What the hell is wrong with gun stores?

[k1dude]

I thought it was just me for the longest time. Then I realized they treat most people badly in stores. It didn't matter what state I was living in - the gun store employees attitudes sucked. And the stores wonder why they've lost so much business to online dealers. Why would I pay more to be treated so badly?

[Greg-Dawg]

Quit your job, work at a gun store and come back to me.

[ConcernedCitizen]

And gun stores are often an outsider's first contact with the shooting community.

No wonder we are so well loved out there.

Then there's the GS where I live named after the owner's dog. And on the TV commercials, he actually INTRODUCES the dog!

How's that for representing?

[bruceflinch]

I went into Canyon Sports in Martinez yesterday. I was in the neighborhood & had some time to kill. Figured I'd buy a gun sock for a pistol.

So I go in & I'm checking out the gun socks. The Blowhard Zach & the kid are talking about some mundane BS & Zach wants to bet this kid he's right about whatever they are talking about. So in the first 30 sec, I heard the "F" word about 15 times, because these mental midgets have such a command of the English language.

Finally Zach notices me in the store. We've had a few words before. He goes into the back to avoid me. I look at the handguns in the display cases, & the kid helps me with my purchase.

Going in there twice a year is about 2 times too many...

[Bruce]

Years ago, I went into a now defunct store in El Monte. They mostly sold surplus stuff and had some of those S&W Brazilian contract 1917 revolvers. I asked the clerk, a guy in his 50's to see one. He told me no because he was alone in the store, and couldn't see the front door if he went to case with revolvers in it. Besides, I might be setting him up for a robbery! If he went to the case on the opposite side of the store, "my pals" would run in aad take guns and ammo. I tried to reassure him by showing him my badge, but he told me I could have stolen it from some cop, and that I had better leave. Not knowing what that wing-nut might do if I didn't, I left. By the time I could get back by there when a sane person was behind the counter, they'd sold out of the S&W's.

[dirtyJ]

Sounds like everyone needs a new gun store to take care of them . I bet there's one in Woodland that will give you top notch service, and handle anything as long as it's legal .

[ar15barrels]

Years ago, I went into a now defunct store in El Monte. They mostly sold surplus stuff and had some of those S&W Brazilian contract 1917 revolvers. I asked the clerk, a guy in his 50's to see one. He told me no because he was alone in the store, and couldn't see the front door if he went to case with revolvers in it. Besides, I might be setting him up for a robbery! If he went to the case on the opposite side of the store, "my pals" would run in aad take guns and ammo. I tried to reassure him by showing him my badge, but he told me I could have stolen it from some cop, and that I had better leave. Not knowing what that wing-nut might do if I didn't, I left. By the time I could get back by there when a sane person was behind the counter, they'd sold out of the S&W's.

Federal Ordinance?

[Dr Rockso]

The problem of the useless gun store has had an interesting side effect of creating gun nuts enthusiasts who rarely ever go to gun stores. Most of my guns are C&Rs from out of state (03 FFL) or modern guns transferred at a local "kitchen table" 01 FFL. I really have no interest in going to most gun shops, and until the Calguns booths came around had no desire to go to gun shows either.

Edit:
Guess I should add my "bad gun shop" story. I had just finished the 10-day on a shotgun at Reed's (the store, before it closed). My buddy had been looking for a specific 1911 that he was having a hard time finding, and they happened to have one sitting in their used case when I picked the shotgun up. After finishing all the paperwork on the shotgun I asked if I could see the 1911, and the employee asked if I was going to buy it. Told him I wanted to look it over for a friend who had been in the market for that specific model (which, by the way was nothing too special, sub-$1k pistol). Guy told me if I wasn't going to buy it I couldn't look at it, but I ought to send my friend in. Never stepped foot in there again, neither did my friend.

[bballwizard05]

Its true that I will pick a small in house kitchen table FFL with a tiny selection over almost every gun store I have been to. Those in house ones are owned by gun enthusiasts, and they may have high prices, but other than ammo its worth it to me. Just for the conversation, and sense of inclusion they have. For anyone on the central coast let me recommend Herb crowley in santa maria.

[bigstick61]

Some of the kitchen table guys actually have some darn good prices. My father actually bought an M1A from one who sold it to him at the price he got plus the fee FFLs charge, which was very low by California standards, the latter seeming to be the norm among the ones I've come across. They also seem much more willing to order or transfer guns from a wider variety of persons or places than many gun stores are (some stores won't order except from a handful of suppliers, which pisses me off, and then they want to charge a rediculous fee; no, thanks). There are some decent gun stores out there, though.

[gotgunz]

You would have gotten better service over the phone if you were asking about a CZ instead (or a Rock Island)!


LOL

[SJgunguy24]

The one I like is, "Hey, where did you get this POS airsoft crap?"

I bought it here last month, it wasn't crap then. What happened?

[steelrain82]

Haha I asked the guy at my local shop about the beretta px4 and the keltec su16. The guy says you don't want either of those their made of plastic and plastic guns are crap. I glanced at the pistol on his hip and it was a glock. I asked him if plastic guns are crap how come he carries a glock? And then he says it's polymer not plastic. So I than left and spent my money on an enfield instead. I really hate that gun shop.

[SickofSoCal]

Every gun store I have ever visited in California has sucked balls.

The guys behind the counter have always been non-helpful, lairs, and insulting. What's new?

[Plisk]

Try this number.

714-744-3373
10am-6pm M-F

I think you'll find good customer service there.