Worst lines you've heard from gun sellers?

[FREERANGETIME!]

Idiocy at its finest

I was in the firearms department of an Academy Sports and overheard a young sales guy talking with a gentleman and his daughter, the young lady was going off to college and dad wanted her to have a gun, they settled on a Taurus TCP .380, the young lady says to the salesman "what about ammunition?" without skipping a beat he immediately replies "oh, you can't get ammunition, the military is getting it all because it's what they practice with" it is true that they didn't have any .380 ammo in stock at that time but the statement he made would have set off alarm bells in the mind of an experienced gun owner. Thats the problem with the big box sporting goods stores, they rotate the staff between whatever departments happen to need them the most on any given day. Cabelas, Bass Pro and Gander Mountain at least have dedicated gun counter staff, not saying they are all experts but a test of ones gun knowledge is part of their hiring criteria.

 

[P5 Guy]

ID requirement. Gotta be 21 to buy pistol ammo. I agree it's a silly question because no 18 y/o is falling for that one twice... Of course, most of their clerks really don't understand why they are asking, Walmart is just covering themselves.

I was in my mid forties at the time.

 

[Warp]

I was in my mid forties at the time.

It's not uncommon to have "everybody gets carded" policies to remove any possible screw-up on subjective judgment calls by employees, and to help employees remember to do it since it literally has to be one on every sale.

As shooters we should know that consistency is a very helpful thing, after all, eh?

 

[stchman]

I had a seller insist that the extra Glock mags that he had for the G19 were worth $40/each. He just ignored the few links I sent showing them for sale new for $25.

I bought factory Glock mags for my G34 for $19.99 each from Natchez.

I guess the difference is that HE had not touched them.

 

[bearcreek]

I bought factory Glock mags for my G34 for $19.99 each from Natchez.

I guess the difference is that HE had not touched them.

Yup, this was as the panic after Newtown was dying down somewhat. Mags hadn't quite got back down to pre-panic levels. My guess is the guy paid an exorbitant price for them and didn't want to stomach that much of a loss and so was living in denial.

 

[Acera]

Not exactly 100% in this topic, I experienced a shopkeeper with absolute ignorance regarding guns, etc. today.

Needing to get a barrel engraved for a project. NFA guy on other side of town, and expensive, so I thought I would stop by an engraving shop in the mall and see if they could quickly take care of the job over lunch. I am dressed in business attire and carrying a briefcase in which the barrel fit nicely (which I did not open). How hard can it be to be at least 1/16th inch tall and .003 deep, right?

Went in, waited for the clerk to finish and I politely asked if they could engrave a firearm part. She got real nervous and started to shake and with her voice quivering she explained to me that because there might be residue on the part and their machine actually touches the part it was too dangerous for them to handle. She went on to explain that they would have to touch the part and did not want any of their fingerprints on any sort of gun related item.

I started attempting to politely correct her misconceptions that the part I had was basically an empty metal tube with zero explosive danger associated with it, and a rag could wipe off any prints. This was when I realized it was a lost cause and this poor lady (middle aged) did not have a clue and was getting more agitated by the second. I guess at the thought of me having a gun part in her presence, or worse an entire gun. She did say that it happens occasionally that people come in with the same request.

If we think some gun store staff and customers are ignorant and stupid regarding firearms, just remember that it pales to a lot of the general population out there.................and those folks vote.

SMH at what this country has become.

 

[hboy35]

not exactly a gun seller

not a gun seller, but a teacher at my son's middle school (Practical Law class, of all things) told the class that "it is illegal to buy a gun out of a trunk of a car". I laughed so hard that night at supper when I heard that.

 

[Acera]

not a gun seller, but a teacher at my son's middle school (Practical Law class, of all things) told the class that "it is illegal to buy a gun out of a trunk of a car". I laughed so hard that night at supper when I heard that.

I hope you have contacted the principle regarding this. Children don't need to be lied to regarding the law. If that is what she said, disciplinary action needs to be in her future.

 

[larry_minn]

I once went into a gun store where a clerk was trying to convince a first time buyer to get a Glock. According to the clerk, whenever a new model comes out they submerge a few in a salt water tank for a YEAR as part of their test.

Added onto this, this same clerk was at the knife counter in the same store a week later saying he didn't know anything about guns and shouldn't be answering gun questions.

Sounds good to me. This clerk got chewed out for stupid gun info. Was restricted to knife counter and NOT allowed to answer any gun questions.

sounds like possibly a well run store.

Mine was a gun show. I talked a newer Police officer who carried a OLD Taurus revolver into going. (he borrowed the gun, strap holster likely from 1960s)
Well he was looking at a semi auto (Taurus PT 92 IIRC) he thought they were quality... Anyway dealer also had a Jennings (type) mouse gun.
He offers to toss in the Jennings (no paperwork) if he buys Taurus on 4473. With words to effect "That way if someone breaks in and you shoot them and they are unarmed you can put this throw away gun on the body and the cops will call it a good shoot"
We looked at each other... Looked at him, I said "go ahead if you want" but he just shook his head and walked away. (not wanting to badge the idiot)
I understand as it would be PITA and he then should continue....

 

[19-3Ben]

I think the best - goofy - line so far has been the one about 'opening guns and checking chambers'. Falls under the heading of 'not familiar with the subject'.

Gotta agree. My gun shop has a rotating display with a bunch of ammo taped up to it. I once asked the clerk what it was and he told me that it's a display of ammo that came out of all the "unloaded" guns that have come into the shop. There's everything from .22lr up to a few rounds of some belted really big game ammo i can't quite identify. They never trust the customer, and they check every time, as they should.

 

[Hokkmike]

My gun store guys are good guys... So, nothing locally. (Except they strongly prefer to sell what they have instead of ordering what you want) I do remember witnessing a (apparent) migrant worker who wanted to buy a .30-06 rifle on time for his wife or girlfriend as a birthday present. The seller, who was actually very polite, was asking lots of questions about what other bills they owed, and etc. (this was in 1971)

 

[Comrade Mike]

My experience has been a healthy mix of the previous stories. Probably my favorite is when you're selling "oh those are a dime a dozen" when you're buying "last one in the country surely going to banned next year, full custom job and half a magazine through it, case is free"


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[morcey2]

Not gun store related, but on a local gun classified site we get lots of Mosins with obviously aftermarket scopes and mounts that are sold as "all original mosin sniper rifle" or some variation thereof. The worst one had some sort of emblem embedded in the stock, an aftermarket recoil pad, a really cheap BSA scope on what I believe was a Rock Solid mount. The stock had been sanded and covered with polyurethane. The guy wanted over $1000 for it and claimed that it was a rare presentation-grade sniper rifle and that he picked it from a newly opened crate in exactly that condition. No cosmoline or anything else on it.

Matt

 

[Lafitte]

I was looking at a used semi-auto pistol at a gun show. I examined it and found that the bore was in horrible condition, like a 50 year old sewer pipe. The seller asked me to buy and I comented that the bore was just too bad for me to consider it.

He explained that on pistols it doesn't matter, that the bullet doesn't stay in the barrell long enough for it to make any difference. I thanked him for the information and moved on.

Lafitte

 

[blaisenguns]

"The Desert Eagle was designed by the Israeli Defense forces to stop trucks."

"The Springfield is made to tighter tolerances than that Kimber."

"My Saiga has the tightest gas system of any AK."

"Revolvers and Lever-actions are useless"

"You don't need that Mossberg, just buy that ATI pump. That's all you need."

 

[Acera]

This reminds me of the guy trying to sell PSLs as Dragunovs at gun shows, would not listen to reason and would not change the tags. Guy total tool, still has a table at Houston shows.

 

[FIVETWOSEVEN]

"Those are banned from import and we won't be getting anymore"

The gun in question was a Vepr .308 which somehow wasn't banned from import like the Saigas.

 

[VoodooMountain]

Forgot one that happened at a Gander Mountain. I went with my brother who was looking for a pistol and since has large hands and seemed to like my glocks I told him he should look at a glock 21 since he prefers 45. I should mention that although my brother enjoys shooting from time to time he isn't very knowledgeable about guns, especially pistols.

He asks the counter guy to look at a 21 and instead is handed a px4. I then hear a cadence of words come out of the sales person's pie hole that makes my skin crawl..."You don't want that, you want THIS."

This is my brother's money and decision so I keep quiet while this neophyte goes on about how superior the quality is of a beretta to a glock, how simple the takedown is, how light it is, how accurate, and how it has no recoil because of the cammed barrel:banghead:

At this point I have to say something. I tell the salesman beretta makes a fine pistol but it is no lighter, accurate, or magical than a glock...or Ruger, xd, etc.

I then ask why the price is $100 more than just about anywhere else on the planet. He smiles big and tells us , "If you buy a gun from us, go break it in and bring it back and we will clean it for free." He then tells us that if the gun ever needs to go back to the mothership just to bring it to them and they will send it free, minus shipping.

Wow, what a deal!

I informed him I have had to send guns back to the manufacturer before and it wasn't an issue. He then turned red and started to argue with me telling me I had committed a felony and that it used to be ok to do that but laws had changed.

Tragically, my brother ended up falling in love with that beretta and went home with it that day. Go figure.

 

[HDGator]

My experience at the local Bass Pro Shoppes...

In Texas, by law if you have your LTC(formerly CHL) there is no background check if you show your current LTC.

I am in the store looking at what reloading components that they don't have and decide to look at the Ruger SR22. I am considering this for my daughters to use from time to time. I had money in my pocket and due to some sale the price was competitive to everything I had seen.

At this point it would be my first handgun purchase since I received my LTC and just wanted to confirm with the sales person that I would not have to fill out and complete a background check.
His Response:
"I am sorry but everyone needs to fill out the background check"
Me: Texas has it on the books that "Current" LTC holders do not have a background check because they have already gone through extensive background investigations>
Clerk: Well who is to say that you didn't rob a bank in the last week or since you received your LTC.
Me: Thank you, I will not be buying this today, you have just lost a sale.

I walked away and later sent a note to the Store manager via email informing them of their mistake and sale loss. It was nice to see a prompt response from someone who was educated.

 

[Sam1911]

Just remember that a store isn't breaking the law by requiring you go through the same process as everyone else. They're ALLOWED to skip that check if you hold the LTC. They don't have to. And a big box store like that may not want to for whatever reason, including more complexity in training their employees how to handle things like that.

It may have been a mistake, or may have been the store policy. You can choose not to do business with them if they won't extend to you the convenience of that allowance, or you could proceed anyway and get the benefit of the good deal you found, even if you have to wait a few minutes more.

 

[VoodooMountain]

Maybe it's different in Texas but where I live you still fill out the paperwork, they just don't send it off but rather file it.

Doesn't excuse his attitude, either way.

 

[Acera]

Maybe it's different in Texas but where I live you still fill out the paperwork, they just don't send it off but rather file it.

Doesn't excuse his attitude, either way.

What states send it off? From my understanding it stays with the FFL for 20 years or something, whether or not you have a CHL.

I am really not that worried about the time and effort someone spends to do a background check (I do have a carry license) when I purchase a new firearm. These micro-offenses some people take seriously don't bother me much anymore.

 

[HDGator]

Sorry I didn't complete my message earlier.

He stated I had to PASS a background check. Not fill out the paperwork. All sales require the paperwork filled out.

He was very indignant when I quoted the law in a respectful manner.

The manager that responded to me was very courteous and confirmed that I DID NOT need to go through another background check if I had my LTC.

A followup conversation with the manager was very beneficial as he informed me of what he was doing to educate his staff.

If I was that eager to buy, I would have asked for a manger that day and resolved the question right then and there. However his ignorance and complete attitude that lost the sale. However it saved me some money on something I did not need at the time.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Being told at a Bass Pro in VA it was illegal for them to sell me a rifle because I'm a SC resident. It would have been legal if I were a NC resident, however.

I thanked him for his time and drove straight to another gun store with my money and bought my rifle. Then called the Bass Pro store manager up, explained to him what just happened and how he lost (X) amount of money in business that very day.


My standard line for hawkers who claim "there were only (X) amount of these made" is "I know, and I have three of them."

 

[Rockrivr1]

Worst thing heard at a Massachusetts Gun Show....

"Don't worry, it's preban so its legal for you to own it"

Even though item was obviously not preban.