Gangbangers in gun stores?

[IcebergDave]

Hey everyone, new member here.

Was wondering your thoughts on this:

I visit gunshops here in Denver pretty often, and about 1/4 of the time, I'll see someone there who *really* looks like he's, shall we say, looking for a gun for other reasons then plinking at the range.

Do you experience this as well? I have seen shop owners display all manners of responses to these guys who want to buy 3 Glocks, then call someone on a cell phone to come fill out the form, then call someone else on the cell phone to come bring the cash down to the store.

Just kinda wondering what you guys think of this phenomon and if you have any interesting stories...

 

[HighVelocity]

While I have not witnessed this I don't think my local shop would tolerate this behavior and feel confident that this "type" of individual would be directed to the exit fairly quickly WITHOUT making a purchase.

 

[Texfire]

Sounds like it meets the exact definition of straw purchase. If they are going to break the law they should at least be smarter about it. Of course if they weren't dumb they wouldn't be criminals.

Tex

 

[spacemanspiff]

yeah, thats why we only sell to good white folks.

 

[Myself]

The shops I frequent have no problem throwing someone out who evens hints at a straw purchase. In one store where there are a lot of "kids" they throw out anyone who can't prove there 21.

 

[HighVelocity]

yeah, thats why we only sell to good white folks.

Nobody made any comments about race. The guy could be green, blue or orange. It's the behavior that's in question.

 

[IcebergDave]

yeah, thats why we only sell to good white folks.

Um...explain? I didn't say they weren't white...why did you assume that a straw purchasing gangbanger-looking guy must be non-white?

 

[Phaetos]

I have seen quite a few like that. When I was at my CCW class, I saw 2 in the same day. I really wish the owners woulda just kicked them out, but they are greedy SOB's and wanted the cash they were fixing to get. Yes cash for this ... 1st two guys standing at the end of the counter, wife-beater shirts, pants to their knees, $200 tennis shoes, etc. I look over the railing and see a shotgun, a rifle, a giant handgun box when opened to reveal a tiger-stripe Desert Eagle(yes tiger-stripe) 10 boxes of various ammo and the guy behind the counter was going to get MORE. I didn't stick around to see what else was fixing to be used in a gang shooting or at the local rob-and-go. One guy was on the phone to someone, the other was salivating at the mouth while he pulled out WADS, I mean huge ass ROLLS of bills to pay cash for all this. Now the DE it self was $2000 in that store. Later that day the 2nd episode. A little skinny asian kid, didn't look no more than 19, was fixing to buy a Bushmaster. He was literally jumping up and down! I mean, he looked ENTIRELY too happy to be buying one. He paid cash, $1300 for this one. Yeh, the store it overpriced horribly.

 

[yonderway]

The strawman purchases are BS and those punks should be kicked out of the store.

As for the others, they have the RKBA as much as you & me. What you're citing is just my justification for needing a MAK-90.

 

[mrmeval]

You'll listen to them blow hard as this attitude is used to tighten up the collar on their own necks a bit more.

yeah, thats why we only sell to good white folks.

 

[middy]

A little skinny asian kid, didn't look no more than 19, was fixing to buy a Bushmaster. He was literally jumping up and down! I mean, he looked ENTIRELY too happy to be buying one. He paid cash, $1300 for this one.

Your first example was a good one, but I don't see the problem with the kid.

 

[IcebergDave]

I have seen quite a few like that. When I was at my CCW class, I saw 2 in the same day. I really wish the owners woulda just kicked them out, but they are greedy SOB's and wanted the cash they were fixing to get. Yes cash for this ... 1st two guys standing at the end of the counter, wife-beater shirts, pants to their knees, $200 tennis shoes, etc. I look over the railing and see a shotgun, a rifle, a giant handgun box when opened to reveal a tiger-stripe Desert Eagle(yes tiger-stripe) 10 boxes of various ammo and the guy behind the counter was going to get MORE. I didn't stick around to see what else was fixing to be used in a gang shooting or at the local rob-and-go. One guy was on the phone to someone, the other was salivating at the mouth while he pulled out WADS, I mean huge ass ROLLS of bills to pay cash for all this. Now the DE it self was $2000 in that store. Later that day the 2nd episode. A little skinny asian kid, didn't look no more than 19, was fixing to buy a Bushmaster. He was literally jumping up and down! I mean, he looked ENTIRELY too happy to be buying one. He paid cash, $1300 for this one. Yeh, the store it overpriced horribly.

Yeah, that's exactly what I mean...you gotta wonder, why isn't the owner just asking them to leave? I guess it's nice for them to get a huge wad of cash but it certainly makes me nervous. Maybe they are just buying guns with cash because they have bad credit or whatever...I like to give the benefit of the doubt, but I did not walk out of that store thinking safer.

Once I was at a designated range in the mountains and an SUV showed up with 3 people that fit your exact description. They pulled out several AK's and promptly began shooting at a 45° angle up in the air and just recklessly spraying bullets all over. Needless to say, we got outta there ASAP to call the sheriff, but we didn't get into cell range for 20 minutes and by then they were gone.

It burns me up to see these people with no concept of safety or responsibility needlessly risking peoples lives for fun.

 

[Working Man]

I see it a lot at the shows.

I saw a guy looking at an AK style rifle then go talk to his girl (I guess) and
walk off. Latter that day I saw her at a table buying the same style while
he was about 5 ft away. It may have been legit but it sure looked
shady and he really looked the part.

 

[dasmi]

yeah, thats why we only sell to good white folks.

Hmm...If I recall, spiff isn't white

 

[grnzbra]

Perhaps they were ATF agents trying to entrap the store owner into participating an a straw purchase.

 

[TF_FH]

yeah, thats why we only sell to good white folks.

----------------------------------------

Nobody made any comments about race. The guy could be green, blue or orange. It's the behavior that's in question.

Um...explain? I didn't say they weren't white...why did you assume that a straw purchasing gangbanger-looking guy must be non-white?

Based on the type of face spacemanspiff put, I think he was being more sarcastic than anything. You know, making fun of how a lot of racists out there blame anyone who isn't white for everything wrong in the world.

 

[spacemanspiff]

I didn't say they weren't white...why did you assume that a straw purchasing gangbanger-looking guy must be non-white?

what? were not talking about making assumptions about a person based upon outward appearances here?

the first post to this thread began with customers who, and i quote, "*really* looks like he's, shall we say, looking for a gun for other reasons then plinking at the range. "

the next sentence describes a straw purchase, which any self respecting law abiding shop owner will refuse. but the first one indicates that a person will be judged to have nefarious reasons for being in the gunshop, without having said a word.

i figured i'd throw out some bait and see if there were any bigoted motives behind this threads being posted in the first place. if there was none, i apologize.

 

[Guy B. Meredith]

Individuals who strongly fit the gang banger stereotype sometimes line up two rows deep at the counter at Trader's in San Leandro. Hard to get a peek into the showcases.

Despite their huge "Whatever % off" signs their prices are not doing anyone a favor so the banger types aren't going after that. Hopefully they are a large enough outfit to be looking out for illegal purchases.

I would quickly put a word in to law enforcement if I had any idea that straw purchases were going down.

 

[longrifleman]

I have a question for any store owners/employees. If you see something like this going on, do you have someone go in the back room and hit BATFE on the speed dial? If so, what is their attitude about having a visit with the new owners?

I know you have the right to refuse to sell, but I've always thought it was very unfair to force store owners to essentially become un-paid agents for the ATF.

 

[armoredman]

Sampei, spam elsewhere, please.
As for gangbangers, I have had many of them in the shop I worked at, and they drooled, and left without buying. I wouldn't allow them to handle a firearm without ID under the kids/guns law, and 99% of them wanted NOTHING to do with giving me an ID. The one that almost made it we caught, (two of us noticing at the same time), that it was a straw purchase, and kicked them both out. A few bucks on a sale won't pay for A) court fees, )B lost FFL/business, C) families' bills while incarcerated...

The ones that blew me away were the ones who would come in a group, with a wave of pot smoke and/or alcohol pushing in front of them, and want to use the range/rent guns. One guy asked me if he rented a gun, when would he have to bring it back!!!!!

 

[grimjaw]

i figured i'd throw out some bait and see if there were any bigoted motives behind this threads being posted in the first place. if there was none, i apologize.

Crude, perhaps, but given the number of trolls I've seen lately, not necessarily unwarranted. It might have been worded differently so those of us who endeavor not to be bigots wouldn't have mistaken it for other bait.

If it was as obvious to the store owner as it was to the poster that this was in fact a straw purchase, he should have refused the sale. Since I was not there, I can't judge.

As far as how the people looked ("gangbanger"): I might think some appearances are silly (especially that spiked-gel hair thing all you guys do nowadays, sheesh, stop primping), but that is not the best judge of character or intent.

Also, note the reaction from this thread about a man prohibited from buying firearms but using one to protect himself.

jmm

 

[White Horseradish]

Later that day the 2nd episode. A little skinny asian kid, didn't look no more than 19, was fixing to buy a Bushmaster. He was literally jumping up and down! I mean, he looked ENTIRELY too happy to be buying one.

Ummm... If people were thrown out for being too happy with a new gun, I think I would have never been able to buy any... I was very excited to buy my first rifle. What's wrong with that?

 

[V4Vendetta]

"A little skinny asian kid, didn't look no more than 19, was fixing to buy a Bushmaster. He was literally jumping up and down! I mean, he looked ENTIRELY too happy to be buying one. He paid cash, $1300 for this one. "

What's wrong with being excited? I'm probably gonna jump around when I get my first gun. Your first example was good though.

 

[Cousin Mike]

As for the topic of the thread, yes, I have noticed shady types looking around in gun stores. I guess the only question I have for Iceberg Dave is what constitutes someone looking like a gangbanger to you? If it's baggy jeans, T-shirts and expensive sneakers, that's almost anyone under 30 who isn't at work - and IMO not very indicative of someone's personality. Also, living and doing my gun shopping in a city of around 800,000 I tend to notice those types a lot less than some guy in a flannel with a confederate flag in his truck chewing tobacco, which I also happen to see a lot in gun stores around here.

Both types are often some of the nicest people I have ever met, FWIW.

 

[countertop]

Paying In Cash

my father who as far as I know has never broken a law in all his life (he is tooooo goood) walks around with a huge bankroll on him. He goes to the bank once every two or three weeks to get cash out and then uses that. He always has. I've got nothing wrong with people paying in cash - in fact I think it makes for much more sound fiscal policy and wish I would as well. We would all be better off if we learned to use wads of cash more and credit/debit cards less.

Jumping Up And Down

Shouldn't we all be thrilled that a kid is excited about a new gun? Especially a Bushmaster? Who The Heck are you to judge how excited a 19 year old should be about getting a rifle? For that matter, what the heck is the APPROPRIATE level of excitment for purchasing a great new rifle? I get so giddy every time i get a gun I usually RUN not walk right out of the store and straight to the range, and I am 35. When I was 18, my dad purchased a Porsche 911 and just showed up with it at home one day. I could barely walk I was so bursting with adrenaline and joy over it. Was that TOO excited? perhaps, but so what?????

Girfirend Purchasing Rifle

Is it a straw purchase??? Just cause the guy dresses a certain way (which happens to be how large numbers of people dress)???? My wife has purchased stuff for me before as a gift. Usually, she doesn't know what exactly it is that I want, so on numerous occaisions I have taken her to stores, etc with me and pointed out exactly what I wanted. She then would go and purchase my gift for me. I happen to do the same thing with her when I get china and other chick stuff? Are those straw purchases? NOPE! You can purchase a gun as a gift for someone without any problem because the buyer IS THE PURCHASER!