[Newton]

I called in at one of my local Walmarts to pick up some ammunition and joined the line of customers waiting for service at the unstaffed Sporting Goods section (is there EVER anyone there).

Eventually, after a half dozen customer assistance calls, a guy turns up and starts trying to deal with the customers, I say trying because, without wishing to sound cruel, the assistant was one of the mentally impaired employees that Walmart so commendably employ, and he was struggling a little with the requests.

When it came to my turn, I told him that I wanted some ammunition, expecting him to call for someone else, if only because he wasn't wearing the Sporting Goods shirt. With that he produced the ammo cupboard keys and asked "which one ?", I told him as clearly as I could, 40 caliber Smith and Wesson, 100 round boxes. With that he pulled out a box of .44 Magnum and asked if those were the ones I wanted. After some failed explanations and pointing attempts I came around the counter and pulled out the boxes myself.

I was concerned enough to report the incident to the store management, who promised that the situation would be reviewed.

I couldn't really see an actual incident arising out of ammo mix ups like this (maybe +P going into a non plus P) my Beretta certainly wasn't going to swallow a .44 Rem Mag and blow up, but that doesn't make it right, far from it.

Newton

[Okiecruffler]

Just another example of why I pay an extra dollar per box and buy from the gun store down the street. Finding help in a Walmart is like trying to get The Wife to stop buying shoes. It leaves me exhausted and I don't win anyway.

[TheOtherOne]

Try buying ammo at the 24 hour Super Wal-Mart at 2am. There are quite a few employees around (buffing floors, organizing shelves, etc.) but it takes awhile to find the one manager in the building that has the key to the ammo.

I still prefer my late night shopping trips though. I can't stand the daytime traffic. It's so much more peaceful at 2 in the morning when you're about the only one out there.

[HBK]

I kind of like to spend the extra dollar to support my local gun store, but when I need a LOT of ammo....it's either Walmart or Sportsman's Guide.

[Sunray]

One must remember that Walmart employees are nearly all part timers, underpaid and untrained. The guy at least had enough sense to ask you if the box he pulled out was what you wanted. And Walmart Canada was the first big company to kick in a pile of money to get the Juno Beach Center in Normandy built. They ain't all bad. Our stupid government did nothing.

[Ala Dan]

Wally World is a JOKE; when it comes down to sporting good sales people being helpful!

They hire folks that don't know the sun rises in the east;
much less what kind'a ammunition fits what caliber gun.


Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

[sm]

I haven't been to a Wally World in a long time, and then it was to take mom.

"Scary"-is making it to and fro the parking lot on a Saturday...and mom and I were staying out of the traffic lanes.;)

I prefer to support the local mom and pop when can. I also have gone to Sports Authority, to avoid traffic and the gun guys seem to know what is what. Just easier to have my gunsmith order ammo and components--I don't have to see the zoo people that way.:p

[Tango Sierra]

I make most of my Wal-Mart runs in the wee morning hours to avoid the crowds but for ammo I go during the day because the guy in the sporting goods department knows his stuff.

I've seen people here write that they go to their gun store and pay an extra dollar a box for their ammo and I would do the same to support the gun store but the differences for target ammo around here are more like $6 per hundred for 9mm and $10 per hundred for .45acp.

[V-fib]

When I go to Wally World I don't expect the SG employees to know about the ammo. I just want someone to open the case and I'll point to the ammo I want. They pull it out, I check to make sure its full, and I'm on my way. Its not really a big deal.

:cool:

[10-Ring]

I guess I'm pretty lucky. THe one buy my house seems to have a guy working in sporting goods that knows what he's doing...he even keeps the ammo well stocked! :cool:

[David4516]

I used to work at the sporting goods desk. Not at Wal-Mart, but at a similar place (but smaller). I can tell you that Managment doesn't give a rats @$$ if the SG employees know their stuff. All they care about is if you show up on time and how much you are willing to suck up. I worked with 2 others at the SG desk, and I was the only one who knew anything about firearms. One of them kept saying "17 MM" when customers asked if we had any .17 HMR in stock (we never did). Anyway, to make a long story short I ended up quiting.

Don't get angry with the people at the wal mart SG desk. They are just trying to do their job and help you as best they can. Be angry with Managment for not giving empolyess proper training...

On a side note, you do get some dumb customers in sporting goods too. I have been asked more than once "what is the best .22 ammo for deer hunting?". One guy who asked me that had the crazy idea that his Ruger 10/22 that he had just bought was the perfect deer gun. I had to inform him that it was illegal for a couple reasons. #1, you can only hunt deer with a centerfire, #2 you can't have a magazine that holds more that 5 rounds (only applies to semi-autos). He seemed very upset, and I don't think that he took my word for it either. I bet he went to the next nearest sporting goods place and asked the same question...

Had another guy ask me "is it was okay to shoot someone with a .22, or will it hurt to much?". I guess he figured .22s were like airsoft guns or something. I may have been a bit too harsh with him, but I told him very firmly that under no circumstances should he shoot someone with a .22 unless he intended to kill them.

[glocksman]

The Super Wal-Mart here in town won't sell ammo after 10PM.
I found this out when I went in there after work at 1AM (I work 2nd shift) and tried to buy a couple of boxes of generic .45 ACP. :cuss:

The store manager told me it was company policy.
But if other Wal-Marts are selling ammo, it's not a company policy, it's his policy. :fire:

Needless to say, I don't patronize Wal-Mart any more unless I absolutely have to.

[duckfoot]

Been asked several time what all the ammo was for. Shot back with "shooting" every time but no more than that. I use to buy all my ammo at wally world till I found out that I had a company that does bulk reloading on the other side of raleigh.

Roll my own now:neener:

[Sisco]

Told this story before but here it is again.
Waiting on line at sporting goods a WalMart, lady in front of me tells the kid at the counter her husband wanted her to get some ammo.
She takes a piece of paper from her purse and says He wants a box of "point three eight zero auto" It's obvious she has no idea what she's looking for.
The kid looks through the ammo and tells her they don't have any of that but they do have these and sets a box of .38 special on the counter.
Lady is hesitant, saying her husband was specific about the point three eight zero stuff.
Kid looks right at her and sounding very confident tells her that it's the same thing! the "point three eight zero" is the size of the bullet and, right here on the box it says .38
"They call them "38 special" because they're more powerful."
Usually I'm one to mind my own business but I had to step in on this one. Told them the specials would't work and gave the lady the address of a mom & pop gun store.

[braindead0]

I must be lucky, last time I made a bulk purchase of 100rd boxes.. the guy was pretty sharp.. I got lucky and found the retired shooter ;-)

[BlkHawk73]

When the WalMart up here first opened they were over advertising every dept. Figuring they'd have it all, my brother went in to buy some ammo. He asked the clerk in sporting goods if they carried .357 maximum. The clerk scanned the case, didn't see any and responed. "Nope but some of this other stuff might fit" not having a clue as to interchangeability. The manager was notified. They weren't in that dept next time.

[popeye]

Kinda off gun topic but here's my WM story. I bought a some utility software at a Walmart by my house. 2 days later I was in the store and the same utility was replaced by newer version. I asked if I could bring mine back and trade for newer version. "Not if shrinkwrap was removed" was the answer. I went Walmart website and sent email (only god knows where it goes, probably into trash, I thought) Next night, Manager of said store calls my home and asks "what would make you happy?" Next day day I went in and traded my package for newer version. If you want change in a Walmart, email them, complaining at store level won't get you squat.

I was in a local gun shop and they and they were in the process of selling a S&W 39 to an elderly fellow who never owned a gun and did not know how to read. They read him questions off fed form and they filled in blanks. (this is legal, as long as non-store employee signs form as witness.) They sold him a box of 9mm, put gun and ammo in brown paper bag. No insructions. Off he goes. I'm thinking, this seems not so smart.

[Serpico]

I'd much rather have some underpayed, undertrained teen hand me the wrong box, at 10.96 per hundred I will gladly educate him as to which white box I need...I would feel undertrained and undereducated if I made myself spend a lot more at a gunshop by a trained ammo professional just to make sure he gets it on the first try....if Wlamart employess all graduated MIT, I'm sure the prices would not be so terrific....

[mec]

Just carrying on a 30 year old K mart tradition. the guy usually works in the automotive dept. The best story I have surrounds a blown up oldmodel Super Blackhawk. The top strap was humped and the top half of the cylinder was gone in the usual manner.

the auto department guy sold a reloading set-up and provided the guy with 2400 loads and a can of Unique. He got through two or three shots before it turned into a frag bomb.

the store managers were as bad as the automotive department kid. I tried to buy a five pack of 16 gauge buck from the pump up manager of the Waco store.... " We doooonnnttt got'em" He was just to lazy to turn around and look on the shelf. I pointed them out hiddend as they were behind his huge gluteus maximus.

[Baba Louie]

Sometimes fools, sometimes jewels...

At the local Wal-Mart, there's this little grey haired lady who oftentimes works the sporting goods counter... I ask her for a couple of the 9mm x 100 boxes and a box of .380,

She asks, "What kind of 380 you shoot?"

CZ-83.

"I hear they're pretty good. Not a Colt or a Sig, but pretty good."

I think so.

"What's the 9mm going in?"

Glock or Beretta, maybe the CZ-75.

"You don't want any .45?"

Not today, thanks.

"You trust your life with a 9mm?"

I chuckle, and ask, "You shoot?"

She smiles and says, "Used too. .45 and .357, still keep the .45 around the house."

I pay and as I'm leaving her counter, she says, "Shoot safe".

Life is good.

Adios

[Jeff White]

We have all kinds of threads here about the clueless people working behind the counter at gunshops and gunshows. I'm a little surprised that anyone expects to find more competance at Wal-Mart.

Jeff

[Blueduck]

The Super Wal-Mart here in town won't sell ammo after 10PM. The store manager told me it was company policy. But if other Wal-Marts are selling ammo, it's not a company policy, it's his policy.

Might not be too quick to blame the manager on that. Our store claims the same policey and I've seen the signs in at least three other Wal-Marts in the area stating the same thing. Sounds like TheOtherOne's store is the one out of policy.

[Byron]

There are two Walmarts in Murfreesboro, TN. One you just go in and get what you want. The other has a salesman that ID's everyone(I am 55) and says it is Federal Law. A deputy was standing there and agreed saying he would have to arrest the salesman if he did not ID me. The same deputy said he would have to arrst me if I had a conceled weapon with a permit as Walmart sells beer. I pointed out the beer is closed containers so I can carry. Sad isn't it. Byron

[Keith]

Places like Wal-Mart should just be considered "self-serve". If you want it cheap, go to Wal-Mart. If you need assistance or advice, go to the small shop and pay the extra buck.


Keith

[sanchezero]

I've seen the signs in at least three other Wal-Marts in the area stating the same thing. Sounds like TheOtherOne's store is the one out of policy.

I typically buy all of their 9mm ammo at a time and it's usually after midnight. I stop and pick up a manager on my way to sporting goods, 'cause I know no one's gonna be there :) .

As for giving my shop the extra dollar...

Walmart 100 rnds = 10.96

Local shop = 50 rnds 12.95


I support my local shop when it makes sense, but I do my best not to bend over anyone's counter.

:cool:

[coldshot03/04]

I havent had any major problems at Wal Mart just this crab of an old lady and another guy seem to be to busy to help me. I usually go there in the mornings when a more sportsman like gent is working he seems to know his dept pretty well.

PS, Byron
What did the COP say when you told him that the alcohol was closed containers? The cops around here dont know CCW laws either.:(

[Byron]

A very blank look and then "I hadn't thought of that". Thankfully he is not indicative of most of the LE personel I have met. Byron

[Snowdog]

Not to stray from the intended theme of the original post, but if WallyWorld didn't pay these mentally or physically challenged individuals, we would (think taxes).
If one doesn't like having to deal with these people, one's free to go somewhere else to buy their goods.

I think I'm being taxed quite enough as it is.

[Mike Irwin]

I've had similar incidents with the non-mentally challenged clerks at Wal Mart.

Some of them just have no clue about guns and ammunition.

[Edward429451]

Aw, you can't expect someone to know something that they've never been taught. Sometimes it can work in your favor. My WalMart had a stainless Mini in the wrong slot priced for 379. I noticed and said 'Is that right?' The kid said yep, just as a mgr walks up and says No and started to move it over. I sais isn't it policy to sell it as marked?He said if you buy it right now. How bout layaway? Yep. Lemme go find my accountant!!

Going to a gun store doesn't guarentee competance either. I've had mix ups there too. Support the Mom & Pops.

[seeker_two]

I don't buy firearm supplies from Wal-Mart unless I absolutely can't get it anywhere else quickly. Fortunately, that hasn't happened much--just on cleaning supplies.

mec: I prefer dealing w/ Praco than Wal-Mart. Praco's prices are a heck of a lot better too...:D

[AZTOY]

There was a guy that ran are sporting goods at wal mart for year.I would just stand and talk too him. Great guy, hunter and target shooter.



He was plowed by a car on his motorcycle .:( :( :fire:




The new people running sporting goods don't have a clue and can't read.:banghead:

[Roadkill Coyote]

I have purchased ammunition, low end night vision, and breakfast burritos in one trip, after midnight, without a raised eyebrow. I like it.:cool:

[mec]

right seeker two: I don't think I've ever bought any shooting supplies at wally world.

[Moparmike]

Fortunately, I have a fraternity brother that works SG as a second job and shoots as well. He knows his stuff. Unfortunately, the one he works at doesnt carry the ammo I might need here in a few weeks (8mm).

[cool45auto]

I usually spend more time behind the counter than the salesperson.:rolleyes: There's this one guy that works there that knows what I want when I come in but usually it's somebody else that they just stuck back there and I end up going around and pointing out what I need.

[Black92LX]

that's why i go to Bass Pro, you can just go and grab what you want and not have to deal with anyone but the cashier.

i go to wally world or meijer if it's late, but then that is usually for shotgun shells since they are left out in the open.

that is somethingi have always wondered about. why do they leave the shotgun shells out but everything else locked away?????

[rebbryan]

at one of the wallys here there's a guy who's in his 40's-50's and he actually knows what he's doing, problem is he's annoying as crap. he'll start talkin to you about nothing and he'll follow you around and won't go away.

i too love wally world and ingles ,and waffle house :) , late at night, it's so peaceful with no kids running around and biting your ankles.

[zahc]

why do they leave the shotgun shells out but everything else locked away?????

Hmm. good ?.

Anybody?

[popeye]

I tried to buy a Savage 30 - 06 a couple yrs. ago from a Walmart in Illinois. I live in Indiana. This is legal since it's a contiguous state. No dice says sporting goods guy. I notice the new Walmart accross the line in Illinois sells no guns or ammo.

[TheOtherOne]

why do they leave the shotgun shells out but everything else locked away?????Hmm. good ?.

Anybody?I don't know, but they don't lock up the bricks of .22 ammo around here either.

I guess they feel clay and target shooting shooting is more easily justified with that ammo and thus consider shotguns and .22's less evil then the rest.

[Berg01]

I've seen the 9mm Winchester value packs for sale at at least 2 local gunshops, for between $3.00 and $5.00 over the WallyWorld price. This ammo is popular with the IDPA crowd, and I am suspicious that the local gunshop guys are buying out the stock of the local WalMarts, so they can resell it at a significant markup. One of the gunshops had cases of the stuff at $13.99/box, while at the same time, the WalMart up the street from the same gunstore was out of stock.

[OF]

Places like Wal-Mart should just be considered "self-serve". Absolutely. That's the whole deal there. It's cheap. If you need advice, go buy from someone who's business is marketed as knowledgable and helpful. Walmart is a warehouse. Frankly, that's fine by me. I know what I need, I just want it cheap. As long as the guy knows how to run the cash register, I consider it a done deal.

Now I know next to nothing about cars or abdominal surgery, so if my transmission or my intestines start making funny noises the last place I'll be asking what part I need is the Walmart auto shop or the Value-Surgeon. I'll pay more to have someone who knows what they're doing help me out.

But all I want is a box of Winchester .45ACP. No not that one, right next to it. Up. Up. Right there. How much is that? How many do you have?

- Gabe

[foghornl]

Last time I wandered into the SG section of Wally World, noticed the same thing...shotgun ammo [including buckshot & slugs] was out on the open shelves, all other ammo in the locked case.

[J.J.]

Hello all, this is my first post here. I figured that I would clarify what I could for y'all.
1.)Laws/insurance etc require certain rounds to be locked up. Most Shootings don't happen via shotguns according to someone’s philosophy so lock up things that are Handgun ONLY rounds.
3.) I will admit some people have no clue what a gun is who cover for sporting goods. Wal-mart doesn't care if the replacement cashier knows a thing about rifles etc. Only if they can run a register and B.S. questions and lastly sometimes sell fishing licenses.
4.) Wal-mart has a "training program" where they tell you the bare minimum basics of what is handgun ammo etc. So those few of us who know what we are talking about didn't learn any of it from wal-mart.
________
Edward429451 posted about the gun in the wrong slot.. They have a policy for that they never follow if its less than 3 buck error the wrong price is given if more than 3 buck error... 3 bucks off its posted at the service desk.. but hey I love getting stuff at the cheaper price.. heck I work at Wally World and pitch fits till i get the discount so I don't blame you.... Policy aren't followed by wal-mart as well as they should.... so hey take advantage of what you can...
___
Someone posts that Wal-Mart hires mentally incapable people; yes that’s true but hey its 1. Law and 2. Good publicity and 3. Makes people feel good about what they do for the community (Cough Bull sh...Cough) Never have I seen anyone who has a handicap in the Sporting Goods Section, they are usually sent upfront to greet or in the store I work at Garden Center/Maintenance.... menial labor ya know?

By all means I am NOT trying to paint it a pretty picture... Wal-Mart aint the best thing in the world... it pays MY bills while I attend college... (That’s another thing...wal-mart pay is CRAP...for most employees.. would you honestly work your hardest if you knew that you could work across the street for more money flipping burgers.. which usually is the case.. my old store started out at 6.75 an hour....across the parking lot Burger King had a sign stating Now hiring $8 hr... lots of people quit wal-mart to flip burgers..) Some credit is due... its a job... with High Turnaround...Hell if I could find some place that pays over 9 an hour in this town I would quit in a heart beat... only reason i get paid good is I have been with wal-mart 3 years.. Kissed butt and transferred to this town for college... due to an error in paper work I got a pay raise instead of cut.

[Phyphor]

Welcome to the Highroad :D


Thanks for explaining some of the crap policies Walmart fobs off on us..

[Moparmike]

Welcome JJ.

I was at WM today and the SG guy didnt know what 357 sig was. I didnt either until I came here to THR, nor had I heard of Llama, Bersa, or of the calliber 30-40 Krag. I freely admit to being ignorant. The WM clerks dont readily.


I also know of the crap that Walmart dishes out, as I was a slave of theirs as well. Hell, I am in the heart of walmart (NW AR) and EVERYTHING worships Wally world here, including the UofA. I attend the Walmart College of MegaBucks (Sam Walton College of Business) now, and they have TONS of money here.

I went from flipping burgers at Sonic for 6.50 to shoes for 6. Then to cart pushing for 625 in friggin AUGUST! I had never had a job that threatened my health like that (completely out of shape, and in the "Back to School" time of year). I would like to go on record that I second the Walmart is a bad employer. They expect nothing less than complete and utter loyalty from its employees, and have a money-thirsty attitude. I know things were better when Sam was here, and he was a damn nice guy. I would also like to go on record that the bad wage is made up for at certain stores (not the one I worked at) with good management who give a rat's @$$.


I would like to apologize to anyone that became annoyed with my whining. Yes, I would like some cheese with that.:D

[wingman]

Poor quality service and products are not just at Wal-Mart guys it's in a very large amount of business and companies now and sad to say I feel it will
only get worse.

[243_shooter]

I'd stop shooting before I'd buy ammo at wal-mart.

Seriously.

I haven't been to Wal-Mart in a long time, and have no intentions of going back.

Leo

[taoshooter]

I went to my local WalMart the other day to buy some ValuePaks and while there asked the SG person if he also had a Boresnake in .45 - he looked through the ammo and said he didn't think they sold that brand! It was so bad it was funny.........But...........I don't complain to WalMart or anyone else for that matter because the Firearm/Ammo section of my store has been dwindling to near nothingness of late and I don't want my ValuePaks replace by yet another soccer ball. I support my local shop whenever I can but.......I don't mind at all if I have to lean over the counter and say "yeah, that one two boxes to the left that says $14/100".

[Kharn]

I only had one time where I thought I needed a laser pointer to show the employee what ammo I wanted (guy couldnt find the Remington golden bullets). Maybe I'll bring one along in the future just in case.

Kharn

[sarge83]

I can't complain about our local Walley World. They have a brunette who is a total babe working sporting goods and she knows her stuff on firearms and ammo, from talking with her. Love to buy when she is working the counter. Very easy on the eyes and smart!

[Black92LX]

1.)Laws/insurance etc require certain rounds to be locked up. Most Shootings don't happen via shotguns according to someone’s philosophy so lock up things that are Handgun ONLY rounds.

then why can i go 100 yards down the road to Bass Pro and nothing is locked up? (not a flame just a question)

[Tango Sierra]

>>then why can i go 100 yards down the road to Bass Pro and nothing is locked up? (not a flame just a question)<<

Because they probably actually have people that work in that department stay there. :)

[David4516]

sarge83, if I'm ever in your part of the country I'll have to visit your Walmart, it sounds too good to be true

[Ky Larry]

I usually try to buy ammo at my local gunshop but I always check the SG counter when I'm in Wally World. The manager at one of our local WW is an avid hunter, shooter, fisherman, and outdoorsman. When ammo doesn't sell after a certain amount of time, he starts marking it down until it does. For example: Winchester .40 S&W 155 grain Silver Tips (50 rnds) for $12.00 a box. Winchester .45 ACP 230 grain JHP's(50 rnds) for $11.00 a box. He's very sharp and friendly.

[J.J.]

Thanks for the Kind Welcome everyone

Black92lx,
I ASKED a manager exactly what makes it happen that way and all I got was a shrug and more or less leave me alone... give me a few days to a week to search in the back and or work my way up the chain of management till I can get exactly what the wording behind the regulations are.
1.) I believe it has to do with the fact that the HOME office is in Bentonville Arkansas.
2.) The section is not manned 24hrs a day hell even 12hrs a day, that may be part of it...

Let me work around I will figure it out exactly for you...

[sarge83]

I thought she was a typical walmarteer and I asked her whether she had a certain caliber rifle in stock and she said no and asked what critter I was hunting for and then suggested a couple of different calibers which made perfect sense. then proceeds to tell me about shooting both calibers, the one she prefered, and loading the rounds. Can't be more than 22 yrs. old and like I said, a pretty thing!

[CZ-100]

I thought she was a typical walmarteer and I asked her whether she had a certain caliber rifle in stock and she said no and asked what critter I was hunting for and then suggested a couple of different calibers which made perfect sense. then proceeds to tell me about shooting both calibers, the one she prefered, and loading the rounds. Can't be more than 22 yrs. old and like I said, a pretty thing!

Sounds like a catch.:D

[sarge83]

If I were 10 yrs younger and not happily married. Yep, set the hook and reel her in for sure!

[David4516]

sarge83, I'm 21 and single. Tell her I said "Hi" ;)

[Carlos Cabeza]

Sounds like a catch. A Wall mounter for sure !

[Zach S]

I buy ammo at walmart, i dont care if they get the wrong box, I'll just inform them of it and hear, "Oh, sorry, this one?" It doesnt bother me as much as when the parts house computer is wrong and I get a starter that's 3/8" longer than the old one and wont fit between the bellhousing and the crossmemember:cuss:

The same deputy said he would have to arrst me if I had a conceled weapon with a permit as Walmart sells beer. I heard a guy at the range tell a simular story one day. He said the cop was pretty pissed when he replied with "Officer, I dont mean to sound like a smartass, but there's a difference in selling alcohol and serving it"

[Kalrog]

I have found that I can get comparable (sometimes higher, sometimes lower) prices to WM by shopping at either Academy or Oshman's and the quality of service is usually far superior. They might not be 24 hour locations, but they are very easy to get to and have better selections. WM's SG section gets my attention when the wife is going for clothes there, though... I just don't buy usually.

[Lictalon]

Guess I'm lucky. Half the SG guys at the local Wally World are crusty 1911 shooters who cheer everytime you buy a box of .45 and frown slightly whenever you ask for a box of 9mm (they don't say anything, but you can feel it). The other half are young up-and-coming shooters who drool over every tid-bit and range report you hand them.

Now if they could stay at the counter, we would be better off...:banghead: