"Responsible" ..... "educated" ...... "completely clueless"

[cubby]

so, last night i field a call from a customer. he was upset because he had asked for the wrong ammo and GOTTEN the wrong ammo. i have been told its state law to not return ammo (though i haven't found any comfirmation of it), so as store policy, no ammo returns.

but he was upset because he had no grasp of the differences in loadings and types of ammuntion. he wanted it for home defense but had the typical NO knowledge about anything, but only what he figured out from TV and backwater fireside chats.... typical answers to my questions included:

"i got a big house...."
"i want their face to fall off..."
"my walls are thick. drywall. nothing is getting through that."
"slugs are stupid."
"i'll drag them back inside if i have too....."
"well, my buddy told me......."
"i don't know what the pattern looks like.... i haven't shot it....."



good grief.... and then people wonder why alot of folks don't trust gun owners............

 

[shooter521]

he was upset because he had no grasp of the differences in loadings and types of ammuntion.

I'm not surprised; I deal with customers like this all the time. They get mad because they don't have a basic level of knowledge or can't put a coherent sentence together, and I forgot to wear my psychic cap...

"I need a 'clip' for a 9mm"

"A magazine? OK, what make and model of gun?"

blank stare, followed by "a 9mm"

 

[Big John]

"i don't know what the pattern looks like.... i haven't shot it....."

I love this..... They buy a gun and ammo and never shoot it but it is their HD gun... I'll bet he was a scared liberal...

 

[cubby]

I love this..... They buy a gun and ammo and never shoot it but it is their HD gun... I'll bet he was a scared liberal...

judging by his... speech.... not so much!

 

[shooter521]

I love this..... They buy a gun and ammo and never shoot it but it is their HD gun... I'll bet he was a scared liberal...

Worse, I've seen plenty of "gun guys" go out and buy a shiny new pistol, load it up and strap it on for daily carry without ever having fired it.

 

[cubby]

Worse, I've seen plenty of "gun guys" go out and buy a shiny new pistol, load it up and strap it on for daily carry without ever having fired it.

i hate that! i heard of a guy who bought a glock 23. moved from a sig or something with a lower magazine capacity and COMPLETELY different trigger system. he worked in a gas station or something.... strapped it on and went to work..

sometime in the future, an armed robber enter and they engaged...

the clerk began to fire, and missed the robber enough that he later commented "i would have been out of rounds if i still had my sig (or whatever he had previous)!!"... hmm... product of the gun, the dynamic, or the guy? probly more of the last two, i'll wager. i don't think he hit the man, but he did live to tell the tale.

 

[Gungho_1989]

Guy comes in te shop last week and needs some ammo for his 38, I show him a box and he says " mayne dats no turty ate dis is a turty ate" and shows me a blank cartridge for a starter pistol.
Sooo I mention this to him and he gets all bent out of shape storms out looking for the guy he purchased the pistol off of.
Shooter I think you, I and a few others on here need to do a book called "Gunshop Tales" it would make a great stocking stuffer.

 

[shooter521]

Shooter I think you, I and a few others on here need to do a book called "Gunshop Tales" it would make a great stocking stuffer.

Yes it would. But to be fair, the more frequently discussed flipside to this is "Bull**** I've been told by gun salesmen"... which is actually MORE troublesome, since we're the ones who are supposed to know what we're talking about!

 

[mettle]

Yes it would. But to be fair, the more frequently discussed flipside to this is "Bull**** I've been told by gun salesmen"... which is actually MORE troublesome, since we're the ones who are supposed to know what we're talking about!

Maybe the salesman worked for Pander Mountain?

 

[jonny4523]

"i want their face to fall off..."

Seriously? Wow. Did he sound sincere about wanting to protect his family?

 

[cubby]

Seriously? Wow. Did he sound sincere about wanting to protect his family?

yeah. he was dead serious. he wanted to protect his family.... no doubt about that.... not something i would say to anyone (in serious tone), let alone a complete stranger.

 

[Bigum1969]

Hey, what's wrong with buying a shiny new pistol, loading it up and strapping it on?

 

[ihateiraq]

"i want their face to fall off..."

you should have asked him if he wanted to buy a vial of acid.

 

[HICKMAN]

sounds like you guys need your own version of "Lock n Load"

you can be youtube stars!

 

[OneBadV8]

Shooter I think you, I and a few others on here need to do a book called "Gunshop Tales" it would make a great stocking stuffer.

I'd read that book.

I bet I'd be laughing so hard I'd be crying...

 

[shooter521]

you can be youtube stars!

Sometimes when it's been a busy day and everyone gets a little slap-happy during the last hour or so, the "floor show" can be kinda entertaining. Check your delicate sensibilities at the door, and bring a helmet.

 

[lovemywoods]

This thread has several interesting sub-threads....

1. The Book
I'll buy your book "I Heard It at the Gun Shop." Perhaps you could have both parts..."What customers have told us" and "What customers were told at other gun shops." It would make hilarious reading!

2. Testing Your HD Firearm
Any responsible owner knows that you always test your personal or home defense firearm. The key word is 'responsible.' But people don’t become responsible in a vacuum. They need models and teachers.

3. Patience with Noobs
This thread touches on one of the aspects of INGO that I believe is a major key to its success. Even though we occasionally scratch our heads or make light of some uninformed folks, at the core, people here are passionate about educating others about firearm ownership. It's easy to find internet forums that treat anyone who knows less about a topic with disdain. On INGO, I see people patiently teaching and explaining things to others.

Shooter521 is a prime example. He has helped scores of people buy and/or equip their ‘evil black rifles’ with appropriate parts and accessories. And there are many others on INGO that share their knowledge and experience. All the better gun shops have learned to be patient with new gun owners. The Appleseed volunteers epitomize the desire to teach rifle skills. The organizers of Friday Night Steel attract many new shooters and show them how to safely handle and shoot their firearms. We have many NRA instructors within INGO that are trying to get the word out to people.

So to all of you, I tip my hat and thank you for your patience and perseverance. May you continue to be blessed with both in great abundance!

 

[cubby]

3. Patience with Noobs
This thread touches on one of the aspects of INGO that I believe is a major key to its success. Even though we occasionally scratch our heads or make light of some uninformed folks, at the core, people here are passionate about educating others about firearm ownership. It's easy to find internet forums that treat anyone who knows less about a topic with disdain. On INGO, I see people patiently teaching and explaining things to others.

i was on the phone with him for a good 5-10 minutes.... trying to explain to him why the load he bought was acceptable for a home defense load.... at the end of the call, i don't think anything i tried to explain sunk in.... i hope some of it did, and he took some advice.... but i didn't get that feeling...


having spent more than a little time attempting to help new shooters, i have to say... its not the NEW people to firearms who are the hard subjects... its the ones who believe they were BORN with firearm knowledge and skill...... or those who have done it WRONG for so long, they will never change, no matter how many untruths or misconceptions they harbor....

new shooters are some of the most eager and easy to educate i have known.........

 

[lovemywoods]

having spent more than a little time attempting to help new shooters, i have to say... its not the NEW people to firearms who are the hard subjects... its the ones who believe they were BORN with firearm knowledge and skill...... or those who have done it WRONG for so long, they will never change, no matter how many untruths or misconceptions they harbor....

Well said!

Now I have to be on guard that I don't allow myself to fall into one of those categories!

 

[MrsGungho]

Yes it would. But to be fair, the more frequently discussed flipside to this is "Bull**** I've been told by gun salesmen"... which is actually MORE troublesome, since we're the ones who are supposed to know what we're talking about!

I've heard all kinds of good stories of stuff they have heard from other stores. I shake my head and try to let them know the facts.

Me, I know I don't know it all and I will say I don't know if it comes to that. I always try to find the answer for them though.