Gun store employees that are just plain full of it...

[forrestinmathews]

So I was in a not so LGS yesterday and was told a series of outright lies by an employee. Two of which stuck out in my mind.
1. NAA Mini Revolvers have great triggers.
2. All Federal Premium buckshot is standard with Flitecontrol.
3. 3" OO Buck has only 12 pellets...yes I'm aware of a certain load, but 15 is the norm...
What whoppers have been told in your presence that you'd care to share?

 

[old bear]

I guess I don't spend that much time in gun stores. When I hear silly stuff I just shine it on, as there is no reason to get upset over the small stuff.

 

[Blue Streak]

Yeah, I think we have all heard lots of bull.

I think two main reasons. First the peddlers are new tacticool guys who don't know much. Second, over the past few years the peddlers have seen a huge wave of new consumers that have little knowledge or who are new tacticool people as well and the peddles will make up whatever nonsense to make a sale.

 

[steelslaver]

I love people like that. They make me feel good about not being to much of a dummy.

 

[Donn]

When at my LGS, (been going there several years), I only talk firearms with the guys who know what they're talking about. Regarding BS, the most I've heard is at the big box stores like Bass Pro, Cabela's or the late Gander Mountain. Not worth engaging, just chuckle and/or shake my head, move on.

 

[NYlakesider]

The LGS I frequent have a bunch of knowledgeable people working there. If a question is asked a clerk cannot answer (rare) one of the others can answer it.. Have not found a BS factor at those place, a good reason I do most of my business with these two shops. These places are both about a 25 mile drive in the opposite direction with me in the middle.

A couple other LGS are so so, but I do stop in from time to time and the quality of the counter staff can be amazing. Then there are the big boxes, they do not fit MY definition of LGSs. The answers and conversations at many of those places can be miles above amazing!

 

[Kurusu]

My favourite gun store has some knowledged workers, BS factor is very low.

 

[JimBianchi]

My favorite is the gun store that sold a new shooter, tiny young woman, an FN 57 pistol for her first conceal carry gun.

I walked in towards the middle of the transaction and that salesperson was spouting more bullsheet than a sick cow.

I felt bad for the lady. I remember her saying she needs a bigger purse now......

 

[Muss Muggins]

Nothing wrong with the trigger on my NAA . . .

I spend my time at two different LGS's. Both proprietors are close friends of mine. The misinformation I hear is from customers, sometimes customer to customer. The gun shop people will step in if somebody is gonna get hurt, but otherwise they keep out of those conversations. I like to listen, but I stay out as well . . .

 

[Warren Sear]

So I was in a not so LGS yesterday and was told a series of outright lies by an employee. Two of which stuck out in my mind.
1. NAA Mini Revolvers have great triggers....

That is an opinion, not a lie.

 

[keith44spl]

I once had a in store 'gunsmith' tell me that it was
impossible to convert any handgun to a different caliber..........

That made me sad to hear that thar bit of news ....


.

 

[Rpg]

A fun spectator sport I sometimes participate in on otherwise slow days is hanging around the gun counter at big box stores.

Typically, they are staffed by retail clerks trained on store policy and equipment but with little or no subject matter knowledge.

I spent an entertaining 5 minutes last weekend evesdroping on a conversation between such a clerk and a young lady interested in buying a handgun for self defense.

The young lady wanted a safe gun and was looking at a Smith 642 and a 638.

She couldn't find the safety on the 642 and asked the clerk to show her the safety.

Clerk spent a few minutes hunting for the safety before announcing that the cylinder release functioned as the safety on that model.

 

[mrmike7189]

I have Ruger mini 14 ranch rifle and I went to buy 5.56 ammo for it and the clerk asked me "what kind of gun i had," I told him Ruger mini 14. He told me "you cant shoot 5.56 ammo in that gun, its 223. "
I told him to go read the owners manual , Mini14's have been firing 5.56 ammo since about 1976, longer than he has been alive"!

 

[mrmike7189]

or when they tell new gun owners that the trigger on a j fame is so easy .....yeah like if 14 pound pull is easy!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nachogrande]

* SOME * GUN STORE EMPLOYEES, YES.

Many more from the other side of the counter, from my experiences. No shortage of bull scat.

 

[TomkinsSP]

A fun spectator sport I sometimes participate in on otherwise slow days is hanging around the gun counter at big box stores.

Typically, they are staffed by retail clerks trained on store policy and equipment but with little or no subject matter knowledge.

I spent an entertaining 5 minutes last weekend evesdroping on a conversation between such a clerk and a young lady interested in buying a handgun for self defense.

The young lady wanted a safe gun and was looking at a Smith 642 and a 638.

She couldn't find the safety on the 642 and asked the clerk to show her the safety.

Clerk spent a few minutes hunting for the safety before announcing that the cylinder release functioned as the safety on that model.

But it does, just use elmers to glue the brass in so it doesn't fall out (don't use jb-weld or you might bend your rod.)

 

[Old Corp]

Well, here's the deal. After my LE career I decided to work p/t at two different, very busy LGS's. (Consecutively)
Worked through the two or three 'panic buying' sessions which would have tested the patience of the Pope.

After the novelty of receiving new/cool/desirable/really neat merchandise wears off, and you have provided admirable service and advice to about 2500 new shooters or new CC folks, and answered the never-ending phone calls and stood on the concrete floor for 9 hours a day, that $10/hr is just not cutting it.

Very few LGS owners or businesses care what your depth of knowledge is or your level of experience. They like how well you treat customers.
Consequently they don't wish to pay any sort of premium for employees who really know a lot about guns, shooting,reloading,carry gear, CC, personal defense, ammo, hunting, competition, etc, etc.

Having led a misspent life, I DO know a lot about these things, but alas, I found that no one is willing to fairly compensate in salary for that.
Long story short - after a few years, and moving away, I found that my bout with retail was over. I'd run out of patience and just wasn't enjoying it for the reasons stated.

For most LGS clerks, keep expectations very low. You don't get much for $10/hr.

 

[TomkinsSP]

or when they tell new gun owners that the trigger on a j fame is so easy .....yeah like if 14 pound pull is easy!!!!!!!!!!!

No, get the .22 its trigger pull is lighter than the .38s (42 percent lighter).

 

[TomkinsSP]

I have Ruger mini 14 ranch rifle and I went to buy 5.56 ammo for it and the clerk asked me "what kind of gun i had," I told him Ruger mini 14. He told me "you cant shoot 5.56 ammo in that gun, its 223. "
I told him to go read the owners manual , Mini14's have been firing 5.56 ammo since about 1976, longer than he has been alive"!

You must have the METRIC model.

 

[Whitwabit]

believe a clerk in a Big Box Store LGS and probably a 50/50 chance of getting a correct answer .. Local LGS's I rate higher at 80 percent or high .. least for the 2 or 3 I frequent ..