Gun store clerks

M

mrt949

New member
Was at a gunstore .Over heard a conversation .Husband and wife .They had 4 different revolvers on the counter .Airweight smith , concealed hammer .7 shot 357. Last but not least 44MAG. snubnose.
NO EXPERIENCE In shooting .SHE was set on buying the 44MAG.
Neither The clerk or HUSBAND Tried to talk her out of buying it .

She said BIG GUN BIG BULLETS .
I Have no respect for that gun shop .
MONEY Is the bottom line .
 
If she is smart enough to shoot 44 special she will probably be okay. I shoot a lot of those and the recoil isn't bad at all.

If she starts with 44 magnum ammo she will probably wish she hadn't.
 
That's about the husband, not the shop. Store clerks are paid minimum wage and somebody keeps telling 'em the customer is always right.
 
I agree with T. O'Heir. Not really that egregious on the part of the cleark. Now if the clerk had been suggesting, and pushing the 44 Magnum it would be a different story.
 
Neither the Husband or the Clerk tried to change Her decision .
The husband didn't show he had any firearm experience .
 
Hubby knows the deal.

He figures it'll pan out one of two ways:

1) wifey doesn't like the .44MAG and it's all his

2) wifey realizes they'll lose too much trading in the .44, so she wants another gun (which hubby also gets to shoot)

Hubby wins either way.
 
The last time I had a clerk in a gun store tell me "You don't want that", he was told that it was not his job to tell me what I want, it was his job to sell me what I told him, I wanted. If I wanted his advice, I would ask for it.

Might have been the same guy. ;)
 
Let's say you wanted an... oboe. Let's say you know zilch about music. Let's say you wandered in to a store that sells oboes.

I think we might all agree that if you know NOTHING, and you didn't think to ask a friend (who knows music) or dig a bit online (about music) or investigate some books (on instruments) then maybe we'd all agree that whatever the heck that music store sells to you from their infinite array of oboes...

...is probably exactly what you deserve.

If you can't be bothered to help yourself in the slightest then your WALLET and your TIME will be the method by which you learn. (or the method by which you fail)

Much ado about nothing. If you want to make a change in the lives of prospective gun owners, open your own gun store.
 
That's about the husband, not the shop.
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Are any of you guys married?
Or married for very long?
Telling a woman what she needs to buy is about as easy as getting Hittlery Kliiton to join the NRA.
Always let the wife choose the gun, you will end up with it in your collection when she decides it’s too big, too much recoil and whatever.
Just remember the two words that keep a marriage happy.
"Yes Honey":D

I Have no respect for that gun shop .
MONEY Is the bottom line .
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Please tell me of a successful company that money isn't the bottom line?

"You don't want that",
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I totally agree with that, but think about being on the other side of the counter. I have and nothing is worse than being in the process of selling a gun and some nitwit opens up his mouth "Oh you don't want that you want a XXXX" After the person that was buying left without a gun. I kicked the nitwit out of the shop.
A good salesman will try to help someone as best as possible but you’re in it for the business NOT for making friends. If you make friends along the way and treat people with respect you will be a successful business.
But it is a business.
 
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The last time I had a clerk in a gun store tell me "You don't want that", he was told that it was not his job to tell me what I want, it was his job to sell me what I told him, I wanted. If I wanted his advice, I would ask for it.
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Couldn't agree more. It's a business and they sell guns. If the people come in and ask to buy something it's their job to sell it to them. In fact, they might come back in and ask advice the next time and buy another gun. Unless they ask for advice, it shouldn't be offered. In fact, most clerks won't be "experts" to begin with. It's only the OP's opinion that something was wrong here....just an opinion. Doesn't make the OP correct.
 
Not what you say but "how" you say it.

NO EXPERIENCE In shooting .SHE was set on buying the 44MAG.
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If indeed there was clear evidence of this, then you have a right to your concerns. I feel I would as well ...... ;)

the customer is always right.
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Not always true and the only time I draw attention to situations like this, is when there are safety concerns. Most GS-clerks are safety minded as well and not just wanting to make a sale. ..... ;)

Most times, it's not what you have to say, but how you say it. There are great ways to get a point across. I have seen too many gun-guys, try to burn their kids or women with heavy recoils. Some even think it's funny and discourage new shooters. ..... :mad:

Be Safe !!!
 
If I'm the clerk, I definitely try to talk the lady out of the 44mag. I mean seriously. People always look at employees for help, where the spoken or not. Advising one model vs the other is different than letting an inexperienced woman buy a 44 mag snubbie.
 
You're being too hard on the clerk...not their job to talk the woman out of a .44 mag...if that's what she wants ( for whatever reason ) ...its her money ! ... and she should be able to do whatever she wants.
 
If I were the clerk, when she said "big gun big bullets" I might have mentioned that big bang big recoil went with the deal. I would have said it with a smile and left it at that unless they asked for more information. Heaven knows a 44 magnum snub is not an entry-level handgun, but if that she wants, what are you gonna do?
 
The clerk certainly could have explained the pluses and minuses of the revolver. In the end, personal accountability is the issue. Gun clerks are trying to make a sale just like anyone in the retail business, I get that and the reason why I don't want or need their input on anything other than checking me out at the cash register.
Firearms, cars, washing machine etc.. etc .. there is absolutely nothing that I buy that I haven't researched and have at least every bit of the knowledge the salesman has or more.
 
So a gun store clerk should have advised the woman differently because ??? And let's say he succeeded. She bought and became proficient with a 38. She was forced to use it and, despite "good" hits failed to stop the attacker. Any liability?

Once the buyer decides what they want attempting to talk them out of it reeks of questionably ethical paternalism.
 
Recoil from a mild 44 Spcl isn't much different from a hot 38 load.
A heavy 44 Mag can be more pleasant to shoot than a light weight 357.
It's really her choice, and not up to the "clerk" to decide.
He showed her the options.
 
Neither the Husband or the Clerk tried to change Her decision .
The husband didn't show he had any firearm experience .
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And maybe he didn't, and maybe the clerk didn't either. NOT your problem. She wanted what she wanted; what's the big deal? That heavy 44 is more than likely better than some 357 snub........
 
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