Store Policies Then and Now

[Ed Wagner]

Recently I have seen some posts on the net about store policies on sales of
firearms,( a Dunhams store was the prime subject ). This goes back aways but please bear with me, In the very early 70's I was in the U S Navy, Homeport San Diego, Ca. I was the Enlisted supervisor of the Security Force for my ship, I carried on my person at all times authorization from the U S Navy to carry a weapon off the ship at all times, ( Navy issue .45 or my personal 9MM ). I was also authorized to have an M-60 MG. as a member of the Landing Force.
A friend from the ship and I went to a Big 5 store one day because they had M-1 Carbines on sale for $99. My friend had a Ca. drivers license, I had Ohio license, plus Navy ID. Big 5 would not sell me a carbine because I didn't have Ca. residence, ( had been stationed there for 5 years at that time ),
Ca. law considered me a resident because I was stationed there.
The clerk sold my friend 2 carbines without question, to the point of this I have recently seen posts of Dunhams employees refusing sales to people because " you have bought too many firearms here ", When did store policy come to over rule the law?

 

[MostlyGenius]

The law doesn't say they *have* to sell you anything. I was at my local when a guy wanted to buy an old single shot 12GA and one shotgun shell. They refused the sale. They are selling something that a significant percentage of Americans are lobbying to get banned, so why risk getting shut down or getting bad press from a single sale.

My favorite store policy is at my local gun store. They have a 15% restocking fee, to prevent people from buying and returning over and over again. It becomes a 25% restocking fee if the reason you return your gun is because your wife won't let you have one.

 

[07Lway]

Yeah I learned all about store policy on my first ffl purchase. It was the day after my 18th birthday and I went to Big 5 with the plans of buying a Mossberg Security shot gun that was very reasonably priced. I got the employee over there and he was very nice, asking me how he could help, and seemed to delight in my choice. Then he asked me for my Drivers License, and I gave it to him. He then handed me back the card and told me he wasn't allowed to sell it to me because store policy was they only sell firearms to people aged 21 or older. He did however point me over to a large pawn shop that he said was the best place in town to buy firearms. Obviously I went there and found a similar product, but not at as good of a price.

I was happy to have my shotgun, but was sad to hear of this policy since I was looking forward to buying a Mosin Nagant from them the next time they had them on sell. Still the way the employee treated me was nice enough that I hold no hard feelings for this particular store, but I do hold the company on a whole with a more scornful eye.

 

[bogie]

My old favorite store (since closed) had a guy walk in, and "try on" a cruiser shotgun to see if he could reach the trigger with the barrel to his head. They refused to sell him one. Then after he left, they called other gun stores in town. One fellow thanked them for the call, and said that he'd make sure that the guy paid cash...

 

[Robert Hairless]

When did store policy come to over rule the law?

It's the fashion, Ed. Go with the flow. Current thinking among many people here, for example, is that the rights of business and property owners are more important than those of everyone else. So set up your own business or get a piece of land, make your own flag to fly above, and declare that you're an independent country. Not only will you have fun setting rules for everyone else when they step foot on what is yours but you'll find that a surprising number of those people will fight for your right to rule them. Enjoy.

 

[07Lway]

Yeah this free enterprise and right to refuse service is really a bad thing...

 

[Ed Wagner]

Mostly, Genius, I agree they didn't have to sell me anything,my point was by their say so I wasn't a resident, by law I was,also the clerk sold 2 Carbines to my friend when obviously one was for me. ( Can you say Straw Purchase boys and girls), obviously they would violate Federal Law if doing so conformed to their store policy.
If this was done to a " minority ", there would have been vast repercussions, but to an average citizen,zip,diddly,nada. I agree that they can run their business as they see fit, but shouldn't they follow the law?

 

[kurtmax]

Stores can deny sales for pretty much any reason. It's hard to prove 'discrimination' or such. Plus, why would you want to buy from a store like that anyways?

In addition, stores that have licenses to sell products generally have much more protection from discrimination lawsuits. When I sold alcohol the ABC (the agency that issues licenses and such) told me that I can deny a sale for any reason. And that I should not sell prohibited items to people that I think shouldn't have them, even if they have correct credentials and such.

Plus it's illegal to sell alcohol to people that are intoxicated, so you could just say they looked drunk if a court case came up

 

[MostlyGenius]

Ed,

What I would say is that you are enough of a 'corner-case' to confuse the retail employee. He doesn't know the law, and probably doesn't have much of a grasp on store policy.

Most stores that are not primarily gun stores are going to choke at anything other that state issued ID. They can't get in trouble for *not* selling a gun.

This is kind of a plug for support your local gun shop. I was in a gun store in WA state and overheard the employee detail to a semi-prospective customer the hoops that he would need to jump through in order to buy a supressor. The sales guy was 100% spot on and didn't conceal the fact that a supressor was several thousand dollars, lots of paperwork, months away, and illegal to shoot within the state. That guy would have most certainly known what needed to happen with your corner case ID.

Additionally, I believe all that all of this sort of over-regulation is waste of everyones time and money. The proxy buyer/straw purchase example illustrates this.

 

[Mot45acp]

Academy in TX:

I happen to share a full name with a 2 time felon in KY. I always got delayed on the NICS check. In TX they delay you for 3 business days, then you can pick up your firearm as long as not denied. Academy will not accept moneys or release a firearm until an approval is issued from NICS. My local gun shop would call me any where from a week to 3 months later to let me know "I went through"

I have since got my CHL and my problem has been alleviated. Can you imagine not being able to purchase at gun shows?




'

 

[Ed Ames]

There are some retailers that take it to extremes. Sportsman's Guide used to send me catalogs in California that listed literally everything I would even remotely consider buying from them as "no shipments to california" ... even though I could order the same items from Cabela's or a dozen other places (that actually went by the law instead of making BS policies up).

Needless to say I still don't buy anything from them though I'm now in Texas. I suspect I never will. Cabela's, on the other hand, sends me special hard-bound catalogs and tries to sell me midsized western states a parcel at a time