Rant: Idiots in Gun Shops! (long)
- Thread starter Shake
- Start date
Mike in VA
New member
I've done a lot of sales and marketing training (mostly hni-tech/computer-related), but selling is selling, and I always start a seminar by pointing out that God gave you two ears and one mouth, to be used in approximately the same proportion. Sales people who don't listen well don't sell well or have satisfied [repeat] customers. Appears to apply to gun shops, too.
M2
M2
Jody,
Thats pretty common in innercity pawn shops as well.
Jdthaddeus
I've spent many hours at glock in smyrna waiting for fixes to our PD guns, and LOVE SIGS, but I respect them more for their simplicity and the company's business savy. (just my $.02) I've often recomended glocks to a lot of people... if it fits your hands, your comfortable and confident with it, then buy it!
Successful firearms dealers sell you what you want, not what they think you need. I've seen many a .22 leave the store with big expensive Leupolds when an inexpensive Weaver will do.
Thats pretty common in innercity pawn shops as well.
Jdthaddeus
I've spent many hours at glock in smyrna waiting for fixes to our PD guns, and LOVE SIGS, but I respect them more for their simplicity and the company's business savy. (just my $.02) I've often recomended glocks to a lot of people... if it fits your hands, your comfortable and confident with it, then buy it!
Successful firearms dealers sell you what you want, not what they think you need. I've seen many a .22 leave the store with big expensive Leupolds when an inexpensive Weaver will do.
Very amusing tales....keep 'em coming. I have also never before heard of people asking to "fill 'er up" for their guns! "Set it to go", eh? I wonder if you tried to encourage her to get out of the store as soon as possible, while steering way clear of her...
Jim K: "Must not be 100% silk" !? Bwaaaaahaha. Some people just refuse to accept they could be wrong. Can you say "rationalization"? I can just imagine this guy trying to defend himself from a BG with a .45 with his little silk hanky held out like a matador, trying to anticipate where the bullet will be flying.
Jim K: "Must not be 100% silk" !? Bwaaaaahaha. Some people just refuse to accept they could be wrong. Can you say "rationalization"? I can just imagine this guy trying to defend himself from a BG with a .45 with his little silk hanky held out like a matador, trying to anticipate where the bullet will be flying.
Dad used to own a gun shop....
And one thing you learn if you spend a lot of time in one is that the reason a gun shop seems to be constantly filled with fools is that the biggest, loudest fools have nothing better to do. Dad's 2 biggest were a retired loudmouth and a loudmouth on disability, neither of whom had much else to do. Dad, silly man that he is, kept a coffee pot and a refrigerator full of Pepsi in his small shop, with 3 bar stools set up in front of the handgun case. Those guys practically opened and closed the place.
Dad is a nice guy, too nice for his own good. He never wanted to ask someone not to come back or tell someone to leave. He'd have been better off if he'd told those two to hit the road. For all we know there may have been customers who never came back because of the treatment they got from Mark and Ron, and it wasn't even their store! That's what really irks me about these people--they walk into someone else's place of business and insult the customers as if they owned the place, but they're not the ones who can't afford to stay open the next month.
And one thing you learn if you spend a lot of time in one is that the reason a gun shop seems to be constantly filled with fools is that the biggest, loudest fools have nothing better to do. Dad's 2 biggest were a retired loudmouth and a loudmouth on disability, neither of whom had much else to do. Dad, silly man that he is, kept a coffee pot and a refrigerator full of Pepsi in his small shop, with 3 bar stools set up in front of the handgun case. Those guys practically opened and closed the place.
Dad is a nice guy, too nice for his own good. He never wanted to ask someone not to come back or tell someone to leave. He'd have been better off if he'd told those two to hit the road. For all we know there may have been customers who never came back because of the treatment they got from Mark and Ron, and it wasn't even their store! That's what really irks me about these people--they walk into someone else's place of business and insult the customers as if they owned the place, but they're not the ones who can't afford to stay open the next month.
After reading Don's post I just had to jump in. Before I was old enough to start buying handguns on my own I inherited several long guns from my grandpa. One was a Browning .308 with a broken stock bolt. The only place in town that said they could order it was this hole in the wall owned by this military/survivalist wannabe.
The first time I took my rifle in (in 2 pieces) there were 3-4 guys shooting the bull with the owner and I was ignored for nearly 20 minutes (standing at the counter, w/rifle, I had just called less than half an hour ago). This pi$$ed me off. The owner asked me a few questions which I couldn't answer and his 'friends' laughed along with him at my ignorance. This also pi$$ed me off.
Finally when I went to pick up the new bolt these same 4 a$$holes were in the shop and, agian, it took the owner about 20 min's to pry himself away from his buddies to help a paying customer. This was the last straw. Since then I have spent about $15,000 on new and used guns and talked to a lot of other people and found 2 really good local shops. This nimrod signed his own foreclosure in my book. (sorry, rant mode off)
The first time I took my rifle in (in 2 pieces) there were 3-4 guys shooting the bull with the owner and I was ignored for nearly 20 minutes (standing at the counter, w/rifle, I had just called less than half an hour ago). This pi$$ed me off. The owner asked me a few questions which I couldn't answer and his 'friends' laughed along with him at my ignorance. This also pi$$ed me off.
Finally when I went to pick up the new bolt these same 4 a$$holes were in the shop and, agian, it took the owner about 20 min's to pry himself away from his buddies to help a paying customer. This was the last straw. Since then I have spent about $15,000 on new and used guns and talked to a lot of other people and found 2 really good local shops. This nimrod signed his own foreclosure in my book. (sorry, rant mode off)
riddleofsteel
New member
IF I HAD A DIME.....
for every time i have had similar experiences i would be able to buy several guns with the profits. I have heard nimrod clerks selling small inexperienced ladies full sized .45's to carry in thier purses. Also dummies that i have over heard telling customers that a .38 special was a better defensive round than a .40 auto or .357 Sig. Or that a semiauto was to unreliable to depend on dor self defense!!
One afternoon i was looking at some powder and primers when a store clerk told a gentleman that no reloaded handgun round was as effective as his favorite brand of factory ammo. The customer asked him why and he said that the handloader could not duplicate its ballistics or its bullets. We both asked him why when the exact same bullet was available as a reloading componet. He was, of course, unable to enlighten us. We both just looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Later i heard this same guy tell a customer that anything less than a .45 ACP would produce "survivable" wounds and if you were interested in really stopping a BG the .45 was the only way to go. Funny thing was the customer offered to shot him with .380 he had in his pocket if it was such a punny weapon and so survivable. The clerk declined his offer.
I guess the only thing more scary than having these morons selling guns is that some of them are packing guns also!!
for every time i have had similar experiences i would be able to buy several guns with the profits. I have heard nimrod clerks selling small inexperienced ladies full sized .45's to carry in thier purses. Also dummies that i have over heard telling customers that a .38 special was a better defensive round than a .40 auto or .357 Sig. Or that a semiauto was to unreliable to depend on dor self defense!!
One afternoon i was looking at some powder and primers when a store clerk told a gentleman that no reloaded handgun round was as effective as his favorite brand of factory ammo. The customer asked him why and he said that the handloader could not duplicate its ballistics or its bullets. We both asked him why when the exact same bullet was available as a reloading componet. He was, of course, unable to enlighten us. We both just looked at each other and rolled our eyes. Later i heard this same guy tell a customer that anything less than a .45 ACP would produce "survivable" wounds and if you were interested in really stopping a BG the .45 was the only way to go. Funny thing was the customer offered to shot him with .380 he had in his pocket if it was such a punny weapon and so survivable. The clerk declined his offer.
I guess the only thing more scary than having these morons selling guns is that some of them are packing guns also!!
CastleBravo
New member
Dumbest experience ever was when I went to the gun store and asked what they had available in... I quote myself... "forty-five A-C-P" and just got this blank stare... can anyone top THAT?
C.B.
C.B.
shiroikuma
New member
After all these posts I just want to point out that I've had the same kind of experiences on these forums. I've seen people post the exact same kind of uniformed loudmouthed opinons on occasion here. The .45 auto crowd come to mind.. Of course most of the time that's not the case and I get some very good info here.. I just think about it before I believe what someone else said.
LOL
shiro in AK
LOL
shiro in AK
Jody Hudson
New member
I think that THE most valuable reason to read and write, ask and answer on a forum such as this -- is that there are plenty of B.S. detectors here to keep ALL of us straight. Also the relative distance here tends to have all of us being a bit more outspoken than we might be in a small room with 5 to 10 people in it... or less.
I have been a shooter since I was 7 all my children started much earlier. I am 51 now and have worked off and on in gun shops (part time for fun) for nearly 30 years. At one time I had over 300 modern guns in my safe and bought or traded three or four a week. I have some familiarity with several things but have something to learn regarding everything.
This, TFL, is my choice of the best place for polite, intelligent discussion. I have yet to see any thread escape the wonderful BS detectors here. And I like it!!!!
We can do well to invite all those we know to join here; to read and write here. One thing I've noted however it that the real blow-hards either seldom show up, seldom post, or only pop up once in a while -- at which time all those who read here are gently and politely set straight. Seldom does it change the erroneous and loudly stated opinion of the blow-hard however.
I suggest that we each invite all those we know with e-mail addresses and firearms interest to read, register and write here. The more folks here the better data we will have and the less BS on ANY subject!!!!!!!
I have been a shooter since I was 7 all my children started much earlier. I am 51 now and have worked off and on in gun shops (part time for fun) for nearly 30 years. At one time I had over 300 modern guns in my safe and bought or traded three or four a week. I have some familiarity with several things but have something to learn regarding everything.
This, TFL, is my choice of the best place for polite, intelligent discussion. I have yet to see any thread escape the wonderful BS detectors here. And I like it!!!!
We can do well to invite all those we know to join here; to read and write here. One thing I've noted however it that the real blow-hards either seldom show up, seldom post, or only pop up once in a while -- at which time all those who read here are gently and politely set straight. Seldom does it change the erroneous and loudly stated opinion of the blow-hard however.
I suggest that we each invite all those we know with e-mail addresses and firearms interest to read, register and write here. The more folks here the better data we will have and the less BS on ANY subject!!!!!!!
JMBrowning
Moderator
CZ?
Well, you have to admit Ceska Zbrojovka isn't in the top 3 list of "self-explanatory" gun-manufacturer names.
Well, you have to admit Ceska Zbrojovka isn't in the top 3 list of "self-explanatory" gun-manufacturer names.
Rant
I have had the same experience in Ft Wayne. Swat and Ranger wannabes and nose in the air smarta%%es at one shop.
And just when I hear the staff has changed, they have changed again to other kinds of rude losers.
There was one great guy from a sporting goods store that went out of business that went to work for the gun store I am relating. I have no idea where he went, but he was soft spoken, well versed and not at all pushy, and had time for me. I have purchased guns from a lot of shops, ffl holders, and sporting goods stores. I find that you have to do your own homework, and then fondle for yourself, get informed opinions from the TFL, TAC, and FFF, and find the deal that suits you. At least, that is my method.
I have had the same experience in Ft Wayne. Swat and Ranger wannabes and nose in the air smarta%%es at one shop.
And just when I hear the staff has changed, they have changed again to other kinds of rude losers.
There was one great guy from a sporting goods store that went out of business that went to work for the gun store I am relating. I have no idea where he went, but he was soft spoken, well versed and not at all pushy, and had time for me. I have purchased guns from a lot of shops, ffl holders, and sporting goods stores. I find that you have to do your own homework, and then fondle for yourself, get informed opinions from the TFL, TAC, and FFF, and find the deal that suits you. At least, that is my method.
I'm no moron, but occasionally I like to play one at gun shops. I think some would call it "baiting". The urge to play stupid at a gun shop when the clerk doesn't know me can be a powerful force, especially if I haven't made up my mind if I like the place or not. It's really very easy: All I need to do is listen, make no comments to the effect that I have the slightest clue about the subject matter, and look awe struck with their every word.
This doesn't always work. I've been in a lot of shops owned or manned by first-rate people who are only there to serve my interests. It doesn't take long to tell, and it's always a pleasure dealing with upstanding folk. On the other hand...
Take this one place I wandered into. From the outside it looked very insignificant. Inside, I thought I had just walked into the arms room for a Chinese infantry division. There was more commie hardware in this place than I had ever seen under one roof. It was huge. The smell of Cosmoline was so strong it was nauseating. The resident "expert" was on me so fast I didn't have time to run. But he wasn't fast enough to keep me from being, shall we say, "uninformed".
I learned many new things about military pattern weapons that day. For instance, if a rifle wasn't made from stamped steel by slave labor that it was junk, Period. M1A's, AR 15's, FAL's, HK's, all crap. What I wanted was obviously what he was selling, as I did not object to his claims. It's fun to watch fools in action I think. He had AR's and HK's and the like, but he was going to save me from those crappy guns and fix me up with a nice SKS, one of the "greatest weapons ever made". I guess you had to be there, but it really was pretty funny. (At least to my sense of humor that is).
Now if he had said, "those AR's and M1A's are great weapons, but the SKS is a lot of gun for the money", I might have considered buying one from him just so I could run it over with my truck, or buy a crate of them to use as fence posts. But this was not to be. This BS'er just couldn't help it I suppose, and I couldn't help taking my business elsewhere.
What I don't understand is how somebody like that could stay in business? I mean this guy had an unbelievable inventory of guns, some actually worth having. He must sell a bunch just to make the interest payment alone. Maybe I'm not the only "stupid" person to walk into his store, or maybe he’s just living with a split personality disorder of some type?
Hmmmmmm...
Regards in the fun of this thread,
SM
This doesn't always work. I've been in a lot of shops owned or manned by first-rate people who are only there to serve my interests. It doesn't take long to tell, and it's always a pleasure dealing with upstanding folk. On the other hand...
Take this one place I wandered into. From the outside it looked very insignificant. Inside, I thought I had just walked into the arms room for a Chinese infantry division. There was more commie hardware in this place than I had ever seen under one roof. It was huge. The smell of Cosmoline was so strong it was nauseating. The resident "expert" was on me so fast I didn't have time to run. But he wasn't fast enough to keep me from being, shall we say, "uninformed".
I learned many new things about military pattern weapons that day. For instance, if a rifle wasn't made from stamped steel by slave labor that it was junk, Period. M1A's, AR 15's, FAL's, HK's, all crap. What I wanted was obviously what he was selling, as I did not object to his claims. It's fun to watch fools in action I think. He had AR's and HK's and the like, but he was going to save me from those crappy guns and fix me up with a nice SKS, one of the "greatest weapons ever made". I guess you had to be there, but it really was pretty funny. (At least to my sense of humor that is).
Now if he had said, "those AR's and M1A's are great weapons, but the SKS is a lot of gun for the money", I might have considered buying one from him just so I could run it over with my truck, or buy a crate of them to use as fence posts. But this was not to be. This BS'er just couldn't help it I suppose, and I couldn't help taking my business elsewhere.
What I don't understand is how somebody like that could stay in business? I mean this guy had an unbelievable inventory of guns, some actually worth having. He must sell a bunch just to make the interest payment alone. Maybe I'm not the only "stupid" person to walk into his store, or maybe he’s just living with a split personality disorder of some type?
Hmmmmmm...
Regards in the fun of this thread,
SM
Tatters,
Let me guess, the shop you are refering to has an & in it's name.
That's the one with the female clerk that wanted to tell me that I didn't want the bullets I'd picked out for reloading because the latest issue of "Gun Rag" said something else was better. And then wanted to argue about it.
Oh, the last I checked Dan was working out at Sinclair International.
Let me guess, the shop you are refering to has an & in it's name.
That's the one with the female clerk that wanted to tell me that I didn't want the bullets I'd picked out for reloading because the latest issue of "Gun Rag" said something else was better. And then wanted to argue about it.
Oh, the last I checked Dan was working out at Sinclair International.