My Oshman's experience

[swingset]

I get asked for my phone number at stores. Namely Toys R' Us. When asked, I always give them my number....

"123-4567"

Zip code? "90210"

Sometimes they just type it and never give it a second thought. Idiots.

 

[seeker_two]

We've got a new Oshman's in Waco that has the same "DL before handling guns" policy. The fella running the counter said that it was to keep people from walking off w/ the guns. But they take the trigger lock off before handing it over & let you dry fire.

Oshman's has a decent selection for ammo & supplies, but I still prefer Academy (if only they'd open one in Waco..:banghead: ). I'll still do most of my gun purchasing from Praco, Hewitt Guns, or Buffalo Sporting Goods in Buffalo TX. I prefer to support the hometown guys...

 

[joab]

Is Oshman's a new chain? I've never heard of it.

No they're old as dirt.When I was a kid I used to go just to look at the giant moose head mout

. I havn't seen one in many, many years. I thought they went out of business in the 80s

 

[geegee]

I'll still do most of my gun purchasing from Praco, Hewitt Guns, or Buffalo Sporting Goods in Buffalo TX.

During my travels while on business, I often stop into local gun shops. I've been to Praco's a few times (bought some bulk ammo there), Buffalo Sporting Goods (never bought anything, but had a nice conversation about black rifles), and Hewitt Guns is one yet to visit (I'll definitely look for it).

One thing about Texas...we do have some choice when it comes to gun stores!

 

[geegee]

I received this email today:

Dear Mr. xxxxxxx;

Thank you for taking the time to inform us of your unpleasant shopping experience.

I have forwarded your email to the District Manager of that particular store. If you do not hear back from her by the middle of next week, please feel free to contact me again. I believe he will be better equipped to answer your concerns.

Thank You,

Mary Broder

The Sports Authority
Gart Sports
Sportmart
Oshman's

I'll post whatever response I receive from the District Manager as soon as it becomes available. Also note that Oshman's is one store in a larger chain of sporting goods stores.

 

[wingman]

I grew up in the 40's, carried my 22(age12) local gas station, stand gun in corner while I drank a coke, buy a box of 22's and continue on my way to
shoot rats or cans at the city dump . I guess we are much smarter now.

 

[geegee]

Well, I grew up in Western New York, and graduated from high school in 1970. My high school had a rifle team. No, that's not a mis-print: a high school in New York State that had a rifle team. Now that same state has two senators named Clinton and Schumer, and I think it's a pretty safe bet that that same high school will never have a rifle team again.

And now in a sporting goods store in Texas, it's pretty clear that the same non-gun owning type of people are setting policy for that store. What's wrong with this picture? :banghead:

 

[MeekandMild]

That's too bad! Oshman's used to be a good store. I bought my first two Rugers at an Oshman's.

 

[geegee]

I went back to the same Oshman's today, to spend a soon-to-expire coupon on some ammo. I never did hear back from the manager of the store, although I sent this response back to their V.P. who emailed me originally:

Hello Mary,
Whoever placed the customer feedback cards in Oshman's has done an excellent job. They're highly visible, easy to read, and a snap to fill out.

Is the response to those cards better than what I've experienced so far with my email, 'cause that's been pretty much non-existent? That doesn't mean
it's not being discussed online with other firearm enthusiast, since we certainly do that. In fact, I told the ones participating I'd let them know if I ever
received an answer back from Oshman's, but so far all I have is your email.

Thanks for your time and efforts in addressing my concern.

So here we are on May 27th, and I've yet to hear back from the GM of the Oshman's store in Watauga. Ever wonder what really happens to the "Customer Comment Cards," you fill out? I have a pretty good idea, and I think most of you do too.

 

[Billmanweh]

I live just a few blocks from that store...

My girlfriend and I stopped in there a couple of weeks ago to pick up a case for her new SIG and the salesman was really friendly. He was asking Amanda about her pistol and giving her shooting pointers, etc. I definitely didn't get an anti-gun feel from the experience.

(then again, I didn't ask to handle anything...)

 

[geegee]

Now I'm curious. Did the salesman ask her for her license, then refuse to take off the trigger lock (as a requirement for handling the pistol), as he did with me?

 

[GEM]

Oshman's is too pricey on handguns. The one near me has clerks of various qualities. They had a sale on 9mm - so I bought some and then went back the next day to get more. They were out but promised a rain check with the ad. When I returned in a week they were out. The clerk says they never know when they are getting more. I said, how can you run an aid if you don't know what you receive. So I stopped there again in a week, same run around. So I asked tough guy clerk - how the same price on a different brand of FMJ. Boy, did he have a fit.

So I call Oshman's central and get a VP who swears that he will communicate with the store personally to straighten this up. Give my name, etc.

Of course, next time I go there - there is no record of this. But I demand the store manager and lay it out. He gives me the sale price on the ammo. Right in front of the first clerk who was rude.

So I'm not totally impressed with their gun sales. Academy in TX is much better.

 

[HankB]

I visited the new Oshman's store in North Austin shortly after it opened. The gun counter clerk didn't have a key to the gun counters - he had to page the manager . . . who showed me a pistol and took the trigger lock off, all the while telling me how he didn't like guns and thought the store shouldn't be selling them.

At least he complied when I asked him not to point the pistol (an SW1911) at me while he was struggling in turn with the lock and then puzzling over how to drop the magazine.

I wasn't asked for my driver's license.

After an absence of several months, I went to buy some of their white-box WinUSA 9mm ammo. I wasn't asked for phone or ID, though the guy behind the counter advised me that this was "Winchester's good stuff in the 50 round boxes. It won't blow up your gun like the WinUSA ammo that comes in the 100 round boxes at Wal Mart."

I guess Oshman's hires clerks who can't make it in the challenging world of food service.

 

[Fire1]

I sometimes shop at the Oshman's in Austin on Anderson Ln. I usually don't spend too much time at the gun counter though. The prices are quite high. The few times I have asked to handle a pistol, they did ask for my DL, but the clerk doesn't even look at it, he just sets it behind the counter. I'm sure it's just to keep people from running off with the gun. They did however take off the trigger lock, and didn't say a word when I handed a S&W 629 to my 6 y.o. son. I did notice that they have recently redone their shooting accessories selection and their ammo prices are starting to come down so they can be competitive with Academy and almost with Wal-mart. They had a good sale last week on Winchester .22 bulk ammo. I stocked up

 

[drannor]

Lots of Austin folks.... makes me think we should arrange a group shoot.

When you say the new Austin north location I take it you mean the one on I-35 near Pflugerville? I agree heartily that is "teh suk".

There's seldom anyone behind the gun counter, I've taken to flagging down an employee on the way in assuming that there won't be anyone back there. My friend enjoys picking up the store phone and hitting the intercom directly. "Assocate needed at the gun counter" He picked up this habit at the local walmart, where the wait for a someone who can sell ammo averages around 20 minutes. My shooting buddy likes to stop at Oshman's on the way to the range, and always asks if they have winclean in 380Auto. You'd think that after doing this EVERY WEEK for MONTHS someone might clue in and buy some. Nope.

The Oshman's on Anderson Ln is much better. Prompt service, they remove the trigger locks, and are generally more amiable and gun friendly. I picked up a case of the Win Whitebox 9mm while they were selling it $5.00 a box. They seldomly carry guns anything I'm interested in though.

Walmart is cheaper, but I value both my time and my sanity and REFUSE to shop for ammo or firearms there. I've heard some jaw droppingly stoopid comments from people behind the counter there. Academy has a great ammo selection but unfortunately their prices in Austin are outlandish compared to the DFW locations. No idea what's going on there.

 

[geegee]

If nothing else is apparent from this thread, it's this: By and large, there are no corporate policies on guns and ammo handling. I would assume that Oshman's takes the same approach to this as our government, i.e. their policies have been designed and implemented by people who have not only never handled firearms, but have no desire to ever do so (I wonder if Feinstein, Schumer, and Clinton are board members? ). The lack of consistency in their stores is amazing, exceeded in some cases only by the level of overall firearms ignorance.

 

[HankB]

When you say the new Austin north location I take it you mean the one on I-35 near Pflugerville?

Actually, it's off 183, just a little north of 620, across from a Home Depot and Kohls. I'm not certain where the city limit is - maybe it's actually Cedar Park, and not Austin?

Lots of Austin folks.... makes me think we should arrange a group shoot.

Hmmm . . . not a bad idea . . .

 

[RustyHammer]

I live just a few blocks from that store...

My girlfriend and I stopped in there a couple of weeks ago to pick up a case for her new SIG and the salesman was really friendly. He was asking Amanda about her pistol and giving her shooting pointers, etc. I definitely didn't get an anti-gun feel from the experience.

(then again, I didn't ask to handle anything... [/color] )

The quesion is, did HE?!?!!?

 

[geegee]

The quesion is, did HE?!?!!?

Well, I just met Billmanweh for a cup of coffee today, and with me at 6'3" and 245 lbs, I looked kind of puny standing next to him. So I would think the clerk at Oshman's probably behaved himself...

 

[Billmanweh]

No, he was very polite



I don't think I have much to worry about, my girlfriend claims that shooting is making her feel "empowered"



Speaking of which, I'm on my way up to Bass Pro now to meet her for some SIG empowerment

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Since I chimed in earlier I have since returned to the Oshman's at Plano Parkway and 75. There were NO handguns in the display case (at 1700hrs) and noone working that area of the store. The longarms were in place, and were all secured. I have to assume that it was because of short-staffing that they were not on display, because the info cards and stands were still in place where they had previously been in those display cases.

Yesterday I was in Frisco and stopped in Galyan's for a minute. I did ask to see a Beretta Neos and was asked for my DL by the clerk; the reason, I was told, was to prevent 'run-out' theft. All he appeared to do was match the face on my DL to the one I carry with me. Overall, he was extremely knowledgeable and courteous and I didn't feel overly put-upon. Dammit.

Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[Bob41081]

I was at the Bass Pro Shop in Katy yesterday. All the rifles had trigger locks. Probably will never buy a gun there. I've been in several Oshman's around Houston (last time 3 or 4 mon ago), no triggerlock never been asked for DL.

Bob

 

[pax]

geegee,

Thanks for the update. Keep us posted!

pax

 

[drannor]

Actually, it's off 183, just a little north of 620, across from a Home Depot and Kohls. I'm not certain where the city limit is - maybe it's actually Cedar Park, and not Austin?

I haven't been to that location, but I don't get out to the Cedar Park area very often. The one near Pflugerville opened a few months ago as well.

Speaking of which I went by there yesterday on the way to the range to buy some .44 mag for the M28. One load available, 240gr SP. I asked to look at the Colt 1911 they had in the case, was asked for DL, and the trigger lock was removed. Clerk even racked the slide before handing it over.

So I'm looking at the colt (govt stainless) and notice the top of the slide is all sorts of scratched, marked, and generally mistreated. I asked the clerk "What gives?" and was told all merchandise is taken out of the display case and stored in the back nightly. This is understandably hard on the firearms..... Talked "shop" with the clerk (young guy) for a bit while I could distract him from the female coworker who was intent on chatting with him.

He contradicted himself a few times about 1911's and I walked away with the opinion he was well meaning but not as experienced as he portrayed. (Being nice). I'll be sticking to the Anderson Ln store for ammo.

 

[HankB]

Speaking of which I went by there yesterday on the way to the range to buy some .44 mag for the M28.

Is this a misprint? The only "M28" I'm aware of is an "N" frame .357.

As far as ammo in Austin is concerned, be advised that Academy has good prices on 9mm ammo - better than Oshman's. Winchester white box goes for $4.86 per box of 50, and CCI Blazer is $3.86/50. These are their everyday low prices.

I've been using WinUSA for quite a while, but I just bought a couple of boxes of Blazer to try, and they worked fine out of a couple of my pistols.