A fun little gun store moron story

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K

kd7nqb

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Ok so I have learned both online and in person that all knowledge learned from a gun store must be taken with a grain of salt (occasionally a bucket of salt). I found one very nice gun store locally and most of the staff seems to be knowledgeable.

I walked in yesterday and noticed a new face behind the counter, I wrongly assumed that he had same level of awareness that the other guys at the shop do. I spoke with him for a few moments and he showed me what I asked and such and then basically he knew I was just kinda killing time so he started showing me other "shiny" stuff. I have to admit I enjoyed it. At one point I was looking at a NAA Mini revolver and he said "OH, WAIT,WAIT, put it next to this" and he then pulled a Ruger SRH Alaskan from the wall and had me put them side by side for "comparison". Ok I admit it was kinda cool but still pretty dumb.

And here is where he takes the cake, the then discussed why ruger should make a model with a hollow space in the bottom of the grip so you could slide in a NAA Mini as a "back up gun"

Here are SOME of the problems that I came up with his solution
1. If I am shooting something with .454C and I fail I dont want to switch to a .22lr for a "back up"
2. The idea of having live rimfire rounds pointed towards your hand while the recoil from a .454c happens seems dangerous and dumb all around.
3. Ruger would not redesign their gun to allow for the use of another gun as a n ornament.
4. ECT, ect, ect

He then pointed both of them at the wall and said, "which looks more intimidating to you"

None of his behavior shocked me but it still bugged me so I felt I needed to share this with THR.

FYI I added pictures of the firearms involved for people who need the photo comparison.

superblackhawkalaskan.jpg

lrNEW2.jpg
 
I had a glandularly challenged back-of-the-counter idiot enthusiastically try to sell me a SOB (small of the back -- DO NOT buy one, landing on your piece either breaks your back or kills a kidney) holster by saying SOB stood for "Son of a b***h, I didn't know he had a gun!"

It's a great image that we send out to people who are trying their best to disarm us.
 
I think the worse thing anyone could do is ask a gun store employee about gun laws! If you think a lot of them are ignorant about guns, just ask them a legal question!!!!
 
takhtakaal said:
I had a glandularly challenged back-of-the-counter idiot enthusiastically try to sell me a SOB (small of the back ... ) holster by saying SOB stood for "Son of a b***h, I didn't know he had a gun!"
Click to expand...
anim_lol.gif
 
When one encounters un-knowledgeable salesclerks, hears misinformation, general silliness, irrelevance or stupidity from retail clerks in stores when one is NOT looking at, or shopping for, guns or ammunition (say, maybe, electronics, household appliances, hardware or pornographic videos), does one usually go on-line to post accounts of all these conversations on internet forums?

Aren't we all agreed yet that gun stores actually may suffer the same affliction as any retail store? -- employees who simply are not experts in the field as far as the products the store sells?

What is this compulsion we all on this forum seem to possess wherein we feel compelled to dissect everyone's encounters with retail employees in any situation where firearms or ammunition is concerned?
 
And here is where he takes the cake, the then discussed why ruger should make a model with a hollow space in the bottom of the grip so you could slide in a NAA Mini as a "back up gun"
Click to expand...

Actually that sounds kind of creative, to me. Not practical, but creative. Don't knock anyone who thinks out of the box. Don't know where you'd put that mainspring, but...

After all, it was "impossible" to put a whole photographic lab in a single thin sheet of film until Dr. Edwin Land came along.

Some very important developments have come from "skylarking" such as that.
 
You were nice to him by not correcting him where he might feel silly. I hope that one or the other guys in the shop pulled him aside later and explained the difference?:cool:
 
As much as I enjoy the stories from both sides of the counter, I gotta agree with Old Dog. I'm sure, though, that somewhere on the 'net is a forum discussing "you won't believe what the salesman told me about the Model XYZ HD T.V.!"

The hidden mini revolver does seem silly to me, but I've been known to have a few moments of less than stellar thoughts, too.
 
Sorry, I'm going to take a contrary position here, and say that employees in gun-shops tasked with helping the public select firearms for purchase, as well as accouterments, have a greater than normal need, in comparison with other retail clerks, for understanding of what they sell and the needs of their clientele.

If I buy an inappropriate sauté pan from Williams-Sonoma, I may make a less than stellar meal, due to its size or composition. If a poorly trained clerk in a retail establishment selling firearms manages to convince someone that a 4" S&W Model 10 stoked with wad-cutter rounds is sufficient protection for trail-walking in rural coastal Alaska, said customer may wind up one with the bear scat.

I can deal with a poorly formed omelet. I can't deal with a life-or-death implement that is unsuitable for its intended task.
 
I can deal with a poorly formed omelet. I can't deal with a life-or-death implement that is unsuitable for its intended task
Click to expand...

Hey, breakfast is teh most important meal of the day. Friends don't let friends eat shoddy omelettes.
 
If a poorly trained clerk in a retail establishment selling firearms manages to convince someone that a 4" S&W Model 10 stoked with wad-cutter rounds is sufficient protection for trail-walking in rural coastal Alaska, said customer may wind up one with the bear scat
Click to expand...

That customer, who obviously hasn't bothered to research appropriate tools for such an important task, would deserve what he/she ended up with...A Darwin award nomination...
 
should make a model with a hollow space in the bottom of the grip so you could slide in a NAA Mini as a "back up gun"
Click to expand...

Sorta like when we considered sticking a Yugo in the trunk of our '71 Buick instead of a spare tire.
 
1911 guy said:
I gotta agree with Old Dog. I'm sure, though, that somewhere on the 'net is a forum discussing "you won't believe what the salesman told me about the Model XYZ HD T.V.!"
Click to expand...


That is definitely true. I am also into home theater and like to frequent Blu-ray/HD-DVD forums and I can't count how many times I have seen a thread titled: "I was in Best Buy today and you'll never believe what the salesman said about Blu-ray" or similar.

It's not just the gun guys that like to post these stories.
 
I dont mean seem like I am picking on gun store clerks more than anyone else, however when I am out with friends I often do share stories of stupidity in the big box electronic stores or other establishments. It just seems that on a GUN forum your going to hear about GUN store clerks.

Also I dont mean to stifle innovation by discouraging out of the box thinking, when that man gets rich off this nesting revolvers then I promise I will be the first in line to buy one.
 
I learned a long time ago never ask a gun store owner for their opinion and/or info... go in having researched things for yourself ahead of time. :rolleyes:
 
The kid sounds ambitious to me. He put guns in your hand to give you what sales people call a "pride of ownership" feeling, and was working around to an expensive holster.
He was on his way to closing the sale, if you ask me (which you didn't).

So which of the two did you buy? Or did you slate one for future purchase?

I picked out every expensive gun I own while barely having 2 nickels to rub together.

I can't get gunstore clerks to pay near that much attention to me. You should be greatful he cared enough to serve you.:)
 
i think when i get older and finish my army stuff(getting ready to enlist) im going to open up a gun store with a friend or 2 so we can actually help people and not tell people stuff like " .243 and .30-06 are about the same round"
 
Having fun with impractical ideas is not ignorance, it just a good attitude. The kid probably just likes his job and likes to shoot the s%^t with a nice guy like you. Cant blame him. Me and my friends sit around all the time inventing things that we will never build, and that my not even work if we did. It is just o good imagination.
 
Yes, gun store employees are permitted to have faults. To a point.

When someone comes into the retail environment I work in (i.e. a gas station), and asks me a question, sometimes I don't know the answer. In response, I either admit to not knowing the answer or ask them to hold on while I get my manager (who is in Mensa and knows everything).

I've known more than a few big-box gun store employees who just couldn't admit to not knowing something, and would spout BS in hopes that you wouldn't call their bluff. Gander Mountain is, undoubtedly, the worst offender. (The guys at Cabella's, on the other hand, often find themselves resisting the urge to mock my comparatively minor knowledge of firearms)

... or maybe I'm just pissed because some pimple-faced hayseed at the Oak Creek GM accused me of making a straw purchase last week. Jerk. :fire:
 
That's right, Kd!

Kd:

You were proper and reasonable not to correct the young salesman. It is recommended that when you get one of these guys, just nod your head and smile as though you are very impressed. It would be ethically wrong to appear not very stupid. I've spent my whole life cultivating this look.

Besides, where's your compassion?

Fun story to read indeed!:):):):)
 
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