Would this bother you?

Dibbs said:

If he asked me, point blank, three times, all at once, in one specific visit "Is this a straw purchase ? Is this a straw purchase ? Is this a straw purchase ?" in a hounding, sanctimonious manner, then yes, I would be a little irritated, But I doubt this is what happened.

This is an issue gun shops have to deal with, and you are purchasing, at least what must seem to them, a lot of similar guns.

Sure, some of us appreciate the Ruger P-series, and they are fine pistols. But consider how it looks, from the other side of the counter. Maybe if you took a picture of the P-series collection, and showed it to the salesman, he would be more understanding.

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I was thinking just that! The picture on my I-phone, guns in safe. Then explain, finances, ("Were you ever cash short? as I am) If you are not happy serving me. I will get someone else?

I guess I am lucky, In my state you fill out the correct paper work and wait for approval and you take your firearm. What business is it of the Clerk if every thing was performed and approved by the state. I thought the job of the clerk was to sell guns and operate according to procedure, Not be a investigator. Asking a customer three times is over board, unnecessary and rude.

Being offended does not mean someone said something offensive. "going to the manager and telling him what happened" is ruining our society. Really, it is. This mentality of anything, no matter what, any inconvenience is worth trying to get someone fired over. As far as the issue itself, I would not take offense to someone looking out for their job, freedom and employer with a simple question.
Edited to remove a rude statement.

GEM said:

Be reasonable, because YOU explained, that is enough to determine that is the truth?

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What more would he gain from asking repetitively? If he isnt truthful on the form he is perjuring himself.

JONWILL said:

I am pretty upset with a local Gunshop
They have gotten in a bunch of Ruger P series evidence room guns. I really like them and they are cheap. I am talking $150 each cheap
Well I have a weekly budget, depending on any overtime I work.

I have been going in every Friday for a month and getting a different model
This last Friday I was picking up a kind of rare P93. Well the salesman, who I helped me buy several of them kept asking me if I knew what a straw purchase was. Not once but 3 times
Yes I know what a straw purchase is. Buying a gun for someone else.

I am a collector of different types of guns.
I am kind of pissed. It seems like he is insinuating that I am an illegal gun dealer. I have been thinking of going to the manager and telling him what happened. Does that sound reasonable or am I over reacting?

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I'd probably have asked you straight up what you were doing with them... that admittedly is rather suspicious.

JohnKSa said:

Buying a number of the same kind of gun in a relatively short time is a behavior pattern that will raise eyebrows. Spacing the purchases more than 5 days apart could appear to be a tactic to avoid having the shop fill out a multiple handgun purchase form and submit it to the BATF.

IMO, the clerk's question was reasonable based on the behavior pattern you exhibited.

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I can attest that the atf does check on those as well.
My FFL buddy has had that happen. He's straight up told me not to order more than one handgun at a time because he doesn't want to deal with it.

I was on the other side of that story, I helped out a buddy, who owned a Gun Shop, in Toronto, he fell, and broke his leg! Whisky stairs! Friday at 5-45 pm. We closed at 6 pm. In comes, a customer he had been drinking, arrived on the bus, would be going home the same way. He was picking up his Colt 45 1911, had an S&W Target sight fitted.
He was going to transport it in his lunch box? I told him he would have to talk to Harry. He was pissed!
Big argument next time I went into the store! "Did you have a breathalyzer?" He asked me.
I was born in a Pub I said, lived with my Dad till I was 25 YOA. Did I know drunks? Answer yes. So I quit.

I am still trying to figure out what the buyer did that is illegal. He should be able to Come in every 5 days for the rest of his entire life if he chooses if the law allows and it is no one's business but the ATF. What other question will this clerk ask next? At this point, I do not think the clerk knows the laws.

What next? some states now require a month. I am sure the liberals will want one a year, and then what?

DustyGmt said:

What more would he gain from asking repetitively? If he isnt truthful on the form he is perjuring himself.

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Because some people get nervous and fall apart under repetition. Also, it covers you if it goes bad. If the gun world acts out because of questions, how can you have any credibility to folks about trying to prevent illegality? Suck it up and answer politely.

GEM said:

Because some people get nervous and fall apart under repetition. Also, it covers you if it goes bad. If the gun world acts out because of questions, how can you have any credibility to folks about trying to prevent illegality? Suck it up and answer politely.

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BS, I would not suck it up. I would be polite and not get nervous or fall apart. But I would be firm and ask him to provide some legal reasons I am being question by him over and over. I would calmly say to him. This is the third time you have questioned me on this. If I am breaking a law, then please show me and I will not purchase. If not, how about just selling me the gun?

The legal reason is that he has the right to ask whatever he wants in order to get a handle on your behavior and cover the store. You may not fall apart if you are contemplating an illegal action but some who is may not be so stalwart.

The legal reason is to prevent a crime, if you don't understand that, I don't know what else to say. If you get your feelings hurt, too bad.

This is the free market, go elsewhere.

Like others pointed out, no tact.

The way he said it and the fact he said it multiple times on multiple occasions would make me feel judged. Nobody likes to be judged.

Hes gotta cover his rear, we all can understand that, many ways to do this without tacitly suggesting the OP is up to something shady.

The clerk was impolite. Not a big deal, just how some people are. Rude.

My wife and I started shooting trap a couple of years ago. While we had plenty of ammo for all of our other shooting needs, we did not have any trap shells when we started. Trap shooting for two can easily eat up a case of shells every week. We started shopping sales and when we found good ones we bought as many shells as the store would sell us.

You should see the looks we have gotten checking out with four shopping carts filled with shotgun shells. We always explain we are both avid trap shooters and that we are taking advantage of the sale to stock up. That seems to help.

Big box stores generally don't know their customers like local smaller gun stores do. Almost all the dealers I do business with know me well and have for years and treat me accordingly. However, I tried to buy a gun recently from a Gander location because it was on a great sale, and they refused to sell it to me because my identification does not include my street address. They didn't know me so they were uncomfortable. While I was unhappy, I can't really get angry with them. Dealers are suppose to use their own common sense and knowledge that exceeds what is state or federally required. They may find themselves answering questions about multiple structured sales like yours, and frankly, if I were the dealer, I would ask questions you apparently weren't asked.

Did you know that in states where pot is legal, if you use pot, and the dealer knows it, they cannot legally sell you a firearm?

I am an ardent supporter of 2A, and will continue to give both money and time to undoing the horrible laws that currently exist in many states, including my own. That does not mean that I am not appalled every time some nut/drunk/junkie decides to take out their frustrations by killing innocent people. I also believe the gun community should try to prevent the free flow of guns to criminals and the mentally unstable if they can do so legally and safely in order to slow up the negative flash points that come up with every unjustified shooting.

GEM said:

If the gun world acts out because of questions, how can you have any credibility to folks about trying to prevent illegality?

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I've never been in a gun shop as a repeat customer and have it suggested that maybe I'm committing a crime, golly. I guess I should I expect to tell my life story to the clerk to buy a gun now? Why then wouldn't they tighten the entire ship completely and him suggest maybe I've rejected my citizenship in the past or been dishonorably discharged or have a drug or alcohol problem. Unprofessional. The questions are on the form or was he gonna fill it out for me?

He was doing his due diligence, and what he thought was right.

Not good CS at all to have a regular customer explain his purchases, 3 times, over multiple sales.

Depends. If I had told the clerk more than once that yes I know what a straw purchase is and no, I am not committing one. And the question keeps coming up, I might be a bit irritated.

i have a problem with being accused of being something i am not. i find no fault in your being upset. none at all. it happens all the time to all of us in this weird new world. some times i react by asking to speak to the manager and others i just let it pass. depends on my testosterone level in my body that day. depends on the person saying the things that upset me. if they are just following orders, i let it pass. if they are a idiot trying to act like a person with power i dont. lots of those around. get mad if you want or let it pass. dont ever beat your self down over it. your the normal one. i like to collect also, not as fast as you but i have many revolvers that i truly like and shoot on a regular bases. keep having fun.

I was asked if i had a medical card.

JONWILL (the OP): I would be pretty disappointed with the accusation---but...

were you really happy with the quality and prices with most or all of the guns which you bought? If very satisfied, you know that the experience has been rewarding and a unique opportunity.
They can't really take that satisfaction away from you, even if you felt insulted. Just anticipate either possible suspicion (from whomever) or envy next time you find a very good gun deal.

The gun shop's reaction could partly be a reaction influenced by what city/state you live in, and recent ATF behavior towards gun stores in that area?

I'd just think he's on the slow side if he asked me more than once and got the "Yes I do" answer the first time. Or maybe he's hard of hearing? In any case, I would just keep saying "yes, I understand" and continue on with my purchases.

If he or the owner wants to deny you for giving them too much business, well then that's a different story and I'd say "see ya!".

JohnKSa said:

Your answer is the way it is because you feel like it's unreasonable for the clerk to observe a pattern of behavior that is consistent with someone doing straw purchases in a manner calculated to avoid BATF attention and investigate.

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Buying guns at a local gun shop on Fridays aka payday is suspicious now? In a manner calculated to avoid batfe attention? LOL. If you think that then it's time to end private gun sales so we can catch more straw buyers. Mandate a nics check for everything because we just want to prevent a crime and if that hurts someones feelings, then too bad.

JohnKSa said:

I think that's pretty clear, but if you don't understand why any of what I wrote is true, I will try to explain it further.

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It's pretty clear it was a baseless assumption by a dumb employee. Net effect zero except annoying his customer. I guess you missed the part where the shop had a month to get to know a customer better by asking some basic, non intrusive questions first instead of jumping in feet first with his jr batfe badge. Sorry, not impressed with his crime fighting methods.