Sportsman Warehouse Policy?

[k217sc]

Went to the local SW to purchase a S&W M&P40 compact. Asked the sales guy 1) did they have any in stock and 2) did they have any without the internal lock option? As he was reaching for one to show me, he advised that "they are required by federal law to only sell the option with the internal lock."

When I politely told him that that wasn't the case, he changed the story to "it was company policy" to only sell the internal lock configuration. I told him that he didn't need to get the gun down from the display since I didn't want it with the lock.

Has anyone else run into this, and does it indeed sound like a policy SW would have, or just an uninformed salesman?

 

[Jimmie]

My money is on uninformed salesman. SW might, however, only purchase the lock versionis, which would by default mean he only sells the lock versionis.

 

[ClickClickD'oh]

I bought my M&P 40 from SW. It doesn't have the internal lock. You got a bad salesman.

 

[jwr_747]

probably a miss understanding.lots of places have a requirement that pistols sold will also include a trigger lock.those cheap "made in China" locks that come with pistols. jwr

 

[Wes Janson]

Sportsman's Warehouse probably just has idiots for lawyers up in corporate.

 

[Outlaws]

probably a miss understanding.lots of places have a requirement that pistols sold will also include a trigger lock.those cheap "made in China" locks that come with pistols. jwr

Thats a good point. Most of these guys behind the counters are not the smartest. They know enough to ring you up, thats about it. I sure wouldn't put it past them. Take a look at it with your own two eyes.

 

[sierrabravo45]

Actually, the guys behind the gun counter don't take the cash for the guns.

They are allowed to be trusted with guns and ammo but not the cash.

I gotta check next time I am in a SW. The guns in the Cali compliant states probably have the internal locks, the guns in Gun Friendly states probably do not. The last S&W M&P I shot (I think) did not have the internal safety and that was at a Gun companies range day that was put on by a SW in Idaho. The last one I handled was at a SW in Idaho, and I don't think it had the lock but I could be wrong.

 

[Daggertphi]

As bad as this sounds, I have some experience in sales and it sounds to me like that's all he had in stock but he still wanted to make the sale. (Sometimes they do what they gotta to buy more ammo). Very possible he also usually watches the fishing reels.

 

[Cougfan2]

In my experience, Sportsman's Warehouse will have maybe one guy in the dept that really knows guns and the rest are just clerks. I go there sometimes on the weekend just to listen to the conversations the clerks have with the customers. Usually good for a chuckle.

 

[Yosemite**Sam]

Out of curiosity, why do you want the one with no internal lock? Does it have a better trigger pull? Just wondering because I'm getting ready to buy one in 9mm.

 

[WayneConrad]

Internal locks solve no problem that needs solving. In solving no problem that needs solving, they have additional parts that can fail--parts whose normal function is to sometimes make the weapon not function.

 

[MattB000]

Sportsman's Warehouse employees don't get a commision on the sale. At least I know for a fact they don't here. If they did, they would at least owe me lunch.

 

[k217sc]

Thanks for all the comments! It was so crowded at SW yesterday (I got there just after they opened at 1:30pm...county blue laws ya' know) that I just took the salesman's statement as fact, without looking at the gun myself. Now, here's today's update. While out on some errands, I called the SW gun department to see if what I was told yesterday would be repeated. The guy who answered the phone basically said the same thing even going as far as saying that there is a hole on the frame for the key to fit (the non IL version would be plugged up).

So, since I had been given some generous SW gift certificates for my birthday, I thought I'd drop by SW and check out some some other pistols etc. While there, I asked to see one of the Smith's and "Lo & Behold"....they were the non-internal lock versions, everyone of 'em. After I bought one, I mentioned in passing what had previously transpired to my sales guy, and he told me that they had just hired 4-5 new guys for the Christmas season, and they have a tendency to speak before they think. My lesson learned: Examine the piece myself before taking the sales guy's word for it...just in case!

 

[TacoMalo]

I doubt it was anyone's policy just a better answer than "I have no clue"

Funny story: I stopped by a shop a few days ago to buy a .308 and the guy said "we don't have one but here's a 30-06" so I decided to get that instead, then the older guy behind the counter walked by and asked "why a 30-06?" I told him I originally wanted a .308 and he said here's one. To which I replied "I didn't think you had one, that's what this guy said", and (this is the best part) right in front of the guy the old man says, "It's cause you didn't ask somebody who has a clue" Doh! The other guy looked like this I wanted to