Ammunition walked to checkout?

[Rule .308]

Back when the FR-8's were around I was looking at them at Big 5 and the butt head behind the counter would not allow me to hold both the rifle and the bolt for the rifle at the same time. This past Christmas I bought a pocket knife there and they had to walk it up to the register for me, stupid, stupid rules, they can do whatever they want with it but at some point if they want to sell it they will have to relinquish it to me.

[Salty]

I asked him what that was about and he mumbled something about new laws. A quick search here and CalDOJ didn't reveal anything. Is this just local BS or store policy?

Most likely just store / personal policy. I know that the clerks at the Big 5 in my neck of the woods think that all of their store policies are law. They are probably trained to think that the policies are law wether knowingly or by misinformation.

One example was that I was told by a Big 5 clerk that it was "against the law" for her to let me see (handle) any of the guns which weren't zip tied or trigger locked (which was about 1/4 of the inventory). I was also asked for proof of residence when buying a rifle which is not required by law. Both times (same clerk, same transaction), I said something like "I'm pretty sure that that's not a law, probably just company policy". But she was obviously nervous about getting in trouble and I didn't want to ruin her day just because she was trained improperly.

EDIT: As far as the ammo thing goes, it doesn't bother me one bit. I'm guessing a lot of it has to do with them worrying about theft and I can respect that. I just wish I could read the damn boxes from across the counter. You've got 100 freakin boxes of ammo, a few different types in each caliber, I can't read them way back there, and the guy behind the counter doesn't know a 12 gauge from a .22. I've asked what they had in 9mm and had the guy just slap the most expensive box of hollow points on the counter when they had like 3 variants of target ammo. Also asked for .22lr and been given .22mag. Reminds me of trying to buy spark plugs at Kragen, they do the same thing.

[Shane916]

I bought some BB (yes for my sons BB gun) at Sports Authority and they would not let me cary it to the check out.

Yes that is correct policy as dumb as it sounds.

[Sniper3142]

I buy 500 rounds of 45ACP ammo at the Big 5 in Orange County (Tustin) about once a month.

I can't remeber if they did this to me the first couple of times but I've been there so many times, the Mgr and employees know what I'm there to purchase.



By this time, they just let me put it in my box (if I remembered to bring it) and carry it to the cashier myself.

[Zaskar]

Big 5 in Fresno. Same thing. They will take your ammo to the counter for you to pay for it. Once paid, it is yours to handle. Policy I'm sure. All the long rifles at ours are zipped tied as well. Not sure what that prevents. They walk it 20 feet to the counter for you. You then take the item 10-15 feet to the front door?? As soon as their .223 ammo goes on sale, I will make a large purchase and they can provide the muscle to take it to the counter. At least at the Fresno Big 5 we have some really cute girls working the register. It helps you stomach their policy.

[dfxjedi]

I just purchased some ammo from Big 5 in Orange County and the clerk handed the ammo I wanted to a manager to walk it up to the checkout counter. I asked him what that was about and he mumbled something about new laws. A quick search here and CalDOJ didn't reveal anything. Is this just local BS or store policy? Any info would be appreciated.

Walmart is the same way,they won't let you touch it untill you pay for it at the counter,after that,it's all yours.

[calidefector]

Yet another "me too" post, but they do it at the Big 5 in Oroville. I guess they don't want somebody pouring shells in their pocket and walking out, or who knows what. No biggie.

What I didn't get was having to have pellets and CO2 walked to the counter for me.

[oldschool88]

Once again proving Big 5 employees dont know jack about firearms, I was told by the manager at my local store that Remington "slugger" rounds were not slugs. He said that they contained 4 small slugs packed one in front of the other. Yeah..........

[Invisible_Dave]

I would tip the guy for carrying 500 rounds of ammo to the counter. I'd tip double to carry it to the truck for me. That stuff gets heavy. ;-)

[kpw001]

The Big5 in Riverside does it too. Went in and bought a mix of handgun and shotgun ammo so I was ok if they wanted to tote my ammo across the store.

[scr83jp]

Same thing happened to me at big 5.It was a breath of fresh air when Sportsmans Warehouse opened in Victorville too bad they picked a crappy location full of DR's who don't shop.I called SW & told them all about desert folks since I worked a desert & mtn caseload for 12 years.They should've opened it near the 3 inland counties near I 10,210 & I 15 where the population is located.

[GW]

It appears to be store policy in San Jose as well
It probably results in the occasional extra purchase. After all, if I'm not lugging ammo around, I'm free to see other things to buy.
Carrying 15 or 20 lbs all over a store makes for a very short shopping trip.
Hey, how much browsing do you do at Wal-Mart when you're carrying 500 rounds of centerfire pistol ammo?

[tombinghamthegreat]

Thats funny I was just at the Big5 here in Simi and the Manager did the same thing

Really? The one in Thousand oaks just handed me the ammo the last time i went there. I don't usually buy ammo from stores though.

[triaged]

The shooting story is correct and it is why they have trigger locks on all their guns now. You can imagine the emotional damage to everyone in the store at the time as well as the mess

article

Ammo Believed Suicidal Man's Own; Shooting: Transient asks to see a shotgun at Costa Mesa sporting-goods store just before closing time, then kills himself.
[Orange County Edition]

Los Angeles Times - Los Angeles, Calif.
Author: MICHAEL LUO
Date: Apr 10, 1999
Start Page: 4
Section: Metro; PART- B; Metro Desk
Text Word Count: 464

Abstract (Document Summary)


A man who killed himself in the gun department of a Costa Mesa sporting-goods store with a new shotgun apparently brought his own ammunition, police said Friday.

The 28-year-old man, who has been identified only as a transient, went into the Big 5 Sporting Goods store on the 2300 block of Harbor Boulevard around 9 p.m. Thursday, shortly before closing time, said Costa Mesa Police Lt. Tom Winter.

He asked a clerk for a single-shot 12-gauge shotgun, Winter said. The clerk checked the gun to make sure it was not loaded and handed it over.

I worked at Big-5 when I got out of high school. Walking the ammo up to the counter is just to reduce chance of theft (I only did it if was on my way or the person looked dodgy...but that was a while ago). Carrying ammo out to your car if you buy a bunch is just good service which I did all the time.

[chiz]

the one in concord does it different every time i go in.they walked my 12gauge to the register and let me take my 10/22 from the counter. when i bought 9mm they handed it to me. when i bought slugs they walked to the register. two weeks ago they called me because they couldn't find my safe affidavit when they were going through their paperwork. after i filled out a new one they said i could have a box of ammo for a penny. he just handed it to me and yelled to the girl up front to only charge me 1 cent.