Rant: Idiots in Gun Shops! (long)
- Thread starter Shake
- Start date
glockjeeper
New member
11B4V....
I apologize, I was thinking 12B. Sorry about that! Don't know what I was thinking. I was a 76V, later reclassified as 92A...Supply, in the rear with the gear!
I apologize, I was thinking 12B. Sorry about that! Don't know what I was thinking. I was a 76V, later reclassified as 92A...Supply, in the rear with the gear!
Shake, it's really amazing what Ernest Langdon can do with his berettas. this year he won the IDPA Nationals with a stock Elite 2 and he even beat the guy who won in the open class! if you do your part Berettas are extreemly accurate! i was just shooting my 92FS today, boy i really love this pistol and now comes the fun part...cleaning it. 
I will say that my single handgun purchase was made on two things:
1)The recommendation of the gun store clerk.
and
2)The clerk letting me handle the various pistols (Glock, SIG, Beretta, Colt, Ruger, etc).
He pointed out various features of each one and actually demonstrated disassembly for the ones I was most interested in.
He then said that in his experience the most important thing that is often overlooked is feel. If it doesn't feel good in your hand or will be uncomfortable when shooting, you will probably not spend enough time target shooting to become accurate with it. In that case, your money (and potentially your life) will be wasted.
Based on his advice I ruled out the SIG. From what I can gather, it is a fine gun, but it seemed a bit off balanced and didn't really fit my hand very well. Same thing with the Glock 21 although the Glock 17/23/32 feel good. I now will not buy a gun unless I've been able to shoot one like it.
In then end I walked out with a Beretta 92FS and will likely be making future purchases from them. The clerk basically said the things to look for and turned me loose feeling them out without pushing any single gun.
1)The recommendation of the gun store clerk.
and
2)The clerk letting me handle the various pistols (Glock, SIG, Beretta, Colt, Ruger, etc).
He pointed out various features of each one and actually demonstrated disassembly for the ones I was most interested in.
He then said that in his experience the most important thing that is often overlooked is feel. If it doesn't feel good in your hand or will be uncomfortable when shooting, you will probably not spend enough time target shooting to become accurate with it. In that case, your money (and potentially your life) will be wasted.
Based on his advice I ruled out the SIG. From what I can gather, it is a fine gun, but it seemed a bit off balanced and didn't really fit my hand very well. Same thing with the Glock 21 although the Glock 17/23/32 feel good. I now will not buy a gun unless I've been able to shoot one like it.
In then end I walked out with a Beretta 92FS and will likely be making future purchases from them. The clerk basically said the things to look for and turned me loose feeling them out without pushing any single gun.
Most gun store folk have little training in marketing, salemanship, etc. That's why it's a fringe business in many cases.
I love when you are ignored in the store when you are a newcomer. I was once looking for a 22 LR revolver and the idiot tried to sell me a 22 mag as you could use 22 LR in it.
As far as attitudes towards women, this is wellknown.
I love when you are ignored in the store when you are a newcomer. I was once looking for a 22 LR revolver and the idiot tried to sell me a 22 mag as you could use 22 LR in it.
As far as attitudes towards women, this is wellknown.
Gopher .45
New member
Building on what Enochgale said, some of these people not only don't have a lot of training or an understanding of salesmanship, but have generally poor interpersonal skills. Isolationists should not run a business that caters to the public. I hate being in a gun store where asking to see a weapon or having a question about a product results in receiving the "you're wasting my time" look when the clerk has to get off his stool to help me. My one experience where the clerk told me that what I wanted is not gun I really want, apparently what he thought I needed cost $100 more. I didn't buy there. Sometimes, gun store people just make it to hard to spend money with them.
Amelia,
Same thing happened to my wife more than once.
She likes revolvers, heavy revolvers. Main reason: we both were Metallic Silhouette shooters for years down in Texas.
A really good incident happened here just a couple of months ago. A "Good-Buddy-all-knowledgeable-expert" tried to tell my wife that she just had the wrong gun for a "little lady" an would just never learn to like it. I started to "shoot him down" but she stopped me with a sweet little "show me how that little Glock works". Well the big man did his thing at 15 yards and produced about a 6 or 7 inch circle. Wife'ie then proceeded to back off to 25 yards, and put 6 shots out of her 4" barrel 357Mag 586 inside of all his shots producing under a 2" group. Needless to say the "expert" and his vast knowledge took flight soon there after.
Actions really do speak louder than words.
Same thing happened to my wife more than once.
She likes revolvers, heavy revolvers. Main reason: we both were Metallic Silhouette shooters for years down in Texas.
A really good incident happened here just a couple of months ago. A "Good-Buddy-all-knowledgeable-expert" tried to tell my wife that she just had the wrong gun for a "little lady" an would just never learn to like it. I started to "shoot him down" but she stopped me with a sweet little "show me how that little Glock works". Well the big man did his thing at 15 yards and produced about a 6 or 7 inch circle. Wife'ie then proceeded to back off to 25 yards, and put 6 shots out of her 4" barrel 357Mag 586 inside of all his shots producing under a 2" group. Needless to say the "expert" and his vast knowledge took flight soon there after.
Actions really do speak louder than words.
three cheers for mrs. k!
i can't do what she did, k in AR, but it's way cool, all the same.
i am not yet very knowledgeable nor very proficient. but i am not stupid either, which is what the gun shop guys seem to think... and i am doing my best to do my homework.
Actions, whether showing proficiency in shooting or in spending hard-earned dollars elsewhere, are the real measure, aren't they?
happy holidays!
Amelia
i can't do what she did, k in AR, but it's way cool, all the same.
i am not yet very knowledgeable nor very proficient. but i am not stupid either, which is what the gun shop guys seem to think... and i am doing my best to do my homework.
Actions, whether showing proficiency in shooting or in spending hard-earned dollars elsewhere, are the real measure, aren't they?
happy holidays!
Amelia
Amelia,
Sounds like that your a whole lot "gun smarter" than that gun shop guy. And guess what, because you want to, you'll become both "knowledgeable & proficient" in no time at all, which is more than I can say for that "expert"!
(know what an "expert" is?? try a "drip under pressure". <L>)
"Actions, whether showing proficiency in shooting or in spending hard-earned dollars elsewhere, are the real measure, aren't they?"
You Hit it Right on the Head!!
Happy Holidays to you too! k
Sounds like that your a whole lot "gun smarter" than that gun shop guy. And guess what, because you want to, you'll become both "knowledgeable & proficient" in no time at all, which is more than I can say for that "expert"!
(know what an "expert" is?? try a "drip under pressure". <L>)
"Actions, whether showing proficiency in shooting or in spending hard-earned dollars elsewhere, are the real measure, aren't they?"
You Hit it Right on the Head!!
Happy Holidays to you too! k
jeez.. i guess that i've been bless with a range/shop where idiot's stay away from. all of the salesman doon't tell me which gun i need for shooting. and the shooter doon't tell that mine gun would get me killed because it's a wheelgun instead of a superduperwizebangwilsoncustumized1911
Jody Hudson
New member
Threads like this one are great for those of us who own or work in gun shops to read.
Although we advertise for the ladies and try to help them best we can I feel I've gained enough so far from this thread to be worth the time reading it and I'll be back to it.
We too suggest that fit is a first criteria. We also try to go along with the customer's wishes -- although we may ask why that customer has chosen a particular gun or what they intend to use it for.
For instance, I have often suggested a 12 gauge pump for home defense if after questioning the person they told me they were not going to practice but only want something on stand by... such things as that and I try to pay attention to what they are interested in and why.
Let's keep up this thread. I am learning a lot from each of you and although I'm very proud of all of us in our shop after reading this... we can all learn from all of you.
Take care,
Jody
Although we advertise for the ladies and try to help them best we can I feel I've gained enough so far from this thread to be worth the time reading it and I'll be back to it.
We too suggest that fit is a first criteria. We also try to go along with the customer's wishes -- although we may ask why that customer has chosen a particular gun or what they intend to use it for.
For instance, I have often suggested a 12 gauge pump for home defense if after questioning the person they told me they were not going to practice but only want something on stand by... such things as that and I try to pay attention to what they are interested in and why.
Let's keep up this thread. I am learning a lot from each of you and although I'm very proud of all of us in our shop after reading this... we can all learn from all of you.
Take care,
Jody
Jody,
Having seen a customer come back in to return a box of .25 ACP bullets that his wife had picked up for him I can understand why some shops assume that women don't know what they are doing (he wanted cartridges, she got bullets). This is however quite dangerous as many ladies DO know what they want, and why, and how. It behooves a GOOD salesperson to ask a few general questions to determine just what the customer may or may not know before pontificating. And God help the shop that gets a 20 something "I read all the rags and I'm now an expert" behind the counter.
Having seen a customer come back in to return a box of .25 ACP bullets that his wife had picked up for him I can understand why some shops assume that women don't know what they are doing (he wanted cartridges, she got bullets). This is however quite dangerous as many ladies DO know what they want, and why, and how. It behooves a GOOD salesperson to ask a few general questions to determine just what the customer may or may not know before pontificating. And God help the shop that gets a 20 something "I read all the rags and I'm now an expert" behind the counter.
Jody Hudson
New member
I know what you mean. When I was 20 I worked in a hardware store in Shreveport LA where we sold all the normal hardware stuff; plus fertilizer, dynamite, guns, ammo and large animal feeds.
I had numerous customers who would just come in to get thier pistols and revolvers filled... that's right we had so many people come in to get thier guns filled up that we sold cartridges by the piece. One little old lady, about 80 I suspect, came in early one morning with a little Colt .32 and said "Sonny, fill her up and set to go. I had to use it this morning once already and I'm going home to use it again right now." No one else seemed to think this was an unusual request so I didn't ask any questions either and just sold her enough .32s to fill the magazine and the chamber. The safe was already "set to go" so I just left that be. Then I took out my well oiled gun cloth and wiped the gun down real well, finishing it off VERY well with my dry bandana and handing it to her with my fingers covered by the bandana. I don't know more than that and no one else seemed interested.
She knew what she wanted. I still don't understand why we sold so many "fill ups" usually in .25 and .32. although we did sell quite a few .38 fill ups to older men.
I had numerous customers who would just come in to get thier pistols and revolvers filled... that's right we had so many people come in to get thier guns filled up that we sold cartridges by the piece. One little old lady, about 80 I suspect, came in early one morning with a little Colt .32 and said "Sonny, fill her up and set to go. I had to use it this morning once already and I'm going home to use it again right now." No one else seemed to think this was an unusual request so I didn't ask any questions either and just sold her enough .32s to fill the magazine and the chamber. The safe was already "set to go" so I just left that be. Then I took out my well oiled gun cloth and wiped the gun down real well, finishing it off VERY well with my dry bandana and handing it to her with my fingers covered by the bandana. I don't know more than that and no one else seemed interested.
She knew what she wanted. I still don't understand why we sold so many "fill ups" usually in .25 and .32. although we did sell quite a few .38 fill ups to older men.
I work in a gun store. If I don't have an answer I'll tell you so. Ignorant doesn't mean stupid; it means I just don't know and I'm not going to BS you. Bad for business.
I'll give you my opinion but I'll tell you it is exactly that. I encourage people to look on the net, talk to friends, and read gun mags at the local Barnes and Noble.
Hell, I have even told people to ask at other stores but let me try to match price.( I have not told my boss though, he'd kill me!)
I always recommend to first time pistol buyers to go with a .357 revolver, preferably used. I think learning to shoot pistol is best done on a reliable revolver.(My opinion)
I like to recommend Savage rifles for hunting as they are inexpensive but accurate.(My opinion)
I like to recommend combo deals for shotguns used for hunting. Slug barrel and one for turkey. (My opinion)
If I don't have an answer I'll try and get you one. If I cannot get you an accurate answer I'll tell you so.
There are so many different types and variations of firearms that it is impossible to know it all or even much of it. I know of one elderly gent who can fill you in on Garands but not much else. What can I tell you.
You try and do your best to help your customer get the firearm that is right for him/her. If I feign knowledge and ou end up feeling screwed you won't come back yo my store.
If I am up front with you you'll come back.
The real idiots in my shop are the countless people who reach into their waistbands to pull out a loaded gun to show me. Not a problem if I know you or you tell me what you are about to do. I really hate it when I have to gently tell someone not to draw their firearm.
My favorite idiot story involves a 22 kid who burst into the store and announced a stickup.
At the counter were two off duty cops and a retired corrections officer. The smiles left there faces and you could see the hands starting to slowly move.
My boss knew the kid and immediately yelled not to %8@# around like that. Things can happen that fast and strangely.
It seems the kid bought a shotgun the week before and was coming back to pick up a few accessories. If the boss were not there the kid would have been in for a world of hurt.
As it was the fellas present read him the riot act.(Politely put)
My suggestions to gun buyers....do your homework before buying anything. Oh! Also remember that some of behind the counter are not pluperfect you-know-whats.
I'll give you my opinion but I'll tell you it is exactly that. I encourage people to look on the net, talk to friends, and read gun mags at the local Barnes and Noble.
Hell, I have even told people to ask at other stores but let me try to match price.( I have not told my boss though, he'd kill me!)
I always recommend to first time pistol buyers to go with a .357 revolver, preferably used. I think learning to shoot pistol is best done on a reliable revolver.(My opinion)
I like to recommend Savage rifles for hunting as they are inexpensive but accurate.(My opinion)
I like to recommend combo deals for shotguns used for hunting. Slug barrel and one for turkey. (My opinion)
If I don't have an answer I'll try and get you one. If I cannot get you an accurate answer I'll tell you so.
There are so many different types and variations of firearms that it is impossible to know it all or even much of it. I know of one elderly gent who can fill you in on Garands but not much else. What can I tell you.
You try and do your best to help your customer get the firearm that is right for him/her. If I feign knowledge and ou end up feeling screwed you won't come back yo my store.
If I am up front with you you'll come back.
The real idiots in my shop are the countless people who reach into their waistbands to pull out a loaded gun to show me. Not a problem if I know you or you tell me what you are about to do. I really hate it when I have to gently tell someone not to draw their firearm.
My favorite idiot story involves a 22 kid who burst into the store and announced a stickup.
At the counter were two off duty cops and a retired corrections officer. The smiles left there faces and you could see the hands starting to slowly move.
My boss knew the kid and immediately yelled not to %8@# around like that. Things can happen that fast and strangely.
It seems the kid bought a shotgun the week before and was coming back to pick up a few accessories. If the boss were not there the kid would have been in for a world of hurt.
As it was the fellas present read him the riot act.(Politely put)
My suggestions to gun buyers....do your homework before buying anything. Oh! Also remember that some of behind the counter are not pluperfect you-know-whats.
jdthaddeus
New member
Seems to me that men get crappy treatment in gun shops too, so the women should not feel too badly. Also, a LOT of women come in that know nothing about guns, so on the rare occasion that one comes in that does know something, the guy behind the counter can make the error of ASSuming that it is yet another one. I would not take it personally. If they see 99 women in a row come in that don't know anything about guns, then when the 100th one walks in it is hard to blame them for assuming that she does not know anything as well.
The most flak I get is for loving Glocks. I was infuriated once when a cocky guy behind the counter told me about how Glocks "blow up" and that Sigs never do, and that Sigs are so superior (Hmm, I seem to know a few people that have had Sigs blow up...yet none of my many friends who avidly shoots Glocks has had one blow up). Then, another time when I asked to see a Glock 30, the 1911-carrying a$$hole beind the counter told me flat out that "Glocks are a piece of sh!t". Gee, thanks dude for the insult, it's my favorite gun, and I was about to buy one today. (I bought it somewhere else).
The most flak I get is for loving Glocks. I was infuriated once when a cocky guy behind the counter told me about how Glocks "blow up" and that Sigs never do, and that Sigs are so superior (Hmm, I seem to know a few people that have had Sigs blow up...yet none of my many friends who avidly shoots Glocks has had one blow up). Then, another time when I asked to see a Glock 30, the 1911-carrying a$$hole beind the counter told me flat out that "Glocks are a piece of sh!t". Gee, thanks dude for the insult, it's my favorite gun, and I was about to buy one today. (I bought it somewhere else).
IMHO most guns shops, being in busines to make money, will push their high-profit items off on unsuspecting customers if they possibly can.
You must be well-informed about the particular models you want to buy, and aware of the true market price, as many gun shops(even big ones), are way over the market on most of their guns.
Find one or 2 honest gun dealers and stick with them, as they will usually not screw regular customers.
You must be well-informed about the particular models you want to buy, and aware of the true market price, as many gun shops(even big ones), are way over the market on most of their guns.
Find one or 2 honest gun dealers and stick with them, as they will usually not screw regular customers.