Walked into a local Dick's here in northeast PA yesterday to see if I could get by any miracle a box of .380 auto for a friend who had just ordered a new Ruger LCP. Unbelievably there was a couple of boxes on the shelf. Told the clerk I'd take one. He places it on the counter and tells me to wait for an escort to the front sales register. What? I asked him in front of another customer "What am I going to do,take it out of the box and spit it at people? He went into a long discertation about newly implemented store policies regarding gun dept sales. Forunately, quite quickly, this little sales person shows up to walk me up front, about 5'2' and 120 lbs. Had he had to, he could not have done much against most people like me at 6'6" 260 lbs. But a token gesture I guess. Never have liked that store chain.

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Lost in Penn's Woods

Walked into a local Dick's here in northeast PA yesterday to see if I could get by any miracle a box of .380 auto for a friend who had just ordered a new Ruger LCP. Unbelievably there was a couple of boxes on the shelf. Told the clerk I'd take one. He places it on the counter and tells me to wait for an escort to the front sales register. What? I asked him in front of another customer "What am I going to do,take it out of the box and spit it at people? He went into a long discertation about newly implemented store policies regarding gun dept sales. Forunately, quite quickly, this little sales person shows up to walk me up front, about 5'2' and 120 lbs. Had he had to, he could not have done much against most people like me at 6'6" 260 lbs. But a token gesture I guess. Never have liked that store chain.

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Lost in Penn's Woods

I've often wondered about Dick's policy of letting someone pick up some pretty expensive ammo and walk several hundred feet to the register before they pay.

It looks like an invitation to let some idiot stick a hundred bucks of highly in-demand product in their pocket and go straight out the door.

I find their new practice no more offensive then a store keeping their $100 sunglasses or watches in a locked case by the register where they expect payment.

Maybe I'm not as easily offended as some.

Well I've paid for a brick of 500 Thunderbolts before only to get to the range and find the first box was empty. There's no way that came from the mfg that way.

Same policy at Academy Sports, I told them as long as I don't have to tip the guy it was fine. I don't blame them, I'm sure they have been ripped off many times not to mention the liability issue if someone changed their mind or stuffed half of the cartriges in their pocket leaving the rest of the box on a shelf where some kid picks them up puts them in dad's gun at home and shoots someone while playing cops and robbers.
Steve

I managed a retail store some years back and was constantly amazed at how and what some people steal. I can easily see how someone in these times would steal ammo from a place like that.

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Qui plantavit curabit

I went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond a few months back to buy a kitchen knife.
They were reluctant to even take one out of the case to let me see how it felt in my hand.
Once I decided on which one to purchase, a clerk had to take it to the register for me (even though it was in a sealed box!) and log it into a book for Knife Sales at the register.
I decided that if they asked for my ID to write my name down I was leaving with my money and going somewhere else.

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John

That's happened to me at Dick's too. First time on .22's, next time on 9mmP. I just laugh it off. I think maybe next time my escort will be a good looking single woman about 30, or 40, or..... Yeah, dream on.

Last time I went to Dicks they let me carry around over $300 worth of ammo.

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NRA Endowment Member

At least you got someone to wait on you..

I've gotten ammo at Dick's a few times (back in 2006 and 2007) and the clerk just loaded my cart up with boxes of ammo and I rolled it up to the front registers and paid for it.

I'm surprised you didn't take all that they had on the shelf.

Yep, sometimes known as the walmart walk of shame.

I purchased a 10/22 from walmart some years ago and the store manager had to be called to approve the sale and then escort me out the front door of the store. Her attitude indicated that she did not enjoy selling guns, and she made sure to point out that many of their stores don't carry "these things" anymore. She had to carry the box and held it at arms length from her body like it was some sort of evil thing and she might get some on her.

We marched through the center of the store like this and I'm happy to report that the rifle did not jump from the box, load itself, and proceed to open fire by itself in the store. Once outside she turned in a robotic fashion, still keeping the box away from her as far as possible and hands me the rifle. I wouldn't be surprised if she immediately went in and washed her hands. Good thing my 9mm was under my shirt in case that rifle decided to get out of hand.

what do you mean it didn't jump from the box, load itself, and go on a shooting rampage? Guns are EVIL. It's what they do!

I accidently pulled my NRA card out of my wallet in addition to my credit card while out for drinks with some coworkers. Two of them literally took a couple of steps back from me when they saw the card. It's as if I had contracted the plague on the spot.

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I mean, you feel me....

Those co-workers sound like pansies. Who in their right mind would be scared of an NRA card?

Yeah, what if they saw my CHL card?

Stevens, the two Academy stores where I shop let me carry all the ammo I want to by myself.

Is it me, or is it that different stores have different policies?

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Regulate Banks, not guns

If one of the WalMarts I go to has my ammo, I have to purchase it at that register, even if I'm getting tire service or oil change done on my car at the Auto Center 30 ft away.

If the Academy I go to has my ammo, the clerk at the ammo counter gives me my selection and I can wander around as long as I want (not very long) until I go to the front registers and pay.

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Smith .. and Wesson .. and me

I remember when I bought a shotgun at Walmarts when I was 18. They let some goofy nerd carry the gun out. Last time I ever bought a gun there. As far as ammo, the only ammo I get from Dicks is 00 buck 12 gauge (no one else has any around). Never had a problem. The last time I did buy pistol ammo, no escort involved.

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Vaya con Dios

At the Dick's near me all the registers are in the front of the store, the doors are so arranged that the only way you can exit the store is by going past the registers.
I suspect that many chains are getting out of selling firearms since between the type of people their wage scales attract,and the high turnover the BATF record keeping requirements are too much for them.

As I have said before, they have a good name.

Who? Democrats.

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I mean, you feel me....

At my local Wal-Mart, if you buy ammo from their locked counter, always handgun and sometimes rifle they check you out there. however, just before small game and deer season they have skids of rifle and shotgun ammo sitting out and one my browse, select and proceed to check out with the pork rinds, etc. However, if it is 22 ammo they must get a message on their register to ask if it is for a rifle or handgun (mine is always for a rifle amazingly enough). I am not exactly happy with Wal Mart's policies, but it is hard to beat their prices.

the policy must be by store not by chain

buy 9mm at my local WalMart whenever they have it in, and the clerk gets it out of the locked case, sets it on the counter, and asks if I'd like to pay for it there or up front with my other purchases

I've never bought ammo from Dicks here in NEPA. It just seems to me like a long walk just to find no selection.

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- The Federalist #46 -

Never have seen a Dicks, but one is under construction about 2 miles away, will report later when they open

That particular Dick's is heavily influenced by Dickson City politics. They don't sell BB guns either because some kids had been misusing them.

I bought my first handgun at the Dick's in Virginia Beach - right when they were selling down their stock in preparation for not selling handguns at all.

About being escorted to the door:
The last couple of times I bought guns at Cabela's, I had to be escorted to the door. I thought that was kind of funny for such a manly man's hunting and fishing emporium, but not really a big deal.

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You're shy a few manners.

At Wally World here in Houston - you have to show ID to buy BB's - nothing recorded but ID for BB's?

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Fair winds and following sea