Goofy Things Said At Gun Shops

A

Achilles11B

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Every gun shop has had that special all-star who spouts off their magical brand of knowledge and wisdom that just doesn't quite add up. For example, I was looking at a chassis system for my Remington 700. I was seriously considering buying it then and there when I was told that it was the very same chassis system that the Army and Marines use, which I knew to be incorrect.

If you guys have any gems from mall ninjas or overly-ambitious salesman, post them here.
 
Some guy asked about Hi-Point's neat little pistol-caliber carbine, and the counter guy responded "Well, it's a Hi-Point, so just so long as you know it's only good for a few thousand rounds. It's kind of a throwaway gun."

Hi-Point does not make glamorous firearms, but in my experience with friends' pistols they're decently reliable and tough for the money, and the company stands behind them well.
 
A few weeks ago I went to a LGS and asked the counter guy if they had any Colt 1911s and he said, “Naw, we ain’t got no Colts they only sell to the Government”.
 
I was looking for 223 ammo at a LGS, and a part time salesman gave me a box that said 5.56. When I said no, he went on telling me I was misguided. He got quite excited and even produced a book on ballistics. I am pretty quiet around guns, and didn't feel like debating, but before backing out, I mentioned that I would not take chances on my CZ. He dropped the argument immediately. He had assumed I needed ammo for an AR.
In my professional training, if you ever said "I assume", the response was "You what?!"
 
My favorite recent one was the counter monkey who tried to tell me that the Schofield replica I was looking at was chambered for .45 Russian.

Yep, .45 Russian, not .44 Russian.
 
Had a gun shop employee/CCW instructor (he said) tell me to dry-fire my DAO J-frame with a quarter resting on the top strap. Said if the coin fell off the trigger pull was too heavy and should be drastically lightened.
 
5.11 pants....

A sales clerk remark that always makes me chuckle is this gem from a gun shop/military surplus store in a upscale suburb;
customer(male looking for security uniform gear): What about 5.11 pants?
clerk: oh YES 5.11 pants are great, very durable. You should get them. People won't know if you are SWAT or a FBI agent or who you are!
I had to walk out of the gun shop. The same place closed down about a year later.

In 2004, I had these 2 yahoos near Pensacola FL tell ME what type of .38spl ammunition I could use on security details. I was so ticked I almost got my Florida Div of Licensing handbook out of my vehicle & set these good ole boys straight. I cooled down & left.
Unfortately that area of NW Florida doesn't really have decent gun shops other than the Jays chain. :o
They have 3 or 4 locations. For having a large US Navy base close by you'd think Pensacola would be better.
 
"I need you to recommend a gun for my wife. She's not here, she has no training, and she hates shooting. Also, it should be as small as possible, and the trigger and sights don't matter. And pink."

"Does this rifle come with MOA? I need it for tactical. And [insert conspiracy theory]."

"All you have to do is rack the action on a pump shotgun, and a burglar will void his bowels, find religion, and have a heart attack on the spot."

"You can turn your AR/AK rifle fully automatic by filing this part. You just have to get a Class 3 license from the government. Unless you have a carry permit."
 
A younger counter guy at Gander Mountain talking to a couple in their 30s

Where can we shoot a gun if we buy one?
“Oh anywhere in the National Forest. As long as it is National Forest you can shoot”
Does it have to be unloaded to carry in the car?
“No only in Denver city limits everywhere else is just fine. Most people just put them in the glove box”
 
I don't know about goofy but there was a small shop here about a mile from the border Detroit, that specialized in Jiminez and Hi point due to the economics of the area. I purchased a Shield 9mm for the wife's cpl there a while back. While doing the paperwork and waiting for her BG check the owner started telling very disgusting racist jokes. Not your ordinary ones but ones that went so far past the line that I was dumbfounded. I don't know what his thoughts were but I assure you it made me and her very uncomfortable. I found it rather odd considering a large portion of his customer base are black folk from that neighborhood. Needless to say they'll never get our business again. :mad:
 
What's a "Black-Gun" ???

While paying our local Gander Mountain a visit I looked around and commented to the guy behind the counter; I see you don't have any Black- Guns. He looked puzzled and asked the other clerk which looked equally puzzled. Then I felt pretty dumb for asking, so I said, Black-guns, you know, AR types. He turned to another clerk and commented; Sure, Black-Guns, that's pretty neat !!! They both agreed. I just kept shopping around the over-priced M/L stuff !! ... :rolleyes:

Be Safe !!!
 
The owner of the gun shop closest to me , is a racist also , closing the gap. He also was making fun of on of his customers who was born deaf. He said " at least he was getting some of the money he paid in for him, back in the stuff he bought at the store. He was refering to the guys disability check. I haven't been back...
 
Tom Servo-
Awesome. Never mind you're "staff".

Conspiracy rules. That should be a whole chapter in this thread.

Last year a sudden explosion at night destroyed a suburban home and several neighboring houses. Gas leak had been ruled out, but a meteorite had not, yet. Naturally it was discussed at the LGS. Whole everyone was guessing, one customer had the latest. His sources told him it was probably a Russian missile.
Several weeks later arrests were made. It was an insurance scam by the homeowners.
 
A younger counter guy at Gander Mountain talking to a couple in their 30s

Where can we shoot a gun if we buy one?
“Oh anywhere in the National Forest. As long as it is National Forest you can shoot”
Does it have to be unloaded to carry in the car?
“No only in Denver city limits everywhere else is just fine. Most people just put them in the glove box”
Click to expand...

In Georgia that is a 100% accurate statement, except we have no Denver, where guns are not allowed. To the best of my knowledge it is also an accurate statement for Colorado.

I was looking for 223 ammo at a LGS, and a part time salesman gave me a box that said 5.56. When I said no, he went on telling me I was misguided.
Click to expand...

The clerk was right. The 2 rounds are interchangeable everywhere except on the internet.
 
5.56 NATO is a slightly different case shell and a higher pressure load. Every manufacturer without exception warns against shooting 5.56 in a 223 Rem firearm. It is possible you're just pulling my leg, but be as it may, I sign off.
 
When I purchased my 9mm I asked for 9mm cleaning kit, he walked over to the cleaning shelf and pulled down a can of Hornady One Shot cleaner and dry lube and said "that's all you will ever need".:rolleyes:

I asked a guy at Gander Mountain when they expected any 9mm Luger in and he said "we only carry 9mm no German ammo. :eek:
 
The clerk was right. The 2 rounds are interchangeable everywhere except on the internet
Click to expand...
Uh... no.

While the external case dimensions are very similar, the .223 Remington and 5.56x45mm differ in both maximum pressure and chamber shape. The maximum and mean pressures for some varieties of the 5.56 mm (different cartridge designations have different standards) exceed the SAAMI maxima for the .223 Remington, and the methods for measuring pressures differ between NATO and SAAMI. The 5.56 mm chamber specification has also changed since its adoption, as the current military loading (NATO SS-109 or US M855) uses longer, heavier bullets than the original loading. This has resulted in a lengthening of the throat in the 5.56 mm chamber. Thus, while .223 Remington ammunition can be safely fired in a 5.56 mm chambered gun, firing 5.56 mm ammunition in a .223 Remington chamber may produce pressures in excess of even the 5.56 mm specifications due to the shorter throat.

Jim
 
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