NWGunner
Member
Yesterday, I went to one of the local BIG-5 sporting goods stores in my area to purchase a Norinco/Hawk/Interstate Arms Model 982. I was chatting with the manager about NICS and the additional paperwork BIG-5 requires. I am used to filling out only the form 4473 for long guns. He politely informed me that BIG-5 keeps a national registry of all firearms purchases with the name, address, and phone number of everyone who buys a firearms through them . I asked him if they destroyed the records at any point and he said they didn't. :banghead:
What was really distrubing is that he was incredibly cheerful while telling me all of this like it was some sort of epiphany BIG-5 had and the rest of the country would be better off if ALL PURCHASES WERE REGISTERED. He then went on to say how it was a great marketing tool, allowing BIG-5 to see what and how much of a particular item people were buying. A likely story.
The clueless clerk:
So, after I fill out my form 4473, I get a purchase order reciept, and walk over to to the register to pay for the gun (I still do not have posession of the weapon). The register is on the opposite side of the store, so I had to walk across the store sorta like doing a perp-walk. I could tell some of the other customers knew I was buying a gun and were either scared, disapproving or just dumbfounded "why I would be doing such a thing". So I get to the register, and the sales clerk politely tells me "I have no idea how to ring this up". At that point, the manager who did to 4473 paperwork had to come over to the register and basically tells the clerk the exact keystrokes to enter. Finally, payment is complete.
At this point, I have to walk back over to the gun counter to actually take possession of the shotgun, but before I do so, I am required to sign another line on the form 4473 (Boxes 25 and 26 I think). Something about re-acquiring the firearm. In addition to this, BIG-5 has their own form that I sign in order to acknowledge I am taking posession of the weapon. After all the "extra" paperwork is done, the manager hands me the gun (in the box), and I make my way across the store again, with all the same customers looking on with disapproval.
Maybe it's just me, but why did I feel like some sort of criminal buying a shotgun from BIG-5? After this experience, I don't think I'll be buying anything else there unless it's free or nearly free.
FWIW, this happened at the BIG-5 in the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle.
Has anyone else had this type of experience buying guns from BIG-5? Normally, I go to other gun stores, the transaction is quick, thorough, and I'm not treated like I have the plague as I walk out the door.
What was really distrubing is that he was incredibly cheerful while telling me all of this like it was some sort of epiphany BIG-5 had and the rest of the country would be better off if ALL PURCHASES WERE REGISTERED. He then went on to say how it was a great marketing tool, allowing BIG-5 to see what and how much of a particular item people were buying. A likely story.
The clueless clerk:
So, after I fill out my form 4473, I get a purchase order reciept, and walk over to to the register to pay for the gun (I still do not have posession of the weapon). The register is on the opposite side of the store, so I had to walk across the store sorta like doing a perp-walk. I could tell some of the other customers knew I was buying a gun and were either scared, disapproving or just dumbfounded "why I would be doing such a thing". So I get to the register, and the sales clerk politely tells me "I have no idea how to ring this up". At that point, the manager who did to 4473 paperwork had to come over to the register and basically tells the clerk the exact keystrokes to enter. Finally, payment is complete.
At this point, I have to walk back over to the gun counter to actually take possession of the shotgun, but before I do so, I am required to sign another line on the form 4473 (Boxes 25 and 26 I think). Something about re-acquiring the firearm. In addition to this, BIG-5 has their own form that I sign in order to acknowledge I am taking posession of the weapon. After all the "extra" paperwork is done, the manager hands me the gun (in the box), and I make my way across the store again, with all the same customers looking on with disapproval.
Maybe it's just me, but why did I feel like some sort of criminal buying a shotgun from BIG-5? After this experience, I don't think I'll be buying anything else there unless it's free or nearly free.
FWIW, this happened at the BIG-5 in the Ballard neighborhood in Seattle.
Has anyone else had this type of experience buying guns from BIG-5? Normally, I go to other gun stores, the transaction is quick, thorough, and I'm not treated like I have the plague as I walk out the door.