My gunshop conversation about C&R rifles today

Cheapshooter said:
Once asked a clerk at a sporting goods store gun counter if they had any 6MM Remington ammunition. He said "We don't carry any Military surplus ammunition". Where do they get those guys??? LOL
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Well... we put our prospects through a couple of interviews, give them a written test of their general gun, ammunition, ballistic, and hunting knowledge, then select the one who scored the absolute worst. :rolleyes:

Seriously, we answer hundreds of questions every day, oftentimes juggling multiple customers while reviewing 4473's or on the phone with NICS. We're expected to know every detail about every decoy on the market, every coyote call/antelope call/rabbit call/goose call, etc., every rifle/shotgun/handgun on the market and all the ballistics for every load made for them, as well as every configuration and caliber they've ever been made in, not to mention every conceivable aftermarket accessory available for them. Oh, and every customer on the phone expects us to be able to recite the price of every single one of the tens of thousands of items we stock right off the top of our head. I have people working for me whose strong point is water fowling, others whose strengths are in bow hunting, and others who know reloading and ballistics inside and out, but NO ONE knows it all. Maybe you could help out the shooting and hunting world by getting a part time job in a sporting goods store and spreading your immense knowledge to the community instead of complaining about "the dumb ass down at the store who doesn't know anything." :barf:

OK, I feel better now. :)
 
I don't think we expect the counter help to all be experts, but we do expect them to know enough to be able to keep their mouth shut or admit ignorance when a suject comes up that they're clueless about.

One of the reasons that I like the boards is because I am forced to research posts about things I haven't seen in quite awhile. Sometimes that research means opening up a safe and pulling out a gun I haven't handled in awhile. sometimes that research means pulling out a book in my library. Sometimes that research means googling something. It always starts with me admitting to myself that I lack some knowledge or need to confirm something that I may be remembering wrong.

I just wish that the employees at gunshops would show the same circumspection.
 
I thought the gun shops on long Island where bad, but when i moved to south Florida I discovered a whole new kind of abrasive ignorance and ridiculous over pricing. Isn't it funny how every time you go into a gun shop everything you have or want is garbage and everything they have is gold.I guess if your a very wealthy shooter, you don't care that a shop is asking $300 over MSRP:eek:! I'm the kind of person that unless I'm asking a question or know exactly what I'm talking about, KEEPS THEIR MOUTH SHUT.Sorry to yell(lol).In the hey day 1994-2001 or so there was a high end shop that opened just around the corner from my apartment called Precision Sportsman in Farmingdale NY. The owners name was Neil and he was just the coolest. It was not uncommon to hang out and drink coffee and b.s. all day long. He was a no pressure kind of guy who had no problem saying "I don't know, but i'll find out" and went the extra mile for everybody. The shop was so clean and comfy it looked like a library for guns. Man I miss that place. Since getting my C&R, I have enjoyed mail order exclusively and love my discounts at brownells:D
 
Glad to give you something to vent about. I didn't mean to insult anybody. It was just a funny story that happened a long time ago. I understand employers having a hard time finding people who really care about the customer. I'm sure you have a competent staff. I don't pretend to know everything. I do make an attempt to educate myself about things I'm interested in, especially when I don't know something new. By the way, you do have a good idea about going to work part time. I just retired last May, and since then have been asked numerous times to work part time at the gun counter at Bass Pro in St. Charles. Maybe in the future, but I', having too much fun hunting, fishing, shooting, riding my ATV, traveling, etc to punch a time clock now.
 
When my friends dad retired a few years ago, he went to work part time at Bass Pro and loves it. He's either at the store or on the boat and havin' a ball.
Cheers
 
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