Had A Less Than Wonderful Experience At Sportsmans Warehouse

[Treo]

Went to my local Sportsman's Warehouse today looking for an IWB. Since I knew their policy I unloade in the parking lot & walked W/ my piece in a back pack W/ the slide already locked back. Walked in went STRAIGHT to customer service. told them I brought my pistol in to fit a holster. opened the bag & handed it to the CSR.

I might as well have handed her a snake. Mind you I took the gun out W/ the slide already locked back & she acted afraid to touch the gun. And CLEARLY didn't even realize I handed her the gun so she could verify that it wasn't loaded While I had her there I decided to ask about their sign prohibiting loaded firearms in the store ( see thread Sportsman's Warehouse & concealed carry ) so any way I mentioned that the sign could be more clearly worded. The CSR got kind of snooty & informed me that "Most people who have a CHP know that law" I informed her that I did infact know the law & that I just thought I'd mention it.

So I tell the CSR that I'm on my way back to the gun department & she gets real squirrely & asks if I'm carrying any ammo ( wait just a minute you just told me that CCWs are welcome in your store, but you need to know if I'm carrying ammunition?) then she asked about the contents of my back pack Long story short I head back to guns.

The first guy I tell I brought my pistol in for a holster & here's the tag customer service gave me & I open my pack & hand him the ticket he flips when he sees the gun. So we go look at holsters he doesn't have what I want and tries to tell me that no one makes an IWB that ataches to the belt & tries to sell me an OWB and recomends I carry it UNDER my belt, but cautions me that should I do so the gun will stick "way out"

On my way back up to the front I DROP THE GUN!!!! Of course customer service sees me drop the gun & acts like I'm the biggest idiot they've ever seen. So I give them back their ticket & they recomend that I look online for the holster.

Part 2 Next post

[Treo]

Ok my issue is this. I didn't do any thing illegal & I followed their policy TO THE LETTER , so why act like I'm the BG for bringing a gun in the store? Second come on man .... NOBODY makes an IWB W/ loops to hook to your belt? & if you happen to find such a holster it will ride so high on my belt that I won't be able to draw?

After I left SW I drove over to Specialty Sports ( local gun store) walked in told them what I was looking for & was out the door 5 minutes later W/ my brand new Galco ™ IWB complete W/ belt loops holster.

Things that make you go hmmmm.

I think I'm done W/ Sportsmans Warehouse.

[coelacanth]

Lots of folks working at the big box retailers seem to be largely clueless in the areas of product knowledge and customer service. I may pay a little more at the local gun emporium but I am talking to people who know their business and value mine so it seems to me to be money well spent. Glad you found what you were looking for.

[bruss01]

Maybe if you had taken it in an honest-to-goodness pistol case, unloaded and locked back - and instead of whipping it out of a container (your pack) you simply handed them the case and let them open it themselves, they might have been a little less on-guard. Also, transporting the pistol in the case would have been a little less alarming to other customers in the store and you likely wouldn't have dropped the case and if you had dropped it, no big deal.

Yes, I understand it's a sporting goods store and they sell guns there. No, you didn't do anything "wrong". But I don't think it's a bad thing to take the modern realities of life into account, such as, people know that random active shooters DO show up at shopping facilities, and you don't need to give them any reason to wonder/worry about what might be on YOUR mind.

Just my 2 cents.

[hnk45acp]

The OP has a CHL so he's probably not carrying his case with him

[romeo212000]

I personally dont think you should have to be apologetic about doing something you are within your limits on. That's just me.

[Treo]

The problem I have W/ your two cents is that I didn't walk up to the counter and "whip out " my pistol I went to the counter put my pack down and very calmly told the rep that I had brought my pistol in to fit the holster , it's here in my pack and I know I'm supposed to check it in. Here it is. Then I opened the pack and handed the pistol to the rep. I don't see what difference the carrying case makes ETA I also don't see how having a pistol in a back pack I.E CONCEALED is going to "alarm" other customers

[CountGlockula]

Don't write them off yet treo.

One thing you have to understand about those behind desks and registers...they're doing their best at their job. And with the current state that the world is in right now: School shooting, presidential elections, etc. everyone is on pins and needles with the whole gun issue. Unfortunately, everyone is a sheep...and it seems those Sportsman's Warehouse employees are jumping sheep.

Go to Galco.com and order your holster. They make some fine IWB.

[Treo]

Thanks Count,
I ended up W/ a Galco summer comfort from the local Gun Emporium.

The best gun shop in the Springs WAS Longs Drugs but they went out of business

[h0ss]

Just go to a gunshop and get a holster from them. They will know what they are talking about, will be willing to help you, and instead of scared/judging looks you might even get a "hey, nice piece".


EDIT: Sorry, after i posted i read your post about the local gun shop. Pretty much what i predicted :)

[Eyesac]

I feel your pain. But at our SW I've just grabbed the holster in question and asked to see the exact gun I'm carrying, then ask if I can stuff it in my pants. That's how I got the set up I have today. Unless you have an odd-ball gun they don't have, why bother, just use their guns and holsters...

[Treo]

If Longs Drugs was still in business I'd buy ALL my shooting supplies there. Longs was a drugstore W/ a gun department. The clerks were all middle aged women who took crap from NO ONE & knew their stuff. they were the ones who were likely to say "nice piece"

As for SW , sorry guys I don't buy new guns, I can get ammo cheaper & Wal-Mart & the don't have any holsters that I want.

I think I'm done W/ Sportsman's Warehouse.

[bruss01]

Treo wrote:
The problem I have W/ your two cents is that I didn't walk up to the counter and "whip out " my pistol I went to the counter put my pack down and very calmly told the rep that I had brought my pistol in to fit the holster , it's here in my pack and I know I'm supposed to check it in. Here it is. Then I opened the pack and handed the pistol to the rep. I don't see what difference the carrying case makes ETA I also don't see how having a pistol in a back pack I.E CONCEALED is going to "alarm" other customers

You're acting like I said you were stupid or something. That was not my intention and I'm sorry you are seemingly taking such great offense at my suggestion.

There is a qualitative difference in handing someone a closed pistol case and you with your own hand drawing a pistol out of a closed container that the person cannot see into prior to you withdrawing the pistol. And maybe I misunderstood, but if the pistol was in the backpack, I don't understand how you could have dropped your pistol in the aisle on the way out of the store. It sounded like you were toting the pistol around in your hand, sorry if I misunderstood that part. Take into account the clerk's position... you may be a smart person who always practices good gun safety rules, but the average IQ is 100, meaning half of all folks are BELOW that number, and the clerk has no idea if you've even ever HEARD of the 4 rules, let alone know how to practice them. I'd probably have my heart leap into my throat also if some guy (might be Einstein, might be Cleetus, I DON'T KNOW) walked in and pulled a pistol out of a bag saying "relax, it's unloaded" because I bet they have heard that a lot... only to find "oh, except the one in the chamber... sorry forgot that one". We've heard plenty of stories on here about accidents, mistakes and even criminal negligence in the form of people just goofing around with loaded guns. Again, it's sad you get lumped into the same basket with these morons, but the clerk doesn't know you from Howdy-Doody, has seen a LOT probably of near-miss mistakes, and has no doubt heard about all the recent public shootings. None of those are your fault... but what can you do to make their life a little less adrenalized?

I don't think it's unreasonable to, when getting ready to go shopping for a pistol accessory, to put that pistol into a case for transport into the store. Maybe you just stopped on a whim, on your way home from work or something, and didn't have a pistol case with you. Again, I'm certainly not saying you are stupid, and I'm not saying the reactions you were treated to were "right" - in a perfect world, we would all know who the good guys were and who the bad guys were and no one would ever get freaked out by the sight of a good guy with a gun in his hand in a public place, like a shopping mall, a burger king, or a sporting goods store. The only point I was trying to make was that we don't yet live in that perfect world, and you can waste a lot of emotional energy wishing it were and acting like it should be... and I wanted to offer a suggestion that might save you some of that in the future.

Don't take a simple suggestion as a personal insult. Wasn't intended, and if you didn't want comments, one wonders why you posted, unless simply to dis on some folks that had a not-uncommon reaction.

[Treo]

My apologies. I stopped on my way home from school, but I actually don't own a gun case for my pistol. the pack has a large inner compartment ( full of school books) and an outer pocket that covers all but the grips of my CCW and a flap that covers the pocket ( the flap came loose & the weapon flopped out lesson learned).

As to their reaction and why I posted, really I think they ARE wrong I did the EXACT SAME THING at Specialty Sports except the piece was loaded ( I cleared it before I handed it over obviously) & they didn't bat an eye.

The fact that SW has a sign posted on their front door stating their firearm policy ( which I followed to the letter BTW) suggests (to me) that they EXPECT people to walk in to the store W/ firearms. If that's the case why act surprised when someone does it?

I've yet to hear of a psyco shooter who stopped & checked his gun at customer service before going on a rampage.

There's an old saying in retail " A happy customer tells 4 people about his experience, an unhappy customer tells 13 " these days the unhappy customer gets on the internet & tells THE WORLD

[MachIVshooter]

I'm not trying to make excuses for them, but do remember that the kid working the front desk might have been a Target or McDonalds employee last week. Sportmans is not a gunshop, and most of the employees know little about guns (including some of the folks working in the gun section).

That said, I only buy guns from them if no one else has it in stock and they do. I'd rather give my money to the little guys.

Sportmans Warehouse is, however, a wonderful place if you're a handloader. Very few independent gunshops carry reloading supplies these days.

[LiquidTension]

I've been pretty unimpressed with the SW here. The gun prices are OK if you hit them during one of their 5% off sales. They have average prices on powder but they're always out of stock when I go in there (2-3 times/week). Employees are hit or miss, but claim to be experts regardless of actual experience. One female employee tried to get into a peeing contest with me about SC CWPs. Being an instructor and having spoken to the Chief of SLED on a several occasions, I know far more about that particular topic than she did but she just had to butt into a conversation I was having. Now if I need help I ignore her and go to one of the more polite employees.

[jakeswensonmt]

That's the only kind of experience I've ever had at SW. There are some nice and pretty girls working the registers up front, but everyone else in the store seems to feel like it's in their job description to treat customers like annoying jerks. I don't buy anything there unless I cannot find it anywhere else first.

[Daniel Flory]

I actually rather like SW. The one in Lafayette here seems to hire people who have a strong passion for their departments but work at SW as a 2nd job.

In this case, I don't know if you can really blame them for their reaction. Sure they gave you some dumb advice and asked a few dumb questions but I've seen worse here on THR. Did you expect the girl at customer service to know how to clear your handgun? Did you ask her if she needed to tag it or verify its condition first or did you just say, "Hey I have my handgun in my backpack and need to find a holster. *takes handgun out immediately"? Did you give her any reason to believe that you were somehow handling the gun in an unsafe manner? (Besides storing it in an improper case and dropping it in the middle of the store)

And finally, why did you need to bring your gun into the store in the first place when almost every holster nowadays has the make/model of the gun it fits clearly printed on it?

I'm not trying to be offensive, but the safer and more competent us gunowners appear, the easier it is on everyone.

[Old Dog]

Daniel Flory askedAnd finally, why did you need to bring your gun into the store in the first place when almost every holster nowadays has the make/model of the gun it fits clearly printed on it?
That'd be my question as well. But given the OP's self-reported history with the retail chain in question (see his previous thread on SW that ran in GenGun), it almost seems that he was desirous of provoking conflict or an issue.

Thankfully, in my region, the SWs have very polite (albeit not always the most expert, as one should expect in any retail chain) salesclerks. The prices are usually pretty competitive and the there's not too much to complain about. Unless one is an attention-seeker.

[Wineoceros]

And finally, why did you need to bring your gun into the store in the first place when almost every holster nowadays has the make/model of the gun it fits clearly printed on it?
I don't know. If I have the opportunity to check out the fit, clearance, etc. for myself with the actual gun before buying...and do so without any significant hassle...then I'm liable to prefer doing so rather than simply accepting the manufacturers word on how good a fit it is.

[Treo]

QUOTE "Did you expect the girl at customer service to know how to clear your handgun?"

As CLEARLY STATED in the OP the weapon was unloaded W/ THE SLIDE LOCKED TO THE REAR before I ever got into the store.

QUOTE"Did you ask her if she needed to tag it or verify its condition first or did you just say, "Hey I have my handgun in my backpack and need to find a holster. *takes handgun out immediately"?"

As I CLEARLY stated earlier (although I admit not in the original post)

I didn't walk up to the counter and "whip out " my pistol I went to the counter put my pack down and very calmly told the rep that I had brought my pistol in to fit the holster , it's here in my pack and I know I'm supposed to check it in. Here it is. Then I opened the pack and handed the pistol to the rep.


Quote "And finally, why did you need to bring your gun into the store in the first place when almost every holster nowadays has the make/model of the gun it fits clearly printed on it?"

My CCW is a CZ75B it seems that almost nobody ( in the Springs) stocks holsters for them. The holster I ended up W/ was for a Sig
P-22 (?)

[esq_stu]

I've learned to ask first before ever taking out a weapon, even if the slide's locked open. Judge by the reaction before deciding whether to take it out. Some shops have very strict rules about how they want it done. I don't blame them.

When it comes to trying holsters, several gun shops that I go to have put their rental guns in the holsters I want to try.

[denfoote]

The nasty little secret about Sportsman's Whorehouse is that the store has no control over the inventory, which means they can't special order!!
I went in looking for a holster for one of my guns, I can't remember which one, and was told that what they had on the rack was it. No special orders. That also applied to guns too. When I was looking all over the Valley of the Sun for a PF9, I was told SW did not carry that brand and could not even special order it!! Needless to say, I was a bit miffed!!

As for the signs and such, there was a gunshop where I was a regular customer. I asked the owner why in Heaven's name a gunshop, of all places, would not allow carry!! The owner pointed to a bullet hole in the floor, circled by a black magic marker. The round had gone off when some rube was "unloading" his piece to give to the gunsmith. It went through the floor and into the downstairs range. Luckily, no one was hit!! I eventually obtained permission to carry in the shop, but only after the owner was satisfied I was not a rube!!

As for the big box shops, maybe 1% of the staff is familiar with guns.

Hell, I ran into a couple of Scottsdale AZ Cops, a few years back that didn't know how to clear a Ruger MK-II!!

Ignorance is not confined to gunshop babes!!

[Daniel Flory]

I don't know. If I have the opportunity to check out the fit, clearance, etc. for myself with the actual gun before buying...and do so without any significant hassle...then I'm liable to prefer doing so rather than simply accepting the manufacturers word on how good a fit it is.

Just bring it home. Then you can try it with various pieces of your wardrobe and move around with it.

As CLEARLY STATED in the OP the weapon was unloaded W/ THE SLIDE LOCKED TO THE REAR before I ever got into the store.

I didn't ask that. I asked if you expected her to take your weapon and re-check it. Why did you hand it to her in the first place?

I didn't walk up to the counter and "whip out " my pistol I went to the counter put my pack down and very calmly told the rep that I had brought my pistol in to fit the holster , it's here in my pack and I know I'm supposed to check it in. Here it is. Then I opened the pack and handed the pistol to the rep.

Where did I say "whip out"? I asked if you gave her a chance to reply to you after you told her that you had a gun that you needed to check. From what I gather, you said, "I have a gun I need to check", took it out without her saying anything, and attempted to hand it to her. If so, that's not a very smooth or safe way to allow an untrained clerk to tag your weapon.

My CCW is a CZ75B it seems that almost nobody ( in the Springs) stocks holsters for them. The holster I ended up W/ was for a Sig
P-22 (?)

IIRC SW generally stocks Galco as far as CCW holsters go. Galco manufactures many holsters for this gun. Also, why would you want to get a holster that isn't even made for your gun? Its not like you're carrying a Borchardt.

Thank you very much for bolding too by the way, it makes it SO MUCH EASIER FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

[wyocarp]

Treo, why the backpack? Just carry it in. I do so in Sportsmans all the time. I don't even stop at the front desk. They were probably taken back by the backpack, I would be. It is legal for open carry, open carry. You dropped your pistol on the floor? I buy a holster right away for every gun that I buy. It is often a nylon one that is generic. That way I have something until I get a custom one or the one I want. It would have been better to at least used a zippered case.

[Treo]

Wyocarp have I seen you on TFL? I was using the back pack because I was on my way home from school & this wasn't a planned outing. I'm really don't like open carry I don't like the attention it draws ( I just go for dropping my pistol on the floor when I want to get noticed ) I don't have a case ( I suppose I should) but I still don't think I did anything wrong remember I said I did the same thing at the local gun shop W/ the weapon loaded I might add and they didn't bat an eye I would think if I was acting a fool THEY would have said something

[Spyvie]

Interesting...

I bought a Bianchi leather holster for my SP101 at SW in Littleton a couple of weeks ago, when I stepped up to the service desk (not the registers but the desk in the front) to pay I asked the young lady if I could return the holster should I be unhappy with it. I was told “sure... but you know you can bring your gun in to check the fit if you want, just bring it in unloaded and show it to us up here first”

I didn't like the way the holster felt, and wanted to get my $70 back so I off to SW I went for a return. I set the holster on the counter and presented my receipt, the young lady (different clerk) was unsure, she called back to the gun department for approval and while we were waiting she said “you know, you could have brought your unloaded gun in the store to check the fit”

I kinda like SW, they have great prices and some stuff thats hard to find around here. I just wish they stocked more SD ammo and a few black rifles.

I will say the old guys at the gun counter generally act like they're doing me a favor, but I can get past that.

[Treo]

Daniel,
My apollogies I got your post and another post mixed up. As to why I BOLD I am posting from a PDA & I don't have Italics. I'm not shouting.

I actually DID expect the CSR to take the gun and recheck it. Their policy says that all weapons are to be unloaded & checked at customer service, so that's what I did. From what I saw they checked the serial number, but I'm not sure why.

As to why I picked up the holster I did, like I said no place here seems to stock CZ acessories. The holster I ended up W/ was for a Sig-Sauer p226 ( actually the package says it fits SEVERAL different models) that's what I got because that's what was available & it is a good fit.

As to the unsafe gunhandling dropping the gun out of my pack was BAD NEWS mea culpa. But as I stated earlier I don't think my initial presentation was unsafe. The store has a posted firearms policy. that tells me they expect to see firearms in the store it shouldn't be some weird experience for them. When I handed the gun over I told them what I was doing ,pause. Opened the pack so they could see the gun , pause. Then took the gun out and handed it to them.

At that point I mentioned that it might be nice if they added one line to their policy " Does not apply to CCW" THATS when things got weird.

Bottom Line I don't think I did anything wrong, or unsafe. ( other than the gun drop).

Ultimately it's MY MONEY I've never had a good experience W/ that store & I have decided based on that to take my business elsewhere

THAT is the whole point of my OP.

Again sorry for the mis-understanding

Treo

[FireArmFan]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Glad you found one that met you criteria. I am a lefty and no one around here stocks any good left handed holsters. I have to order all my holsters online. I wish I could just buy one at a local shop.

[Daniel Flory]

I actually DID expect the CSR to take the gun and recheck it. Their policy says that all weapons are to be unloaded & checked at customer service, so that's what I did. From what I saw they checked the serial number, but I'm not sure why.

Okay, that was my point. She probably gave you that blank stare because she had absolutely no desire to handle your gun. The girl behind the counter probably makes maybe $7-8/hour and works at SW because she likes outdoor sports, not because she is a gun expert. I'm guessing that she had absolutely no clue how to even operate your CZ to check it, so that's why she gave you the confused look. Next time just lay it on the counter and let her tie the tag around it. Also, they probably write down the serial number to make sure it doesn't get swapped somehow with a similar model. Remote possiblity I know, but there certainly isn't any vast conspiracy to snag your S/N.

You're right, their sign needs to be modified! And I'm glad that you found a decent holster for carry; there are finally some good choices for CZ-75s these days.

[Treo]

QUOTE: " I'm guessing that she had absolutely no clue how to even operate your CZ to check it, so that's why she gave you the confused look."

The sign says all fire arms & magazines must be unloaded and checked in at customer service.

That was the issue I brought up in the first thread because taken at face value ( to me) that sign doesn't allow concealed carry in the store & that's why I asked them to add the caveat.

On the topic at hand , maybe you're right , maybe I mis-understood I ASSUMED that what they were checking was the unloaded condition of the firearm. Which IMO even a completly inexperienced person should be able to do when the slide is locked to the rear. Somebody said earlier that they've probably had people walk in there W/ "unloaded" guns that weren't but I'm thinking that would be IMPOSSIBLE in the condition I was carrying in .

Next time just lay it on the counter and let her tie the tag around it.

Sorry there's not going to be a next time.

PS I looked at USGALCO.COM last night and they don't make a Summer Comfort specifically for the CZ75B.

[Daniel Flory]

The sign says all fire arms & magazines must be unloaded and checked in at customer service.

That was the issue I brought up in the first thread because taken at face value ( to me) that sign doesn't allow concealed carry in the store & that's why I asked them to add the caveat.

On the topic at hand , maybe you're right , maybe I mis-understood I ASSUMED that what they were checking was the unloaded condition of the firearm. Which IMO even a completly inexperienced person should be able to do when the slide is locked to the rear. Somebody said earlier that they've probably had people walk in there W/ "unloaded" guns that weren't but I'm thinking that would be IMPOSSIBLE in the condition I was carrying in .

I've been a lot of big outdoors retailers like SW, Cabelas, Bass Pro, GM, etc. and I have never seen or heard of a customer service person actually handle the firearm to clear it. They usually just put a tag on it and send you on your way. Even at gunshows with police at the door I've never had them handle my gun to check it.

Sorry there's not going to be a next time.

+1 for capitalism.

PS I looked at USGALCO.COM last night and they don't make a Summer Comfort specifically for the CZ75B.

They make the Royal Guard, which is a better version of the Summer Comfort. Which incidentally, are both ripped off of the Sparks SS.

[Wineoceros]

Just bring it home.
You think they'll let me do that without buying if first? What if I'd really rather not have to make two trips to the same store (to return it and get a refund, if necessary) just to wind up with nothing for my trouble?

Then you can try it with various pieces of your wardrobe and move around with it.
If it doesn't fit my gun the way I want it to, my wardrobe is irrelevant.

[littlegator]

This is one of the reasons why I support my local shop. Fortunately, their prices are also very competetive.

[Daniel Flory]

You think they'll let me do that without buying if first? What if I'd really rather not have to make two trips to the same store (to return it and get a refund, if necessary) just to wind up with nothing for my trouble?

So you guys must bring in your guns every time you buy an accessory for it? Want an ACOG? Bring in your AR just to make sure you like the eye relief. Want to make sure that new sling is comfortable on your rifle, bring in your rifle to the store. Want a Magpul stock? Why not have the shop mount it on your AR just to make sure? Or you could accept the fact that you may actually have to return items while shopping.

If it doesn't fit my gun the way I want it to, my wardrobe is irrelevant.

Buy a holster that is made for your gun. Buy from a higher end maker if you want better fit. It isn't rocket science.

[Treo]

I can't speak to the AR questions
but I thought I mentioned that the weapon I had was my CARRY weapon, so wouldn't it be normal that I would be carrying it?

And as has been said a couple of times in this thread SW pretty much EXPECTS you to bring your weapon in so why not?

[Wineoceros]

So you guys must bring in your guns every time you buy an accessory for it?
No. Just the one where "fit" is a somewhat subjective assessment, and on which my life might at some point depend.

<<silly comparisons with simple snap-on attachments ignored>>

Or you could accept the fact that you may actually have to return items while shopping.
If store policy allows me to bring in my gun then there is no such fact for me to accept in this case. If I can do that and avoid the extra trip, then not doing so would just be stupid, not to put too fine a point on it.

Buy a holster that is made for your gun.
Unless no such exact-match holster is currently made for my gun in the style I want. But there may be something that works anyway, and that I could try out.

Buy from a higher end maker if you want better fit.
"Higher-end" doesn't automatically mean "better fit".

It isn't rocket science.
And you're in no danger of being confused with a rocket scientist.

[Ed Ames]

Treo...

There are a bunch of perspectives on this sort of subject so take this for what it's worth:

It's all about everyone coming up to speed on the nature of the interaction quickly and with minimal uncertainty.

Gun stores are used to people bringing in guns in all sorts of ways. All sorts of people who inherrit or otherwise aquire a gun they know nothing about head to the local gun shop. They don't know about cases, they don't know about unloading, they don't know the four rules. They put the guns in paper bags, they carry them in their hands, they have them in their pockets...loaded, unloaded... they don't know. If you can think of it the folks at your typical gun store have probably seen it... and that body of experience means they can come up to speed on the nature of their interaction with you very quickly.

Sporting goods stores, even SW, really don't see all that many guns. They also have higher employee turnover and more employees that have never worked the gun counter. That lack of experience means that they'll have a harder time coming up to speed on the nature of the interaction. All that time creates uncertainty and allows them to leap to undesirable conclusions. Conclusions which, even after they've been discarded, still influence the rest of the interaction.

That's why the same action on your part can cause such a different impression on the people at the stores. It's not you, it's them.

Here's the reality though: it's up to you, as the guy with the gun, to be aware of the problem and to take steps to make the experience as identifiable, familiar, and normal as possible for the people you interact with.

To me, the gun I'm carrying is the gun I'm carrying, not the gun I'm using as a shopping aid. I can afford to take that stance because I have two guns. That "excess" allows me to carry normally with whichever I've chosen as my carry gun and to put the non-carry gun into a standard pistol case, with the slide locked back, and go to the store in a way that is easily recognized and understood by whoever may be working the counter/front desk. By preference I would use familiar types of packaging (gun case, retail box, etc) and I wouldn't even hint at the presence of any complicating factors (such as ammo or a second gun). Simple, easy to understand, hard to misinterpret.

It sounds like you created a scenario that was too complicated for the person you were interacting with to quickly identify and accept. That caused uncertainty and created a bad initial impression which colored the rest of the interaction. You take the same scenario to someone with more experience and they instantly recognize what you are doing, have no uncertainty about it, and you don't create the bad impression and have a much better interaction.

That's just the nature of communication.

Don't disregard the fact that people also have bad days. I've had bad customer experiences in all sorts of stores. Electronics, computer, book, etc... bad enough that managers came over and, in one case, the clerk was fired on the spot. If they can get that worked up over someone trying to buy a shirt you should't be too surprised at how worked up they get when they are uncertain and scared.

Also... does your pda give you easy access to [, ], and /? If so you can do bold, italic, underline, and so on with "[ b ] bold [ / b ]" (without all the spaces), "[ i ] italic [ / i ]" (again without the spaces) and u for underline.

[Willis]

The sign at the entrance to Sportsmans Warehouse in Missoula, MT says something like this:

All long guns and shotguns must be unloaded and have the action open and be checked at front counter.

If you intend to remove your pistol from it’s holster, unload it outside and have the action open when interring the store.

My kind of place,
Willis

[Treo]

Also... does your pda give you easy access to [, ], and /? If so you can do bold, italic, underline, and so on with "[ b ] bold [ / b ]" (without all the spaces), "[ i ] italic [ / i ]" (again without the spaces) and u for underline.

Ed,

I tried it totally doesn't work on my PDA

[Ed Ames]

Ahh... I should point out... it'll look to you like [ b ] words [ / b ] (without all the spaces) before you submit the message, but it'll look to us (and you, after you submit) lke words.

Or maybe it just totally doesn't work. :) I'm not familiar with every quirk of every PDA.

[Treo]

I cant get to that screen on my PDA

[Wineoceros]

I cant get to that screen on my PDA
Then you have the only PDA on the planet that doesn't allow punctuation and other symbols. I'd take it back and get a refund.

[Treo]

My PDA does allow punctuation and symbols but it doesnt have WORD on it and it won't Italicize

[Wineoceros]

My PDA does allow punctuation and symbols but it doesnt have WORD on it and it won't Italicize
You don't need word. Just the punctuation symbols he was telling you about ('[', ']' and '/'). You use them to create control sequences that will cause the THR application to display text bolded, italicized, etc. For instance, if you type the following without the spaces inside the square brackets:

[ B ]Some text[ /B ]

It will appear here as:

Some text

[Treo]

some text
Kewel I am amazed at some of the non gun things I learn on this forum

[flyfisher000]

I think you just made an easy thing like buying a holster hard on yourself. If you had purchased the holster online would you have sent them the gun? Most holster manufacturers will tell you what gun will fit in a particular holster. After you buy it you can always return it if you don't like it. Sorry but dropping your gun in the store, well...

[Old Dog]

I think you just made an easy thing like buying a holster hard on yourself. I agree. Like Ed Ames' perspective as well.

Gotta let go of this animosity towards Sportsmen's Warehouse, too ...

[Dollar An Hour]

Your post makes me glad I mainly deal with online retailers. As long as you know what you want, it works out super.

But yeah, for selling firearms, SW by and large seem pretty ignorant of them.

[jenrob]

The SW I go to has never ? me about a sidearm.

Some of the people that work there are dedicated to areas of the store.

They can and will special order a firearm of my choice. Don't know about other items.

As for not takeing my firearm in for fit. I will not leave my firearm in my truck/car for nobody.

Highend holsters are not always the answer. I have a couple of cheap holsters that fit me better than some of the other highends I have tried. I don't want to have to buy 10 holsters to find 1 that I like.

I went out shooting today and had to stop at the store on my way home. Had a couple of people look at the pistol on my side but that was about it. The people around here a used to seeing guns and it's just like another piece of clothing to them.

So the more we utilize the right to open carry in our own areas the easier others will come to accept it. I know a couple people that don't own guns but don't care that I have one on my side.

Next time in SW now that you know how the person is that you have to check with you will have a better knowladge of how to approch them.

Don't give up on one bad day that you had.