Gun store shenanigans

[Kanzenbach1]

So the other I decided to hop around the gun stores in northern colorado. I come across one that was nice when I was last here in 2011. So I enter the store looks somewhat empty on the shelves. I look around a little bit until I see something intersesting. A ww2 era German mauser. So I ask to look at the gun, and one employee comes over and hands it to me, then this guy (also employee) power walks over and watches me. I stare down the gun then look at the tag, and just above the price it says "not for sale". I see the tag and say " oh nevermind, I see its not for sale, but why is it up here if its not for sale", the guy who came over to watch me says " its the owners gun", and takes the mauser into the back room. Then I get to looking at all the guns on the walls, can you guys at THR guess what I saw? ...

You guessed it, the majority of firearms on the wall had the tags with " not for sale" on them. Though I will admit the bottom shelf on the floor was full of cheap $300 rifles. But that leaves my question, is it common for these people to fill up the shelves with their personal firearms so it doesn't look bare? I think the only Ak's and AR's there were in the " not for sale" category.

And now if that wasn't bad enough, the main thing I wanted to do was go to the store and look through and acog to see If they are for me. So I asked the guy (same one who watched me) which acog is for a 20" barrel. He looks completely bewildered them says "acogs are only based on caliber, not barrel length". I start to wonder if I stepped into walmart. And the girl behind the counter chimes in, "yea, acogs are only based on caliber, and mothing to do with barrel length". Me, "I guess I never knew that". Then I left. This behavior isn't what I am used to at the gun stores where I am from.

 

[kcofohio]

I haven't seen that kind of hired help. But our LGS doesn't have enough guns to fill their shelves. So, one of the co-owners has a section with some his gun and gun related relics on display. No tags on them like the other guns that are for sale.

Sounds like a bit of confusion where you went.

 

[TheVision]

"yea, acogs are only based on caliber, and mothing to do with barrel length".

The ACOG FAQ addresses this; the difference between barrel lengths is usually less than the thickness of one stadia line.

 

[.455_Hunter]

Hi Kanzerbacn1,

Yes, what you saw is odd, especially here in CO. If a true gun shop is having problems getting sellable inventory right now, then there are other background issues. I know several shop that have display guns, but they also have walls full of guns they are trying sell, like 5280 Armory. If the shop looks like its March 2013, there might be cash flow or management problem.

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

Hah! If it was in Fort Collins, the first thing I'd ask is how many of the employee's were native Coloradan's. Things have been known to be better in the Fort Collins suburb of Greeley. I'd really be surprised if it happened in Craig.

900F

 

[RustyShackelford]

CNN...

CNN ran a media item saying many US stores & shops now have a "glut" of weapons built in the last 24mo.
So many firms produced so many guns, now the sales are lowering and the industry has a surplus.

Poor customer service is not new.
Last spring, I went by a large shop & had to explain to a staff member how a M&P magazine safety works.

 

[Sav .250]

Nope.

 

[bannockburn]

The only time I have ever come across "Not for Sale" tags on guns is at a private gun collector show. A lot of members liked to display their collections (and I saw quite a few guns that could have easily been on display in some historical gun museum), along with other guns and accessories they were trying to sell. I have never come across this situation at any working gun shop though.

 

[herrwalther]

I have never come across "Not for Sale" tags at any gun shop. My favorite gun shop has weapons on the walls that don't have any tags, usually higher up near the ceiling. I asked one time what was up with those. Most of them are flintlock rifles that don't fire, they aren't tagged because people don't normally buy them. Some are high priced items in the category of "if you have to ask the price, you can't afford it." But rifles on the wall to take up space, look good, and can't go home with you? Seems pretty stupid to me.

 

[dogtown tom]

Kanzenbach1 ............ is it common for these people to fill up the shelves with their personal firearms so it doesn't look bare?

I know of half a dozen gun stores/pawnshops in the DFW where the owner has some of his personal firearms on display.

I don't think the reason is to cover up bare spots.

 

[george burns]

I know a guy who opened a gun store with very few guns, he used his and his friends guns to fill the shelves, and would try to "order" the gun for you if you liked what was there. He went out of business about 2 years later. Opened a huge place with a well known gunsmiths money, and that one lasted about 1 year, know he just sells class 3 stuff in a little store he splits with a friend who only sells revolvers. You see a lot of under funded gun businesses in that business.

 

[Rock185]

A few years ago in a major metropolitan area, I was in a well stocked gun store, or so I initially thought. I soon found that only very common firearms and accessories were actually for sale. All available about anywhere for similar prices, or less. They did have a lot of interesting and desireable, at least to me, guns, accessories, knives,etc. in stock. None of that stuff was for sale. I never made it back to that particular store.......

 

[Ryanxia]

I've never heard of needing a special ACOG for a 20" barrel either so if that's the case I wouldn't really consider that common knowledge.

I remember at point during the panic my LGS put some personal guns up temporarily to make the shelves not look so bare, but they were sweet items and he didn't put not for sale on any of them (although they were higher priced because they were his personal collection and he didn't really want to get rid of them). That only lasted a few weeks though and that was during the height of the panic (he mostly sells more 'tactical' firearms).

 

[MistWolf]

I've been to plenty of gunshops over the years that had firearms on display that were not for sale. Nothing unusual

 

[Zaydok Allen]

No. Anything on the shelf at my LGS's is for sale, except for a case of vintage cartridges in their original boxes. Those have a sign on the case clearly marked, "Not for Sale", and that is in one of 6 in my immediate area.

 

[Onmilo]

Your LGS had Trijicon ACOGs in stock and For Sale and you're complaining about Not For Sale display weapons?!?

 

[4thPointOfContact]

Some people have their collections on open display ("not for sale"); some people like to show off, others have their insurance structured so that it's cheaper to insure under the business than it might be under their homeowner's insurance.

 

[Sniper66]

Gun Shop in Olathe Kansas has a few guns that are not for sale, but they are in a separate part of the store and clearly marked as 'display only'. The rest of their guns, which are many, are also clearly marked with prices. Like OP in Colorado, I run into a bit of that type of thing at the gun shows.

 

[Field Tester]

"Hey Farva, what's the name of that place you like with all the crap on the walls?"

 

[Dr.Rob]

Never seen that at a gun shop in Colorado.

Can we ask which store?

And I have never seen ACOG's advertised as being for 16 or 20 inch barrels, even on the mfg's website.

 

[Midwest]

In these cases where the guns are displayed, but not for sale in a gun shop. Do they have to be listed in the FFL's bound book? What does the ATF think of displaying guns not for sale? Or is it a non issue?
.

 

[drband]

A store near me has a wall of beautiful old guns, some rare, some unique in custom cabinets behind glass. They promote their store not only as a gun shop, but as a "destination" for firearms enthusiasts. It's obvious those special guns are for "looking" only.

 

[kanook]

We had 3 bound books, 1st book was the "for sale", 2nd book was the "gunsmith", 3rd was the "owners, NFS, not for sale".

All books had to be available for inspection if requested. All firearms had tags. The owners all had NFS.

 

[Normandy]

Once, on my regular trips to Columbia, I stopped at a small (portable, metal) building that was doing service as a gun shop, humble as it was. A drafty building, and no insulation at all. On a rack beside the only door (entrance) was an Inland M1 carbine. I asked about it, and the one guy in charge said, "Not for sale. It's the owner's gun". I told him that the owner obviously has very little respect or love for this weapon, because it is completely covered in rust dust. I asked him to wipe down the metal parts with an oily rag whenever he had the chance.
Turns out that the only things for sale were Mosins.

 

[19-3Ben]

Could the "not for sale" tags just be designed to manipulate higher offers out of people? If a potential buyer holds the gun and falls in love with it, and then sees that it is the owner's gun there is room for the store employee to say "well.... i guess he could be talked out of it for the right price...."

Just a thought.