Gun Shop Clerk interaction....

375hh1973

375hh1973

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My wife can shoot pistols well, just not what she defines as FUN.

Rifle shooting bores her to tears.

So I was pleasantly surprised when, after some skeet shooting, she said "this is fun" and " I want my own shotgun."

We demo'd a few shotguns to see what she likes, what fits, etc. She had the opportunity to shoot pumps, autos, and O/U.

She really likes the Beretta Vittoria O/U and the Fabarm Syren semi-auto L45. When it comes down to it, she said she likes the Syren, its softer shooting.

OK, thats the backstory. Now for today...

We were out running errands, Lowe's, bank, etc. Stopped in a gun shop just to see what was new and exciting.

Clerk: Anything I can help with?

Me: You don't happen to carry Syren or can order them?

Clerk: What's a Syren?

Me: Sporting shotgun designed for women.

Clerk: Oh, for HER? (points to my wife)

Wife: Yes, for me.

Clerk: Oh, heres what you really need.

He proceeds to try to hand my wife a youth Mossberg 500 20ga. Wife takes one look at that and tells him she doesn't like pump shotguns and doesn't want a 20ga.

Clerk: But a pump is good for beginners

Wife: I'm sure it is but I don't like them.

Clerk: You can hunt anything and use it for home defense.

Wife: I'm not a hunter and we have a home defense gun thats a semi auto and I'm just fine using that. Can you or can you not order a Syren?

Clerk mumbles and goes to a computer terminal. Clicks and types for a few minutes then comes back and says, no, he can't order one and "besides, those are like 2 grand. Awful lotta money for a women's gun."

I think he thought we was being funny. My wife and I exchanged glances then she told him exactly what he could do with himself

I have been in this shop before and have never seen this guy before, must be new. I'm gonna go back in next week and see if the owner is there and have a polite conversation with him. He needs to know what goes on when hes not there.
 
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Since retiring from a LE career, I now work very P/T in a LGS… That being said, customers here on Long Island (and many other places I'm sure…) have a few choices as to where they shop and buy. A clerk behind the counter who represents the LGS in that fashion is not only doing a disservice to the shop and it's customer base but most importantly to that customer…
I bet a poor Google rating of that particular interaction will definitely get the owner's attention.
 
Wow. My wife and I had a very similar experience at a Kawasaki dealership when we were shopping for a bike for her.
Funny thing is we were dressed in full custom leathers, riding a bike more expensive than anything they had.
Expensive (insert item) for a woman... Did we have the same salesman?
 
I think that this has become more common place sadly. My first and only trip to a Sportsman's Warehouse was worse. Went in with a list of a few weapons I wanted totaling right around 4K dollars.

When my number came up (yes they have one of those number machines) some 20 something snot nose clerk says "NOPE we don't have that in stock at this time" I asked can they be ordered? " NOPE" would you have any idea if they are on order and coming in? "NOPE", so I said I guess I'll take my four grand sale elsewhere since you've been so helpful.

Ordered everything that night from a competitor and had them shipped to my local home based FFL person I deal with for a transfer fee of 20 dollars.
 
Good help is no longer hard to find, it's impossible! Mediocre help abounds, often little more than toilet trained. I think you would be doing the LGS owner a favor letting him know about the short comings of that counter minder (can hardly be called a "Salesman"!) What he does with the info will tell which way that shop is heading.

Two of my sons and a nephew would shoot Sporting Clays with me in the 90's. They were safe and courteous, and allowed to be on squads without adult supervision. They shot nice Browning O/U shotguns, that belonged to my brother or me. Several low class adults mentioned they wouldn't allow their kids to shoot guns that expensive! My reply has always been, "Those boys have always been treated like they are responsible, and never once let me down!" (give a boy a piece of junk, and guess how he's going to treat it? Like a piece of junk!)

As for the woman shooter in my life: Whatever Momma wants, Momma gets! Her Sporting Clays shotgun is a Berretta 391 20 gauge. Because that was the one she liked! If you talk down to her, there are quite a number of people you'll answer to!

Ivan
 
In my experience, these attitudes and types of gun store counter jocks were far more prevalent in the 80's and early 90's.

To hear that kind of nonsense from the guy's mouth today is surprising.
 
Autonomous said:
Wow. My wife and I had a very similar experience at a Kawasaki dealership when we were shopping for a bike for her.
Funny thing is we were dressed in full custom leathers, riding a bike more expensive than anything they had.
Expensive (insert item) for a woman... Did we have the same salesman?
Click to expand...

The best motorcycle rider I know is a 5'2" woman who says her sister is even better. Can't judge a book by it's cover.
 
Over the years I have been ignored or talked down to by gun counter clerks it is possitively crazy. No, I don't want a pink gun, or a purple one or whatever the color of the day is. I don't want a .380 or a .22.
I like to ask for a 41 mag just to see the reaction. I've even been told "no such thing" Strange, I have owned 2 of the them.......
.327 Fed Mag also gets questioning looks.
Sorry guys, women control well of half of the wealth in this country. Better pay attention to us.
 
On a bit of a tangential note, one must not make snap judgments on dress either. I have been in the gun store here in TX when an older gent in ragged looking jeans, western shirt with holes in the elbows, and boots with bovine excrement on them comes in. If you know them, you might know they own a ranch into which you could fit Rhode Island.
 
I have a friend that at one time owned a small gun shop sporting goods store. His smart *** son literally drove him to bankruptcy. He never saw it or refused to do anything about it. Sad outcome
 
Last edited by a moderator:
The closest LGS to me changed hands about 18 mo ago. The new owners (married couple) try hard. The husband has a FT job and the wife handles the finances, so they rely heavily on their counter people. The counter guys are typical 20 something know it alls. It's comical listening to them. I once asked to look at a Colt Trooper which he kept calling a Diamondback. I watched a Marine veteran about the same age as them read them the riot act for waving a rifle around with finger inside the trigger guard. They have very strong opinions and zero knowledge.
 
Bro. Dave said:
On a bit of a tangential note, one must not make snap judgments on dress either. I have been in the gun store here in TX when an older gent in ragged looking jeans, western shirt with holes in the elbows, and boots with bovine excrement on them comes in. If you know them, you might know they own a ranch into which you could fit Rhode Island.
Click to expand...

I got a lot of that back in my hippie days, when my extended family owned several thousand acres of prime Iowa farm land.
My parents never "dressed to impress" so I wasn't brought up to either.
 
pawngal said:
I got a lot of that back in my hippie days, when my extended family owned several thousand acres of prime Iowa farm land.
My parents never "dressed to impress" so I wasn't brought up to either.
Click to expand...

Given my chosen career field you can well imagine what my wardrobe consisted of.
 
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