[Gerald in Ga]

Howdy,
I just got back from visiting the new addition to the local mall in Augusta, Georgia. They have added a new sporting goods store called " Dick's Sporting Goods '. I went in to see what they carry and they have all the usual suspects as in football, baseball, scuba diving, etc equipment. They also have a firearms and hunting section. I'm thinking " This is ok ". I went to the counter to see what they offered and found only bolt action rifles and regular shotguns. Now this is not a bad thing and they did have some reasonable prices from what I saw. The reason for posting about them is that when I asked the clerk behind the counter why there were no handguns or AR 15 types of weapons the answer was " We don't carry assault rifles or handguns because of policy ". I asked if that was mall policy or their policy and was told it is mall policy and also their policy. I was also told that in light of recent events it would be unwise and unsafe to carry such firearms. The store is --- Dick's Sporting Goods
3450 Wrightsboro Rd.
Augusta, GA. 30909
706-733-1199
Give them a call and see for yourself.

[MASTEROFMALICE]

This is most likely the same Dick's that often puts ammunition on sale for rediculously low prices, like half price.

I think I'll come to forgive them.

They have a hunting section. It's not a self-defense section, or an all encompassing 2nd Amendment section. It's a hunting section. They sell hutning stuff.

You need to remember that not EVERYBODY is automatically an enemy of the state just they don't sell everything you want them to.

So, since the Guitar Center doesn't sell condoms, they mush be pro-abortion, right? After all they're not selling an alternate method of stopping abortions!

[BridgeWalker]

Yep, I'm not gonna fault a sporting goods store for selling sporting goods. I buy my shotshells from them--pretty decent case price on AAs.

[Gerald in Ga]

Never said they were an enemy of the state. Just thought the guys attitude and thought process was wrong. The way it was put would give most people the impression that the mall shooter aquired his weapons and ammo at the mall.

What does guitar stores have to do with selling condoms?

[MASTEROFMALICE]

Granted, but doesn't this exact website have at least five or six stories a week on just how stupid some clerks are?

[Heavy Metal Hero]

The great thing about this country is that stores can choose what they want to sell.

I do not blame Dick's at all for selling hunting weapons.

(Yes, I know handguns and AR's are used to hunt, please do not try to "stick it to me.")

EDIT: Oh snap, post #666.

[damien]

Bass Pro carrys handguns, but not "concealable" handguns, nor "black" rifles. Also company policy. Different stores carry to different crowds. I notice that Walmart doesn't carry foie gras or caviar either. It's just a business decision and really doesn't affect availability of the product.

[Cosmoline]

You need to remember that not EVERYBODY is automatically an enemy of the state just they don't sell everything you want them to.


If they're doing it for political reasons (ie because they don't approve of the weapons) then yes they ARE an enemy and I won't do business with them. If it's just a matter of what they choose to market for business reasons, I don't care. But from the clerk's apparent comments, this is a political decision. A lot of "sportsmen" have this attitude, as we saw with the late Zumbo. It's extremely dangerous. Imagine a reporter asking them about the mall shootings and getting soundbytes about how Dick doesn't stock those evil rifles.

[DoubleTapDrew]

We don't carry assault rifles or handguns because of policy

"No, you don't carry assault rifles because you are not a class 3 SOT"

[jlpskydive]

Well they do sell ammo for those guns and at pretty good prices too. 8 bucks a box for Remington .40 if you buy it by the case. I have one less than 10 min from the house.

[Gerald in Ga]

Thanks Cosmoline. That is exactly right.

[Zundfolge]

Well because of this policy I won't be supporting Dicks ... but not for any political reasons, only because handguns and evil black rifles are all I'm really interested in. :p

[Gerald in Ga]

This clerk said the AR15 is classified as an assault rifle. And by the way, I am only talking about the one here in Augusta. You should ask the individual stores what their policy is.

[NeoSpud]

But from the clerk's apparent comments, this is a political decision.

I doubt a random clerk knows a whole heck of a lot about Dick's "policy."

I notice that Walmart doesn't carry foie gras or caviar either.
Bingo

Oh, and for the record, I've seen a couple mini-14s at a Dicks not too long ago (yeah, yeah, it's not an EBR per se, but close enough).

[Deanimator]

I do not blame Dick's at all for selling hunting weapons.
I blame them for buying [and ruining] the excellent Galyan's chain.

I keep my dealings with Dick's to a bare minimum.

[Crunker1337]

Well, it is a hunting/sporting store and not a gun store. Hence, it can only be expected to sell hunting weapons. I'm well aware that sports-utility rifles and handguns can be used to hunt, but more common hunting weapons are the traditional type. And they do sell semi-automatics of all kinds.

[30 cal slob]

Think of it this way:

Dick's is doing local mom & pop FFL's a huge favor by not competing with them.

I think of Dick's as a hunting oriented shop, and that's the segment they wish to sell to. Nothing wrong with that. That might explain their "policy."

[El Tejon]

Deani, yes, exactly. I miss Galyan's; I have such happy, fond memories of the first Galyan's in Plainfield (and the bison meat at the cook outs). My first firearm came from there many moons ago. I worked for Galyan's for several years at the westside of Indy store.

I see Kirk's Rules are unknown here. Let's review Kirk's Rule of Gun Dealers:

People do not get into the gun business to make money, they go into the gun business to TELL OTHER PEOPLE "NO!"

Stool sitter, stool sitter, can't you see, your grumpy attitude don't mean **** to me.:p:D

[mike101]

But, they used to sell handguns, until about 2 or 3 years ago.

[Seminole]

Cosmoline is absolutely right. A simple "we don't sell handguns or ARs/AKs" would have been one thing. Assuming the clerk's comments correctly reflect the store's policy, the term "assault rifle" gives away their agenda.

[NC-Mike]

Dick's sells .223 ammo cheap too.

I got a case of Remington 9mm from them a couple weeks ago for 7 bucks a box.

[Prince Yamato]

Dicks is like Walmart for sporting goods. They also don't don't FFL transfers or things like that, so they're not acting as a full-fledged ffl. They cater to a soccer-mom crowd in general.

[atblis]

People do not get into the gun business to make money, they go into the gun business to TELL OTHER PEOPLE "NO!"
TELL ME "NO!" = $0.00 going from my pocket to yours! I am not very forgiving, so say "NO" in the wrong manner and I'll never buy anything from you.

I don't shop at Dick's because they mostly sell Carap!
Galyans was better. Oh well.

Dick's is definitely heavily corporate. I wonder if they'll cary the new Remington R15? I bet they will.
http://www.remington.com/images/products/firearms/centerfire/lgsil_r15.jpg
We created an unrivaled combination of precision accuracy, blazing-fast follow-ups and hunt-specific features. The new R-15 VTR™ modular repeating rifle was born of the most advanced design aspects of AR-15-style rifles available today with a strong emphasis on optimizing form and functionality for the modern predator aficionado. The results are astounding – with very serious implications for every coyote, fox or bobcat that crosses its path.

[Crunker1337]

Hmm that does look like a slick varmint rifle. These new "assault rifle"-"hunting rifle" crossovers make life hard for the antis--I like.

[atblis]

Did Remington buy Bushmaster?

http://www.bushmaster.com/images/catalog/xm_15_zoom/PCWVMS%2024FVAR9.jpg

[v35]

Don't be so quick to condemn Dick's. They sell handgun ammunition at very competitive prices. I've also been pleasantly surprised by knowledgeable and helpful salesmen, unlike certain other discount marts that-shall-not-be-named.

[Archer1945]

Bass Pro carrys handguns, but not "concealable" handguns

Most interesting since the SIG P226 which is on my hip at the moment is very concealable, which I bought at Bass Pro. I have also seen Glocks, XDs, and a few other very concealable guns in their display cases. :D

[alucard0822]

Can't fault Fudds R Us for just sticking to turnbolts and the occasional semi, just like nearly all FFLs, they are arming the good guys, encouraging more gun ownership, and creating potential allies, all from a big national chain store. There are literally thousands of other "sporting goods" stores that won't sell firearms at all, while not representing the die hard gunnies view, Dick's is better than most, and like 30 cal said, they give the mom & pop shops a wide open market for the good stuff.


Did Remington buy Bushmaster
Cerberus has owned bushmaster for a few years, and just bought Remington, and Chrysler corp amongst other companies. How does a Tacticool Jeep Wrangler "AR" special edition sound, or a Dodge Ram "remington edition" with a realtree paint scheme and buit gunracks, and a heated/AC'd pop up duck or deer blind in the back sound;)

[wuchak]

I'm also holding a grudge against Dick's for ruining Galyans but they do have some decent prices on stuff I need once in a while. I was thrilled when I moved to Kansas City and had a Galyan's 10 minutes away. In less than a year Dick's bought them and that was that.

[B. Adams]

Did Remington buy Bushmaster?


No, but they are both owned by Cerberus Capital Management (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus_Capital_Management), along with a bunch of other companies, most of which are not related to firearms.

Back on topic, the closest Dick's is about 2 hours from me, and I've never been there. I just found out they were there when I searched after reading this thread. So I really shouldn't be commenting. :)

[Mr White]

Dicks is OK. There's been a Dick's here for about 5 years. Their focus WRT guns is hunting. They sell hunting guns, hunting ammo, hunting targets, hunting accessories. I don't particularly see them as anti Second Amendment.

And BTW, if you want to visit them in the web, their address is NOT dubdubdub.dicks.com. :) Try www.dsports.com

[mp510]

Dick's offers some great deals on ammo.

They are a sporting goods store through and through- they sell gear for hunting, baseball, basketball, fishing, camping(their selection is so-so IMHO), cycling, golf (a lot of golf stuff). While none of them sell handguns or assault rifles, there is some diversity between the stores and they sell some non-hunting guns.

I have seen quite a few Mossberg 18 and 20 inch (appx) pumps on their racks, including some with 3-color finished and I've seen the 590's with bayonet lugs and combat ghost ring sights as well.

At Thanksgiving they were selling Mossberg .22 semi autos (made in Brazil) for $79.

It's almost a good thing that they don't sell handguns. In Connecticut at least, they require a lot more nuances to legally transfer (additional log-out book, etc...). To be fair, I've seen 2 transactions in the past 6 months that were problematic. In June when I bought a Rossi Matched Pair from them, they listed the caliber and type of firearm wrong on the state registration form.

When a relative bought one of the Mossberg .22's the salesman forgot to sign the registration form.

But, Dicks is fun store to shop at- they have a lot of nice stuff and their sale prices are very good.

[scout26]

Ahhh, a change of pace from the weekly Wally-World bashing.....

Is Dick's Anti ??? No, they just have chosen (for whatever reason) to limit what they carry. They choose to carry only hunting type long-guns, and not handguns. BFD. That's a descision that they make based upon what they perceive will positively impact their bottom line.

They also don't carry reloading supplies like Gaylan's used to either. So they lose out on my $$$$ from that also. Again that impacts their bottom line.

I'm just glad that they still carry guns and ammo. Look at who doesn't anymore.
Sears
K-Mart
JC Penney
In fact, not any major national chain except Wal-Mart and now in the last year or so, only in certain stores.
Sports Authority.

I can name two different mom-n-pop hunting stores in southern Illinois that don't carry handguns, shall we break out the pitchforks and torches and show them the error of their ways ????

Yes, Dicks does have good deals on ammo, which become even better when "interpreted" by their clerks...... ;) :rolleyes:

[doc2rn]

Dicks is okay, yeah they sell hunting rifles and shotguns. Okay, they sell alot of ammo, mostly Rem Green Box on the cheap, that's fine it fits alot of needs. They sell alot of wood with blue steel, it's hard to beat the classics. I have never been partial to combat tuperware. I would not care if they just sold shotguns, or just .22s (flame suite on). I personally think they have an outstanding collection of accessories for hunter from vaults to blinds. I personally would rather compliment them in the hopes of adding more; than ridiculing and possibly witnessing a retraction.
Just my 2 bits.

[Gunnerpalace]

Gander Mountain is funny one week the AR's and Thompson's are in the back room week later back out.

[davera]

There's a new one here in Auburn AL. and it caters pretty much to the hunting crowd. Nothing wrong with that, sometimes they do have good sales on ammo. If I get tired of buying old guns, they have some new ones.:)

[kludge]

+1 for missing Galyan's.

[Nightwing]

Dicks has some AMAZING ammo prices sometimes.
Yeah... their gun selection is horrible. I'd like to buy a shotgun there, and then carry it around the mall and do the rest of my shopping. lol

^and yes....Galyans was way cooler!

[bogie]

Wal-Mart encourages drug use! They sell cigarette papers and lighters!

[Javelin]

Dicks is not my first choice but they do sell sporting goods and I dont hold it against them that they don't carry *everything*.

:)

[22-rimfire]

I feel that if it is their store's policy not to sell something, that is the way it is (handguns, "black rifles" etc.). It is a business decision. You may have noticed that Bass Pro also does not sell black rifles either. Gander Mt and Sportsman Warehouse do sell "black rifles"; at least a limited selection. Have never been in a Cabela's store. This leaves a niche market for the smaller FFL dealers that they don't have to compete with them. Brings traffic into their shops and you buy other stuff.

Dicks has never struck me as a store that specializes in anything one particular sporting goods item. They sell a items in a broad range of sports interests. Their sale prices on ammunition are generally pretty good. Their sale prices on traditional sporting firearms tend to be pretty good as well. I will continue to shop there.

[jerkface11]

Not carrying AR's is just plain silly from a business point of view. I mean it's only the fastest selling rifle on the market today. Maybe they don't like making money.

[scout26]

Not carrying AR's is just plain silly from a business point of view. I mean it's only the fastest selling rifle on the market today. Maybe they don't like making money.

Porn is estimated to be an $11+ billion a year business. They don't sell it either...... :rolleyes:

[Wopasaurus]

I work in the super nice part of the city. There's a dicks right across the street. They're the only one I've heard of that doesn't sell anything firearm related, just because it's in the ritzy part of town. Ridiculous.

By the way. Dicks.com is NOT their website. I found that out the hard way a couple times. :(

[mp510]

Not carrying AR's is just plain silly from a business point of view. I mean it's only the fastest selling rifle on the market today. Maybe they don't like making money.
It also brings a lot of negative attention, which is a bad thing for business. Why do you think eBay disallowed most gun part sales.

In Connecticut, perenially legislation is brought up to further regulate gun sales by chan stores (by creating additional licensing requirements and stuff). Since wal-mart stopped selling guns, and before Cabelas moved in, there was really only 1 chain store that sold guns in CT- Dick's.

[karrotx]

I think some of you guys need to get more of a level head.

They're a "sporting goods" store. They cater to hunting, I've never seen a reason to require an AR for hunting.

They don't need to push your crazy 2nd amendment ideas, go to a gun store for that.

Man some of you are nuts.

This is all.

[230RN]

ARs and the like aren't required for hunting.

But neither are walnut and blue firearms.

[230RN]

Wopasaurus:

By the way. Dicks.com is NOT their website. I found that out the hard way a couple times.

I hope not from your work machine.

A couple of times.... ?

Hm.

There's a new sporting goods store out here near Denver on about 50th or so and Kipling (see below). Stopped in there, found out they don't stock handguns. My first reaction was that maybe all the folks who stop in to get running shoes and soccer balls will at least see some guns.

Pretty good selection of general sporting goods, including ammo, some archery ( plus crossbows) and targets (clay and paper) and some cleaning stuff. It's amazing how much stuff they've got crammed into a smallish store. Salefolks seemed fairly knowledgable and helpful.

I hadda laugh. They were selling a refractor telescope there with "Astronomy for Dummies" in big letters on the box. (Just a side note.)

It's a Big 5 store:

Big 5 Sporting Goods #384
5185 Kipling Street
Wheat Ridge, CO 80033
(303) 432-6532

(Oddly, I had never heard of them before.)

[bsf]

I do not go to Dick’s for EBR’s, EBR accessories, or handguns. I go there because Dick’s rocks when it comes to ammo sales. Have bought thousands and thousands of rounds of UMC .45acp from them this year. When you figure in the sales, Reward certificates, and coupons, they have been unbeatable. I am guessing UMC ammo prices are going up, way up, soon, though.

[illspirit]

Seems like a reasonable business decision to me.

Seeing as it's a mega-corporate chain, they likely have a high employee turnover rate. Could you imagine having to train or find people who know the difference between the plethora of AK or AR variants, random accessories, or, say, all the possible trigger/safety/decocker combinations in Sig's pistol line? It's hard enough to find knowledgeable help at dedicated gun shops sometimes. Would probably be even worse if you throw in a recent high school graduate working at the mall over the summer to save a few bucks before shipping off to college. With a limited selection of Fudd guns with pretty standard options, there's a whole lot less merchandise to train people on.

Not to mention all the laws the buyers/warehouse people would have to keep track of when sending stuff to all the stores. Bolt and pump guns are almost universally legal.

On top of that, they'd need to make the hunting sections a lot bigger in order to keep a large enough selection in stock to satisfy everyone. Not only would this compound the problems above, but if they started selling handguns and/or black rifles, they'd surely have to deal with more harassment by pedantic ATF inspectors.

Granted, one could argue they should join us in the fight against the latter lest we all hang separately. But, on the other hand, think of all the people shopping for other things there that might get involved with shooting sports who otherwise wouldn't have. While it may seem bland and uninteresting to most of us, the sanitized, retail atmosphere is probably a bit less intimidating to most fence-sitters than a traditional guns shop stocked with black rifles and where every employee is carrying.

And even if a small percentage of suburbanites who pick up a pretty bolt gun later go on to buy more stuff elsewhere and/or join the NRA or something, it's still a net gain for the cause. ;)

[novaDAK]

The Dick's in Fairfax (well, "Fair Lakes") I call it the Under Armour store because you walk in and it's all you see. Everywhere. And I miss it being a Galyans (which used to sell handguns). Everytime I go there I see a few pistols in the case at Dick's and I think "Oh wow they're selling handguns here again!" only to look closer and see that they're just expensive ass bb guns. (Oh yeah, another rant, they have more damn airsoft and paintball crap than gun stuff...) but at least they have good deals on Rem UMC by the case which keeps me coming back every now and then. And at least they still sell some self-defense ammo too. Like Wally World, who got out of the gun business yet still sells specifc purpose self defense ammunition.

[MAKster]

I shop at Dicks a lot. While their selection is not wide, if they have what you what their prices are likely the best. They were recently selling the Remington 870 for $230 and their 9mm price is also the lowest in town. If Dicks sold handguns then people would be complaining that Dicks was putting mom and pop FFLs out of business.

[Clipper]

I'm surprised at how many of you still differentiate between EBRs and 'hunting guns'! After the Zumbo thing, I would think that, at least here, I wouldn't see such ignorance...Oh well, I don't think the deer I shoot with my AK will know they were shot with a non-hunting rifle!

[particlerealities]

My local Dick's - I asked him what they had in .308, and the guy said they don't sell .308's. When I asked why.... "It's company policy because people use .308's for sniper rifles." No joke. I was specifically asking about heavy barreled rifles - not sure if they sell .308 in the light barrels. Didn't really care at that point.

[jerkface11]

They're obviously run by a bunch of fudds who think AR's aren't suitable for hunting.

[GeezerwithGuns]

Regardless of what great price Dick's offers on handgun ammo, it is hypocritical to sell ammo for handguns and not the firearms themselves. I would much rather go to the Sportsman's Warehouse two blocks away - prices are close, and SW is handgun friendly.

First time I went into Dick's and mentioned this to the gun counter guy. He said that they didn't want to upset any of their "mainstream" customers. Guns and ammo are a small percentage of their sales.

BTW, in Colorado, Gart's sports has become Sports Authority and one of the first things the new management did was to get rid of handguns. I no longer shop there either.

[Deanimator]

BTW, in Colorado, Gart's sports has become Sports Authority and one of the first things the new management did was to get rid of handguns. I no longer shop there either.
When the Cabela's opens in Brunswick, OH Dick's can bite my shiny metal ***.

[geronimotwo]

Regardless of what great price Dick's offers on handgun ammo, it is hypocritical to sell ammo for handguns and not the firearms themselves.

yea, but which will get more repeat sales?

my local dicks doesn't sell handguns or military style rifles either. when i ask about it i get told with attitude what their policy is. when i question the policy (speaking with the dept manager) he tells me it's because those guns are more dangerous, and got snippy when i offered that a hammer could be considered dangerous. it seemed as though it was deeply ingrained in him that the store policy was handed down from moses.

[akodo]

It is one thing for a store to say "We don't sell X because we are a Y goods store" I got no problem with that.

It is entirely different when a store says "We don't sell X because X is evil"

That is entirely different. I believe that is what the Dick's clerk said, we don't sell assault guns because they are bad. That is wrongheaded. Had he say 'We sell hunting arms only' that would have been different

[GigaBuist]

Regardless of what great price Dick's offers on handgun ammo, it is hypocritical to sell ammo for handguns and not the firearms themselves.
I sure hope you don't harp on your local gas station for not selling automobiles and lawn mowers. :D

It's a business decision, nothing more.

[Sage of Seattle]

The only Dick's I know about is Dick's Drive In in Seattle. Their burgers pack a mighty tasty whallop though.

[jerkface11]

This is more akin to a gas station not selling high octane. Or the afore mentioned porn store not selling videos with asian girls.

[moojpg2]

There's two Dick's stores near by me, one in West Springfield, and one in Enfield,CT I buy stuff from them all the time, they have some really good deals on ammo, and once in a while they have something that i'm looking for for cheaper, I have bought probably 3 guns from them this year, my Franchi Diamond shotgun, my savage MarkII .22lr, and a Rossi .410/.22 combo that I paid $39 for cuz I had a bunch of score card point rewards and I figured I might as well buy a gun with them.
The one time I asked why they don't sell hand guns and Ar's and stuff the manager was working in the "lodge" and told me that they don't do it because it is more of a hassle with atf and the like, mostly a business decision. He didn't mention anything about assault weapons or anything, I think the managers you guys have been talking to were some liberal employees that's all, the manager at the West Springfield, MA store seems alright. They were probably selling you the assault weapon policy because of their own beliefs, not the actual store policy. The way I see it is at least they are promoting the hunting/shooting sports by selling firearms and ammo, which is more than you can say for some chain stores. Also, the West Springfield, MA Dick's sells some very nice tactical shotguns, so it can't be an assault weapon thing.

[GigaBuist]

This is more akin to a gas station not selling high octane.

No, the parallel to a gas station not selling 110 octane racing fuel would be a shop that doesnt stock .338 Lapua or .50BMG.

They're both consumables with a rather limited market.

[jpcampbell]

I travel a lot and make it a point to check out gun shops in the locals I visit, I have found a lot of shops that don't carry the black rifles, its usually because of the clientèle, they don't ask for them so they put their money into what sells.

[alucard0822]

I asked the guy at the gun counter yesterday on my way home from work while picking up some skiing stuff. He told me "because upper management are mostly not gun folks, stick to el cheapo hunting stuff, and they don't want to fool with all the extra paperwork for handguns", but if I was looking for an AR, there was a good shop down the road where he bought his, or a few gun shows coming up. There are a few places like that in MD where a bolt rifle or shotgun only require a 4473, but pistols and the evil rifles on "da list" require a 7 day waiting period, PD background check, medical records release, MSP "gun safety card" and a couple extra forms thrown in for de facto registration.

[novaDAK]

They're obviously run by a bunch of fudds who think AR's aren't suitable for hunting.Who gives a rat's *** about hunting? People selling guns should have no business in what a gun is used for, or to deside for themselves the intended purpose for a specific gun is. Any gun can be used for anything. Some just do the job better or easier.

[CajunBass]

We've got a Dicks Sporting goods store near me. I've never been in it, not because of anything they really do themselves, but because they are in a mall that has "no handguns" signs on the doors. Well darn. I'm always carrying a handgun, so I just can't go there. The Gander Montain up the street, the Wall World down the other way, or even Greentops down in Ashland are always willing to take my money. No problem for me.

[icebones]

anybody ever heard of Sportsmans Warehouse? awsome place, like wal-mart for everything outdoors, they had some nicce AR's there and a nice selection of handguns too.


good ol wal-mart dosent sell "assault rifles" or handguns either...

then again, i will never buy anything gun related there again.

the whole .22lr ammo thing just bugs the **** out of me.

Me---ma'am, can i have that 500 round pack of remington 22's?
clerk---is this for a rifle or handgun?
Me---well it can be ised in both:D
clerk---i cant sell it to you if its for a handgun...:barf:

so, i can carry around a military issue M16A2, but i cant shoot a .22 handgun.
guess thats the price of being 18, and under 21...

[Klusterbuck]

Two closest Dick's to me sell HD shotguns......

[Pilot]

They can shoose whether or not to sell anything they want. I can choose not to shop there.

[Henry Bowman]

Me---ma'am, can i have that 500 round pack of remington 22's?
clerk---is this for a rifle or handgun?
Me---well it can be ised in both
clerk---i cant sell it to you if its for a handgun...

so, i can carry around a military issue M16A2, but i cant shoot a .22 handgun.
guess thats the price of being 18, and under 21...Don't blame the store. No handgun ammo sold to under 21 is federal law.

[#shooter]

Dicks is a nice store to shop and have good deals once in a while. They are not a gun store. Their brand is sporting goods and it is their prerogative that they do not consider handguns or ARs for sporting or hunting (thier loss). That said, I really did not like the fact that they swooped into my area to compete with Galyans, which did sell handguns (and maybe ARs), only to buy them out 6 months later.:fire:
Becuse of Dicks no handgun policy the only good thing that came out of that was Galyans had a blowout sale on handguns.:D

[dmftoy1]

It's kind of a strange policy though ..they don't sell handguns but they sell handgun ammo. (never seen a 9mm or .40 S&W or .45 ACP rifle . ..at least not a "hunting" rifle. )

I don't give them any of my business. I'll pay a bit more but my local FFL sells me whatever I want and is happy to do it.

[xjchief]

I won't guess at how many AR-15 variants and handguns are sold every year in the US but I'm betting that they make up a huge segment of all the guns sold. If they don't want to carry a popular product it's their loss.

I went once just to see what they had and wasn't impressed with the selection or prices. I've got plenty of other choices for guns and ammo. :)

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

We really need more info - need to find out if the clerk actually is correctly reciting their policy - if so, then agree with cosmoline - if not, then meh, it's just a huntin' store.

Oh, you guys said "Dicks" - huh, huh....

[leadcounsel]

in light of recent events it would be unwise and unsafe to carry such firearms

Yes, it's always unwise to try to defend yourself! Just let the bad man do what he wants. :banghead:

[cracked butt]

I've only been to a Dick's pnce and as far as Ican tell, they are very comparable to Dunham's- yet Dunham's sells ARs, AKs, and all kinds of mi8lsurp coolness.

[justin 561]

It IS their store, I know in florida, I have yet to see even ONE gun for sale in a Mall.

[Jrsmith]

The two Dicks that moved into Madison are the same, all your standard hunting bolt-action rifles and shotguns, with good prices on ammo (I've bought quite a bit of .38 and 9MM from em, not to mention trap loads for my 12 gauge). I wasn't worried about no handguns or EBR's in Madison since the city itself severely discourages selling of handguns and nobody in Madison sells em (after Rusk went out of businiess).

The good thing they did (I think) was force the two Gander Mountains to close, and converge into a larger Gander that moved out of town, which now DOES sell handguns and EBRs. I know Gander has been accused of having poor prices in some areas, but they are very comparable to the only other shops within 50 miles.

On a side note, I was talking to both the local shop owner and a Gander clerk and both have said that they cannot keep handguns (especially used) and AR 15 EBRs on the shelves over the last couple of years (for the local owner, Gander only opened a few months ago).

[Cougfan2]

The Dick's that just opened here in the Washington Square Mall carries the Remington R-15. Plan on picking a .17 HMR Savage up from them as a from me to me Fathers Day gift. :D

[Zedicus]

Joes Sporting goods in Meridian Idaho is much the same as this dicks place.

they also have "No Concealed Weapons" signs up (only shop in this state that has those.).

As far as gun selection, only Bolt Actions and Double barrel 12 Gauge shotguns are sold, and every guy that works the gun department is a complete fudd/bubba.

& Don't get me started on the Gun Department Fudd's attitudes....:fire:

[Eric F]

Folks complaining about Dicks and their lack of ebs's and hand guns is just plain dumb. I dont care why they do or dont sell stuff the fact is they sell guns and ammo at good prices so whats the big deal.

this is kinda like calling grocery stores anti alcohol because the only sell beer and not wine.

[Kitchen_Duty]

I think that I will buy from who ever is cheaper. If one store sells AR's and one sells shotguns and one sells hand grenades, I will buy what i need from one of those stores.

I think that they are pretty...slow... on the band wagon as far as AR's because haven't sales of those skyrocketed? I know Big 5 here doesn't sell anything but shotugns and rifles and I buy only milsurps and shotguns from them when they are on sale

But if this is important to you, then don't shop there. Let your dollar vote.

-Kitchen_Duty

[FCFC]

I think that Dick's should be forced to carry EBRs.

Then we could complain about their godawfully high prices for them.

[bogie]

I think that McDonalds should sell ammunition and bait too. And beer.

And Burger King Whoppers.

Make 'em do it, or else.

[cracked butt]

FWIW, the only chain stores I ever been to that had AR-15s for sale at stomachable prices are at Sportsman's Warehouse.
Dunham's is too high
Gander is way too high
Cabelas is too high

I'm not sure if Scheel's (an upper midwest sporting goods chain) sells ARs, but they sell M1As and every handgun under ther sun- all for good prices, and is located in the biggest mall in my State.

[RPCVYemen]

The reason for posting about them is that when I asked the clerk behind the counter why there were no handguns or AR 15 types of weapons the answer was " We don't carry assault rifles or handguns because of policy ". I asked if that was mall policy or their policy and was told it is mall policy and also their policy.

I am sure the clerk was absolutely correct, because Dick's clerk's always are. :)

I mean, I've never hear a Dick's clerk BS about anything gun or hunting related. Have you? :)

Why in tarnation would you expect a random Dick's clerk to know any more about Dick's gun policy than he knows about the difference between 22 long and 22 magnum?

My guesses:


They only sell long guns to avoid the extra paperwork of handguns.

They sell hunting long guns because that's the dominant long gun market.


In thet stores I haven been it, it's not even rifles that dominate floorspace and merchandise in general, it's shotguns. Why? They're the most popular long guns. Even the ammo selection is heavily biased towards shotguns.

Mike

[P95loser]

But from the clerk's apparent comments, this is a political decision. A lot of "sportsmen" have this attitude, as we saw with the late Zumbo. It's extremely dangerous. Imagine a reporter asking them about the mall shootings and getting soundbytes about how Dick doesn't stock those evil rifles.


I disagree with your comment. The opinion of one store clerk doesn't set the political agenda for the entire corporation. Remember, anybody can get a job at a sporting goods store, that doesn't make them know everything about the company.

I have never heard anything remotely "anti" about Dick's and do shop there every now and then. They have good prices on "residential security containers"... they also sell "assault rifle" and pistol style airsoft guns. I wouldn't judge the book by it's cover in this instance.

[Gunnerpalace]

Folks complaining about Dicks and their lack of ebs's and hand guns is just plain dumb. I dont care why they do or dont sell stuff the fact is they sell guns and ammo at good prices so whats the big deal

I could care less if they did not sell them, nice store, good prices, yes as we all know clerks have "opinions" the only thing I care about is what Dicks opinion on the issue itself is, they don't want to sell them they don't want to sell them, fine, but If they don't sell they because: they are evil assault weapons, and no man needs more than 10 rounds, the police will protect us, then it is boycott and letter time.

[Kind of Blued]

The Dicks by my work carries Mossberg "Home Defense" shotguns; 930 SPX, 590A1, Camo 500, etc.

It seems that home defense is the second most politically correct form of firearm usage, which completely confuses me.

Maybe people think someone enjoying shooting a gun for the sake of shooting a gun gets his jollies off, while killing innocent animals and not-so-innocent criminals is less "suspicious"? I don't understand it.

[TxState101]

Company policy sucks. Just like at Academy, anything they deem "Tactical", you cannot even handle if you aren't 21. For those that are frequently at Camp Bullis near the Academy in San Antonio, they may be young men and women who want to handle the Bushmaster's and Smith & Wesson M+P line, but can't because they're not 21.

Which, in my opinion, is BS because they're in the military and far more qualified to play with the firearms on display than your average Joe Blow. I still let them handle if they show that they're military.

[.cheese.]

Bass Pro carrys handguns, but not "concealable" handguns

They are weird with that too.

No snubbies, but subcompact Glocks are ok.

Glocks, Sigs, etc. in .40SW are ok, but they won't order a Smith 610 revolver chambered in .40SW/10mm because "it's of a tactical caliber" (according to the salesperson).

They say, "Management doesn't want people to view our firearm department as a gun store." - yet they carry more guns and ammo than most gun stores.

You also can't order 18" barrel shotguns according to them, but you can get the same shotgun in 20 something inch.

Also, for the Glock magazines, only ban-era type 10 rounders, even for the full-size Glocks.

[Catherine]

QUOTE:


Quote:
You need to remember that not EVERYBODY is automatically an enemy of the state just they don't sell everything you want them to.

If they're doing it for political reasons (ie because they don't approve of the weapons) then yes they ARE an enemy and I won't do business with them. If it's just a matter of what they choose to market for business reasons, I don't care. But from the clerk's apparent comments, this is a political decision. A lot of "sportsmen" have this attitude, as we saw with the late Zumbo. It's extremely dangerous. Imagine a reporter asking them about the mall shootings and getting soundbytes about how Dick doesn't stock those evil rifles.
~~~~~

Bingo! Thank you.

Catherine

[misANTHrope]

I could care less if they did not sell them, nice store, good prices, yes as we all know clerks have "opinions" the only thing I care about is what Dicks opinion on the issue itself is, they don't want to sell them they don't want to sell them, fine, but If they don't sell they because: they are evil assault weapons, and no man needs more than 10 rounds, the police will protect us, then it is boycott and letter time.

I worked for Dick's for nearly four years. I was never told anything specific, but I would guess that the reason for not carrying EBRs and such is that they wouldn't move. The vast majority of our sales were on the dirt cheap stuff- Rem 710s, Savage 110 combos, Marlin 336C combos, etc. We'd keep some nicer things in stock, but generally anything over about $600 was guaranteed to sit on the rack for months. We did get in Mossy 590s and similar HD shotties from time to time, but even those were prone to sitting around.

I can't say for sure what he executive viewpoint on guns is. I did get the feeling many times that the guns were mainly used as a loss leader product to help bring outdoorsmen into the store. We sure as hell weren't turning a tidy profit off of them.

[catfish101]

No snubbies, but subcompact Glocks are ok.

Glocks, Sigs, etc. in .40SW are ok, but they won't order a Smith 610 revolver chambered in .40SW/10mm because "it's of a tactical caliber" (according to the salesperson).

They say, "Management doesn't want people to view our firearm department as a gun store." - yet they carry more guns and ammo than most gun stores.

You also can't order 18" barrel shotguns according to them, but you can get the same shotgun in 20 something inch.

The BPS near me carries coach shot guns. 18" barrels. They also have very concealable handguns. I didn't pay attention to what kind it was but it was like $60 and it would have fit in my sons pants pocket.

The store I am talking about is in Indiana by Louisville KY.

I guess stores are different in different places.

[Stevie-Ray]

I don't know if our Dick's carries any guns at all.

But Gander Mountain carries all of em.:D Expensive, but a good place to browse.

[TxState101]

The Bass Pro Shops near me doesn't carry .38 Special last I checked, because it's not a "hunting" round.

If somebody is "hunting" me, that .38 Special is going to change their mind!

[Dark_Harvest]

Just wanted to point out a small (but important) fact.


you CANNOT blame Dick's for buying out Galyan's.


You cannot buy something that is not for sale.

If you mourn the loss of Galyan's (as i do), you must blame Galyan's, not the company who bought them out.


Galyan's had gone from being run by the first generation (smart guys) to being run by their kids (dumb guys), and was losing money by the bucketful. Galyan's would have been gone within 2 years no matter who filled the gap. sorry, just the way it is.

[bogie]

The BPS near me carries coach shot guns. 18" barrels. They also have very concealable handguns. I didn't pay attention to what kind it was but it was like $60 and it would have fit in my sons pants pocket.

Then it was a toy. NOTHING out there these days is $60. I think the lowest-priced handgun in the case the last time I was at Cabella's was $215 or so.

[GeezerwithGuns]

They don't have a problem selling ammo for handguns or "assault" rifles though..........strange

[flynlr]

I think that McDonalds should sell ammunition and bait too. And beer.

And Burger King Whoppers.

Make 'em do it, or else.


i think chuck norris went to a burgerking and did get a bigmac
__________________

[gym]

They are a public company, and must bend whichever the political wind blows.