!

 

[indiucky]

I'll teach you how to say numbers in Russian.

Sweet...I am tired of not being able to communicate with millertyme when he spends an afternoon at the shop "waiting for boiler parts"......

It's funny the day that kid asked that though...He was about 21 and full of new gun guy knowledge and I am sure someone told him to "make sure and ask for a round count before you buy a gun" and I am assuming the young man thought that about a surplus rifle as well....

He picked up a 1940 Izzy refurb and looked up at me with a serious look and said, "Hey buddy, wants the round count on this rifle?" I came from behind the counter, looked at the date on the rifle and said, "Hmmm....Well buddy it was made before the siege at Stalingrad so I am going to go out on a limb here but my best guess is a whole %^*&ing lot..."

I then smiled to let him know I was teasing him and gave him a copy of "Enemies at the Gate" to take home and watch...I told him to come back after he finished the film and gave him a crash course on surplus rifles....He's a customer to this day...

 

[Leadeye]

Most places I've been don't have very many older guns, so while it's interesting to look at the new stuff, I usually leave with my money.

 

[sharpetop]

Although I do agree, I've been on both sides of the counter. And unless you've spent time behind the counter, you'd be surprised at the questions you'll be asked and attitudes you have to deal with. Regular questions while behind the counter left me questioning if that individual should even own a gun. People thinking they can use calibers that are close to the caliber of their gun such as, .45 LC in 1911's, .357 out of a .38 special, .38 special working in place of .380 auto, 9x19 and 9x18 being interchangeable, .44 mag out of a .44 special, 5.56 out of a .223, thinking all firearms in .22 LR can shoot longs and shorts as well, .40 and .357 sig interchangeable without a barrel switch, every 9mm handgun being a "Glock 9", every plastic gun is a GLock 9, 1911's are 911's, "Gotta beam or that Glock 9?" "got any nice high points here?". Just a few regular questions for those behind the counter. I've also had loaded guns pointed at me and handed to me because of problems they're having. It gets pretty stupid and pretty intense for the poor salesman behind the counter. Also dealing with the hoards of people for .22 ammo. Being screamed at because the .22 ammo in the add sold out before that person was able to get to the store. Being asked 200 times a day if there's any .22 ammo in stock. Having to help 40+ grown men and women figure out how to stand in line for .22 ammo and babysit them because they'll cut each other and start fights for spots in line. For big box stores they also have several managers down their throat about sales quotas and getting credit cards and protection plans.

So I know a lot of people working at gun stores don't know enough of what customers may think they should, but they're dealing with a lot of BS that most people don't know or care about.

There a lot of newbies to the gun world these days. If they are a total *******/idiot, show them the door. If they have legitimate questions try to answer them. If you cannot answer the question find someone who can.

Some people don't know the difference between a 9mm Kurtz [.380 acp] and 9mm parabellum, or 45 acp and 45 Colt, .38 special and .38 S&W. How about .22, .22 long, .22 long rifle and .22 WMR? This is a perfect time to teach/coach them.

This goes for buying and selling. I already understand that the tattooed punk rocker behind the counter at Wal-Mart doesn't know anything! Lets try to help them if we can.

[I can't believe I just posted this, I'm the most impatient bastard you ever want to meet!]

 

[Cemetery-man]

I know I just hate talking to people in the way some people are afraid of heights or other things if that makes sense. It's not as bad as when I was younger in I still don't like carrying out a conversation until I been around someone for a while. It's the same reason why I haven't been to any ingo meet ups. Maybe I should though because there are several people on here I feel so I could be friends with. Great now I think I am high jacking my own thread.

I know exactly what you're talking about. Being quiet and shy can be a real bummer and I know it causes me to miss out on many great opportunities. I consider myself a good listener but not a very good talker. Must be one of the drawbacks of having to spend so many hours with dead people.

 

[ccomstock001]

So I went back to Highsmiths today looking at their M&P magazines today and one of the guys told me he can take 10% off the price if I wanted. I didn't ask or anything he just offered it to me. I was a bit shocked to be honest. They are starting to become my go to shop.

 

[Indy_Hunter68]

They must pump something in the air there. This summer when I went to Highsmiths to pick up my son's first rifle, I ended up leaving with his rifle, and a new .40 Hi-point carbine for myself.
darn it!

 

[ccomstock001]

Maybe. When I was in yesterday they seemed to be having ventilation issues. They must have been refilling the system.