Tried to buy ammo today...

[Ohio Rifleman]

...and they wouldn't sell it to me.

Today, I went to Meijer, which, if you don't live in the Midwest, is pretty much like Wally World. Big department store that sells groceries, clothes, electronics, sporting goods, etc. Anyway, I'm 19 years old, sqeaky clean record. I'm at a self-scan machine with a cashier in front, I scan the 7.62x39 ammo for my SKS. The machine tells me to show my ID to the cashier. I do, and all is well. Until I try to scan some of the .22 LR ammo I was trying to buy for my Ruger 10/22. The machine would not complete the transaction because I was under 21! I guess they can only sell me ammunition that is physically impossible to use in a handgun! Needless to say, I am pretty about this. I would consider writing an angry letter to the company, not that it would do any good, because it's likely "company policy" or something. :banghead:

 

[carterbeauford]

There aren't many cartridges that are physically impossible to shoot in a handgun. Wonder if they'd deny selling you 30/30WIN because of the existence of Magnum Research BFR.

Decide if it's worth writing to them about, I'd probably just find a new place to buy ammunition rather than deal with such stupidity. If writing I would definitely include my above point. Also tell them they broke their own rule, they must never have seen one of these:

When I buy 9MM at Wallyworld, I am usually met with a raised eyebrow and "is this for a handgun?" I always say "maybe, maybe not" ...rules such as these might have made sense 50 years ago when you fired 30/30 in your rifle and .38 in your revolver, but not in 2006.

 

[mrelijahgardner]

Before I was 21 I used to buy ammunition at gun stores. If you walk in and act like you know what you are doing there is a good chance you won't be asked to show ID. Even if you are asked to show ID you could still tell them it is for a rifle and they will probably still sell it to you.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

Oh, I almost forgot... To add insult to injury, when I showed my ID to the cashier, an older woman, she said "You're just a baby." UGH! Yeah, a baby with a military battle rifle!

But I digress. After this incident, I will start looking for dedicated gun stores near here, as the only real, dedicated gun shop I've been to is a heck of a drive away. And I don't want to shop at Wally World for ethical reasons, namely, because they treat their employees like crap.

I am also still debating whether or not to write them.

Edit: I wonder if they'd sell me .223 Remington? I'm pretty sure there's a Kel-Tec long range pistol chambered in that caliber.

 

[sicario103]

Bleh Canada's worse, they gotta see your permit first.... wanna see a rifle or a box of ammo... permit first....

In Venezuela, you have to show them your permit when you buy something. And here's the BS part. You need a permit per gun. So if you got 5 guns, you need to apply for 5 separate permits (basic firearm course, fees, taxes, all kinds of paper work such as proof of residense, recommendations etc). And you can only buy ammo for you gun, so say you have a .40, you can only buy that. And what's worse, you first have to buy the gun (ofcrouse, the store holds on to it), then you apply for the permit for that gun. When you receive the permit, you get your gun......

 

[carterbeauford]

I wonder if they'd sell me .223 Remington? I'm pretty sure there's a Kel-Tec long range pistol chambered in that caliber.

Now you're gettin' it, PLR-16 I think. I tried explaining what a 9MM carbine is to a Wallyworld associate once, they don't understand or care, they just ask what the cash register tells them to.

I buy 90% of my ammo in bulk from Cabelas, look into it. Might not be practical if all you want is a 500 round box of .22LR though. I still can't believe an adult was denied buying a box of .22LR, maybe they thought you were going to travel to Britain and start leaving rounds on the streets.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

I do honestly feel very sorry for you folks up north in Canada, and the firearms enthusiasts across the pond in the UK. I only hope that we don't follow the same path here in the US of A.

maybe they thought you were going to travel to Britain and start leaving rounds on the streets.

lol! That just made my day!

 

[Euclidean]

I've made that point to other stores before how dumb that is, because I've never seen a caliber on anyone's shelf that I personally don't know of a pistol platform for. If nothing else I used to point out the words "long rifle" on the box in the case of .22 LR.

"So you'll sell me this big old powerful rifle catridge, but not this little bitty dinky one which isn't half as dangerous?"

 

[SnWnMe]

My local Wal Mart sells ammo (imagine that in So Cal) but not after 2100. And if you are under 21 and you want to buy ammo that can be used in a handgun you have to sign something saying for rifle use only.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

It's pure B.S. for sure. No way around it though. After all it's "policy".

I wonder if they've ever heard of contenders or encores? If they haven't don't tell them, or most likely they won't sell you any 30-30, 308, 30-06, 45-70, or 7mm mag either.

And I guess if you have a lever action 357 or 44 you're still screwed, eh?

Bottom line-Don't shop there again, period.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

Here's the wikipedia article on the PLR-16 chambered in .223 Rem. I guess I can't get an AR because I couldn't buy the ammo for it! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kel-Tec_PLR-16

My local Wal Mart sells ammo (imagine that in So Cal) but not after 2100. And if you are under 21 and you want to buy ammo that can be used in a handgun you have to sign something saying for rifle use only.

I like that policy, then I could have just signed the papers and be on my way. But noooooo... :banghead:

 

[Sheldon J]

Curious

They usually just ask if it is for a handgun or riffle, give the wrong answer and no brick (anything less than 500 rounds is a waste of time)

 

[m0ntels]

The TC Encore makes every round into a handgun round from 22 CB to .500 on up...

Randy

 

[crunker]

RELOAD.

 

[mordechaianiliewicz]

They ask if it's for a rifle or pistol at my local Wally World even if they know you are over 21, unless you are a regular. I started getting Winchester White Box every two weeks, and have discovered the local guy there even knows a little about guns.

 

[telomerase]

Ha, old memories. They had that same stupid policy ages ago when I lived in the poisonous nut state.

I wonder if they'd sell me .223 Remington? I'm pretty sure there's a Kel-Tec long range pistol chambered in that caliber.

For Cthulu's sake, don't explain Encores to them or they'll never sell another round to the 18-21 set (you're only old enough to be cannon fodder and vote, not old enough to go to the range?)

 

[Car Knocker]

RELOAD.

Kinda tough to reload the .22LR that he was not allowed to purchase.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

Yeah, you can't reload rimfire, unfortunately. And all this about Encores and Contenders from TC is all news to me. I'd never try to explain it to them anyway.

The thing that irritates me most about this incident, is that I was never even asked if the .22 ammo I was trying to buy was for a rifle or handgun. If it matters, I was trying to buy four boxes of 50, so 200 rounds total.

I also find it stupid that I can legally purchase a .50 Barrett semi-auto rifle capable of killing someone from thousands of yards away and can be used to cause all sorts of havoc and mayhem.... But I can't go to a FFL and buy a .22 target pistol that wouldn't harm anyone past a couple of hundred yards, if that much. :banghead:

I love that banghead smilie. Sums up how I feel about these idiotic guns laws so well.

 

[el44vaquero]

Theory is you couldn't conceal a rifle or shotgun as easily as a handgun.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

That is my figuring as well. But at 18, you are considered a full adult member of society with all the responsibilities and rights and privlidges that go with it. Except for buying a handgun. I can vote, raise a family, go to war and die for my country, but I can't buy a handgun. That doesn't make ANY sense to me.

 

[razorburn]

Also drink alcohol and certain jobs and some other things like that. I guess at 18 you're more of at an intermediary stage between full adulthood and being a minor.

 

[TFin04]

I would consider writing an angry letter to the company, not that it would do any good, because it's likely "company policy" or something.

It is not "company policy" it is a law. You'll get the same thing at any other store you go to.

Sometimes you can convince the clerk that you'll be using it in a rifle and they'll let you buy it. I have a buddy who shoots a 10/22 and this usually works for him. He tried it with a box of 9mm...no dice. It's totally dependant on the clerk working at that time.

Try to purchase it at a sporting goods counter if the store has an extra one. I think Meijer will still allow you to make a purchase directly in the sporting goods section.

I can vote, raise a family, go to war and die for my country, but I can't buy a handgun. That doesn't make ANY sense to me.

You CAN buy a handgun, just not from a FFL dealer. Find a private seller in your area, get a purchase permit from your local PD and buy buy buy. That's the process in Michigan, anyway.

 

[dfaugh]

It is not "company policy" it is a law. You'll get the same thing at any other store you go to.

Huh? Where's it say that?

I'd write a letter.

Ahh, fo the good old days....I used to routinely buy shotgun, .22 and even centerfire ammo---when I was 14 or 15.

 

[gm]

Id recommend finding a local gunshop and buying from them,better to support them than these places like meijers and wally world that move in and under cut the prices of the gunshops.


Some of these super marts have staff that follows the screen and cant make any decisions,ask a question and watch the blank look.One more reason to support your local shop.

 

[Ohio Rifleman]

I'm thinking I'll write a letter, not that it'll likely do much good. Maybe I should go out and buy some nice stationary or something... I don't know if they'd take it seriously if I wrote them a letter on notebook paper.

I will endeavour to remain civil in my letter, despite how satisfying it would be to tell them exactly what I think of their policy and suggest a bodily orfice in which said policy could be stored.

Maybe from now on I'll buy all my ammo at gun shows or gun shops.