Do other "young" people have this happen too?

[ThatGuyHank]

So I feel pretty confident saying that I'm the youngest member here. I turned 18 in January and got my License less than a month ago. I've noticed that whenever I go into a gunshop or look around in the gun section of the local Dick's sporting goods I get eyed up. I'm sure I'm not the usual fair (I'm 5'11'' 225 pounds, white, and i wear plaid shirts, jeans that are worn/faded and skate shoes or Timberlands) but I always feel out of place. I mean I know I'm young but I know my stuff, my grandads been teaching me how to handle, identify, break down, build and work on just about every gun I've come across in any shop in the state (he was however a pro gunsmith).

Whenever I ask for a specific model (ussually a surplus rifle like a Mosin) their eyes widen and ask me "what in God's good name would you know about them?" said in an almost threatening tone like I'm a child. I remember I was in Tip's Hardware near Tuckerton Seaport (New Jersey) and the owner, the on site gunsmith and a customer were trying to figure out how to break down a springfield xd. I walked over and kindly said that I'd be happy to show them (I am NOT allowed to own handguns in NJ but my dad owns a few xd's and i've cleaned them and even duracoated one for him). All three looked like theyd seen a ghost and said "If we can't open it up you sure as hell can't" and he handed me the pistol. I dropped the mag, locked the slide back, flipped the takedown lever, pulled the trigger and let down the slide and took the whole thing apart right in front of them and set the pieces on the table for them. The customer was impressed, the shop owner laughing at the smith and the smith was in shock. Mind you the customer was in his forties and both men behind the counter were mid 70's.

So why is it that when a young man such as myself walks into a shop are we automatically assumed to be ignorant, video game playin, atheist mall ninjas and armchair commandos? If I'm interested enough and possess as much knowledge as the older folks why can't I be treated equally? I am an ADULT, I've been entrusted with the ownership of firearms by the state of New Jersey, I do NOT present myself as some young punk, gang-banger thug and always am polite and respectful to everyone regardless of their outward appearance and even treatment of me. I just don't understand, does anyone else feel my pain?

 

[M-Cameron]

well the thing is ( and im not saying its right)......most teenagers they probably see DONT know anything about guns......probably arent licensed to own guns.....and just go in there to fondle the weapons, take pictures with the guns....and act foolishly......so when they see you, theres no way they can tell if you are experienced with firearms....or another airsoft commando.

 

[Kliegl]

Because people like to look down on those not in their group. Many older people are angry that they are becoming older and less relevant to anything important, and take it out on youth.

On the flip side, most stereotypes are based in fact. There are statistical trends that show more people of a certain ethnicity are more apt to be criminals, and younger drivers are in more wrecks because of bad judgment.

The only real way to deal with it is to be better than the other guy. So, learn all you can, and enjoy showing them up.

 

[joeq]

well the thing is ( and im not saying its right)......most teenagers they probably see DONT know anything about guns......probably arent licensed to own guns.....and just go in there to fondle the weapons, take pictures with the guns....and act foolishly......so when they see you, theres no way they can tell if you are experienced with firearms....or another airsoft commando.

Licensed to own guns? I'm assuming you live in a communist state.

 

[KCFirepower]

hey, sometimes it can really help when you're buying stuff.

My father was a gunsmith when I was growing up and sometimes it helps to play dumb on some deals when some folks don't know what exactly they have at gunshows.
Some old congers just know enough not to know enough....but some know enough.

Most of the time it's annoying though. Sometimes you have to wade through lots of diatribe and false histories for surplus stuff, etc.

Be careful and don't worry, you'll grow into it

I'm only in my late 20's, but I still remember the feeling.

 

[jleyring]

Cant tell you the many times ive walked up to a gun counter and they walk by me as if i wasnt a real customer. Asking to see a Beretta 96, i asked if i can break it down and the guy looks at me and says very sarcastically "only if you can put it back together." Couldve hit him. Or when i ask to see a gun and they cant find it when i see in in plain view and then try and tell them which one it is and they tell me im wrong. After about 20 seconds they grab the one i told them and hand it to me. Ive been reloading for years and when someone asked my father for advice he told them to ask me because i knew more. the person scoffed and said "what, he doesnt know". Lucky for me my father trusts me and told them, "he knows more then i do, he loads 90% of my bullets for me" It gets frustrating. It is always fun to tell them that i own more guns then they do, that im a CCW permit holder and that i know more about guns and reloading then them also.

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

go away kid, you bother me




actually, i still get the same thing, even though i do my own gunsmithing and have been a shooter for 20 years lol. i look younger than i am. i don't care. countertop commandos are just like used car salesman.

 

[splithoof]

Yep, been there when I was younger.
From my experience, a huge percentage of "gun shop owners" are highly arrogant, and believe that only they know what is under the counter or behind them in the rack. Now I can understand that many of them are tired of dealing with people who are just starting to get into shooting and guns, but if this is the case they should retire or move on. Their attitude dosen't help our cause, but they often fail to see themselves in the mirror. I am glad to see however that there are also some really good ones out there, but they have to be found. To them I say thank you by means of a sale, and continued business. I will gladly pay more $$ to the good ones, and let the rude sink.

 

[Maia007]

Take the high road. Be yourself. Rise above it. I can see that you are capable of that.

Don't worry about other people think. It happens to young people and always has. Equally egregious things happen to older people solely because of their age and always has.

Such is the way of the world.

 

[Konstantin835]

I know what you mean. I'm 16 and whenever I go to look at guns everyone always gives me funny looks and talks to my dad (He always comes because I'm only 16 but I can and do legally own long guns) like I'm not even there, even though I'm the one who knows about and is into guns. I guess there is some truth to the mall ninja airsoft commando stereotype but like Kliegl said, people like to look down on those not in their "group". There isn't really a way to get around it except to prove you know what your talking about or maybe become a regular at a local shop so they get to know you. I definitely feel your pain.

 

[Mr.454]

I had the same problem at a local gun shop. So I went elsewhere and found a GOOD shop with guys who wanted to teach not sneer. Even when your older there are still some owners that will treat you like you are an inconvenience. Just shop elsewhere.

 

[Ian]

As a long-haired hippie-looking guy who's dealt with the same thing, I would suggest a couple things. Most importantly, keep reading and learning - a lot of what you probably know at the moment is probably internet myth. At least, a lot of what I thought I knew for a while was inaccurate - and I only discovered it by continuing to be receptive to new information.

Second, in some cases you might want to hang out with a better class of gunnies. I don't know the people you're around, but some older folks think it's really neat to have a young kid with a real interest and knowledge, and others are just crotchety jerks who won't see anything more than a stereotype in you. Hang out with the first kind. It may take some time to convince them that you're genuine, but it's well worth the relationships you can develop. Working on those kinds of relationships is what got me to the point where I can go shoot some really exotic guns that I could never possibly own myself.

So why is it that when a young man such as myself walks into a shop are we automatically assumed to be ignorant, video game playin, atheist mall ninjas and armchair commandos?

Because most of them are (though not all the attributes you list are actually negative).

 

[Vaarok]

Okay, here's the thing- you're going to feel like you got punched in the gut in about five years when this wears off.

Right now you're a punk kid, and you can fly under the radar. Everyone will be so busy assuming you have no idea what you're doing that you won't have competition at auctions and nobody will pay any mind to you at gunshows, allowing you to operate with impunity.

If you're going to regularly frequent a shop, you have to bull past the prejudice, but once you're in, supposing the shop doesn't suck, you're in for life as a valued customer and "that really sharp kid".

Now that I just hit 27, I really miss being younger and being able to so confuse a shopkeep who was trying to sell me a GSG-5 or WASR that I could snag a Mauser or Finn Mosin for cheap.

Mostly, whatever you do, don't stop learning. Learn from the internet- people who're wrong get shot down fast with cited facts and nobody knows or cares how old you are. You'll have to fight a little bit of unreasonable "ZOMG TEH GARAND WON WW2" and M-14 love, plus the Winchester Collector Mafia and various cults to sidearms, but you can amass a scary compendium of reasonably unbiased knowledge and experience through directed searching for what interests you, plus a lot of listening/reading the ambient backchatter. And then use it to get a headstart on being a sharp, knowledgeable, skilled gunnie before you're collecting social security.

Good luck, but be warned things can really get out of hand if you're starting this early.

 

[Kliegl]

But, ZOMG, the Garand won WWII!!!

heheheh

 

[kilo729]

Because most of them are (though not all the attributes you list are actually negative).

Nothing wrong with atheism and video games!

 

[scandmx5]

Winchester Collector Mafia

Yess! I have a new sig!

 

[Murphy4570]

Vaarok, that collection is a sight to behold. Impressive, mighty impressive!

 

[oerllikon]

Im 19, (but I look early 20's). I dress in typical wisconsin attire (T shirt, Jeans, and work boots, ive been called a redneck more than once, dont know if thats good or bad). I just carry myself with good posture, when I ask to see a firearm or look at one I check the chamber, dont point the muzzle at anyone, and keep my finger off the trigger. If theyre having a conversation, interject a little but dont act like youre eavesdropping.

Maybe its how you dress? It sounds like you dress a little more "American Eagle" than I do. Sometimes I wear plaid shirts, but I tuck them In and sometimes roll up the sleeves

 

[Giterboosted]

I feel for you man, I'm only 23 and have more firearms than the rest of my family put together with the exception of my late grandfather, and it took forest but I found a shop locally that's full of nice, respectable, fellows that I prefer even at a hundred plus dollar premium to deal with, a few of the fellows working in there are actually younger than me ad just as knowledgeable if not moreso, keep looking and find that preferred gun shop, it a good feeling

 

[Ramone]

I'm only 7 in dog years.

 

[RX-178]

I can one up you on this one, OP.

About 2-3 years ago, I went into a gun shop to ask to arrange an FFL-to-FFL transfer for a gunbroker auction I was interested in. I was 22 at the time and had been carrying CCW, with a Texas CHL license for a year already.

Flat out refused to transfer a gun for me.

Turns out a friend of mine, a little under 10 years older than me had a Mossberg Plinkster transferred to him at the same shop just 3 days after that.

 

[AZ]

Sure, sometimes I don't get enough respect from gun counter guys depending on the shop and how much I've frequented their store and gotten to know them. I find many men will respect me when I talk to them and show them I know how to handle a firearm. I'm nineteen and age has never been an issue for the year I've been purchasing guns, except that I can't personally purchase the handguns they let me handle.

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

It's nice to know someone young is taking things seriously. Ignore the negativity.

 

[ThatGuyHank]

Well I am glad to see I'm not the only one!

a lot of what you probably know at the moment is probably internet myth

I would agree that many things i believed before getting joining the High Road was based on bits and pieces of folklore picked up from spending too much time with granddad in his garage with "the gun buddies". However I've "fixed" alot of it with the amazing wealth of information available at the High Road. I will not and can not claim to know everything but I'd sure as hell like to try and get there

So why is it that when a young man such as myself walks into a shop are we automatically assumed to be ignorant, video game playin, atheist mall ninjas and armchair commandos?

Because most of them are (though not all the attributes you list are actually negative).

Well I list atheism and video game playin because of some rather personal experiences. On atheism (and I would like to state out right that I respect everyone's right to believe what they please regardless of my own beliefs and opinions) I was having a rather lengthy...discussion... with a man at a gun show. He kept trying to sell me a 30-06 remington 700. I have nothing against the gun I just wasn't interested and told him I just wanted to buy a tin of surplus 7.62x54r from him. He then looked me dead in the eye and asked "Son, do you believe in God?", "Ummm yes?", "Have you shot a 30-06?", "No...", "Then you CANNOT believe in God because every man who believes in God has shot a 30-06!! Go read the bible and get away from my table" Last time I ever visit a gun show ever.

On video game playin I've been greeted once or twice by a shop owner askin "do you wanna buy one of them Call of Duty guns?" and he hands me a NJ compliant S&W mp-15. he said "I can get you a good deal on it, $1600" I decide to play along and asked "Is it full auto? can I getz one of themz Red dots?" He says "sure is! it'll empty the mag in less than 5 seconds!! and we got the red dots they issue to the special ops guys too, only 300$" He pulls out a cheap little Barska 30mm red dot sight that I know for a fact I can get less than 30$ on Amazon.com. So it's nothing against those two things just my personal experience with the stereotyping.

Good luck, but be warned things can really get out of hand if you're starting this early.

That looks more like a goal there Vaarok lol. I'm only a little bit jealous.

Maybe its how you dress? It sounds like you dress a little more "American Eagle" than I do

.

I suppose, my sleeves are always rolled up. Although I'm sure that my red, white and blue Nike's don't help. However the "preppier" look is standard NJ attire but I do wear my NikeID's that have "Hot Lead" embroidered all over them and have 9mm rims with the primers punched out as eyelets for the laces.

I can one up you on this one, OP.

About 2-3 years ago, I went into a gun shop to ask to arrange an FFL-to-FFL transfer for a gunbroker auction I was interested in. I was 22 at the time and had been carrying CCW, with a Texas CHL license for a year already.

Flat out refused to transfer a gun for me.

Turns out a friend of mine, a little under 10 years older than me had a Mossberg Plinkster transferred to him at the same shop just 3 days after that.

Ouch, I have yet to do a Gunbroker buy, not even sure if it's legal in NJ. Did they even give a reason for the refusal?

It's nice to know someone young is taking things seriously. Ignore the negativity.

Thank you, I do what I can to stay on the High Road.

I would also like to apologize for the length of this reply lol, I like to do things in one large mass than many smaller pieces.

 

[WTBguns10kOK]

Ya, it happens. I usually just do all my research on the internet. Then, I call for prices, walk in, inspect the gun and buy it pretty quickly. People always have a fit when you don't talk a lot like every other good ol' boy.