Dick's

[Springfield Bob]

I went to Dick's in West Springfield Ma yesterday to buy some ammo. He asked to see my pistol permit. I showed him and asked him why he wanted to see it.
He said it was the law that if I didn't have a permit to carry I couldn't purchase. I told him it's not the law as I can purchase in other stores without showing my license. He pointed out a little home made sign that read it was illegal to buy any ammo without the permit. He then asked where I could buy without the permit as he would CALL and report them. Nice guy huh?

 

[Springfield Bob]

I went to Dick's in West Springfield Ma yesterday to buy some ammo. He asked to see my pistol permit. I showed him and asked him why he wanted to see it.
He said it was the law that if I didn't have a permit to carry I couldn't purchase. I told him it's not the law as I can purchase in other stores without showing my license. He pointed out a little home made sign that read it was illegal to buy any ammo without the permit. He then asked where I could buy without the permit as he would CALL and report them. Nice guy huh?

 

[gunsmith11]

a new Dicks is going to open here, I cant wait to not go there

 

[Broker57]

We've got them in our area. I guess I need to check if they pull that sort of crock here too.

 

[2Loud4You]

They don't pull that crap in GA

 

[BrianE]

Im in the Springfield area as well and EVERY store Ive been in to purchase ammo Ive had to show my permit. Where have you gone that you didnt need to... Hm.

 

[conn ak]

Originally posted by BrianE:
Im in the Springfield area as well and EVERY store Ive been in to purchase ammo Ive had to show my permit. Where have you gone that you didnt need to... Hm.

Down south of you, in Connecticut, I've never had to show anything except cash or a charge card to purchase ammo. I bought 2 boxes of 40 S&W yesterday. Interestingly enough, I was looking at the Ruger LCP at Hoffman's (Newington) yesterday. When I asked the salesman to see the LCP, he asked to see my permit first. That's a new one to me.

 

[FennRx]

never had that happen to me here in Indiana, at Dick's or anywhere else. what a crock...

 

[sparky9]

And now we all understand the store's name.

 

[tomf52]

In NJ, you cannot look at or touch a firearm of any kind without your firearms ID card laying on the counter in front of you.Ammo needs driver's license and signature. Glad I left that state with Sip.

 

[redlevel]

Where I live in Georgia if you aren't carrying at least one handgun, have at least one long gun in the pickup with shotgun shells and rifle cartridges rolling around on the floor, and don't have at least two safes full of guns and ammo, they will confiscate your Man Card and publish your picture in the local paper along with the child molesters and DUI's.

 

[photocosmo]

In Minnesota it's cash and carry IF they have it.

 

[David LaPell]

They try this crap at the Dicks here locally. The clerk told me that he needed to see my pistol permit (this was when I owned a 9mm) and I told him it was for a rifle. He asked what kind, and I blurted out a Beretta Storm carbine. I got the ammo. Then I asked him one question, what happens if I just happen to know the name of a rifle and just use that to get pistol ammo, therefore defeating the whole policy in one stroke. He looked like he was about to short circuit coming up with an answer, and then told me he would need to ask a manager. For the heck of it, I wanted to know, and the manager's best response was "Well sir, its company policy." I never did get my answer. Walmart up here does the exact same thing. If some little dweeb behind the counter told me he was going to call the other gun shops and tell them that I could not buy ammo, my response would be that I would slap a slander suit on his butt so fast his employee of the month plaque would fall off the wall.

 

[VAdoublegunner]

You have to have a CCW permit in MA to even *buy* pistol ammo?? I didn't think there were even that many folks that had them there. That's the craziest thing I've ever heard! Maybe it's their subtle way of slowing down sales to keep stock up.

Dick's is a 4th rate sporting goods store for firearms around here, somewhat less impressive than Walmart. They used to have good deals on ammo but have declined even there.

I do have fun with the Wallyworld "is it for a handgun" question. I always answer yes, regardless of the cartridge.

 

[dlstewart01]

Here in middle Tennessee, if you should be lucky enough to find ammo in Wal-Mart, they pitch it to you, say have a gooden and you can pay for it at the regular check out.

 

[Igiveup]

A couple months ago I bought a brick of .22 at WalMart. The lady asked me if it were for pistol and I said for rifle. I had never before been asked this question, so I asked her what would happen if I said "yes" to pistol. She said she didn't know what she would do, just was told to ask. Is this another form of backdoor registration? I have never been asked this in any other store in Oregon, even for obvious pistol ammunition.

 

[handejector]

We have been through this "rifle or handgun" thing numerous times.
For MANY years, the age for long gun ammo has been 18, and 21 for handgun ammo.
If ammo can be used in EITHER a handgun or a rifle, the seller asks the question because he can sell ammo to an 18 year old for a rifle, but he cannot sell the same 18 year old the same ammo for a pistol.
Since there are handguns chambered for 30-06, 45-70, and 375 H&H, almost any metallic cartridge could possibly be for a pistol.
Since long guns are made in pistol calibers, almost any pistol ammo could be for a long gun.

Sure, the right answer can get an 18 year old ammo for a handgun.

Is it that much trouble to provide the ONE-word answer? (pistol or rifle)
What you probably don't notice is the clerk actually has to answer that question on the cash register to proceed once the "ammo" key is hit, or the scanner tells the system it is ammo. If the system has that data, it will also ask for age confirmation. If you are not having to prove your age, it simply means the kid has NO trouble seeing you are over 21.

May I suggest you simply answer the question pleasantly, buy your ammo, and leave? Keep moaning about it, and keep this issue before "all eyes", and we might be filling out a 4473 for every box of ammo.....
The question is required by Federal law IF there is any doubt the buyer might not be 21, and, as I said, expect a large store to ask everyone as a matter of policy.

The clerk at Dick's could have stated an incorrect answer about company policy. Perhaps he had been told to ask for a pistol permit as proof that the buyer is 21. Maybe it is their policy- I have no idea what Massachusetts law regarding ammo is. Actually, if that is the law, and other stores don't obey it, it would be better to suggest to them that they should, rather than see them lose their license.

Why don't one of you in Mass check the law, and let us know?

 

[walnutred]

Some of us are old enough to remember when pistol ammo purchases had to be entered in a log book. I remember the grumpy old man who ran the local hardware store making me fill out a log entry to buy some 32 S&W Long ammo. When I hesitated at the age block he told me to put "21" there. I was probably only 13 or 14 at the time but as I was taught to respect my elders I did as I was told.

 

[zercool]

Originally posted by handejector:
We have been through this "rifle or handgun" thing numerous times.

But he didn't cover the important part - was his receipt checked on the way out???

It is a policy of that particular store, and WalMart will ask me for my pistol permit if I'm buying a cartridge that isn't shot in carbines (.380 comes immediately to mind).

I don't argue, I just pull out the permit and flash it - it takes ten seconds and I have to open my wallet for money anyways.

 

[redlevel]

Originally posted by handejector:

May I suggest you simply answer the question pleasantly, buy your ammo, and leave? Keep moaning about it, and keep this issue before "all eyes", and we might be filling out a 4473 for every box of ammo.....

Lee, when are you going to learn that common sense just ain't no fun?