big box outdoor store inattention to detail

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LocoGringo

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The company I work for is switching from a Sig 226 DAK to a Glock 17. It's a welcome change in my opinion as I'm not a fan of either the Sig 226 design or the DAK trigger. Personal preference, but anyway...I went to a large outdoor store to get my mitts on a Glock 17 to get a feel for it. The guy behind the counter cleared the gun properly and then correctly handed it to me. I also cleared it and looked it over to see how it felt/handled for me. I ejected the magazine again to look closely at it and noticed the bottom 4 witness holes (proper nomenclature?) looked "used", and then I noticed only 15 rounds for a Glock 17. Then I noticed it said .40 and finally realized the wrong magazine was in the gun. I double checked to make sure I was actually holding a 17 and confirmed I was. I pointed it out to the clerk and he was both surprised and embarrassed.

If you buy from one of these (or any, for that matter) companies, confirm you've got the right equipment before you walk out with the gun.

I didn't buy it by the way...they were WAAAAAY too proud of the pistol.
 
I agree. I was at Bass Pro Shops a few years ago to buy a .30-06. They handed me the rifle to inspect prior to boxing it up and when I inspected the crown I noticed it didn't look like a .30 cal hole.

i handed it back to him and said "I ordered a .30-06." He looked at the tag and said "It is a .30-06." I then asked him to read the barrel. He was a bit shocked to almost have filled out the paperwork incorrectly and sent me on the way with the wrong gun.

It happens. Always look the gear over before you leave.
 
Had something similar happen to me in a Gander Mtn. Although the mistake was less of a blunder. Checking out a used Glock 22, with a magazine that was stamped .357 Sig. The counter jockey didn't know they are the same magazine and took it back to his supervisor.

They were really proud of that gun, too as I recall.
 
What's shocking to me is that you were able to get an employee to show you something in the first place.

Customer Service around here is miss or miss. Bass Pro Shops (cursing under breath)
 
Interesting. I didn't even know a Glock 17 would accept a G22, G23, G24, G35 etc .40S&W magazine.

I never take a number and wait to see a gun at Cabela's. I'd rather go to a decent gun shop.
 
The same thing can happen at the LGS also. One near me had an AR7 with an obviously bent barrel. When I pointed it out to them, they said it was new and would be covered by warranty. Another place sold me a S&W M25-5. I was in a hurry and when I got home, found out I had a S&W M29-2.

Mistakes happen, and they are not limited to big box stores. It is just more fun to bash the big guy.

Kevin
 
I was in PSA one day and a guy comes in carrying a new long gun in box.
Overheard him explaining to the clerk they sold him a LEFT hand bolt rifle and never mentioned it was left hand.
Of course HE didn't check what he was getting before he left either.
He wanted to exchange it and of course they balked, like almost every place their policy is they won't accept a return or exchange on a new gun.
To their credit they did finally agree to swap it, but turned out they didn't have any right hand versions.
Didn't stick around long enough to hear the rest of that story since they couldn't swap with him...apparently the particular rifle was a little hard to find, which was why they only had left hand ones.
 
My first handgun was an Astra A-100 that I bought in the 90's. It came with a 10 round Clinton ban mag. After the ban had sunset, but before all the recent trouble, there was a glorious time! I ordered the full cap, 17 round mag from an outfit in Texas and it came and was marked for 40 s&w. I called the guy and he told me that it's the same mag!

Edited to clarify: The mag in question fits my 9mm A-100 perfectly, holds 17 rounds of 9mm, and functions well in the gun, except for the fact that it always fails to chamber the last round. It is engraved as a 40, 13 rounds. The package says "A100 9/40 Astra 9/40 Hi C"
I am convinced that it is not the correct 17 round Astra mag that I thought I was getting. Those fools must not be able to read. But, to their credit, it does almost work. If only 40 wasn't slightly fatter than 9...
 
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I am curious why your company would go through the time and expense to switch. The DAK trigger vs. the stock G17 trigger is like comparing silk to burlap. Are the Sigs all worn out?
 
It's not just with guns. I've had this happen in virtually every type of store I've been in, from home-improvement to auto parts places.

I bet it even happens in the other departments of these "big box" outdoor-sports stores.

In the end, the onus is on the buyer to make sure he/she is walking out with what they want.
 
StrawHat said:
The same thing can happen at the LGS also. One near me had an AR7 with an obviously bent barrel. When I pointed it out to them, they said it was new and would be covered by warranty.
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I wouldn't have believed this if I hadn't experienced this firsthand. Even better when the LGS that sells you the brand new overpriced gun tells you to get stuffed when it breaks the first time you shoot it, and doesn't offer to send it to the manufacturer, or help out in any way... nothing. (This was Shooters Supply in Northern Kentucky. Shooters Supply is located at 3450 Richardson Road Independence, KY 41051.)
 
Many years ago, 20?, I purchased 2 Bolt rifles from Bass Pro in Atlanta. I don't recall the details but I know I got home and one of the guns was NOT what I wanted and discussed with them. Maybe it was a 270 and they sent me home with a 270 WSM? I just know that they swapped the gun with no problem. I don't recall if it was a paperwork mistake on their end or the wrong gun was in the box and home with me but I didn't want another caliber to deal with at the time.
 
During the dark days of the Clinton AWB and a ban on standard capacity magazines, it was found that a number of 10 round mags for .40 S&W would hold 12 or 13 (?) rounds of 9mm, and function perfectly in 9mm pistols.

Hmmm . . . when I bought my 10/22, several decades ago, I almost went home with a Ruger .44 Mag carbine; the gun shop owner discovered this when he opened up the 10/22 carton he'd just brought out from the back to verify that the serial number on the gun matched what was written on the carton.
 
HankB said:
During the dark days of the Clinton AWB and a ban on standard capacity magazines, it was found that a number of 10 round mags for .40 S&W would hold 12 or 13 (?) rounds of 9mm, and function perfectly in 9mm pistols.
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well yeah, I think people in California play some games to that effect in order to clandestinely load more rounds into their magazines.
Which may be why they have plainclothes law enforcement walking around ranges listening for more than ten shots and feeling around for ammunition that sticks to magnets.
 
Devonai said:
I am curious why your company would go through the time and expense to switch. The DAK trigger vs. the stock G17 trigger is like comparing silk to burlap. Are the Sigs all worn out?
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Standardization. I work for a subcontractor of the Department of Energy and they're on a big kick to standardize all of the sites. No, the Sigs aren't worn out...not sure if that is even possible, but I don't like them. The DAK trigger is smooth, but heavy, long and stiff. The Glock trigger will be a relief as well as the lighter weight of both the pistol and the trigger.

To USAF_Vet, my story took place in a Gander Mtn. also.
 
well yeah, I think people in California play some games to that effect in order to clandestinely load more rounds into their magazines.
Which may be why they have plainclothes law enforcement walking around ranges listening for more than ten shots and feeling around for ammunition that sticks to magnets.
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You can see that from Cincinnati? What complete and utter BS. I have NEVER seen that. Non steel days are posted at one outdoor public range and it is posted that hi-capmags are not allowed but I've never seen anyone count. At the private range I am a member of, we use steel all the time in our milsurps. If you have your federal docs you can shoot suppressed and full auto. I shoot with several cops too. They are usually the ones with the hi-cap selective shot rifles.
 
Good catch!

I ordered a Walther PPK/S a couple years ago, which was going to be my wife's birthday present.

Got the call that it was in, went to the store excitedly...only to find a PPK waiting for me. A fine pistol, but not what I ordered.

They reordered and got the one I wanted in time for my wife's birthday.

Mistakes happen...and most often we miss them because we're either excited and do a cursory inspection or we simply see what we're expecting to see and not what is actually there.

There's always time to do a thorough inspection of such items...because when we screw up, we always seem to find the extra time to get things fixed.
 
captmoto said:
You can see that from Cincinnati? What complete and utter BS. I have NEVER seen that. Non steel days are posted at one outdoor public range and it is posted that hi-capmags are not allowed but I've never seen anyone count. At the private range I am a member of, we use steel all the time in our milsurps. If you have your federal docs you can shoot suppressed and full auto. I shoot with several cops too. They are usually the ones with the hi-cap selective shot rifles.
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I lived in CA for years.. I never did any of that personally but I've heard it discussed.
 
Bullet Bob said:
Wow, a human being that made a mistake. Shocking. I guess since all of us are so perfect, we're not used to it. :cool:
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No doubt, heaven forbid a mere mortal work a counter to get a paycheck. I mean I'm sure he spends each minute of the day fondling each piece of merchandise to ensure everything is absolutely perfect, because big box outdoor stores love giving their employees lots of free time to hang around and do whatever they want, of their own free will.
 
I related an experience here awhile back where a WalMart I bought an AR from forgot to get me to sign the 4473-
and then wanted me to make a 110 mile round trip to sign the form-

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=718788

The thread was closed before I could update what eventually happened, but it all got worked out and I even got a gift card, without having to go back.:D
 
Several decades ago i bought a .22WMR bolt gun from K-Mart. When I got home, I noticed the S/N on the rifle and box didn't match. Right model, but two identical rifles got their boxes switched.

Back when I bought my first muzzleloader, the shop owner tallied things up and gave me a price. I wrote the check and left. Got home and my answering machine was blinking. He'd made an simple math error and shorted himself 100 bucks. I tallied up receipts and he was right. I went back and paid him.
 
Bought a really nice browning BAR safari in 30-06 and decided to top it with a Leopold VX3 which I bought out of the case in the big box store. The gentleman behind the counter offered to install it for me and I let him. He picked out nice Leopold rings at the right height and commenced to tell me how many scopes he's installed and how great he is at them. My father and I were impressed with the stories of installing hundreds of scopes and whatnot.

2 days later I go to the range and shoot it. My groups open to about a foot or more at 50 yards after a few shots. It was then that I noticed the scope was loose and rattling in the rings. Long story short, the big box store self promoting scope installer never used loctite on any of my screws. I've since learned enough to do my own work, but I'll never forget that.
 
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