LGS Refused to Remove Stocks (grips)?

[C3Ranger]

Looking for some fellow member opinions on the following…

During a recent visit to a shop not often frequented, I overheard a customer ask if the rubber grips on an older (1980s?) S&W M15 could be removed for inspection. I was surprised that the shop refused.

It was apparent that there was some surface wear and light pitting as could be expected on a well-used revolver of that age, and the customer was not asking to be the one removing the grips, just that the shop remove them.

UPDATE: I don't recall any explanation by the shop for not removing the rubber grips for inspection.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who would be discouraged from doing business with that shop, especially on a used item.

To clarify, this was not a consignment gun. They were also clearly not original S&W stocks.

Do you think the customer's request was unreasonable?

Would the shop's refusal influence whether you would deal with them?

 

[UncleEd]

Yes.

And yes.

 

[murphydog]

My opinion would be - their shop, their rules. But I would not be inclined to buy any used gun from them. And depending on their overall attitude, probably not a new gun either.

 

[paplinker]

Well they would have to take the grips off to read the proper serial number for the paperwork.

Yes I would be very cautious with that shop. Did they say why they would not?

 

[sigp220.45]

Probably just a blanket rule after either a customer or employee buggered up a gun. Wouldn't bother me.

 

[RSinOR]

The customer's request is not unreasonable, and if the shop refused, I would politely hand the gun back to the clerk, thank them for their time
and leave.

Sometimes LGS's are reluctant to do such things for anyone other than regular customers they know. Other times, some will not do it under any circumstances. In cases of the latter I would not buy anything from that shop. Don't burn any bridges...just take your business elsewhere.

 

[tlawler]

I wouldn't deal with them. Rubber grips are notorious for contributing to corrosion when not removed and cleaned periodically. Say you buy the gun and remove the grips to find severe pitting and rust; what recourse would you have at that point? I seriously doubt they would refund your money and take the gun back.

 

[stansdds]

Their shop, their rules, and that's fine. If you feel that a more thorough inspection of the revolver was in order before purchasing, and I think you were within your rights, and they refuse, walk away.

 

[Old cop]

I asked a local shop if I could remove the rubber grips on a used Model 10 a few years ago, they said sure. Sure enough some pitting under the grips so I negotiated the price. Had the shop refused I would have walked away.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I had some rust under the grips on one of my model 19's because of years with Pach grips on it. I store all of my guns in a safe in a room with heat and a Goldenrod in the safe. Not a lot of rust but it was there.

Sometimes it's difficult to remove grips and screws get buggered. In the case of some really old 1911's sometime the screw bushings have to be replaced because they will be damaged removing the grips. I broke a pair of original plastic grips trying to remove them from a 1990 Colt. Replaced two bushings. Should have left it alone.

I don't know of any shop that will let you mess with screws and the counter guy is just a clerk that knows everything but knows nothing. I wouldn't want that dude wrenching on my guns.

 

[ken158]

I would want to see under the grips but would not want to remove them myself should they claim a scratch or issue of some kind.

 

[rct269]

As has been so correctly noted, "their shop and their rules", just as we have our money and our walking shoes.

Ralph Tremaine

 

[dmar]

If it's important to the customer, the owner should try to accommodate the request. It's a used gun, if he's a serious buyer, it's reasonable to request to the inspect the gun. I work hard for my money, and they're not giving the things away!

If refused the option, I'd politely let the man know that I don't agree with his business practices, and I'd leave. He may stay in business doing things that way, but it wouldn't be thanks to my money…

 

[jay73]

Makes me feel good my local shop doesn't have this issue. Last revolver I purchased, I asked to check the S/N on the grips. He already had the screwdriver in his hand.

 

[Major 2]

I agree, I'd walk

 

[kwill1911]

Their shop, their rules. My money, my rules.

 

[luvsmiths]

How much for the Chevy?

4500.

Looks nice. Seats feel good.

open the hood?

No.

The trunk?

No.

Ok, I'll take it.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

I recently had an out of town Gun store owner Lady diss me.
Only time I will ever go there.
It's a combo store - range.
I walked in and the owner gent welcomed me.
I circled over and looked into the glassed in indoor range.
One guy in there, shooting some kind of competition , Biathalon, Olympic rifle.
I circle the center square where the woman is using the computer.
Get over to a clerk who is BSing with a customer.
I ask him, what kind of rifle is that guy shooting?
The woman yells at me, it's a very expensive rifle!
And he's a regular!
She apparently already surmised that I'm irregular and don't own any expensive guns. Probably no guns at all.
It'll be a cold day in hell before I go in there again!

 

[handejector]

How much for the Chevy?

4500.

Looks nice. Seats feel good.

open the hood?

No.

The trunk?

No.

Ok, I'll take it.

In Atlanta, you definitely want to check the trunk! Might see somebody you know.

 

[LostintheOzone]

I can field strip a 1911 in less than a minute. Should a shop owner let me do that? Probably not because every Tom, Dick and Harry would want to do that and the unwashed masses will damage your merchandise.

How many people carry a bore light when they look at used guns? To me the condition of the bore is more important than some rust under the grips. But I guess cosmetics is everything to some buyers. I never did get that.

Safe to say I'm not a collector.

 

[VictorLouis]

I wouldn't have bought a used one last year, had I had the sense to take off the grips. In similar situations now, I would do so. Also, I have to cajole the pawn-shops to remove the danged trigger locks, else you can't check the action, timing, and lock-up. THat's a real challenge, let me tell you!

 

[hemiram]

I've had a couple of guns I looked at in a pawn/LGS that had corrosion under the grips. If a store didn't want me to see what's going on, I would just walk. And I have.

 

[Breadman1]

If it's important to the customer, the owner should try to accommodate the request. It's a used gun, if he's a serious buyer, it's reasonable to request to the inspect the gun. I work hard for my money, and they're not giving the things away!

If refused the option, I'd politely let the man know that I don't agree with his business practices, and I'd leave. He may stay in business doing things that way, but it wouldn't be thanks to my money…

My thoughts exactly

 

[Retired W4]

If that happened to me I would not only walk out and never come back, I would tell all my friends about the place. And I have a few friends!

 

[CH4]

I don't think it's unreasonable. I've never had a shop refuse to remove the grips.

 

[Erocksmash]

They would have lost my business, first sign of something fishy....

 

[Narragansett]

I wandered into a pawn shop once and saw an older Smith. I asked the guy to please remove the grips. he said why? I said so I can see if they number to the gun. He replied, " Assume they don't". I did not say a word, just walked out and have not been back

 

[NYlakesider]

Back in the mid 1970s I wanted to shoot sub class PPC. (2 1/2 Barrel maximum) Trying to find a good adjustable sight 19 or 15 was almost impossible

A dealer I had done a lot of business with had a rather abused Model 15 2''. Gun came from a cop who carried it and it had a hard life. Dealer really wanted to get rid of it and quoted me a extremely good price.

I looked it over close, normal revolver checks and said I will buy it if you let me remove the side plate and all inside is OK.. Went to the back and took it off all looked OK, I bought the gun and for sure it was a ugly duckling but it shot extremely well. That dealer went a lot further than just allowing grips pulled. I did buy a set of Pacs rubber at the same time.

 

[BrovoEchoSierra]

Grips

Wood grips I would probably not have let it kill the deal.
Rubber grips, and I would have handed it back to them.
No shortage of that model anyway, they made 1000's of them.

 

[cmansguns]

Cover all bases...it is your money

Main reason I stopped even looking at Cabela's after they were taken over by Bass Pro, they're absolute refusal to remove the trigger lock until you had bought the gun, paid for it, and going out the door..you were handed one of those ding-dong little keys.

So...didn't matter the price..no way to check for push-off and mechanical things, if tragets on, couldn't even check for serial number on butt.

As far as LGS goes, I understand it is their gun, not mine, until cash changes hands, but I feel I need to be met at least half-way. I do not expect (nor even want) a clerk to "touch" the gun beyond taking it out of the case, checking for empty, and handing it to me. I have witnessed "clerks" doing a Hollywood flip to close the cylinder and that's a deal breaker too.

On the other hand the LGS does have a counter manager who seems to know and respect some requests. Grips off is reasonable with revolvers but he does it, with proper hollow ground screwdriver tips. On the other hand there is no counter top disassembly of 1911,s by anyone, simply because parts and springs can "fly-off" in anyone's hands, and as said above, grip bushings on a WWII 1911A1 that have to be "loctited", or even replaced will destroy the value of that possibly collector grade gun.

I did once at this LGS ask for a further disassembly of a Colt 1911A1. This was ages ago, but still the asking price was in genuine, all numbers matching area, so I had to be sure. I mentioned that we would need to take it down enough to see if the s/n digits were on the slide stop as the age indicated for a Colt to be. The manager knew what I was asking and together we did disassemble that far down, and the gun was all in order. Reassembled and I did buy it, but I would not have if denied the request.

Bottom line to me is that only you can spend your own money. The LGS is not out one red cent whether you buy it or the next guy/gal.

I value the money I'm spending and I want to be absolutely sure that I did my best due diligence before parting with those Bennies. So far I can't recall very many times of buyers remorse.