Good deed, Walmart, 870 reassembly...

[hogdogs]

Well, I got to do a good deed for the day yesterday...

Wifey and I were up there looking for clearance sale stereo and seat covers for her Jeep.

No go on the sale items but Automotive is 2 isles from "fishin' and gun dept." (why are there ball bats and gloves in my fishin' dept.?). As I walk near the gun and worm counter I see two of the long time (most are +3 years fishin' and gun dept. employees) guys and a customer mucking around with a camo 870 with fore end off. I watch just a few moments and tell the trio to let me know when they want me to put it back together.

I was quickly deemed worthy... I AM NOT A NATURAL ON 870's AS I AM A MOSSBERG GUY...

I see their first mistake reassembling the thing... They had the manual open to reassembly but hadn't gotten there by starting at disassembly.

So I go back a couple pages and restarted as the bolt and carrier were in the gun and I knew we were not startin' off right.

I poke my finger in after removing B.C. & bolt and recock the hammer (they would have had to return the gun to remington 'cuz it wasn't goin' together otherwise).

Right after I started the dept. manager and customer walked off. I got it put back together and function tested.

I figured out how this all went down...
I heard customer say right off before I offered help "I just wanted to look at the trigger group." and dept. mgr. says "Well after we get it together, you won't be fiddlin' with it".

Since barrel was not on the gun when he started, he pulled trigger before or after cycling action and ended up with the action and bolt goobered up.

Seeing this and spending the time on it gave me time to think and one thing made me pause. How many guns returned to factory from new suffered bent, broken or missing parts due to similar situations? The other thought was... "How can these fellas work several years in sporting goods without knowing the routine inventory inside and out?" Heck... I would think they would have had to learn these things in the first couple weeks or months.

Brent

[Technosavant]

How can these fellas work several years in sporting goods without knowing the routine inventory inside and out?" Heck... I would think they would have had to learn these things in the first couple weeks or months.

Because they don't spend that much time fiddling with the guns.

Walmart is NOT a gun store. They're a general merchandise retailer, and the folks in the outdoors section may have little to no interest in the guns. In fact, I'd probably assume that's the case. I am not saying that Walmart employees are idiots- I doubt that's the case any more there than anyplace else. But you have employees who don't specialize in any particular kind of product and having to handle a bunch of items. Walmart isn't that interested in training employees the ins and outs of every product there. It just isn't possible- too many products, too much churn in what they actually carry, too few employees. Walmart moves products in volume and makes a profit because of that volume. If something isn't profitable, it goes away.

You can get fine deals there, but with only a couple exceptions, the vast majority of the workers just aren't able to help you with specific questions (those exceptions would be employees with an interest in the product or those who have special knowledge because it is needed, like in the pharmacy). Your average Walmart outdoors department likely has fewer employees and a couple orders of magnitude more products than your local gun shop; that means the employees will be less familiar with them.

[gearhounds]

I've been in similar situations in a few gun shops, especially when it comes to Sigs (I'm an armorer), and it seems more and more that customers are getting as well versed as the folks that sell the guns. Probably because info has become easily available, thanks to the internet more than anything else.

Now, at Wally world, Kmart, or equivelent, the employee not knowing much more that the price and accessories dosen't shock me all that much.

[Pahoo]

"How can these fellas work several years in sporting goods without knowing the routine inventory inside and out?" Heck... I would think they would have had to learn these things in the first couple weeks or months.

Primarily because knowing guns is not a condition of employment. At our Super Wal-Mart, managers and department employees are always getting moved around. Now the camera guys seem to be fairly informed on their products but seldom true in the sporting department.

I figured out how this all went down...
I heard customer say right off before I offered help "I just wanted to look at the trigger group." and dept. mgr. says "Well after we get it together, you won't be fiddlin' with it".

I too have seen customers get too involved with firearms and even to a point of abuse. A few years back, I was looking at a Remington 1100-Lt, that had just gone on clearance. When I tried to pull the bolt handle back, it only moved about an inch. I called it to their attention and told them that I was interested but it needed to be repaired and that I did not think there was a serious problem. Long story short, they discounted it even more. As soon as I got home, I disassembled it and out fell a bent .22LR bullet. Worked fine after that and kept the bullet as a show and tell. It saved me about $75.00 but then again, it could have gone off ......

Be Safe !!!

[Dr. Strangelove]

"How can these fellas work several years in sporting goods without knowing the routine inventory inside and out?" Heck... I would think they would have had to learn these things in the first couple weeks or months.

'cause there never really should be a situation where a Wal-Mart employee has a gun apart. The one time I bought a gun from Wal-Mart, I insisted that it come out of the back in un-handled condition.

[JustThisGuy]

I second Dr. Strangelove.

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