What are your best or worst gunstore stories?

Once - had to be at least 10 years ago - a counter guy told me "you'll NEVER find a new Glock pistol for under $500".

Another time couple of years later, same gun store, when I inquired about the availability of Bersa pistols a woman behind the counter assured me there weren't any because a ship bringing Bersa pistols from Argentina to the US had sunk.

Never bought a firearm @ that particular shop, but it's always good for a bit of stand-up comedy.

stevehgraham said:

This was not the only disappointing gun shop in Miami. I used to buy guns at Garcia's National Gun. I bought a Smith & Wesson 686+, a Desert Eagle .50 AE in hard chrome, and a few other things. I believed in supporting local stores and trying to develop a relationship. They never remembered me. I could have bought a Sherman tank, and they would not have remembered. They always treated me like a number. They never acknowledged me when I came in. Maybe it was because I wasn't Cuban; that happens a lot in Miami. Anyway, I gave up on them and started buying wherever was cheapest. They weren't rude. I just felt like they didn't care at all about my business.

There are a lot of nice people among firearms enthusiasts. And a fair number of jerks and kooks. I shouldn't complain. They're much better than the obnoxious prizes you come across over and over in saltwater fishing.

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Of the two gun stores I go to, and it's not like I'm in there every week, but I'm remembered as the guy who gets a lot of transfers by certain employees. When I'm there, if it's not busy, I always talk to the guys behind the counter about general shooting stuff or what its like living in states where NFA stuff is legal and I guess they like the conversation as it's intellectually stimulating.

I think the issue you had in not being remembered is your in a huge city, the shops get hundreds of customers and can't remember people. It's not about what you buy, it's about how you interact and how often you go there to interact. Just a few minutes of conversation with the same guys once every few weeks will make you stand out.

It doesn't work for every shop though. There are some that just don't want to be bothered if you're a first time customer, if in the first three times you've gone to a gun shop and you don't feel welcome, there is NOTHING you can ever do, no amount of money you can spend, to feel welcome.

To build up that rapport, it takes about a year to get to that point, but once you reach it, it's a great situation for both you and the store.

As for the nice guys and jerks/kooks, I chalk the kookery up to that was the mentality they grew up with 30-50 years ago in firearms and old men set in their ways aren't gonna change.

beeenbag said:

So we've all been in the gun store and heard some outrageous statements or stories, either from other customers or maybe even the attendant behind the counter. Let's share some and maybe even uncover some grain of truths to some of the stories.

I have a few but will pitch in later...

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Customer asks employee about the different grains of ammo (as in bullet weight printed on box). Employee says higher grain is more powerful and has more recoil.

*RSO to guy shooting a rental SCAR* "___is basically the ultimate home defense round it won't even go through a door". Shooter/customer "...it won't go through a door??". RSO: "Well it might go into the door but it won't come out the other side".

"Don't use steel case ammo in an AR it's bad for the star chamber"

"I won't own Glocks with stock guide rods, no guide rod should be plastic it will just melt"

*Employee points to rifle on the wall behind him* "I could shoot a pop can off your shoulder at 700 yards with that" (no, no he can't)

"Don't have to aim a shotgun"

"Just the sound of the shotgun being pumped"

"AR15 bad for home defense goes through too many walls"

I had a really good experience today. I visited a local shop I hadn't been too in years. The shop had changed ownership within the last year.
The outside hadn't changed. Inside I was pleased to see 3 older customers kicking back talking firearms in sofas and easy chairs. There was a nice mix of older and younger sales reps. They were all on the same page. I asked about a specific model that they did not have in stock. They checked with their wholesale contacts but no luck.
A younger guy helping me showed me their selection of new CZ 75b pistols taking the time to explain the differences and details without applying any sales pressure.

What I observed was a clean, well stocked shop staffed with knowledgable enthusiasts. All of the customers were relaxed and enjoying their day too.

I will do business with that shop.

This isn’t the worst or the best, but when I went back to a LGS this week to get a pistol I saw there last week, they had raised their prices on most of their guns - many of which they’ve had for years.

The new RTF Vickers Glock 17 that was $575 last week was now $650...and they didn’t have ANY room to give on price or anything like ammo to add to the deal. They also said they re-priced to adjust to current wholesale prices. $75 a year increase on a Glock?!?!

This is a store I’ve bought 3 pistols from in the last half of 2017, so I’m not unknown to them, but they acted like they’d never seen me before when I asked about the price on the Glock.

One of my best was bringing my younger son into the LGS to get his first rifle; a DPMS Oracle, on sale for $399. First gun he's ever bought. His brother bought one three years ago, and recently traded it to me.

guyfromohio said:

As for a good story... not actually a particular story... I discovered the wonders of Bud's and MiGunslingers about 2.5 years ago. In that time, I've purchased dozens of guns on-line and all have been delivered to an LGS named Gun Envy in Columbus. These guys are great. Never annoyed with simply doing a transfer....never "why didn't you buy from me?" Always smiling and ready to shoot the breeze. Furthermore, only $20 per transfer....unless, of course, you pick-up multiple guns at the same time. Then it's $20 for all of them. I've felt so bad that I've left pizza money for them on occasion. Here I am picking up several thousand dollars in guns and leave them only a twenty spot for their trouble. They are a preferred FFL at Bud's so you don't have to mess with FFL numbers or anything. They just call you when your gun is in.

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After all is said and done, probably more profit/less hassle in a transfer due to the time involved, not having to stock a million different models, dealing with a million questions, etc.

Had an owner at a mom & pop store tell me that I really ought to thank him that he was 'waiving' the $30 background check fee on my handgun purchase. Don't know if it was the smirk on my face or my my reply that Kentucky has no charge for a BG check, and besides, I hold a CCDW which means they don't have to run a check at all to sell me a firearm, just complete the 4473 and log it in the FFL book. Sure seemed to sour the cream in his coffee, he had nothing else to say. Edit: I never shopped there again, but I've often wondered if he was ripping people off by charging them an extra $30 for a supposed 'check'.

I shoot at Point Blank range, they have 12-15 shops in Indiana and Ohio. I shoot 2-3 times a week and EVERY TIME I walk in they are pushing a Glock on ANYONE and EVERYONE at the counter.

Cayce Charles said:

I shoot at Point Blank range, they have 12-15 shops in Indiana and Ohio. I shoot 2-3 times a week and EVERY TIME I walk in they are pushing a Glock on ANYONE and EVERYONE at the counter.

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It's their job as salesmen to do that. When I was at Indy Arms in Indiana last year, they were handing me S&W M&P Gen 2's to try the trigger compared to Glocks and I was impressed with those triggers, but I told them that it does appear to be a great choice for a pistol, but I'm not interested in getting into another platform.

It was tempting, but it's easy to say no.