Turner's Outdoorsman unable to display available powders??

[condor bravo]

Turner's Outdoorsman is a rather large guns and fishing tackle store with quite a few stores in Southern California and has turned out to be a pretty good source for loading components. While in one today for some primers, I asked about powder and the reply was, by law according to the salesman, they cannot display powder or even tell customers what they have. To purchase, you ask for what you want and if they have it, will retrieve it from storage. So I gave that a try for a can of 4895 and it worked. But if by law, it seems that other California gun shops have not heard about such a thing. Does anyone have any knowledge of that?

[Sharkbite]

LOL.

Even if there was/is a regulation about displaying full cans of powder. I cant imagine what would prevent them posting a list of whats in stock.

Ohh... Wait. It California. All bets are off

[condor bravo]

Good reply; all bets are off when it comes to California.

[Nick_C_S]

All bets are off when it comes to California.

Tell me about it. I live in California. Don't get me started. But . . .

I frequent a few sporting goods stores here in northern California. One store, which is small and has no accommodation to display powders, have a list they have readily available (it's convenient actually - no need for a sales associate - just go look at the list). Two others (Sportsmen's Warehouse, both), have their available powders on display behind the counter.

[snuffy]

Scheels in Appleton does the same thing, but their powder is empty cans/bottles with the actual powder in back. You have to ask for a container of what they have. Fleet farm, the same, the one in Oshkosh only has empty bottles of what they have in stock out for customers to see. The one in Appleton has the powder they carry, empty bottles in a display case, you have to ask if they have any.

It's simply to keep the knuckle draggers from opening the powder bottles to look-see at the pretty powder. possible contamination or spilling is avoided.

I worked in a gun shop for 6 years. I had dopes say they wouldn't buy powder unless they could look at it first. They went home without any. We kept it behind the counter just for the above reasons. It was looking at it somehow made it better, or they thought they could identify it by sight.

[mikld]

I started reloading when I lived in L.A. county and Turner's was one of the best sources of components. The two Turners I purchased components from had a large safe on the sales floor to store powders, and the overstock in the back room. One of the smaller Turners I went to once or twice had all their powder on a shelf behind a counter because of space restrictions. All I had to do was open the unlocked safe and pick a powder. Los Angeles has some really weird gun/ammo laws but I've never heard of keeping reloading powder hidden from public view. Not telling a customer what was in the hidden stock? Pure baloney! Perhaps a single store's "law" but so far nuttin' county wide or state wide...

[SHR970]

condor, the salesman is either seriously misinformed or just plain dumb.

Not allowed to tell customers what they have? By law? I don't believe it and I have done lots of business w/ Turners.

[condor bravo]

Well that was my thinking too but wasn't about to get into an argument or heated discussion. I guess he thought it was my first time in a gun shop. But who knows about Los Angeles county or city of Los Angeles, but this was Ventura county.

[Marco Califo]

My last experience with Turners, from whom who I have bought a number of firearms over the years, was for an SKS, where I made sure they wrote the serial number of the display rifle (which was the only one they would show me) on my BATF paperwork, and I told them they would be handing me that specific serial number rifle. When I came back to pickup, they tried to swap in a different rifle. I said No. No. And called the Pasadena PD and told them what happened. They (PPD) went to the store, tossed it until they found my gun, identified by the serial number, and then the desk sergeant telephoned me, and very professionally recommended Ammoman.com as a supply source for my ammo.
The ownership of the Turners chain had changed a month or two before this incident. The new owner and I spoke, and he still did not grasp the illegality of the bait and switch tactic, and minor detail of the specificity of firearm serial numbers.
I rarely stop in any of their stores anymore. Reloading supplies there were generally futile. And the sales staff . . . learned everything they know from the new owner.

[condor bravo]

Very nice to know that the Pasadena P.D. would care enough to follow up on that to straighten things out and then even recommend another source of ammunition. Way to go Pasadena!! I guess my first impression with Turner's was that you were made to feel like Jack the Ripoff Artist when you pay for your purchase with a check.

[Marco Califo]

There are not many fully stocked, full-line gun stores in that area. Most PPD Officers have purchased at least one firearm at that store, either their daily sidearm, and/or backup, and/or off-duty carry.

[tangolima]

I live in Southern California, and have friends in other States. When comes to firearms regulations, California is certainly not a good place, but plenty of other States are far worse. Think New Jersey, or Massachusetts, or New York.

I bought stuff from Turner's occasionally. They are alright. They keep powder in the explosive material locker behind the cashier. They used to have a folder to show what they carry. Lately that list simply becomes useless as the locker is close to empty most of the time. They don't have the stuff they carry. It is pointless the update the list as the inventory is so volatile. Instead, you just ask and they look. You have it if they see it in the locker.

I haven't seen anywhere you can pick your powder from the shelf by yourself. Reasons are obvious.

-TL

[Metal god]

They keep powder in the explosive material locker behind the cashier.

My local store is the same way . I need to ask what they have because there is no display but like you said they never have much and it's always changing . That makes it harder to keep an up to date list .

I haven't seen anywhere you can pick your powder from the shelf by yourself. Reasons are obvious.

I was at a Bass Pro Shop up by SF that had there powder on the shelf in one of the isles . I thought that was odd but bought some anyway . I did open the lid and make sure the seal was tight first .

[condor bravo]

Re: Tangolima
My two LGS stores, one in Ventura county and the other in Santa Barbara county (California) both have powders on display in the central floor area where you can walk up and select your own. But opening a can of powder to see if it is sealed (Metal god) seems a bit on the far side.

[MR_X]

This happened to me once on a different store in LA. but it was told it was due to fire safety laws but the sale man walked me to a HAZMAT locker and let me see what they had.

I never liked Turner's ( at least the one in Riverside). Their salesmen were pricks and talk to you like they are above you.

[mikld]

I haven't seen anywhere you can pick your powder from the shelf by yourself. Reasons are obvious.

Not to be argumentative, but what's obvious? The stores in my area have shotgun shells, and 'till they ran out, rimfire ammo on shelves out in the open, available to customers. Still have a couple dozen boxes of each load of shotgun ammo out on the shelves. None of the stores around here ever had a lot of reloading supplies and at the most mebbe 12-15 lbs. of powder out on a shelf so they kept it behind the counter. Not for security reasons, just space. All I had t do was say "could you hand me a bottle of IMR 3031, please?" (or whatever) and 100% of the time the clerk handed the powder to me and smiled "here you go sir, thank you". Some of the younger fellers would ask what I was reloading for and we'd chat for a minute. Even when I was in L.A. there were no restrictions nor was any powder hidden or kept locked up for "security" reasons...

[tangolima]

Not much for security. People would open the seal or spill the powder.

-TL

[FITASC]

Not around here; powder if available is on the shelf - help yourself. No need to open the bottle - one doesn't do it in the grocery store or open a sealed box of bullets or ammo........must be a local thing to CA; and no, the reasons are NOT obvious.......

[tangolima]

Yes I sometimes feel sorry to live here too. Decency has been in short supply and is declining. I still remember the day to pump gas first and go in to pay after. It wasn't that long ago. Folks still have that where you are?

-TL

[Metal god]

No need to open the bottle - one doesn't do it in the grocery store

I do it all the time . Like butter in a tub , peanut butter , and other items that have a lid that when opened does not expose the product . I pop them open to make sure they are sealed .

[smarquez]

All SoCal stores here.
Bullet Barn in Upland is on display behind the counter.
Phillips Wholesale is behind the counter in a cabinet with a list of in stock powders.
Bass Pro in a locker, "come have a look, see if we have what you want".
Turners, the sales guy brought out what he had for me to look at.
Ammo Bros, at one time it was on the shelf but I haven't bought in a while.
Mostly fire regs that keep powder behind the counter. No conspiracies here.

[mikld]

I do it all the time . Like butter in a tub , peanut butter , and other items that have a lid that when opened does not expose the product . I pop them open to make sure they are sealed

Wow, I surely wouldn't want to follow you in a grocery store!

[Metal god]

No no I'm the one you want to follow cuss if it is still sealed I take it . If not I tell some one . I'm not the guy that sees the product is bad or no longer has its fresh seal and puts it back .

[griz]

When they used to have gun shows in the Hampton (VA) coliseum the vendors weren't allowed to have powder indoors. You paid and picked it up from the truck outside. It was a fire regulation, city or state I do not know. I thought it was funny because in that very building they had car races. Cars with gasoline engines, that they refueled indoors.

[Salmoneye]

I still remember the day to pump gas first and go in to pay after. It wasn't that long ago. Folks still have that where you are?

Very prevalent in VT once you get out of the Champlain Valley...

And we can still browse powders on shelves...