The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Conference Center > General Discussion Forum

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 13, 2002, 01:10 PM   #26
Rickmeister
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 23, 2001
Location: Texas
Posts: 797
You know, buying a gun at WalMart sounds more and more like buying jewelry at (Chapter 11) Service Merchandise.

But then, doesn't WalMart have a motto that goes: "We're happy if you're happy" or something along those lines? I'd demand that THEY fix the problem, or threaten to throw a claim in their face.

As for those dealers (i.e., anal orifices) who dispense with pleasantries, don't let it bother you. Each time I buy a gun I get the usual "Hey, whaddaya know! Your ARE one of the good boys!"

Eaaasy, stomach.



BTW: Have you ever considered getting a CCW permit? You know, so that you can bypass the NCIC check.
Rickmeister is offline  
Old February 13, 2002, 02:30 PM   #27
VTR996
Senior Member
 
Join Date: September 19, 2001
Location: OKLAHOMA
Posts: 195
I live within 1hr of Wal-Marts headquarters in Bentonville..we're covered up with them. In the good ole days I could go in get what I needed, cause the guy behind the counter new what I was talking about, and go play. Now that the "Supercenters" are here I'd rather sandpaper a bobcats a$$ in a telephone booth as to go in one.
VTR996 is offline  
Old February 13, 2002, 04:13 PM   #28
Bogie
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 5, 2000
Location: Job hunting on the road...
Posts: 3,827
Congratulations - you have a Ruger 10/22.

You _DO_ realize that you're gonna throw away large quantities of it in the next few years, right?

Don't worry about the stock ding - Go ahead and shoot it. Get used to it. Then, next year, gitcherself a heavy barrel and a stock, and build yourself a more accurate rifle. Year after that, give yourself a volksquarten trigger group, etc.

The Ruger's a fun little toy, and you got a good deal.
__________________
Job hunting, but helping a friend out at www.vikingmachineusa.com - and learning the finer aspects of becoming a precision machinist.

And making the world's greatest bottle openers!
Bogie is offline  
Old February 13, 2002, 11:39 PM   #29
chaim
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2001
Location: Maryland
Posts: 2,095
Rickmeister,

Unfortunately I live in Maryland. There is no such thing as a (realistic) CCW here. On the books it is a 'may issue' state, but it is administered by the state police and even people with documented death threats get turned down. If you need a gun for your job you may get a very limited permit that allows you to carry when on the job. If you are a cop you may get a permit. For the rest of us it is a defacto non-issue state. When I do get a permit (that is, when I move out of MD) it will be more so that I can grow to a ripe old age (or at least die of old age or disease) more than for anything else but the lack of waiting period or background check (in some states) would be a nice additional feature.

In MD no matter what (even for cops) you have to go through the background check. In addition, for handguns there is a 7 day waiting period and a one gun a month limit.


Bogie,

Yup. I planned on getting this so as to start customizing. Yes, I wanted an accurate AND reliable semi-auto .22 rifle which I am currently lacking (I have a good bolt action in my Remington 581 and an accurate but jam-o-matic Marlin Model 60 in semi-auto) but I got this primarily to add to.
chaim is offline  
Old February 14, 2002, 12:22 PM   #30
Futo Inu
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 12, 1999
Location: Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Posts: 3,624
VTR996

Not really germane to this topic, or even gun related really, by your "colloquiallism" about the bobcat reminds me of a funny, supposedly true story:

I had a good friend in law school from South Dakota who told me this story. In his high school days, one of his and his friends' forms of weekend entertainment was to go and harass the poor American Indians on the Sioux reservations up there. Well, it seems that the Indians on the reservations would pick up darn near ANYTHING that was left on the side of the road. It also happens that one of my friend's friends was a trapper and had trapped a live bobcat. Well, they managed to stuff the bobcat into an old suitcase, set it on the side of the road, take cover a few hundred yards away and watched. Sure enough, it wasn't long before a large car containing numerous individuals of Native American persuasion soon did happen by (apparently few owned cars, so they give carpooling a new meaning). Someone got out of the car and pulled the suitcase inside, shut the door, and proceeded down the road and over a hill. My buddy and his friends then got in thier vehicle and drove over the hill. All the saw was the sedan empty, with 4 wide-open doors.
__________________
"You are NOT Joseph's father, Hank. You are not supposed to take over until Dale is gunned down by federal agents - that is the agreement." --Peggy
Futo Inu is offline  
Old February 14, 2002, 12:25 PM   #31
Futo Inu
Senior Member
 
Join Date: February 12, 1999
Location: Oklahoma City, OK, USA
Posts: 3,624
PS

That story is not really funny if someone got hurt; nor is it meant to disparage Native Americans - hell, I'm part NA myself. But when I heard it, I busted out laughing.
Futo Inu is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 02:32 AM   #32
Salt
Junior member
 
Join Date: December 26, 2001
Posts: 673
Do not buy guns from walmart,


Support your local gunshop!
Salt is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 08:16 AM   #33
Ewok_Guy
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 11, 2001
Location: Endor
Posts: 1,664
Never buy a gun at Wal*Mart on Friday, you'll be rejected for sure.
__________________
"Death and honor are thought to be the same,
but today I have learned that sometimes they are not."

---------------------
" I like big fat men like you. When they fall they make more noise!
...and sometimes they never get up."
-Tuco Benedicto Pacifico Juan Maria Ramirez
Ewok_Guy is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 01:11 PM   #34
Carbon_15
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 8, 2001
Location: Lexington, SC
Posts: 938
About the only chain store I have had good experiances buying guns from was Service Merchandice, and I dont think they are even in business anymore. Support your local gun broker.
Carbon_15 is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 01:34 PM   #35
SlackO
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 15, 1999
Posts: 345
sandpaper + bobcat butt + telephone booth = hilarious

I'm gonna have to remember that one!

Futo - excellent story, have actually heard a variant (I'm part Am. Indian too) from Oklahoma. I was laughing out loud anyway...
__________________
I believe for sure I'm a nihilist...
SlackO is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 03:06 PM   #36
Crimper-D
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 26, 2001
Location: The Bearflag Republic
Posts: 579
Good ol' Wallyworld!

My Nextdoor Neighbor is the Asst. Manager at our Local Wally World and the Sporting Goods Manager is a member of my local gun club. I patronize them on a regular basis, especially as most of my .22's eat Remington bulkpack Golden Bullets and yell for more.
The problem isn't with the top managers, who are pros, it's with the "Good Help is Hard to Find!" syndrom with the average counter help and the just out of the local JC 'Marketing' classes Assistant Managers, who have a high potential for ignorence, lack of experience, and a tendency to back away from any situation that requires that they exercise sense, knowledge or the maturity to call for help if a situation is above their ability to cope.

I don't usually have to resort to calling in the Management, but a couple Januarys ago, I purchased a Ruger Ranch Rifle in the Sporting Goods Dpt. at the local WW...Background check = no problem. Taking my $= no problem...Then!... California's 10 Day waiting Period...The weapon went into a locked cage in the back in the "Layaway" department. I showed up on the appointed day in layaway and presented the proper paperwork...the Lady (Cow) behind the counter had a case of mental paralysis and managed to stammer out that she had to call her manager as she didn't know the 'proceedure' The Very Junior Asst. Mgr eventually slouched up, and gave me a repeat dose of the "deer in the headlights routine" and instead of unlocking the cage and handing me my rifle, called _another_ Very Asst. Mgr. and the 2 Bozo's & the counter Cow had an argument over who was actually going to make a decision to give me my goods. Since 15 or 20 minutes elapsed with nothing being accomplished, I sidestepped the stonewalling creeps by calling in my management buddies. When the Asst Store Manager showed, and greeted me by name, the trio of nincompoops about ***pped

Situation resolved in about 10 seconds = "Give him his goods!"
Lost keys appeared, doors opened, I was handed my weapon, which I fieldstripped on the counter to the acute discomfort of the clueless trio on the other side of the counter who were starting to get the idea they'd screwed up Big Time! when I prunounced myself satisfied, I was allowed to carry my own gun out of the store accompanied by one of the bottomfeeders who handed me the keys to the triggerlock in the parking lot.
A couple months later, I asked my neighbor about the trio behind the counter in Layaway... The response was..."Who?"
__________________
"It is evident that scepticism, while it makes no actual change in a man, always makes him feel better.".....H.L.Mencken
Crimper-D is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 03:22 PM   #37
Russ
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 8, 2001
Location: Kentucky, Refugee from California
Posts: 1,097
I have bought 2 10/22's from them for my boys. They were great. Very nice to me. I think you just got some A holes from the housewares dept who didn't know doodely.
Russ is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 07:03 PM   #38
taco
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 28, 2000
Location: USA
Posts: 936
I guess I'm real lucky because I have had no bad experience from my local Walmart and the sporting goods depatment manager is really cool and knows guns.

I have purchased several guns from there and tons of ammo. Back in September-November when 9mm, 45ACP, 223, etc. caliber ammos were hard to find the manager used to call me at home to let me know what he received and wanted to know what to hold for me. Also, he has made some good deals on case quantity UMC 223 ammo for me. Several of the clerks are cool too and when they see me in the store they start pulling out all those Winchester white box ammo for me (ones that cost $10.95 for 100 rounds).
taco is offline  
Old February 15, 2002, 10:08 PM   #39
part swede
Senior Member
 
Join Date: October 5, 2001
Location: Indiana
Posts: 111
Not bad

I was looking for a 20 gauge so I went to 3 local gun stores; the first two had only some shabby or ill-fitting used ones, and another had a new 870 express but nobody asked to help me during my 15-20 minutes waiting there. So at my nearby WalMart I picked out a new 870 Express 20ga for a little less than the other store. The older gent at the counter kindly brought it and a Mossberg 500 from the back room and assembled them for me to compare. The purchase process was as quick as could be, although a more experienced helper had to redo the blue ink in black on the Federal form. The only downside was that I noticed they logged it into their inventory about 21 months ago, and there was some rust where it was in contact with the foam packaging.
part swede is offline  
Old February 16, 2002, 12:41 AM   #40
vertigo7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 21, 2002
Posts: 138
I bought a Savage .22 rifle last month from Wal-Mart. The rifle was mismarked in their inventory, so when the lady retrieved it from their gun room and opened the box for my inspection, I was shown a bolt-action rifle rather than the semi-auto I wanted to buy. She went back and switched it out for the proper one. Otherwise they were pretty fast about getting everything done for the sale.

Tonight I went back to get some 9mm to feed my new HS2000 and confused the heck out of the hapless person manning the counter because I asked specifically for the Winchester 9mm white box 100rd packs. A small search party of clerks managed to find them stored completely in view in the front of their cabinet.

They also had a Charles Daly semi-auto shotgun I was thinking about picking up. The price was raised $100 between when I saw it yesterday morning and this evening.

I'd much prefer the local gun shop to the local Wal-Mart.
vertigo7 is offline  
Old February 16, 2002, 05:19 AM   #41
Guyon
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 27, 2000
Location: Over the Hills and Through the Woods, Tennessee
Posts: 1,207
Quote:
Now that the "Supercenters" are here I'd rather sandpaper a bobcats a$$ in a telephone booth as to go in one.
I snorted my soda halfway up my nose when I read this one. I plan to use it as soon as the opportunity arises.

Have only bought one gun from Sam's boys. Mainly because it was a clearance price I couldn't afford to pass up. The kid working the desk was a part-time sheriff's deputy, so he wasn't ignorant about guns. I did have to wait a few hours for the background check, but I just went to have dinner and then came back. Good gun. Great price. At least they haven't caved like K-Mart did. And if you want a handgun, you can still special order it from Wal-Mart. Try doing that at Target.
__________________
Gun control should just be about hitting your target.
Guyon is offline  
Old February 16, 2002, 06:59 AM   #42
1goodshot
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 11, 2001
Location: chandler,az
Posts: 929
I buy clothes,shoes and some other things at Walmart but I buy my guns from a gun store.
1goodshot is offline  
Old February 16, 2002, 10:22 AM   #43
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
 
Join Date: November 13, 1998
Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA
Posts: 24,798
Sure, a sour experience is sour--but I've had more sour experiences at small stores than at any WalMart I've ever been in.

I don't really expect the average employee of any chain store to be particularly knowledgeable about guns. The general public isn't particularly knowledgeable about guns, remember? Now, if I get rude, crude and gross treatment, I won't go back to that particular unit of a chain--but that doesn't mean the whole chain is bad.

I know of one local gun store in Florida that's got a tremendous variety of selections in all types of new and used guns. Tons of reloading gear. All manner of other "stuff". Trouble is, the employees think that because a lot of their stuff is upscale, you're supposed to just put a big pile of money on the counter and let them play with it. If I'd seen this only once, with just one particular employee, I wouldn't pay much attention--it's not all that uncommon in this "modern" U.S. of A. Trouble is, it's all of 'em, all the time.

In other words, don't let just one bad example make you sour on the whole barrel of apples.

, Art
Art Eatman is offline  
Old February 16, 2002, 10:36 AM   #44
Bulldog44
Senior Member
 
Join Date: March 12, 2001
Location: Alabama
Posts: 571
The last firearm I purchased at Wal Mart was a Marlin .22 Mag rifle back in 1998 before Brady checks were required for long guns here.

Now, I think I'll just stick to buying toothpaste and such at Wal Mart and visit local gun dealers for ammo or firearms.
Bulldog44 is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:01 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.07478 seconds with 8 queries