Local WM gun area redesign seems better ---I think.

Less employees equals worse service, but better prices. That is probably why someone was delayed on instant background check. In that case positive spin is less service equals lower taxes.

The Walmarts that I visit either have guns in the clear circle spinning cases or behind the counter in a glass cabinet. I just walk behind the cabinet and look at prices. If an employee impolitely told me I was in a so-called “restricted area”, they better be ready to get an ear full from me.

One of my pet peeves is how so many gun shops do not visibly display prices. They’re most often in 12-24 point font on tags that swing from the trigger guards. The long guns are often behind counters with the tags not visible. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve looked at pistols in the counter cases and the tags were upside down. I often go to gun shops to look around and see if anything is unique or exceptionally well-priced. I don’t have the patience to ask the employee to read off the price of every gun so unless it’s a super rare item or something that is of great interest, I just assume it is not reasonably priced.

I visited a pawn shop a few months ago that had guns behind the counter, but had 5”x7” note cards below each gun with the price on them written in Sharpie in large font. I told the salesman how I appreciated being able to see the prices. “Yeah, we got tired of having to constantly tell customers the prices” was his reply. Imagine that... a logical, simple solution to a simple problem. Now that pawn shop’s employees will be less inconvenienced and have more time since they don’t have to look at prices for customers.

Yes I have been in Wal-marts set up just like you describe. And yes I walked myself into the exact same position you were in. I had a few choice words for the person that came to correct my trespasses. I haven't ventured that far down the row, since, but you never see anyone behind the counter to answer any questions.
I also agree about the price tags. At that distance, they might as well not be there at all.

WalleyWorld is my last resort anymore. Bad, unfreindly, and uncourteous customer service, period.

They did the same redesign to ours about a year ago. I liked those rotating gun displays with everything inches from your eyes. Now we also have to sneak behind the counter to see anything...same with ammo. But at least the ammo is now visible; before you essentially had to find an employee and say "whatcha got in 9 mm?" and then wait till they rummaged through their cabinets...this one? this one? no the one two spaces to the left....Sigh.

FROGO207 said:

. I might ask them if they will set up a spotting scope on the counter so I can read prices and ammo box descriptions from afar now. Rant over.

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Now, that's funny!
Our nearest Walmart(s) are 1+-2+ plus hours away. One in Mt. Iron (west of Virginia) & the other in Duluth, MN. (Hermantown)
Like sparkyv said, I avoid them unless the Misses is shopping for clothes.....soooooo I gotta check 'em out! Kills time if nothing else!

I bought ammo from Walmart during the ammo shortage. I buy everything from local grocery stores and try to buy from local gun stores. Sometimes you can't, so I don't judge people who use Walmart. I don't like their business practices since old man Walton died.

What employees? Every time I go to the ammo section, there is not one to be seen,Never!

When a store has a 'remodel', they update things. Our store just had one (not in the Vision center, alas....) and we got 4 more feet of guns, and better displays of ammo and shooting supplies. (cleaning kits, holsters, etc.)

Jeb Stuart said:

What employees? Every time I go to the ammo section, there is not one to be seen,Never!

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That is because they are assigned to work freight in the paper & chem section. (at least the two workers under my friend are) What really sucks about that is only Sporting Goods people can get ammo or show guns-they have to take a course to do so. (Assistant Managers and Store Managers can also.) What's next? Us opticians stocking the soup aisle? (I'd quit first. I stocked the soup aisle for 10 years before I got in the Vision center.)

Most of the Wal-Marts in my area don't carry guns at all.

On a recent trip to Thayer, Missouri, I noticed the Wal-Mart gun counter had four rotating displays, three of which had a nice selection of guns and the fourth containing red dots and optics. For the size of the store, I was impressed by the selection.

My Walmart has the same glass case behind a counter that it had had for years. Long guns on top, ammo below. They have also added some glass cases out past the counter with ammo in them. Some of the rifles get put up with their price tags turned backward. Other than that if you can't read the prices from the customer side of the counter you need to see an optometrist. It's hit and miss with finding an associate in sporting goods though.

No guns in any of the CA WalMarts I’ve been in. WalMart has always had ammo behind glass, but with the new “for the children” ammo laws here EVERY gun store has ammo behind glass or counters.

Sportsman’s Warehouse in Fresno has their ammo stock along aisles so you can actually see what you’re looking at. A clerk will open a cabinet and hand you the ammo you’re buying, and you can walk it up to the cashier to pay.

WalMart everywhere does their ammo sales right at the ammo counters, provided you have the patience to wait for the one sporting goods clerks...who inevitably is on break when I show up. They won’t let you pay for ammo at any of the other cashiers, so you often end up with two transactions when you buy something and then want ammo at WalMart.

Turners Outdoorsman has ammo on shelves behind the counter. Once a clerk and you determine what you want to buy, because you can’t read the boxes from 10 feet away, the clerk takes the ammo up to the cashier so you can pay...and then carry it out. (?)

I haven’t been to Bass Pro in the past year, about all they have that I like is .35 Remington on the shelves...and since so now reload that caliber I haven’t had to go back so I don’t know what they’ve done to comply.

All of these ammo restrictions, and the new ones like the required “safety courses” ... and “ammo purchaser ID cards” coming down the pike... have drastically reduced crime in the state! It’s a liberal nirvana! With crips hugging bloods and MS 13 gangsters as rare as MS-DOS floppy discs no one wil ever be a victim of crime or need to protect themselves! There is a downside, though. Driving can be tough since it’s to the point now where unicorns are as common on the roadsides as white tailed deer... and fairies, pixies, gnomes and elves are tearing up my yard like feral hogs with all of their lute playing and Maypole dancing ...

Stay safe!

I noticed only large superstores have rifle & hadgun ammo in locked cabinet "behnd counter". Small stores have said ammo in isle glass cabinet. Shotgun bird shot is unlocked. Since they opened gunstore/range 5 minutes away from me I no longer buy ammo at Walmart except for bird shot that the shop does not carry. I like 26gram Winchester AA practice ammo at bout $7.50 per 25 which luckily for me local Walmart stocks. I save empties because they are good quality (real brass base wich is nowadays real rare other only type i can think of is Remington STS) and I may get into realoding at some time. Southeners call it "Qual Load" I call it weak and fun to shoot.

Bfh_auto said:

I bought ammo from Walmart during the ammo shortage. I buy everything from local grocery stores and try to buy from local gun stores. Sometimes you can't, so I don't judge people who use Walmart. I don't like their business practices since old man Walton died.

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What isn't local about a Walmart that is in your town? Do they fly the empolyees in from out of state every morning? Do they drag the building in from somewhere else on a skid every day? Is the real estate really not there but just a mirage?

Academy like in TX and LA has all the ammo out and available for examination by anyone who wants to walk the aisles. Handguns in glass cases across a counter. Long guns across the back.

rpenmanparker said:

What isn't local about a Walmart that is in your town? Do they fly the empolyees in from out of state every morning? Do they drag the building in from somewhere else on a skid every day? Is the real estate really not there but just a mirage?

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Ownership is not local. The entire structure of the operation changed when the founder died.

The only walmart that is really worth the time is the one located near Fort Campbell, Clarksville Tenn. I drive through the area when going from summer place to winter in Florida... That store has the best gun and ammo of any walmart i have ever been in.... I believe most walmarts are going out of the gun business. One of the walmart gun managers in Florida told me they were told to drop the sale of AR 15's because they were not selling.... Then he said they (AR 15's) were actually the best selling gun in the store, and that upper management was looking to get out of the gun business.....

Not all Walmarts carry the same merchendise. One of the ones mear me carries genuine Manuka honey. Next time I will check watch selection there maybie I will find Jaeger Lecoultre there.

Two WalMarts near me; one in Idaho and one in Washington. Both sell guns and ammo and reloading components. One has the ammo behind a glass shelf that you can walk up to and read the information. The other is behind a counter in glass, with the guns. I go behind the counter. Neither has people there, but the Idaho store has a button to push to alert someone. The Washington store doesn't.

The Lake Hallie Wal Mart has a button to summon the help if no one is manning the counter in sporting goods.

I gave up on our wallmart. We have one here who sells guns and ammo both . I can never find anyone behind the counter and only 2 guys are allowed to sell firearms . Different times they are both not there ,so you are out of luck

Our WMs (3) have not handled firearms for several years. I don't shop there anymore.

Regards,
hps

The two stores local to me put plastic chains up with 'keep out' signs hanging from them blocking customers from approaching the gun/ammo case from behind the counter. Probably a 10 foot gap from the front of the counter to the back wall where the case is too, so good luck reading gun specs or ammo prices. This region also has a rampant shoplifting epidemic, so the entire hunting isle and fishing isle is locked behind plexiglass. Good luck buying anything out of the department after 2PM (weekdays only) when the department managers go home since they are the only permanently assigned staff members. Anyone else you might glimpse is a part time cashier that the CSM's could spare from the front for a few hours.