I have not heard stupid gun shop talk since 3-16-20.
I look forward to hearing more stupid gun shop talk soon.
I need a new gun belt. Not only did I outgrow my pants, but I now need the next size up in belts. I can't IWB comfortably with my current IWB gunbelts.

I was in Dicks Sporting goods.  A long time ago.  I was getting some ammo.  This guy is with his girlfriend at the counter looking at a Wasr 10.  He's telling the employee that he was an operator back in the day and was familiar with AK 47's.  He said the Wasr was similar to the real thing but quite a bit smaller.  Not a folding stock kind of smaller but a scaled down version of the real thing.  I told him he was mistaken, but he was to busy trying to impress his girlfriend.  It went in one ear and out the other.

17 HMR velocities are typically 4000+ FPS.  I just couldn't.

The s/n plate on Glock frames were added so they would set off metal detectors and show up on x-ray.

The stupidest thing I ever heard in a gun store was the personal phone conversation that the lone counterman was having. It lasted at least 20 minutes, even with me standing nearby obviously wanting to fondle the pistol I'd been eyeing. When it was obvious that I wasn't important enough, I left and drove the extra 45 minutes to Bass Pro Shops and spent my $600 there instead.

That's not stupid, it's fucking hilarious.

I've worked at two different stores.  One was the Smith And Wesson Shooting Sports Center in Springfield from 2007 to its closure.  The other was a gun/hunting counter manager at a tourist big box store in Orlando, Fl.  The big box job was just to pay the bills till I got into LE which I am now.  

By far not the stupidest thing but one that always made me laugh that I had at both stores was customers, usually the elderly, asking for a "smithfield" I was like bro, we dont sell fucking ham or bacon here.  

No ma'am, you don't want a pistol with an exposed hammer.  Since you have to cock it to shoot someone, a prosecutor could say that mean premeditation and charge you with murder.

lol how true

A store clerk told me the M9A3 was worth the premium because it was the only way I could get factory 17 round mags.

Same guy told me all pistol braces were illegal and manufacturers were forging their ATF letters and paying people to post on the internet that they were legal. He said the first time I take it to a range an undercover ATF agent will arrest me.

You should dry fire a 1911

There was a gun shop I frequented and bought a lot of stuff from. I'd haggle with the owner and he'd cut me a deal. After a few visits where I bought stuff, he would just show me something and tell me a price that was less than the tagged price, and that was the best he could do. I guess he knew I was a buyer, not a browser or a dreamer, and he'd rather just give me his bottom price off the bat instead of wasting time haggling. Sometimes, when I asked to see something on the rack or in the case, he'd show it to me and tell me I wouldn't want it, and proceed to show me why. He got to know my tastes pretty well, and what I wouldn't accept. Really great shop.

Then he sold it to his son. Holy fuck. Went a few times after that, then gave up on it. Experiences:

1. Could rarely get the counter guys to let me speak to the owner. He just sat back in his office most of the time.

2. Old man counter guy was showing a 1911 with wood grips to the customer ahead of me. Customer liked it, and asked how it would feel with rubber grips. I offered to let him hold my carry piece, and I pointed it at the floor and safely cleared it. He handled it and said it felt much better. Old man pulled his 1911 to let the guy handle it and started clearing it while it was pointed at my stomach! I jumped to the side and asked him what the hell he was doing. He said sorry, and pointed it at the floor and cleared it. I reloaded and holstered and got the fuck away from him.

3. Girl in my unit decided it was time to get a pistol for home defense. Came to me for advice. Invited her to my house and discussed several options and let her handle a bunch of guns, from shotguns to ARs to pistols to revolvers. Had her talk to my wife about carry options and stuff. I suggested an AR, since she was much more familiar with it than the M9, but she was adamant that she wanted a pistol due to capacity and secure storage/size issues with kids in the home. Went to the gun shop and started looking at pistols. She didn't want a Beretta even though she was already familiar with it, because she didn't like the way it fit her hand. I took her to the gun shop at lunch time, and I was having her look at different pistols, but the counter monkey kept trying to push snubnose revolvers on her like that's the only thing a woman can handle. He did this despite the fact that we were both in uniform, and we may have some experience with semiautomatic pistols. We rented a few guns, and she really liked the Jericho 941 and shot it really well, so she bought it. The kid salesman processing the paperwork really couldn't hide his disdain in her buying a non-snubby.

4. I had my eye on this used Ruger Vaquero in 45 Colt that had a good price on it. I'd told my wife about it, but it would just be a fun gun, and another caliber to stock, so I was on the fence about it. My wife and I were passing by the shop one day, and we decided to stop in. I asked to see the Vaquero. My wife likes working guns, but the LOVES pretty guns, and this was pretty. Stainless with white grips. So while she's apparently falling in love with it, I wandered down and was looking at 1911s. While this one minimum wage flunky is showing me 1911s, I look over and the other flunky is having my wife fill out a 4473. So, fuck it, I bought a used Springfield 1911 for myself. While this might not seem like a big deal (other than my wife poaching a gun out from under me), to any clerking jerk who wants to keep his boss in business and out of jail, it should have looked like a classic straw purchase, but he did it anyways. Not that I agree with the concept of straw purchases or the GCA at all, because I don't, but the law is there, and abide by it unless you're willing to suffer the consequences of it.

I don't go there any more. Too much fuckery. Not even sure if they're still in business.

She showed up with a preconceived idea that there was only one gun she should buy, based on one persons opinion who she talked to. She would be better served by reading, talking to others, and if possible renting a few at a range to try out. She buys the Glock, takes it out, hates it, then thinks all guns are the same.

Sounds to me like your dad was a dick.

Cabela’s counter guy telling a customer the Wilson Combat mag wouldn’t fit customers 4in Kimber 1911. I couldn’t help it and told the customer it sure would work. Gun counter guy puffs up says no it won’t... I asked to see one of the Kimbers in the case... he lays on the counter I dropped the factory mag out, pulled a Wilson off my belt and slapped it in. I thought ol boy was going to pass out ??

That's just a straight up lie

I had the arrogant owner tell me in a condescending tone that there's zero difference between .223 and 5.56

Well, for starters, telling someone what to get without evaluating several factors and offering several options is a problem.

"You can pick your gun up in 10 days"

I've been to a few SoCal gun shops with my brother in law

I don't get it

I dick would have charged $100 for the first fill and told the guy he had to come in every month to get it topped of for another $25 or the gun would explode if he tried to use it

Can't argue with that.

30 year old guy talking about when he was in Vietnam.

Reminds me of a conversation I had with some officers once. Well, more like I was attacked and defeated them all with verbal Jujutsu. But that's another story.

I think what was so hard for them to understand was that I don't carry a gun because I WANT to use it, but because IF I need one, it's right there at hand.

I tried to explain it to them in terms they could understand. They all wear seatbelts when driving. Why? Are they expecting to get in an accident? Are they hoping to get in an accident? No.

While the odds of them gettings into an accident are low, the consequences of getting into an accident are high, so it's prudent to wear one.

While I hate using analogies, absolutely hate them, sometimes they are the only resurce you have left when arguing with emotionals.

I hated going into LGS's and being given incorrect info just for the simple fact that the sales guy whom you're speaking with doesn't know the real answer to your question.

I used to sell guns at Sportsman's Warehouse.  I am not a shotgun guy.  I could tell you how to build an AR, AK, Glock, how to reload, differences in all types of optics, etc, etc...but I couldn't tell you shit about what choke you needed for what load or whatever bird you're trying to harvest.  

I had zero interest in shotguns and knew my limitations.  As such, I was always mindful to pass those customers off.  I would tell them, "I know enough about shotguns to be dangerous, but I'll grab you the fella that can definitively answer your questions."  Anyone who is even quasi-familiar with firearms can tell when they're being bullshitted by a sales guy who knows fuck all about what they're talking about.  

The last thing I heard was as a LGS customer, while at Cabelas.  A dude went and asked to see a Gen II Vortex Razor.  Sales guy tells him how badass it is and says, "and it's first focal plane too."  The customer asked the difference and the sales guy kind of stammered, and said, "when you move the magnification ring, the reticle increases or decreases in size."  That is 100% true.  Customer said, "oh, is that all?" Sales guy says, "yup."

Normally, I'm an MYOB kind of guy, but this dude was considering spending some serious dough and I felt he should have all the requisite information before dispensing said dough, so I jumped in.  I started with, "hey guys, I happened to over hear the discussion about the FFP on that Razor.  I'm not trying to be the douche bag 'know-it-all' gun dork in the gun store, but I'm gonna do it right now."  I explained that I had owned a couple of those same scopes and that I could edify some of the info regarding the FFP reticle.

I then proceeded to educate both those boys about the luxuries and the drawback (I believe there is only one, LOL) of an FFP reticle.  

I actually think they both appreciated it.

Someone who wasn't a dick would have explained the operation of the firearm in a respectful and informative manner, and not made the customer feel like an idiot or have left him uninformed as to the operational properties of his firearm.

Now wait a minute--you just bitched about a gun store not sucking the ATF's dick hard enough, and you're calling other people dicks?

I was talking to a guy who had just blown a seal.  I handed him a paper towel and sold him a Python.

Gunstore employee when I asked about a beautiful rifle on display (this was in 1984/5-ish): "That is a Weatherby Mark V in .460 Weatherby Magnum.  It's a SIXTY CALIBER rifle."

Me: ?!?!?!

The guy was dead fucking serious that .460 Wby. Mag. was sixty caliber.


Another time I went to a place called Four Seasons Outfitters looking for something.  The guy behind the counter said they were all out of that item, but I could try going to Four Seasons Outfitters to see if they had any.

Me: again.  Guess he forgot where he worked or something.


ETA:  Then there was the guy that thought his S&W revolver's frame was cracked.  He had to be told about the side plate that covers the inner mechanism.  That was kinda fun to watch.

Heh, pretty sure when I lived in KY I was able to get a glock with no permit in less than 20 minutes. MN permit to purchase is faggotry. Moved to MN from KY a while back. KY has no permit to purchase requirements, MN does. I knew that when I moved, which ties in with stupid shit heard at gun stores. Not long after moving to MN, went to a LGS for kicks and giggles. Some customer didn't realize a permit to purchase was required to buy a pistol, so some fudd (who to be fair, didn't work there) was loudly educating and him the entire store, on the fact that "the requirement to have a permit to purchase was federal law and had been for 60+ years" For some reason he didn't like it when I told him he was FOS and that it was just a state law, as places like KY had no such reqt

When I was buying my first handgun while in college the guy was trying to sell me a Glock. He said you could get it past the metal detectors at the airport. I said why would I want to do that.
I bought a S&W 5906 as I liked the idea of having a safety on my first handgun. Now I have a few Glocks.

when the beer flu shut down happen. Clerks at the gun store saying not to go to the gun range to zero your rifles because their won’t be anymore ammo. I was like ok yeah right. When I walked out laughing at 19 dollars a box for AE 9mm ball ammo. Thankfully I was just stopping in looking for a couple more magpul 21 round glock 17 mags

Are you kidding me with this shit? Are you genetically or legally retarded?

Actually not a bad choice. Reliable, simple manual of arms, easy for a beginner to use, inexpensive.  I suppose if one has an irrational hatred of a proven weapon it wouldn’t be an option.

I work with a fellow cop who carries one. His seems to work but I won’t buy one.

Everything from “200-grain armor piercing .38 Special ammo” to the infamous “...it’s a Glock, metal detectors won’t pick it up” and everything in between.

I did try (once) with the Glock thing “You know, there’s over a pound of steel in that pistol.”.  Got a baleful stare like I didn’t know WTF I was talking about.  I hope Rosco & Cletus tried taking one through a metal detector...  Fucking neckbeards before they were a thing.

I worked with a guy that bought his first gun and asked where he could shoot, so I told him what range I liked. He called the next Saturday freaking out because he couldn't find his registration and thought the range would ask to see it.

I guess people think the background check is registration. Movies and TV don't help any.

I had a guy come into the Glendale AZ Cabela's looking for a flashlight mount for his S&W .500.  He wanted to remove the sights and install a light in their place.  As he stated "When the drug dealers down the street break into my home I don't want to accidentally shoot my kids".  

Another guy stated that his Korean War vet neighbor told him that pushing on the muzzle of a 1911 was a safety feature, the gun would not fire.  When I told him his neighbor was an idiot for suggesting that, he left in a huff.  

But my most enjoyable day was the day I spent several hours with a young autistic man who knew he couldn't touch any of the guns, but wanted me to show him all the cool stuff he had read about.  His mother came over after about an hour and told him to stop bothering me.  I said he was no bother and I was having fun chatting with him.  Manager never said a word to me, just let me keep entertaining the kid.  He gave me a hug and a high five when it was time for him to leave, and evidently mom sang my praises to the store manager.  He was a nice young kid, and a treat to deal with after some of the idiots I saw while working.  I would have trusted that kid more than some of the folks I actually sold to.

Glock 19 is always the right answer

I can respect that. Not everyone knows everything about everything.

Once I was sitting in an NBC (nuclear, biological, chemical) training class, and the instructor informed us that upon seeing a nuclear explosion when on open terrain, we were to assume the position of FACE to the blast, place your hands over your eyes and thumbs over your ears, tuck in your arms, and close your heels together.

Well, not one being prone to keeping my mouth shut, I asked why this had changed from the previous doctrine I had been taught, which was ASS TO THE BLAST, but otherwise the same position. I was told to shut my mouth and follow current procedures.

The senior instructor went up and pulled him to the side, and then the instructor came and explained the change to us. Then the senior instructor pulled me aside, and told me that it was good that I had spoken up. That it's important to question things you don't understand, and admit when you don't know something and get the correct answer to everyone who heard the question.

Well, you did that. You didn't know the answer, so you got them to someone who did.

You did your job. Advise, or refer.

Ok, and?

So what is the answer?

I hope your buddy knows the difference between ordinance and ordnance. ;)

No he hadn't. It was just ice cream.

45 cuz if I have to shoot someone I don't want him to fall on me.

45 cuz I don't want to have to shoot twice

22 bounces around

22 is the deadliest

If you want to shoot 1000 yards you need this. (puts century c308 on counter)

Put your head between your legs and kiss your ass goodbye.