Conversation at the gun store today

[Kevin]

I think the athmosphere in gun stores must invite people to talk more.

I was in a smaller store today. Some customer walks up to the counter and says last night someone tried breaking into his apartment. The bad guy kicking down the door he said.

So he's looking for his first gun purchase for home defense.

The gun store clerks are these older ex military guys. All are pretty nice. I've shopped there before and have bought several guns from them.

But they start with shotguns and talking about the dangers of shooting into the apartment next door. All good stuff.

Then the customer asks about revolvers. Another guy mentions Gun Site. He says buy a revolver and go to Gun Site for 5 days.

Then the gun store clerk starts name dropping. What Jeff Cooper told him one time etc. or how he disagrees with Ayoob and told him so etc.

At this point I don't know how much is true and how much is a stretch.

But they are talking about which revolver. And not once did they mention making sure the revolver is comfortable to hold. And the grip fits.

See @contender I do listen to you! I say make sure the revolver fits your hand. And tell him to go to the range and rent several different guns to try out first.

The gun store clerk agreed with me.

But then I forced myself to leave because they had some nice Ruger's at VERY good prices. ($350 for a blued Mark II heavy tapered barrel…or $400 for stainless Single Six.) Only I just bought new tires for my truck ($1500) and sweetie would just not understand a new gun purchase on the same day.

Perhaps tomorrow

 

[Watertender]

Kevin, you have to make the new to you gun purchase discreetly and say.... It followed me home honey, honestly it did.... Can I keep it huh? Huh? Can I keep it?

 

[GunnyGene]

I think the athmosphere in gun stores must invite people to talk more.

I was in a smaller store today. Some customer walks up to the counter and says last night someone tried breaking into his apartment. The bad guy kicking down the door he said.

So he's looking for his first gun purchase for home defense.

The gun store clerks are these older ex military guys. All are pretty nice. I've shopped there before and have bought several guns from them.

But they start with shotguns and talking about the dangers of shooting into the apartment next door. All good stuff.

Then the customer asks about revolvers. Another guy mentions Gun Site. He says buy a revolver and go to Gun Site for 5 days.

Then the gun store clerk starts name dropping. What Jeff Cooper told him one time etc. or how he disagrees with Ayoob and told him so etc.

At this point I don't know how much is true and how much is a stretch.

But they are talking about which revolver. And not once did they mention making sure the revolver is comfortable to hold. And the grip fits.

See @contender I do listen to you! I say make sure the revolver fits your hand. And tell him to go to the range and rent several different guns to try out first.

The gun store clerk agreed with me.

But then I forced myself to leave because they had some nice Ruger's at VERY good prices. ($350 for a blued Mark II heavy tapered barrel…or $400 for stainless Single Six.) Only I just bought new tires for my truck ($1500) and sweetie would just not understand a new gun purchase on the same day.

Perhaps tomorrow

There's several Mom & POP shops that I patronize for the past 20 years. I don't pay much attention to what other shoppers are involved in, but I sometimes buy a couple dozen assorted Krispy Kremes for the staff. It's worth a few bucks to me in several ways.

 

[Mobuck]

"Only I just bought new tires for my truck ($1500) and sweetie would just not understand a new gun purchase on the same day."
This is/was one area I NEVER got into--explaining my 'me purchases'.

 

[WendyZXZ]

There is a lot of truth about the comfort in hand bit. That is why my limit fits the S&W L frame and similar sized at the largest. Fine guns abound larger, but just not a good fit for me!

 

[contender]

I was at a gun show last weekend,, and I saw a few folks looking at guns for a potential purchase,, that were OBVIOUSLY inexperienced. A couple of them were ladies.
Not wanting to step on toes,, or potentially hurt a dealer's sale,, I had to bite my tongue to avoid stepping in. Luckily,, 2 of the ladies didn't buy,, and I was able to quietly speak to them away from the dealer's table.
For new folks,, I try to just offer simple advice.
Buy the "KISS" method of firearm. (A DA revolver.)
Remember physics? Heavy equals less felt recoil, light equals more felt recoil.
Buy one that fits your hands,, AND if it's close,, see about swapping for different grips.
Get GOOD instruction from a real instructor who appreciates the fact that most folks are not "gun people" and are not going to spend a lot of time in practicing. (Even when they should.)
And to try & practice at least once a month to keep themselves familiar with the firearm.

 

[Watertender]

A friend's son and daughter in law just bought a 12 gauge pump shotgun because they KNOW that you just point it in the general direction and fire. I am going to give them some #8 birdshot loads and show them how to shoot in my friend's gravel pit where it's safe to shoot. They live in an area where crime is rising and want something to defend themselves. They are supposed to be moving to a better place and hopefully they do soon. It would be better for the entire family.

 

[kmoore]

I don't start up speaking with others at gun shops. Unless they ask me a question. At a young age, selling piles of guns. I got sick of listening to the deep BS customers would shell out.
Just last week I was speaking to the gun shop manager about a 6.5 CM Ruger FTW Hawkeye I have. A customer hears talk about the 6.5 and says and shows a group about 4 inches on a gong. His story is it was shot at 2700 yds. from a bench rest. I had to repeat the number thought I heard it wrong. I said that's way past the distance that round dropped below supersonic speed. I don't think he even understood my comment. I excused myself and left.

 

[Kevin]

All good comments, thanks. Yeah I don’t ever speak up at a gun store either. Today was a first. And then like I said I left right after.

But there must be a lot of people buying guns for the first time. This guy sounded like he wanted to learn the right way at least, which is good.

 

[GunnyGene]

A friend's son and daughter in law just bought a 12 gauge pump shotgun because they KNOW that you just point it in the general direction and fire. I am going to give them some #8 birdshot loads and show them how to shoot in my friend's gravel pit where it's safe to shoot. They live in an area where crime is rising and want something to defend themselves. They are supposed to be moving to a better place and hopefully they do soon. It would be better for the entire family.

First timers generally don't do any homework before they hit the gun shop. That's because they don't know what questions to ask or where to find the answers. They can benefit by getting on line to the various manufacturers sites, and downloading the user manuals for the guns they have an initial interest in. It's called comparative shopping from the comfort of your living room, and I have occasionally provided folks with the url's. At the very least, it will give them some basic knowledge before they plunk their money down.

As for shotguns, too many people have watched this skit:

 

[Mobuck]

"I don't start up speaking with others at gun shops. Unless they ask me a question."
Good logic.

 

[eveled]

Most of the new shooters I have run into at the range were sold a .410 revolver as their first gun, "because it does everything". Lol.

They have their niche, but I think they have been oversold to novice shooters by ignorant big store gun counter staff.

 

[Watertender]

Anyone calling a shotgun a "shottie" loses credibility points in my book

 

[blume357]

Nothing wrong with trying out different handguns to see what will best fit but I have to say my advice for any newbie wanting self protection is to for a very minimum taking a full one day class... two or three days would be better and any really good beginner class would have different types of handguns for them to get a 'feel' for.

 

[JiminMaine]

Anyone calling a shotgun a "shottie" loses credibility points in my book

I feel the same way about, "Bing Bangs," "Boom sticks," etc.

 

[T.A. WORKMAN]

Nothing wrong with trying out different handguns to see what will best fit but I have to say my advice for any newbie wanting self protection is to for a very minimum taking a full one day class... two or three days would be better and any really good beginner class would have different types of handguns for them to get a 'feel' for.

Solid Advice !
My granddaughter was home from college at Christmas and we were setting up my new safe. I ask her if she had been carrying now that we have Constitutional Carry.
She said not yet because she wanted to take the CCW course for the situational & legal aspects involved. She already knows how to shoot and the importance of firearms safety.
I thought she showed good common sense.

Terry

 

[tazbigdog]

I applaud the homeowner, first-time buyer, going to the store to get something to defend themselves. Not entirely agreeing with all the advice that they give, the new buyer needs to take a class on self-defense, know what is legal and illegal, and then go to a range for actual instruction.

I would hate seeing a first-time buyer shoot an inno person while trying to defend themselves.

 

[Xrayist]

There was a small gun shop where I live...thankfully he went out of business. The reason I say that is I was in there when a new customer wanted to purchase a firearm for home defense, but was worried about safety. So to give the Reader's Digest version, the salesman sold him a new Rossi, with the lock in the back of the hammer. The customer lived in a two story house with a basement. The salesman suggested that to be safe the customer should do the following; Keep the gun unloaded, with the lock engaged, in a bedside safe in the second floor bedroom; keep the ammunition in the basement, also locked in a small digital safe. Very safe...all he had to do if he heard someone breaking into, or already in the house, was to unlock bedside safe, find key, unlock hammer on pistol, run down two flights of stairs to the basement, unlock the ammo safe, load gun, run back upstairs and maybe confront intruder. Of course the is the same shop where the gunsmith shot himself in the stomach with a 25-06 Remington 700, but that is a story for another day....

 

[Kevin]

Just for the record, aside from the name dropping, the clerk at the gun store I was at yesterday did in fact give good advice.

When revolvers came up, the clerk was thinking of calibers. He mentioned 327, but talked about ammo availability. He said he wouldn’t necessarily recommend a Taurus, except a couple of the newer models. I forget which ones. 805 maybe?

I’m sure the customer left with a good impression of at least how to start looking for a proper gun.

Which is interesting. I grew up with guns in the house so I never walked into a gun store as a complete newcomer to the sport.

 

[Watertender]

I feel the same way about, "Bing Bangs," "Boom sticks," etc.

Or a Pew-Pew... I'll give you a pew... Pull my finger!

 

[Cholo]

For the most part I've seen good advice given to customers in gun stores. One guy in a Bass Pro only recommended a Glock 19 because, according to him, there are no other handguns

I had a favorite gun store back in the 70's. The woman behind the counter really knew her stuff! A guy walks in and says he wants a revolver to keep under the dashboard of his car. He said that he was afraid if it fell out it could shoot him. The woman explained modern revolvers and how that can't happen. He really liked a 4" Colt Diamondback .38.

Right when he was about to buy it he mentioned "under his dashboard" as the owner's idiot son came out of the backroom and blurted: Don't put a revolver under your dashboard, if it fell out it would shoot you!

That poor guy put that gun down like it was on fire and hastily left the store. The woman rolled her eyes, then closed them and shook her head from side to side. She couldn't say anything, it was the owner's son.

 

[WendyZXZ]

Anyone calling a shotgun a "shottie" loses credibility points in my book

I agree! Everybody know that a shotgun, especially a side by side from S-Mart is a boomstick! Shop smart, shop S-Mart.

 

[el caminero]

I was at a gun show last weekend,, and I saw a few folks looking at guns for a potential purchase,, that were OBVIOUSLY inexperienced. A couple of them were ladies.
Not wanting to step on toes,, or potentially hurt a dealer's sale,, I had to bite my tongue to avoid stepping in. Luckily,, 2 of the ladies didn't buy,, and I was able to quietly speak to them away from the dealer's table.
For new folks,, I try to just offer simple advice.
Buy the "KISS" method of firearm. (A DA revolver.)
Remember physics? Heavy equals less felt recoil, light equals more felt recoil.
Buy one that fits your hands,, AND if it's close,, see about swapping for different grips.
Get GOOD instruction from a real instructor who appreciates the fact that most folks are not "gun people" and are not going to spend a lot of time in practicing. (Even when they should.)
And to try & practice at least once a month to keep themselves familiar with the firearm.

People at gunstores, pawnshops, gunshows, and even at work, have asked for gun recommendstions. I find out auto or revolver preference, and why, what is expected, how/when carried/intended use, simple questions, but the main thing is, they are usually asking about a particular gun, maybe a comparison. My usual answer is pick one that fits their hand, feels good and comfortable, make sure they can reach and use all the controls, and learn how THAT gun needs to be controlled. Dont worry about how others work, learn THAT gun. One salesman kinda growled at me, but smiled, since the 650$ used ppks that wasent moving was a better sale than not buying the 1,200$ colt the man was dithering about not being able to really afford. On occaision, i will volunteer some information, and then maybe a suggestion, but the salesmen are usually reasonably competent and knowledgeable about a particular piece, or know which one is.

 

[Jack Ryan]

I'd say the list of "gun shops" in this thread are above average compared to what I see on the internet in gun forums.

 

[el caminero]

I'd say the list of "gun shops" in this thread are above average compared to what I see on the internet in gun forums.

Yeah, who wants to admit frequenting lousey ones!

 

[Hvymax]

A friend's son and daughter in law just bought a 12 gauge pump shotgun because they KNOW that you just point it in the general direction and fire. I am going to give them some #8 birdshot loads and show them how to shoot in my friend's gravel pit where it's safe to shoot. They live in an area where crime is rising and want something to defend themselves. They are supposed to be moving to a better place and hopefully they do soon. It would be better for the entire family.

Tell them to load it up without mentioning the bolt release and see if they could use it to save their lives!!!

 

[Hvymax]

I don't start up speaking with others at gun shops. Unless they ask me a question. At a young age, selling piles of guns. I got sick of listening to the deep BS customers would shell out.
Just last week I was speaking to the gun shop manager about a 6.5 CM Ruger FTW Hawkeye I have. A customer hears talk about the 6.5 and says and shows a group about 4 inches on a gong. His story is it was shot at 2700 yds. from a bench rest. I had to repeat the number thought I heard it wrong. I said that's way past the distance that round dropped below supersonic speed. I don't think he even understood my comment. I excused myself and left.

The whole dropping out of sonic BS is old. It's thoroughly predictable and adjustable for. Do you think a 45-70 old load doesn't drop out of sonic before 1,000yds yet they managed to routinely get hits over 1,000yds. People act like the bullet just falls out of the air or something. It's when the sound catches up to it and passes it that it gets unstable!!!

 

[Hvymax]

I feel the same way about, "Bing Bangs," "Boom sticks," etc.

I do have a few Smoke Poles though.

 

[bigbillyboy]

I do have a few Smoke Poles though.

"Smoke poles " get an automatic exemption