Jerk at gun shop berates the Browning Hi-Power

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Never really cared for the trigger. Damn 1911/Colt/Patent thing. Beautiful design though, couldn't be more pleasing to look. Considering the global number of autoloading pistol designs in 1935, that thing was IT!!
 
I have been selling guns on and off for almost thirty years.
I learned long ago to keep any negative comments I might have about any firearm to myself while I am in the shop.

You might consider continuing to do business with the shop and politely passing this bit of advice to the counterman.
 
I agree with the poster who says do your own research. Of course the older generation doesn't always understand that because they didn't grow up with instant information, but really.. the only thing I use gun store clerks for is to unlock the case and quote me a price.
 
man what a total jerk! thats what im afraid of.. i turn 21 in less than a month and plan on buying a piece.. i want to go into the gunshop and not feel intimidated.. i want to feel comfortable able to ask many questions so on and so forth.. customers are what pays you.. you treat them with the highest respect no matter if they are only buying a piece of gum.. without customers your business down the drain.. sorry to hear that...was he the manager/gunshop owner?
 
I like your style XaviorBreath....Cus thats EXACTLY what i would have done:)

Oh, and...

the only thing I use gun store clerks for is to unlock the case and quote me a price.
Click to expand...

I'll third that...Thats what this place is for...right?
 
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High Power 9mm; FBI HRT, SAS GIGN

I'd explain to the gun shop customer and the nutbar sales clerk that the FN/Browning High Power was in service for years with many military/police units all over the world. High Powers were issued to the FBI's elite HRT(Hostage Rescue Team) and 9mm HPs were in use with the French GIGN and the UK's SAS special operations forces.

To put down the Browning High Power pistols or call them ; "over rated" is a sure way to tell real gunners that you don't know Jack ^*$# about military weapons. :D

RS
 
I have come across many salesman like that in my time in shops. "If it ain't a glock it don't count for squat" or "colt is the only way to go, the military uses them so that should tell you right there". " smith and wesson, is there any other revolver ummmm NO"! are just a few of the examples of the things i have heard over the years. or my favorite that I heard just the other day. " you don't want one of them sa gi's unless you are a collector, you need a kimber warrior that we just got in" wow the places you will go and the people you will meet!:)

or it could be the exact opossite like my local shop, where everything they have is the best thing since sliced bread, and everything is over priced so you are gonna get screwed either way you go!
 
man what a total jerk! thats what im afraid of.. i turn 21 in less than a month and plan on buying a piece.. i want to go into the gunshop and not feel intimidated.. i want to feel comfortable able to ask many questions so on and so forth.. customers are what pays you.. you treat them with the highest respect no matter if they are only buying a piece of gum.. without customers your business down the drain.. sorry to hear that...was he the manager/gunshop owner?
Click to expand...

I don't know if he was the owner. Taking my "business elsewhere" is a pretty hollow threat, as I don't live in Austin anymore. Still, I was trying to give a local business some money and he made it impossible for me to do so.

As for being afraid of gun shops, don't. Remember, as the person with the MONEY you have all the power. I've worked in sales quite a bit and it's interesting the diverse cross-section of people you'll meet. The most savy customers are those who understand that their money is their power, and for the most part they can take it where ever they want.
 
+1

"the only thing I use gun store clerks for is to unlock the case and quote me a price"

Some of the best advice I ever heard. For fact everyone has preferences and prejudices. Some people are better and some not as good at filtering these.

Doc2005
 
Personally I have never fired a single round from an HP but I have wanted one since I saw my first one in the display case at the gun shop.Also I have surronded myself with gun guys since I was about 3 and only once have I heard a bad thing about the HP. Well it werent even real bad just some fool that didnt know crap about weapons. It was from some some fool that thought he was a high speed warrior and thought the the ejection port was too small. He also thought that a 5.56 round could shoot through 25 inches of steel ( the engine block of a HMMWV) and still carry enough energy to kill a man at 2000 meters.After speaking to him I feel that a person that knows so little of firearms should not be allowed to pack one.




one shot one kill
 
Maybe I came up a little bit more rough and tumble than some of you and probably been in more fights and get called an ******* more than most of you.

When a clerk irritates me, I look them straight in the eye and inform them that I am not in the habit of taking advice from retail clerks that makes eight bucks an hour.

No racial remarks that might be construed as offensive are allowed here. Thank you....Stephen A. Camp
 
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Okay, I'm really curious now. Which shop in Austin was it? If you don't want to mention by name general area would be enough. I've had some really bad service at some of them, so I'm not suprised. I suspect it's not my usual shop as they have really good service and don't play the X is better than Y game. Enquiring minds want to know. ;)

Tex
 
High-Power

You could have pointed out that the H&K/Glock/Sig has a lotta Browning written all over'em if he'd take the time to look...Locked breech...Short recoil operation...Tilting barrel, etc. Of course, it would require that he understand exactly what he was looking at.;)
 
The offensive quote was removed. Nothing against this poster, but since it was removed from the original poster's comments, little point would be served in leaving it to be seen elsewhere...Stephen A. Camp


Funny how people only say things like that on the internet, though. They never actually say things like that to the people they're talking about. How macho!

Anyways, in keeping on topic - the vast majority of gunstore clerks I've met have been nice guys. A few bad apples really seem to spoil it for the bunch. I had a guy at a gunstore tell me H&K's and Sigs were overpriced pieces of sh*t. I just laughed. What else am I supposed to do, drive across town to buy it from someone I like? Who gives a damn what the guy behind the counter thinks?

Maybe it's because I live in a pretty big city, but around here it'd be useless to take that "I'll take my money elsewhere," approach. You'd just be inconveniencing yourself... especially if you're like me, and take it as a basic understanding that 9 out of 10 people are jerks. If you get your product at a reasonable price, consider yourself lucky the guy didn't make you punch him in the mouth, and go home happy with your new magazines.

Or you could run around, spending more money on gas, just so you can buy it from someone else who agrees with you - which doesn't mean a damn thing. For me, it's all about getting what I want so I can get back home, and not be bothered with stores, customers, employees, or other people. I couldn't care less if the guy working there likes what I like. YMMV
 
Upon re-reading the original post, I can only guess that the dufuss behind the counter got confused and does not know the difference between a Browning Hi Power and a Hi Point pistol.
 
It should not be necessary to remind folks that offensive terms or racial comments that could be construed as such are best avoided here. There may be other forums that allow such, but not here.

Thank you all in advance.

Stephen A. Camp
 
I guess I'm lucky. Of the four shops I haunt none of the help are jerks. Some may be more knoledeable than others, but all are sincere and try their level best To serve the customers. It's sometimes nice to be a rural area and don't have to deal with large stores that have to employ whatever they can scrape up. Good help is always hard to find.....Essex
 
I guess I'm lucky that three gun shops I frequent around here actually hire people who have more than a passing knowledge of firearms. Some of the guys might not be the most personable people around, but they are helpful and never pushy. Some the store else where in the state, this isn't the case. I once watched a salesman explain to a person that if he was willing to make sure the gun was reliable, a Kel-Tec would as good a choice as a Kahr (and comparing my P-11 to by brothers Kahr, I think he's correct). They will take the time to help people compare different makes, and don't get upset if somebody spends some time handling different guns. Maybe gettng a Cabela's around here won't be such a good thing. There are no bug box stores here in CT that sell handguns. I can't imagine dealing with a gun salesman that's just a 'clerk'. Bad enough if I buy ammo at Wallyword or Dick's and have to guide the clerk to the ammo like I'm walking in mortar rounds at the range.
 
StrikeFire83: Perchance would this particular blasphemer's gun store be located on Hwy 183 near the stop lights?... :rolleyes:


Because I can't believe that the well-known Austin gun store (where Texas Rangers buy their guns) would ever speak disparagingly of a JMB-designed product... :scrutiny:
 
Bought a $700 ACOG down in Colorado Springs recently because:

1. Salesman was courteous, knowledgeable, and very helpful;
2. Price was right.

Have also walked away from a deal that was otherwise good just because the seller was a jerk.

Gun shows are getting more that way, too.
 
seeker_two, it was McBrides. And the truth is that if I still lived in Austin I MIGHT still go there and ask for another salesman. Maybe the guy who helped me was just a jerk, but I thought his BS was pretty uncalled for.

It pissed me off, to, because I've bouth 3 out of my 4 guns FROM THEM.

Like I said earlier, it is kind of an empty threat because I won't be buying ANY new guns for a good LONG time, and I don't live in austin anymore.
 
I don't own a hi-power so I can't speak to that. But I have had some experiance as a salesman. I was not taught much about the art, I learned mostly by doing. The one thing I see most salesmen do wrong is:

continuing to talk when you should be keeping yer trap shut.:scrutiny:
 
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