Jerk at a gunshow

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saturno_v

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This happened to me many months ago, I just want to share it with you guys.

The Washington Arms Collectors which I was member up to last year has a strict no concealed/loaded guns policy on its premises and they check everyone coming in (check for membership card and put plastic straps on firearm actions)

So I was strolling along with my bag carrying inside my nickel S&W Mod 29-2 with an 8 3/8 barrel, I was hoping to find exactly the same revolver in blued finish to trade.

I stopped at one bench attracted by 2 particular firerms, a Ruger 338 rifle and a S&W 22 pistol.

Price was good and I really did like the wood on the rifle.

I started to negotiate the price and basically ready to make a deal...the guy saw the cash in my hands.

By the way, I have an accent because I'm a native Italian and moved in Northamerica in the '90s but I'm an American citizen (naturalized)

Basically before paying the guy, my eyes went on a beautiful S&W 29-2 blued with an 8 3/8 barrel complete with box, papers and cleaning kit...exactly what I was looking for to trade my nickel one!!

So I ask to the guy if he is willing to trade and he tells me "Sure, show me what you got"

So I open the bag and I show him my pristine nickel revolver...he look at it and he start mumbling about "guns smuggled for Canada or so", then he ask where I come from and I tell him that I was born in Italy, then he aks if that the revolver was "really mine" than I replay "of course"..

He kind of make a gesture to someone as he keeps talking to me and I start to get really irritated.......suddenly one of the security guy from the gunshow tap my shoulder and ask me to show him an ID.....a small group of people form around me...

I show the guy my driver license, my membership card and my CCW permit....he look at it then he says to the vendor "he is fine" and walks away.

The vendor then smiles to me and says "I'm sorry but you need to be careful nowdays, I heard your accent and I just wanted to make sure...I tell you what, I give you a couple of bags of jerky beef for free for the inconvenience"

I look at him in disgust and I say "I suppose jerks abound around here" and I walk away...he briefly chases me asking if I still want to buy the rifle and the 22, he would give me even a "better deal",...I keep walking just ignoring the guy...

I did not renew my membership card this year.....prices are ridiculous anyway and I do not like much many of the people attending or the vendors...bad vibes and attitudes.

Any thoughts or opinions??
 
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Sorry to hear he treated you so rudely – But on the other hand, it depends entirely on you how much you’re going to let something like that effect you. Who knows you could have played it up more and gotten a killer deal :D
 
The guy was trying to be careful but didn't seem like he was being rude. Yes it sucks to be on the receiving end but it seems that he did it without malice and seemed courteous the whole time. The security guy seemed professional as well. I think you lost out on the deal you wanted.
 
The guy was trying to be careful but didn't seem like he was being rude.
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"I'm sorry but you need to be careful nowdays, I heard your accent and I hjust wanted to make sure'..
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I heard your accent? that sounds extremely rude to me. Just because someone has an accent doesn't mean you should treat them differently...
 
The guy was trying to be careful but didn't seem like he was being rude. Yes it sucks to be on the receiving end but it seems that he did it without malice and seemed courteous the whole time. The security guy seemed professional as well. I think you lost out on the deal you wanted.
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I gotta agree. He may have been burnt in the past by folk trying to trade off stolen guns and was just makin' sure you were legit. Unfortunate as it is, some of us just fit certain profiles........seems he tried his best to make up for any inconvenience you may have experienced and you let your pride take priority over getting a good deal and some free jerky.
 
There's a lot of ignorant people in this world that have distrust of anyone who's "different".

try being from the deep south and go up north. See what a thick southern accent will do for you.
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That works the other way too. There is still a big prejudice against "yankees".


Personally, I think there are often a lot of reasons to dislike people on an individual basis. There's no need to generalize folks based on appearance or origin.


It seems to me that people seem to put a lot more effort into finding reasons to distrust and hate than they do to trust and like those outside their immediate group.
 
Words of advice:

Grow some thicker skin.

It will help with not just attending gunshows but also in other life ventures.

try being from the deep south and go up north. See what a thick southern accent will do for you.
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Or from the north and going south. Im originally from MI. Southerners do not trust yanks.
 
try being from the deep south and go up north. See what a thick southern accent will do for you.
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or walkin' into a fancy restaurant full of old folk, wearin' your leathers and 600 miles worth of road grime.
 
The vendor then smiles to me and says "I'm sorry but you need to be careful nowdays
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or not and face loosing his license and ultimately his freedom. Too bad he has to hurt a few feelings in the process.
 
try being from the deep south and go up north. See what a thick southern accent will do for you.
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It depends... if your cute, female and blonde it may get you and your southern hospitality a long way :)
 
try being from the deep south and go up north. See what a thick southern accent will do for you.
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Haha, Well certainly none of us highroaders would treat someone different becuase they had a thick southern accent right?
 
I do not like beef jerky!! :evil::D

However, in a gunshow run by the Washington Arms Collector you are in a controlled environment I already been "filtered" at the entrance. He saw my member badge and if something was really fishy with me it would have surfaced during the paperwork phase (you need to show your ID at that time)

To me it was totally uncalled for, we were not trading in the street.
 
That's just what happens at gunshows sometimes.You put a bunch of folks who know everything about everything in an enclosed area, and sooner or later somone's going to say or do something that someone else dosen't like.
 
You should have showed your disgust by asking the jerk, What is this all about ? You think Im a criminal ? Walk over to complain to the show promoter / manager and let them explain whats going on . Tell them u are a legit gun owner and u are being embarrassed in a public place. Try to play an act and they might give u a good deal ... LOL
 
Nathan

Trust me I was complaining about when the security guy was checking my various IDs....
 
However, in a gunshow run by the Washington Arms Collector you are in a controlled environment I already been "filtered" at the entrance. He saw my member badge and if something was really fishy with me it would have surfaced during the paperwork phase (you need to show your ID at that time)
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You didn't mention this in your initial post, however I still can understand why he did what he did. I work in a bar and the customers seem to get younger and younger (I'm not getting older dammit!) I've re-checked IDs from people even though there were checked by my doorguy because I just couldn't believe that this particular girl was over 21 (she was 24).
Was I being a dick? no I was looking out for my bar and the owners and I did it courteously. The man asked you with a smile, apologized both before and afterwards I think he was fine in his actions
 
He was covering his bases. It's up to you to decide how proffesionally he did so. Continuing business is all up to you.

I would have taken advantage of the circumstances to get a even better deal.
 
hnlk45acp

I did clarify that in my initial post

The Washington Arms collectors which I was member up to last year has a strict no concealed/loaded guns policy on its premises and they check everyone coming in (check for membership card and put plastic straps on firearm actions)
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Checking for age in a bar it's different than suspect someone because of their accent, IMHO

As I said, the "checking" would have been automatic during the paperwork phase without fuss....and I have been already checked at the door...he saw my badge.....at the gunshows of the WAC you cannot sell firearms to someone that is not a member.
 
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JRSpicer426

If the firearms I was interested were particularly rare or the price was extremely good I would probably have done the deal, but there was nothing really special about it...just common firearms at good prices.

I understand covering your base..but again, that would have come automatically during paperwork phase....in my opinion what he did was completely uncalled for.

The "good" thing is that it was later Sunday afternoon...is unlikely that he would have sold 3 fireamrs in one shot before gunshow closing (usually that is when you get the best deal)

Hopefully he learned his lesson and connected the brain before opening his mouth....
 
The dealers ignorance led him to believe that because of your accent, you were more likely to be lying.

However, your pride got in the way. Grow some thicker skin, and don't go stomping away next time.
 
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