The things you hear at a Gun Store...

[Pat Riot]

44 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Along those same lines I went in a local gun shop/range and was looking at a Cimarron Evil Roy model when they first came out. I asked to handle it and it was smooth, light action, really nice. I told the clerk I really like this and he said, "Yea, better than a Colt, in fact Uberti makes Colts for Colt. I laughed and he said "No really they do"

I said "They used to make the cap and ball revolvers for Colt awhile back but not the SAA, he insisted he was right!! I said something to the effect that I was not in the mood to argue, so have a nice day and I started walking out when the owner of the store said "What's the problem sir", I said your employee doesn't know what he's talking about and I don't feel like an argument". I explained to her what the discussion was about and she said, "I'll talk to him, he tends to think he knows everything" Nice lady and I've been back there quite a few times and I don't see that employee anymore!!

I had heard this one from a guy that works at a gun store in Westminster CA a couple of years ago when I was there visiting. He used to work for another store in the same town. This guy was and probably still is "special". I learned back in 2002 to steer clear of him when he not only screwed up on installing a scope that I had him set up for me on a new rifle purchase but told me I had no idea what I was talking about when I asked for QD Leupold scope mounts on a rifle that had iron sights. Not only did he install the wrong mounts - too low and not QD - he removed the iron sights as well...ON A BRAND NEW REMINGTON! Dang, I am raising my own BP writing this. Anyway, I learned too stay away from this moron. This is also the same goon that tried to interject himself into the purchase of my Marlin Cowboy Comp a while later and I very rudely told him to shut the hell up and mind his own business.

When I was visiting my family in SoCal a couple years ago imagine my surprise that this goon now works at another store and I heard him espousing his vast knowledge on AR-15s in addition to the Uberti lie...he was wrong, of course. I met the manager of the store when I inquired about ordering some bullets and having them shipped. I made it a point to mentions this...."guy" and what I thought of him. I have no idea if he's still there.

[Eyesa Horg]

Yep-- Had a Leopold scope installed on new rifle for me just to save the hassle. The guy I always worked with was busy so he had his "Scope man" help me. Well no offense meant, but the guy was missing an lower arm & had a prosthetic metal plier type claw. I was nervous, but kept my mouth shut. Needless to say the claw scratched the receiver and forearm and then he dropped the scope on the floor! I went and found "my" guy, who said don't worry the scope is lifetime warranty should it fail and if I wanted he would order me another rifle. It was a paperwork nightmare but I got my money back and have never been in again. You just can't make these things up. I'm lovin' this thread!

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

3 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I had heard this one from a guy that works at a gun store in Westminster CA a couple of years ago when I was there visiting. He used to work for another store in the same town. This guy was and probably still is "special". I learned back in 2002 to steer clear of him when he not only screwed up on installing a scope that I had him set up for me on a new rifle purchase but told me I had no idea what I was talking about when I asked for QD Leupold scope mounts on a rifle that had iron sights. Not only did he install the wrong mounts - too low and not QD - he removed the iron sights as well...ON A BRAND NEW REMINGTON! Dang, I am raising my own BP writing this. Anyway, I learned too stay away from this moron. This is also the same goon that tried to interject himself into the purchase of my Marlin Cowboy Comp a while later and I very rudely told him to shut the hell up and mind his own business.

When I was visiting my family in SoCal a couple years ago imagine my surprise that this goon now works at another store and I heard him espousing his vast knowledge on AR-15s in addition to the Uberti lie...he was wrong, of course. I met the manager of the store when I inquired about ordering some bullets and having them shipped. I made it a point to mentions this...."guy" and what I thought of him. I have no idea if he's still there.

Sounds like an idiot I remember that worked for Coles Sporting Goods just before they closed.

OLG

[Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461]

As to B&B the two brothers Bob and Barry split the assets after the old man died. he kept things on an even keel when he was alive.

 Barry went up to Alaska and did in fact have some personal issues which we'll leave alone as they don't matter.

Bob did have problems after giving out  AR's and ammo to  LAPD LE's during the NoHo B of A shootout.

 This is not however the reason for no more B&B .........

 try to find a gunshop in Los Angeles!? the city council closed down every shop within it's jurisdiction for one reason or another

to make it a safer city. Bob just got tired of the nonsense. The man was a great guy, brilliant and financially secure, he just had enough.

 

[Pat Riot]

1 hour ago, Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 said:

As to B&B the two brothers Bob and Barry split the assets after the old man died. he kept things on an even keel when he was alive.

 Barry went up to Alaska and did in fact have some personal issues which we'll leave alone as they don't matter.

Bob did have problems after giving out  AR's and ammo to  LAPD LE's during the NoHo B of A shootout.

 This is not however the reason for no more B&B .........

 try to find a gunshop in Los Angeles!? the city council closed down every shop within it's jurisdiction for one reason or another

to make it a safer city. Bob just got tired of the nonsense. The man was a great guy, brilliant and financially secure, he just had enough.

 

Thanks for that, Dutch Nichols. I didn't really know any of the details regarding B&B. I just heard lots of rumors.

I guess when he, Bob, closed the store in LA he decided to close the one in Westminster as well. 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

The report I got from more than one source, was that the Bank foreclosed on the stores and wholesale business.

One of those sources was a sales mgr of the HW store who I got to know when we shot IPSC matches at the Southwest Pistol League, Piru range.

 

OLG

[Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461]

Bob walked away from the business after selling most of the assets to another local shooting related entity. he did in fact leave the bank holding the bag so to speak. he took the cash  assets, and left the buildings to the bank.

 

 I worked for him as a youth while in  school,  and considered him a friend so no rumors here. . Orig Lumpy grits I know who you're speaking of,  as to how a guy in Texas should know I was on the Board of Directors for SWPL for over a decade and was asst Director for a couple of those years.

 

[Ranger Clayton Conagher #43872]

Great thread.  I could read this for hours.

[Rye Miles #13621]

Almost forgot about the guy that came in with a shotgun and wanted to shoot it and buy some ammo...........

 

Me: What gauge is it? 

Customer: I don't know

Me; Put it up here on the counter and we'll check it out, he did and open the zippered bag and handed me a Mossberg pump, I racked it open to check to see if it was loaded and IT WAS!!!! In fact there was 2 more in there!!!

Me: YOU JUST HANDED ME A LOADED FIREARM!!!!

Customer: Oh I'm sorry I didn't know it was loaded!!!!

[Pat Riot]

I was at an indoor range in SoCal where a guy came in with 3 pistols and 1 revolver. When the range master asked to look at the guy's firearms he had brought all of them in fully loaded. When the range master asked him why he brought them in loaded the guy said he didn't think it would be a big deal. He said had inherited them and didn't know much about shooting.

 

The range master told him he would need to take their handgun safety course before he would be allowed to shoot at their range.

 

To the guy's credit he apologized and signed up for the next course.

[Eyesa Horg]

2 hours ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

Almost forgot about the guy that came in with a shotgun and wanted to shoot it and buy some ammo...........

 

Me: What gauge is it? 

Customer: I don't know

Me; Put it up here on the counter and we'll check it out, he did and open the zippered bag and handed me a Mossberg pump, I racked it open to check to see if it was loaded and IT WAS!!!! In fact there was 2 more in there!!!

Me: YOU JUST HANDED ME A LOADED FIREARM!!!!

Customer: Oh I'm sorry I didn't know it was loaded!!!!

 

Maybe it's a Mossberg thing. Here's mine---

Friend: Wanna buy my Mossberg, never been shot or loaded.

Me: Sure , 'Ya have it with "ya?

Friend: Brings it in a hard case very covered in old dust.

Me: Takes it out and racks the pump, out flys a corroded shell--- 2 more in the tube!

Musta come from the factory loaded.

[Pat Riot]

5 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

 

Musta come from the factory loaded.

 

Yeah, they had to make sure that mag plug was in properly...

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

1 hour ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I was at an indoor range in SoCal where a guy came in with 3 pistols and 1 revolver. When the range master asked to look at the guy's firearms he had brought all of them in fully loaded. When the range master asked him why he brought them in loaded the guy said he didn't think it would be a big deal. He said had inherited them and didn't know much about shooting.

 

The range master told him he would need to take their handgun safety course before he would be allowed to shoot at their range.

 

To the guy's credit he apologized and signed up for the next course.

Sounds like Sharpshooters off of Western Ave in Torrance.

OLG

[Eyesa Horg]

Just now, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

 

Yeah, they had to make sure that mag plug was in properly...

Exactly ! But it sure amazes me how many idiots just don't have a clue. I guess that's why so many get injured/killed by un-loaded guns. But 'ya know, 'ya still can't stop people from putting hand in snow blowers or feet under lawn mowers either.

[Pat Riot]

1 minute ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Sounds like Sharpshooters off of Western Ave in Torrance.

OLG

Nope. The Firing Line in Huntington Beach. I used to be a member there.

 

I did frequent a little indoor range in either Torrance or Redondo back in the 80's.. It was a little cinder block building. I used to shoot bullseye matches there. It was about 10 or 12 lanes wide with low ceilings and louder than heck even with double hearing protection. I had forgotten about that place.

 

That was the range a guy fired the first Thompson Center that I ever saw...it was a .30-30. Sure was a lot of excitement on the range after he touched one of those off.

I had forgotten that one.

 

I swear we oughta write a book about these crazy people.

 

[Maddog McCoy SASS #5672]

We were sitting around the table on Cowboy night at the gun club and one of the older members had a pistol in a box he was showing to everybody. It was a nickel plated Raven 25 and he was telling everybody how he had bought it years ago for $20 and never shot it. It was getting passed down the table and when it came back up it was handed to me and I started to look at it. I pressed the button for the magazine and out fell a fully loaded mag and hit the table. Everybody was looking at the owner and he stated he did not know how that got in there. I pointed it at the ceiling and racked the slide and out popped a live round. I was about the fifth person to look at it and everybody was kinda "Oh S*&T". I unloaded the mag and reminded the owner to check things he brings out before he passes them around.

From that point on, whenever he bought something, everybody was wanting to check his stuff before he got it out of the box to pass it around.

 

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

18 hours ago, Dutch Nichols, SASS #6461 said:

Bob walked away from the business after selling most of the assets to another local shooting related entity. he did in fact leave the bank holding the bag so to speak. he took the cash  assets, and left the buildings to the bank.

 

 I worked for him as a youth while in  school,  and considered him a friend so no rumors here. . Orig Lumpy grits I know who you're speaking of,  as to how a guy in Texas should know I was on the Board of Directors for SWPL for over a decade and was asst Director for a couple of those years.

 

I was active in SWPL from about 1986 till 1991. Shot 'stock' in B class.  Member of Force 45.

PLX, PM me your name and I hope my CRS is not working.

OLG

 

 

[Eyesa Horg]

Another could'a been--

Way back when, when I was an Eagle scout: We worked with the local PD mostly to help direct traffic, but had our meetings at the cop shop. While getting the "Grand tour" we were down in the cells when 1 kid asked to see the officers gun. He opened it and dropped the bullets into his hand and handed it to the kid. It was then passed to me whereupon I opened it again to see a shiny shell looking back at me in the cylinder. I'm tellin' 'ya you just can't make up this foolishness.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

7 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Nope. The Firing Line in Huntington Beach. I used to be a member there.

 

I did frequent a little indoor range in either Torrance or Redondo back in the 80's.. It was a little cinder block building. I used to shoot bullseye matches there. It was about 10 or 12 lanes wide with low ceilings and louder than heck even with double hearing protection. I had forgotten about that place.

 

That was the range a guy fired the first Thompson Center that I ever saw...it was a .30-30. Sure was a lot of excitement on the range after he touched one of those off.

I had forgotten that one.

 

I swear we oughta write a book about these crazy people.

 

That sounds like Larsen's Range in Torrance, on Earl St. Just west of the hospital.

OLG

 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

2 minutes ago, Eyesa Horg said:

Another could'a been--

Way back when, when I was an Eagle scout: We worked with the local PD mostly to help direct traffic, but had our meetings at the cop shop. While getting the "Grand tour" we were down in the cells when 1 kid asked to see the officers gun. He opened it and dropped the bullets into his hand and handed it to the kid. It was then passed to me whereupon I opened it again to see a shiny shell looking back at me in the cylinder. I'm tellin' 'ya you just can't make up this foolishness.

 

Eyesa, if you was an Eagle scout, then you are an Eagle scout. It's a permanent thing.  

 

Hardpan - who be goin' to go to an Eagle Scout Court of Honor this evening for three newly hatched Eagles.  

[Finagler 6853 Life]

My story pales in comparison to you guys.  Some of you have seen the elephant.  Anyways, many, many years ago, I used to hang around the local gun shop at lunch time with a couple of former WW2 vets I worked with.  The shop owner was a vet as well and one of the best smiths to come down the pike.  I was there by myself this time shooting the bull with "Smitty", his last name really was Smith, when this guy and gal come in the shop.  This guy is younger than me and the gal, girl was younger yet.  I walked over an started looking at miscellaneous merchandise so Smitty could wait on these two.  The young guy asks if Smitty had any short shotguns.  Smitty being a very trusting sole asked what he meant.  "You know, the one where the barrel is about a foot long and the stock is real short".  Smitty just shook his head and said he didn't have anything like that.  The kid asked if Smitty knew where one could be found and Smitty replied to the negative.  The two left the shop.  Being as it is a small shop, I couldn't help but overhear.  Smitty asked if I could believe that this guy wanted a sawed off shotgun.  Being concerned for Smitty, he was a kindly old man that took a liking to me and I learned a lot from him, I didn't want this kid coming back.  I noted the car and license, called the police and told them what just had happened.  The police department is a block and a half away from the gun shop so it didn't take them long to find these two.  Later I inquired whatever happened with them.  Turns out the girl was a run away. Never did say what the guy did or what they did with him.

[Three Foot Johnson]

2 hours ago, Eyesa Horg said:

 

Musta come from the factory loaded.

About 6-7 years ago, Sportsman's Warehouse received an unspecified number of loaded Henry .22s lever actions direct from Henry.

[Eyesa Horg]

That's pretty surprising from the factory

[Three Foot Johnson]

Shortly after, Henry started attaching a big tag to their firearms saying to check the chamber before doing anything else. Apparently, someone was function firing some .22's, left (break, lunch, whatever), and someone else came along, assumed the testing was done, boxed 'em up, and sent them to shipping.

[Pat Riot]

3 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

That sounds like Larsen's Range in Torrance, on Earl St. Just west of the hospital.

OLG

 

That's the place. I remember chuckling when I went there because it was on "Earl" Street. I knew a guy named Earl...you'd chuckle if you knew him too.

I had forgotten where it was.

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 hour ago, J Bar Binks, #47015 said:

About 6-7 years ago, Sportsman's Warehouse received an unspecified number of loaded Henry .22s lever actions direct from Henry.

Wow!!!

[Outrider Outlaw]

The person who does my gunsmithing told me about a customer who wanted him to zero in the scope for his rifle.  He told the customer he'd be glad to do it for him.  He told the customer to bring it in.  So, the customer brought it into the shop.  Just the scope--no rifle.   The customer got upset when the gunsmith told him he couldn't do anything about zeroing it in without it being mounted on the rifle.

[Rye Miles #13621]

All these stories got me thinking that maybe we ought to have an IQ test instead of a background check!!

[DocWard]

23 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

All these stories got me thinking that maybe we ought to have an IQ test instead of a background check!!

 

Some of the most intelligent people I've known were a bit shy in the common sense department.

[Dorado]

Nowadays common sense is like a super power. People that have it are nearly as rare as people that can fly or shoot lasers from their eyes...

 

I was looking at replacing the Remington 700 that was stolen from me. I liked the rifle and the chambering .270 winchester. The GS didn't have one in .270. So, I asked if they could order one for me. The older gent that I was talking to told me there was no such cartridge. I told him that it's a necked down 30-06 and is extremely common. He got testy with me and said that I was mistaken. I took two maybe three steps and pulled a box of those off the shelf and set them on the counter in front of him. I told him that I'll never be back. I never did go back. They shut down a while back. Since he owned it I guess people got tired of his crap. Since then I've bought maybe 10 or 12 guns from a shop that was willing to bend over backwards to get me exactly what I wanted and they KNOW exactly what they're talking about. I try to get all of my accessories through them too.

[grenadier]

"Jap rifles are dangerous, Eyetalian rifles are inaccurate, 303 is a weak round, muzzleloaders aren't powerful enough to kill etc etc. Go to enough gun shops and gun shows and you are bound to hear morons commenting one these aforementioned ideas.

[Pat Riot]

I get a kick out of salesman that steer women towards semi-auto .45s for their first gun...not.

 

I was at Cabela's near me and I over heard a salesman tell this lady who was probably in her late 50's and newly divorced that for home protection she couldn't beat a 1911 .45. This woman was about 110 pounds, tall and slim. I actually think the guy was trying to impress her somehow, he had his chest all puffed out, grinning from ear to ear and all swaggery.

 

Again, I minded his and her business for them. I stepped in and said "Buddy, you should hear yourself".

I turned to the lady and said let me show you something and led her over to where the revolvers were.

I explained how they were simple and easier to learn than a semi-auto for her very first gun - she had never fired a gun in her life.

I know some that will disagree with me on this but save your breath...and your fingertips.

Anyway, she wanted to keep it in her night stand and take it out to practice and wouldn't be carrying it.

Being an S&W guy in regards to double action revolvers I saw that all the S&W they had wouldn't meet her needs so I steered her toward a Ruger GP100 and recommended she consider one of those in .357 and that she could load it it .38. I also recommended she take a firearms safety course and that Cabela's offered them.

The salesman, who wisely just hung around but didn't say much piped in and said he would arrange for her to take the course.

She thanked me and I moved on.

I am not sure if she bought a revolver that day but I couldn't let some Nimrod steer her to something that she wouldn't like, would probably be intimidated by and probably wouldn't shoot enough to become proficient.

When I passed the counter about 10 minutes later she was busily going through every revolver in the case to see what she liked and the salesman was helping her with a look on his face like a guy standing in a dress shop while his wife picks out "the right dress". 

 

[Noz]

A big regret was not stepping in when I heard a salesman at a gun show trying to convince a lady shooter that her first gun should be one of the short barreled titanium 357 mags.  You know that thing ate her up with the full power loads he was suggesting.

[DocWard]

4 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I get a kick out of salesman that steer women towards semi-auto .45s for their first gun...not.

 

I was at Cabela's near me and I over heard a salesman tell this lady who was probably in her late 50's and newly divorced that for home protection she couldn't beat a 1911 .45. This woman was about 110 pounds, tall and slim. I actually think the guy was trying to impress her somehow, he had his chest all puffed out, grinning from ear to ear and all swaggery.

 

Again, I minded his and her business for them. I stepped in and said "Buddy, you should here yourself".

I turned to the lady and said let me show you something and led her over to where the revolvers were.

I explained how they were simple and easier to learn than a semi-auto for her very first gun - she had never fired a gun in her life.

I know some that will disagree with me on this but save your breath...and your fingertips.

Anyway, she wanted to keep it in her night stand and take it out to practice and wouldn't be carrying it.

Being an S&W guy in regards to double action revolvers I saw that all the S&W they had wouldn't meet her needs so I steered her toward a Ruger GP100 and recommended she consider one of those in .357 and that she could load it it .38. I also recommended she take a firearms safety course and that Cabela's offered them.

The salesman, who wisely just hung around but didn't say much piped in and said he would arrange for her to take the course.

She thanked me and I moved on.

I am not sure if she bought a revolver that day but I couldn't let some Nimrod steer her to something that she wouldn't like, would probably be intimidated by and probably wouldn't shoot enough to become proficient.

When I passed the counter about 10 minutes later she was busily going through every revolver in the case to see what she liked and the salesman was helping her with a look on his face like a guy standing in a dress shop while his wife picks out "the right dress". 

 

 

I've often suggested revolvers to women shooters, particularly novices. This is due to my wife having some arthritis issues and not being able to reliably cycle a semi-auto action. All too often I have a woman come in with husband/boyfriend/significant other/knowledgeable friend who suggests she look at things like 1911s or the like. At her request, I was showing one lady a semi-auto, a Shield, if I remember correctly, and her male friend was going on and on about how it would be perfect for her. I released the slide and asked her if she could cycle it. She couldn't get it close to all the way back. His response was typical. "I'll make sure it is loaded and ready to go for her." I nodded and asked what if she had an issue with the firearm while he wasn't there. She looked long and hard at revolvers that day.

Another lady was in with her early-20's son and he was pushing her to get something along the lines of a Sig P226 or something. Of course, he had no intention of him having fun with it. I suggested she look at revolvers and he started going off about how revolvers are crap, how they are only five shots, etc... I agreed about capacity, but pointed out that a revolver was superior to a semi-auto in a number of ways. Feeling challenged, he asked how. I shrugged and said they are far simpler to operate, and I've never seen a revolver have a failure to feed or failure to extract. The salesman hovering near me couldn't suppress a surprised laugh. The son just stood, giving the dictionary definition of looking dumbfounded and finally said quietly "Yeah, I suppose you're right there." His mother ended up buying a revolver.

[Charlie Harley, #14153]

My dad taught concealed carry for 20+ years before retiring.  S&W should have given him a bonus for the number of J-frames that were sold because of his advice.  

 

Folks, especially women, would come to class with the latest semi-auto recommended by their male counterpart or the sales guy, and then could not cycle the slide or clear a jam to save their soul.  Then Dad would let them try one of his J-frames and the rest became history.