Bass Pro Shops is anti-gun

[BigO01]

I think Juna has every right to be blow his top over this bull .

May I remind everyone that the man made not one but two phone calls and even made an appointment for range time before this happened .

If the place has any fixed policy and or procedures that must be followed when a customer enters the facility to use the range area the person or persons he spoke to on the telephone should have told him of ALL of those policies beforehand during the phone conversations .

This is either lack of training for the employees or , lack of management following through to see to it that the employees are doing their job correctly . Either way it translates into a complete lack of respect for all of their customers in the way they are being treated up to and including their safety by employing people who unsafely handle weapons in front of the general public .

If the range customers are to be checked in and have their weapons secured in some manner to satisfy some bureaucrats policy there should be a discrete room off to the side where the range customer is ushered into so the whole scene isn't in public view .

Not everyone wants 150 strangers knowing what guns they own while some fool pulls them out of his range bag for display !

 

[Kentak]

Bass-Pro is anti-gun? They sell long guns and hand guns, and operate a shooting range, but they're anti-gun?

Your rights, as a gun owner, were not violated. Some of their employees handled the situation poorly, for sure.

When you called to make the range appointment, did you specifically ask, considering you were a first time shooter at this store, about the store's procedure for checking in upon arrival? Seems like the sensible thing to do.

At least they are providing a place to shoot. Something we should be grateful for. However, if you feel you were treated badly as a customer, by all means, send a thoughtful letter to the management.

K

 

[Limeyfellow]

Bass Pro employees vary rather wildly. I had very curt people who look in disgust when you ask them a question and then walk off.

Then I had others that have reached over backwards spending weeks search around and finding an item, having it shipped from the otherside of the country and calling me when its in stock and being friendly and helpful.

All in the same store at that. Our Bass Pro doesn't have a shooting range so no experience there.

 

[Malone LaVeigh]

I feel sorry for you folks that have to go to some country club to shoot. We have something called "the woods."

 

[Squawker]

Bass' wrong doing isn't necessarily the policies thenselves. I don't think that you would have been upset had the clerk at the range simply told you that "in the future, you need to check your weapons at the front door. But go ahead and shoot now, and I'll have security escort you to the front when you've finished shooting." It was the range clerk's over reaction that caused you to have to be dragged back to the front, just to go back tu the range. Having to leave your license, even without renting is a small inconvenience.

 

[nelson133]

I used to shoot at the Auburn Hills Bass Pro before I joined a club with an indoor range. I have always had a cpl when I shot there and never had any hassle about pistols, not locks etc. They do insist on locks for long guns even if you have a cpl. The truly stupid rule is that you can't shoot a rifle with a bayonet period. When I pointed out that I was carrying several pistols and didn't need a bayonet to defend myself, they did check it up to the top and it was corporate policy.
The people I dealt with were just fine and openly pro gun. They have policies handed down from corporate that are strictly enforced by managers and don't have any more choice about it that anyone else has at work. The restriction on steel core bullets is because they don't want anything penetrating the back wall. They are the most reasonable range in price in that area.
I haven't shot there in some time, but I did buy a gun there recently. Their prices are high on their pistols, but they will match anybody's price and I had a gift certificate. They require that trigger locks stay on the guns at all times, to test a trigger pull, you have to be taken to the range by an employee. This is with an empty gun. I won't be going back to buy a gun, either.

 

[Len]

I have to chime in here.

I've been to the range there more times than I can count. [It's the easiest, closest place for me to shoot.] I never buy guns there, there are too many other good shops around that sell for much less.

Background info: I have a CPL, and normally bring in a range bag with two or three additional firearms.

There are a few comments in the original post that are a bit murky. Finding out what times they have available is not the same as a reservation. But perhaps I did not read the original post closely enough. Also, the range counter is not right in the middle of the mall. It is upstairs, relatively isolated, and sits between the archery range and the pistol/rifle range. There is a side door to some more archery supplies, I believe.

They will want you to check in at the turnstile at the main door. They will inventory the equipment you bring with you, and lock your case/firearm. If you do have a CPL, they will inventory your equipment, give you a copy of the slip, and you're good to go. Upon arrival at the range desk, you show your ID, either DL or CPL, pay the range fee, and you're off and running. The whole process usually takes about three minutes from front door to your range slot. [Unless you get held up talking to the nice older lady or gentleman that usually monitor the door.]

I have found the greeters/checkers at the door to be some of the most friendly people around. I have found the range counter people also to be very, very nice...except for one guy [part-timer, I believe] who's a real pill! I have purchased some of their MC/FMJ ammo, and taken it directly into the range to shoot, and have never been told it was not allowed.

Did the range guy overreact? Possibly. Was the ordeal a hassle? Sounds like. All I can say is I've never felt hobbled by a shooting experience there.

There are no signs prohibiting concealed carry. At least as of one month ago.

The range is nicely appointed, and I've never had any issues while shooting.

If we keep in mind that the store location is in a mall, and that it's about a 70 yard walk through the store to the second floor range, I don't find their precautions unusually severe.

I do not consider these rules to be anti second amendment. We can shoot elsewhere. They are a private retail facility, and it's always given me a charge that here in the midst of the most "liberal" portion of the state that they are willing to sell guns, ammo, and provide a range. It's their ball, they can call the rules. They have the safety of all customers to think of, balanced against their apparent belief in gun ownership. They have, as does any business, a reputation to protect, and it seems to me that they're doing the best they can to make things as equitable as possible.

 

[jeff-10]

Bass Pro Shops in MI is anti-gun

Yah, I buy that one. Especially since my father has bought multiple rifles from them and we have both bought ammo at rock bottom prices there. That statement is reminiscent of people sayin Bill Ruger is anti-gun...

 

[nramember2]

Yup, That is why they call it "Bass pro shops" and not Gun pro shops"

 

[stevekl]

I drove down to the Bass Pro shop in Hampton, primarily to look at canoes. However, I also wanted to look at reloading components like bullets and powder. I mean I just assumed that a place like that would have reloading components.

Well, they didn't have any reloading components at all. I thought it was bizzare, in addition to being mildly disapointing. I always got the impression that Bass Pro Shop is a gun shop...and it's really not. It's a fishing reel shop that happens to have NEF Handi Rifles and Remington 870s in the corner.

Oh well. Scratch that off the list of fun places to shop.

 

[Radjxf]

I only go to BP because my son loves to go there and look around and beg for things!
Our's has a lot of guns, ALL overpriced and the obese, zit-faced children running the counters refuse to remove the trigger locks on any handguns! When I asked how anyone could possibly check the fit of the pistol or the trigger quality, the kid responded with "well that's a good way for us to get shot". I weep for our future....

 

[.cheese.]

Bass Pro is anti-gun. I will agree with the OP. They treat their customers like criminals.

Aside from the whole check-in process, here in Florida where we have no high-cap mag restrictions, the local Bass Pro only stocks 10-round mags for their Glocks. I asked if they could order some standard mags and they said they would not.

Furthermore, I have had majorly bad experiences with their customer service. Before I knew enough about guns and ammo to make fully informed decisions, a salesperson there convinced me to buy, and sold me about $200 worth of ammo that turned out to be inappropriate for my gun. It didn't work well, jammed like crazy, etc etc. At first I thought it was the gun, so I took it to another range and bought a box of each type of ammo they sold in 9mm. The gun worked fine with those. I felt shafted because the salesperson had told me that he knew that the ammo would work 100%.

So I went back to Bass-Pro and showed them that I had only gone through 2 boxes of the ammo they sold me, but the other boxes were unopened and asked to exchange it for another ammo that I had found worked at the other range. They refused. They said that they didn't know whether or not I had put reloads in the boxes or not. I was offended because I was basically being treated like a criminal. I don't even know how to reload. I wasn't even asking for a refund. Just an exchange. I called corporate HQ and for the remainder of the day worked with them to try to work something out. They ultimately called me the next day and said, "Sorry, you're stuck with that ammo, we will not return or exchange it." It was like $170 worth of unopened, unused premium ammo.

Went to my local gun store and told them the story. They said they'd take it and give me store credit for it even though I hadn't bought it there. Since then I've spent nearly $4,000 at that LGS. Bass Pro lost that money and can kiss my rear.

 

[Lupinus]

Never had any of those problems and I would have told the guy to shove it and walked out. The only time i have ever had to have my firearm checked was at an indoor range I used to go to when I brought my .22 along so they could see it was actually a .22 and not a larger rifle which is acceptable.

But having to check every firearm coming it? DL, blah blah? Hell no.

 

[whited]

.

I buy my guns from friends or local dealers - Not some giant faceless
corporation. I doubt I'll ever step foot inside a "Bass Pro Shops" store.



Solution to your problems = don't patronize that organization.

One wonders, though, how a store that stocks a million guns could be
called "anti-gun".

 

[k_dawg]

They do treat those going to the range as near-criminals. Which is a real shame, as their facilities often are good for the price.

I ignore their signs thou. Concealed means concealed, and in Florida, those signs have no legal weight.

 

[.cheese.]

One wonders, though, how a store that stocks a million guns could be
called "anti-gun".

Do you think the corporate execs for McDonalds eat burgers and fries all the time?

Making money for many corporations is about - money. Often unfortunately it's not about a love for your product.

I'm sure there are plenty of owners of Ford dealerships who drive BMW or Mercedes brand cars...... etc etc.

 

[ozarkhillbilly]

I do not think many understand the legal realities of today’s world, most of Bass Pros rules are due to problems they have already experienced.

Just today at the company where I work our legal department came down and said to throw away all of our wet floor signs, you know the yellow a-frame ones, all because we got sued and lost because by putting up the signs we were acknowledging that the floor was slick and not doing anything about it. Of course we were putting up the signs telling people about the wet floor but that did not count, it only showed we knew we negligent. In today’s world of sue happy people you have to take extra steps to avoid law suits, other wise you will end up paying for some fat ladies mental anguish over falling on a wet floor that she was told was wet.

 

[HerrWolfe]

Open up your own range and write policies to suit yourself.....or, accept some minor [only] difficulties and trudge on. But send letter explaining the difficulties, in pleasing and sane words, so that they understand you want to shoot but minimize the bull. And they should know that the gatekeepers need further training on where the bullets emerge from the gun .

 

[akodo]

The Dundee Cabela's has one small sign on one of the dozen or so entry doors. It says that all firearms must be checked at the front desk, for "everyone's safety". It wasn't always that way, I wonder if they had an incident that caused them to change their policy.

I have always assumed these policies are directed at people carrying in firearms to sell, have repaired, or whatever, people who don't have a CCW.

Otherwise simply pull out your permit and say 'the state has enacted a law that authorizes me to carry it thus, and your store doesn't have the proper signage to prevent me from carrying here. I am sure your policy applies to people without a permit bringing in a gun to be fixed'

You are giving them the answer you are looking for, as well as giving them a logical reason to accept your answer and regurgitate it back up in the form of 'offical okay'

You can always beat them to the punch with 'Or contact your manager, he'll have the phone number of the corporate legal department, they can clarify it for him, and he can explain it to you'

I've done that before, (not dealing with CCW) when I thought a clerk was about to 'I need to check with my manager' me, and that sure took the wind out of his sails

 

[QuackAddict]

How about rewording your title from "Bass Pro Shops is anti-gun"? Here are some alternatives:

"Bass Pro hires incompetent airheads"
"Bad experience at Bass Pro shooting range"

Bass Pro sells guns, offers gun owners a place to shoot them, and invites/accepts CCWers. One bad experience with the staff at a store does make them "anti-gun", just anti-convenient.