Opening Ammunition Boxes

[ggibson511960]

Am I the only person who is disturbed by sporting goods stores that allow customers to open ammunition boxes and fondle cartridges? I was shopping at a local A#@%&%y store today where ammunition is on open shelves. Three employees were in a discussion conference next to a rack and blithely watched a customer open a box, dump out a round, twirl it, then replace, re-shelve, and walk away. I've seen this happen before, but this was too much. I asked them if is was A#@%&%y policy to allow this and one allowed that they were pretty lax. The other two looked a little sheepish at being called out on something so obvious. A#@%&%y is now selling a limited inventory of reloading components. What could go wrong? I'm rethinking my patronage.

 

[30-30remchester]

I inspect everything I buy. If that were not the case I would have had difficulty inserting 44 magnum ammunition into my 44 special. The box was labelled 44 special the ammo was 44 magnum. I personally would not buy anything I did not inspect first. Online shopping being the exception.

 

[dubtap21]

I open boxes to make sure the correct number of rounds are in the box. Learned a lesson when I bought and took home a box of 30-06 from Dick's without opening it. The box was three rounds shy!! Who the heck steals three rounds of ammo?!

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[Ivan the Butcher]

I like shooting 28 gauge. A sporting goods store I used to go to would only get it in a case at a time. I bought the last 4 boxes to shoot over the weekend at Sporting Clays. When I got to the range each box was missing 2 or 3 rounds. I complained about it the next week, they gave me a very good price and I bought the whole case that just arrived. A month later I stopped buy to get some more ammo. every box was missing 2 or 3 again. I took 5 boxes to the counter and repacked 4 boxes and paid for them. The manager then ask me what he was suppose to do with the partial box? I said, "Figure out which employee is stealing the ammo and make them buy it!" Somebody was stealing a box per case!

Ivan

ETA: After reading Dubtap21's post, I find it funny that this store is one bought out by Dick's!

 

[Muss Muggins]

If a place has everything locked up with tamper indicative tape, I'm good. If not, I'm looking . . .

 

[PPS1980]

I'm with the other folks - if its open to access by customers I check to make sure I am getting what I am paying for. Occasionally I can't recall the part/model # on a certain type of round but recognize it when I look. Sorry but with all the BS labeling by some of the ammo companies sometimes its important to look.

 

[30-30remchester]

Being a cartridge collector with a passion for old obscure brands, I attended the Rocky Mountain Cartridge Collectors show one year. Spying a very uncommon box of 30-30's for sale by Holiday I just had to have it. Like most rare cartridge boxes and ammo it was professionally wrapped in cellophane. Asking the very reputable dealer about the cartridges inside he assured me they were original and pristine so I paid a heathy price for them. For weeks I wondered about the condition of the shells inside so I unwrapped them and opened the box. I found a box full of mixed head stamp reloads. So much for his business ethics.

 

[Whitwabit]

BPS has all of their ammo out on shelves and I found a box of 9mm that was short and saw a man showing a clerk a box that was one short .. So this must be a common occurrence it seems ..

At the local farm store they have the ammo locked up and is put in a locked case till you get to the register to pay for it .. have never had a problem there !!

I always check to insure the box is full and has the right ammo caliber in it ..

 

[bigwheelzip]

Most of my ammo is mail order, but I inspect every box of store bought ammo I get. The policy of no returns on ammo is why.

 

[2152hq]

I see at least oneof the ammo mfg (Federal?) seals the bricks of 22's with a pull strip so you know if the brick has been opened or not.
Maybe this is old news but I like that idea.
I always hated the thought of buying a supposed factory fresh brick and finding a round or 2 missing from each box inside.

Trust just doesn't seem to be in the dictionary much anymore.

 

[rwsmith]

I will open a box...

...if I have a good reason to look. But not like you describe.

 

[rwsmith]

My LGS carefully...

...tapes both ends of primer boxes to keep primers off the floor and to keep people from dumping boxes in their pocket.

 

[hoc9sw]

I always check each box. There are often missing rounds.

I once picked up the last box of .45 ACP JHP at a serious LE supply store. Inside was FMJ. Someone literally stole them by swapping out the trays. In a store full of local PD officers.

 

[vonn]

Sometimes the lot numbers are on the inside of the end flap of the box and I try to buy boxes that have the same lot number if I am buying more than one box. I have seen many mixed boxes at some of the discount stores over the years.

 

[RGVshooter]

This happened to me 2 times at the @cademy. I purchased a Fobus mag holster that when I got home the item inside was used. I mean it looked like someone bought a new item, stuck in their old used one in the package & returned it. Same thing at B@ss Pr@ Sh@p, I went to purchase two factory Beretta 92fs mags and while walking to the front to pay upon closer inspection of the magazines I noticed someone swapped them out with ProMags. I told one of the sales associates & together we checked the other mags & found two more that were swapped out. As far as pulling out the ammo from their boxes? I never understood why some people do that. I mean if it says "115 gr 9mm FMJ on the box then why do you need to pull it out? Unless of course you're me, just checking that all the bullets are there before paying up front. Because yes, I've seen boxes that either had bullets swapped out for JHP's or missing bullets.

There's snakes everywhere out here.

 

[Arik]

I open, I look! What could go wrong? Nothing unless I start trying to hit the primer on hard corners.

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[Nevada Ed]

I generally take the ammo to the counter and ask an employee
if I can check out the ammo.

Usually the count is correct but I am making sure that I am getting
the correct bullet style. 98% of the time the factory box is fine
if not opened before, per tell tale crease marks etc.

If a 250 or 500 box of bullets or primers, I have them tape it shut
just to be on the safe side.
Some stores now have primers behind the counter, which I think
is a good idea.

 

[rwsmith]

That's the way it is.....

I always check each box. There are often missing rounds.

I once picked up the last box of .45 ACP JHP at a serious LE supply store. Inside was FMJ. Someone literally stole them by swapping out the trays. In a store full of local PD officers.

My son works at a sports apparel outlet store. Thievery not only rife, it's organized. They must make plenty of money to absorb that loss. I'm sure gunstores are targeted to. Why buy ammo when you can steal it?

 

[rwsmith]

Bring a...

I open, I look! What could go wrong? Nothing unless I start trying to hit the primer on hard corners.

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Bring a hammer and nail to test them before you buy.

 

[LVSteve]

A#@%&%y or @cademy.........B@ss Pr@ Sh@p

It's Academy and Bass Pro Shops. There, I said both out loud. Should I expect lightning or pestilence?

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

It's Academy and Bass Pro Shops. There, I said both out loud. Should I expect lightning or pestilence?

The biggest problem in these stores, isn't the thieving customers, it is the poor managers and apathetic employees!

So yes, If you're shopping there it is a type of pestilence!

Ivan

 

[nicky4968]

I like CCI rimfire packaging for this reason.

 

[chief38]

Since I do not buy ammunition by the box it really does not apply. The only ammo I buy are Shotshells and .22's and those are purchased by the case which is Factory sealed. I do buy Buffalo Bore .38 Specials and Speer Gold Dots but they are by the case too - and if I don't need all that much I'll share a case with friends. Everything else comes off my Dillon 650.

 

[johngalt]

I must be lucky, I've never had missing ammo.

The worst I had was at a gun show. Guy with a table was selling allegedly factory new ammo. Bought a box of .38. It was obviously reloads - headstamps didn't all match and were different than the box. Also about 20% of the box was .357.

 

[federali]

I will not open a box of ammo unless I plan to buy it. Most of the local dealers near me keep their ammo behind the counter so customers don't have the opportunity to rifle through it, chew up the boxes (shelf-worn) or take samples.

 

[Arik]

Bring a hammer and nail to test them before you buy.

I was debating on it!

In reality I order ammo online by the case but once in a blue moon when I'm in a big box gun store I'll open a box or two to take a look but it's usually something odd, like 9.3x64 or 9.3x74R.


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[NYlakesider]

The two LGS I do the most business with are ammo secure. In the one all ammo is in a large shelve set up behind the counter or in the back room, the other shop its right out in front of the counter area and this shop normally has about 5 people working.
Both these shops are also well covered by cameras.

Now the big boxes in them most ammo is out on shelves and anything is possible.. If the wife or I by any ammo from them that does not come from behind the counter we will check all boxes at the clerks area. Most all serious (high performance) pistol ammo is kept behind the counter (clerks area)

 

[30-30remchester]

This thread brought back a situation from a few decades ago. In a worldwide beauty contest the sweet young lady that won was doing an interview after the crowning. The subject of pre marital relations came up. As sweet as sugar was her reply. "I would never buy a coat I did not try on first".

 

[keith44spl]

My only concern would be some numb-nut slipping a over-load cartridge in the box.

I was at a gunshow in Ft. Worth one time and saw some jack-wagon slip a live cartridge in 45acp Kahr pistol on a vender's table.

He escaped in the crowd before we could capture him.

It "**** happens" everywhere. Sad to say.


.

 

[dave1918a2]

Had a guy out at the gun club who purchased a 444 marlin. The LGS He bought at didn't have ammo so He went to a now defunct Dave Cook store and bought 2 boxes. First shot the gun blew up and messed up His hand which He had under the gun. He said there were 6 different looking rounds in the box He opened so He shot one. I picked up all His stuff after I took Him to the local Emergency Room and called His wife. Sent 3 rounds to HP White Labs ( His Atty did ). They looked like reloads and were. Turns out they were 265 gr flatpoint jacketed
with 35 grains of unique. BOOM! Check the boxes and be careful. Don't be dumb like this guy was. He lost the use of His hand and He was a draftsman.