nyrifleman
Member
I recently had a slightly strange experience with Buds Gun Shop. I've purchased from Buds before, and had a satisfactory experience. Their prices are hard to beat, so they're usually my first stop when looking for something specific. That's why I had no hesitation ordering a bolt-action .22 that I'm going to give to my wife for Christmas.
My FFL dealer called me up Thursday to say it had arrived, and also proceeded to inform me that, apparently, Buds had called him before sending out the package to find out more about me. My FFL dealer told them he'd known me a while, dealt with me several times, that I was local and my parents ran a local business. This was good enough for them and they proceeded to send the gun. However, I am not pleased with the fact that they called at all.
Apparently, what they didn't like was my good Slavic name of "Yuri". Now, I indeed was not born in this country. I was born in Russia. However, I have lived in the United States since I was 5. I went all the way through the immigration process, which involves more different kinds of background checks than you can shake a stick at (and yes, even if you have lived here since you were 5, the government thinks it's neccessary to find out if you committed any crimes abroad prior to moving here...). I'm also a CCW permit holder... in NY State!... Not to mention that I've purchased from Buds before. Not to mention, in the words of my FFL dealer, "it's a bolt-action .22 for God's sake, not really the kind of weapon you'd be looking to turn to crime."
But you know, even that has nothing to do with it. Whether or not I'm allowed to own a gun is none of Bud's business. This is why we have NICS. Unless I'm misreading the situation, if my FFL dealer hadn't answered as affirmatively as he had, Buds might not have sent me the gun. Which is their right, as the vendor, but not really reassuring to me as the customer.
Am I simply overreacting to this? Or do you think it's valid for me to be concerned?
My FFL dealer called me up Thursday to say it had arrived, and also proceeded to inform me that, apparently, Buds had called him before sending out the package to find out more about me. My FFL dealer told them he'd known me a while, dealt with me several times, that I was local and my parents ran a local business. This was good enough for them and they proceeded to send the gun. However, I am not pleased with the fact that they called at all.
Apparently, what they didn't like was my good Slavic name of "Yuri". Now, I indeed was not born in this country. I was born in Russia. However, I have lived in the United States since I was 5. I went all the way through the immigration process, which involves more different kinds of background checks than you can shake a stick at (and yes, even if you have lived here since you were 5, the government thinks it's neccessary to find out if you committed any crimes abroad prior to moving here...). I'm also a CCW permit holder... in NY State!... Not to mention that I've purchased from Buds before. Not to mention, in the words of my FFL dealer, "it's a bolt-action .22 for God's sake, not really the kind of weapon you'd be looking to turn to crime."
But you know, even that has nothing to do with it. Whether or not I'm allowed to own a gun is none of Bud's business. This is why we have NICS. Unless I'm misreading the situation, if my FFL dealer hadn't answered as affirmatively as he had, Buds might not have sent me the gun. Which is their right, as the vendor, but not really reassuring to me as the customer.
Am I simply overreacting to this? Or do you think it's valid for me to be concerned?