# Gun shop bull¥£€**%



## DanMN (Feb 12, 2013)

I go to a lot of gun shops in my travels. I hear lots of bull crap from people behind the counter. I was in a well known LGS today and a couple was looking at handguns. The woman didn't look like the handgun type, but they were buying her one. I was standing next to them and the person helping them took a 9mm shield out from the counter and gave it to her. She really liked it! I told her that I have 2 of them, one for me and one for my wife. We love them. I also mentioned that its lucky they had one here as they are hard to find. The guy behind the counter came back and said they couldn't buy that gun because its a range gun. She said that she really liked it and told her guy that they should find one. The guy behind the counter said they have a better gun, a ruger LCP! I told them that if they called around, they could find a shield, the guy behind the counter gave me a glare.... I'm a sales guy. Lesson one, don't lie to make a sale! To say a LCP is better than a shield, just because you have a lot of them In the gun safe is wrong.


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

The LCP is not even in the same class as the Shield. One is a subcompact and the other is a mouse gun. One is available in 9mm or .40s&W and the other is a .380ACP. Gun shop employees enjoy the perceived guru status but in reality, many know very little about firearms, tactics, and the law.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

SouthernBoy said:


> The LCP is not even in the same class as the Shield. One is a subcompact and the other is a mouse gun. One is available in 9mm or .40s&W and the other is a .380ACP. Gun shop employees enjoy the perceived guru status but in reality, many know very little about firearms, tactics, and the law.


That's what I keep saying to those that are looking to buy for the first time. Gun shop expertise is pretty much a crap-shoot.....pardon the pun.

Best thing to do, is try to find someone you know, that knows firearms and shooting. Take them with you while you are looking.

Or.....get on an inter-net gun forum and ask questions. There's a ton of knowledge to be had in an informal setting, such as a forum.

Educate yourself a little before you shop, and it will serve you well.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

...Although I have had one very instructive experience, in a fairly-local gun shop.

There's a really big, well-stocked gun shop on the nearby mainland, out in the middle of nowhere.
When my wife had become pretty expert with the 1911, we began looking for a good carry piece for her.
I went to the gun shop in question, and asked after "a small .45 semi-auto for my wife." The salesman replied that the .45 was inappropriate for a woman, and that I should buy her a J-frame S&W in .38 Special, or maybe a small .380 ACP semi-auto (although a worse choice, in his way of thinking).
I told him that the wife in question was quite expert and completely comfortable with a .45 semi-auto, and that "Buy a little gun for the little lady!" was a wrong-headed concept. I left in a grumpy mood, without buying anything from the place.

Some time later, a friend died, and left us a J-frame S&W in .38 Special in his will.
At about the same time, we visited a brand-new Cabela's in southwestern Washington, and I impulsively bought a Kel-Tec P3AT for use as my own backup, "get the heck off me" gun.

Cutting it short...
Jean tried the J-frame and liked it. Then she tried my P3AT and loved it.
The P3AT is now her carry gun. The S&W is her second-line piece.

The know-it-all in the gun shop was right, after all.


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## paratrooper (Feb 1, 2012)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> ...Although I have had one very instructive experience, in a fairly-local gun shop.
> 
> There's a really big, well-stocked gun shop on the nearby mainland, out in the middle of nowhere.
> When my wife had become pretty expert with the 1911, we began looking for a good carry piece for her.
> ...


That's the _*pat answer*_ for any female looking for a handgun.

They just can't go wrong with a J-Frame S&W. :smt033


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

Well, if the "little lady" in question is a fairly experienced pistol shooter, and if she has a good coach to help her transition to the "little gun," things can indeed work out well.
But if the "little lady" in question lacks those advantages, the salesman's advice becomes pure bull-puckey.

The OP is correct: Like any salesperson, they'll try to get you to buy whatever they have a lot of in stock. What you really need is not their priority, nor is what you can effectively use.
Do you trust car salesmen? Particularly, do you trust used-car salesmen?


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> Well, if the "little lady" in question is a fairly experienced pistol shooter, and if she has a good coach to help her transition to the "little gun," things can indeed work out well.
> But if the "little lady" in question lacks those advantages, the salesman's advice becomes pure bull-puckey.
> 
> The OP is correct: Like any salesperson, they'll try to get you to buy whatever they have a lot of in stock. What you really need is not their priority, nor is what you can effectively use.
> Do you trust car salesmen? Particularly, do you trust used-car salesmen?


We have quite a few gun stores within a 15 mile radius of where I live; six at last count. One of those is very well known in the area and probably the best run and just the best shop you can imagine. The owner is always on the premises and he is nothing short of superb in his treatment of his customers and his attitude in general. The only problem is their current lack of inventory. During the period after New Town and before Christmas they were moving over 100 guns a day, which is about twice what they usually move on weekdays.

A new shop opened just eight months ago about 4 miles from my home and they are close to fully stocked. I just bought a new gen4 Glock 22 from them two days ago.

Gun shops are funny things. Some of the people who work at gun shops take on an attitude that they are suddenly the be-all-end-all when it comes to firearms knowledge and even the law and the use of deadly force. They can be pretty amazing at times.


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## Steve M1911A1 (Feb 6, 2008)

SouthernBoy said:


> ...Some of the people who work at gun shops take on an attitude that they are suddenly the be-all-end-all when it comes to firearms knowledge and even the law and the use of deadly force...


We used to call this kind of person a "Drugstore Cowboy."
A more directly-apt term might be "Gunshop Commando."


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## SouthernBoy (Jun 27, 2007)

Steve M1911A1 said:


> We used to call this kind of person a "Drugstore Cowboy."
> *A more directly-apt term might be "Gunshop Commando."*


Yeah, that works.

Whatever happened to humility and the willingness to say, "I don't know"? I wish I knew everything but unfortunately if I did, no one would believe me.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

DanMN said:


> I go to a lot of gun shops in my travels. I hear lots of bull crap from people behind the counter. I was in a well known LGS today and a couple was looking at handguns. The woman didn't look like the handgun type, but they were buying her one. I was standing next to them and the person helping them took a 9mm shield out from the counter and gave it to her. She really liked it! I told her that I have 2 of them, one for me and one for my wife. We love them. I also mentioned that its lucky they had one here as they are hard to find. The guy behind the counter came back and said they couldn't buy that gun because its a range gun. She said that she really liked it and told her guy that they should find one. The guy behind the counter said they have a better gun, a ruger LCP! I told them that if they called around, they could find a shield, the guy behind the counter gave me a glare.... I'm a sales guy. Lesson one, don't lie to make a sale! To say a LCP is better than a shield, just because you have a lot of them In the gun safe is wrong.


I agree with you. I would like to think that we "gun people" would kinda form a bond and look out for each other - even those that are selling firearms - but sometimes this does not happen. Some gun dealers seem to think they are at a swap meet...it should not be that way.:buttkick:


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