Yesterday was bowling night, so I typically leave from the office and go to the indoor range, queeze off a box or two of ammo and then go bowl.
I was out of ammo (aside from the full magazine in my pistol) so I stopped off at the local large chain sporting goods store and went to gun counter to get my ammo.
Behind the counter, the clerk, who probably had the education level of the 8th grade though he was around my age, was trying to sell this woman and her husband a short barreled 12 guage shot gun for home defense.
Good idea of course; however, it was the woman that is wanting the gun as the husband works nights. The counter guy was telling her, "well, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about the bruises on your shoulder or the kick because this will stop them dead in their tracks, better to have a bruise than to be dead!"
My mouth drops and I put my face in my palm. The lady turned down the gun and started to move away from the counter. I politely stopped her for a moment and this is what I said to her,
"I'm sorry but that guy should never try and sell you a gun that you aren't comfortable with. While in theory he's correct, better a bruise on your shoulder than to be dead, but the problem is that you may have to fire the thing more than once.
"If you are worried about the kick, buy yourself a short barreled 20 guage and load it with buck shot. It won't kick as hard as the 12 and no burglar is going to laugh at you for shooting a 20 at him rather than the 12."
Store clerk puffs up like a blowfish and says, "Well the 12 guage has more power!"
I smiled my sweetest Southern Belle smile and said, "Yes of course it does, but it's better to have a little less power and be confident of what you're shooting and be able to handle your weapon properly and accurately, than to have all that power and the fear of pulling that trigger because of the pain involved. Hesitation breeds disaster."
Store clerk, still puffed up and a little red in the face, "Power is better!"
Me, still smiling at him said, "What good is power if you can't use the effing thing?"
Store clerk just looks at me, unable to say anything and moved along to help another person down at the other end who had been waiting before I arrived. The lady and her husband both thanked me and said they would be back for a 20 guage.
Once the clerk returned to help me, I said, "I will take 3 boxes of Monarch 9mm Luger FMJ and 1 box of 9mm Luger Monarch Hollow Points"
I don't know what it is about this guy but he just couldn't resist, "Well hon, are you sure you want Monarch, we have some really nice Winchester rounds on sale for just a couple bucks more and it's much better quality!"
I smiled again and said, "Did you really just ask me that? Winchester is the dirtiest ammo that I've ever fired and I refuse to put that crap in my gun. Monarch, is cheaper, it has quality enough to hit what I'm aiming for and it is extremely clean."
I think that guy was just trying to save face because had been served and quite possibly owned. Never patronize a lady shooter.
The only reason I stepped in to the conversation was because the way he was talking to that woman, was not promoting a concern for self defense, but just plain old bravado. Shame on him.
I was out of ammo (aside from the full magazine in my pistol) so I stopped off at the local large chain sporting goods store and went to gun counter to get my ammo.
Behind the counter, the clerk, who probably had the education level of the 8th grade though he was around my age, was trying to sell this woman and her husband a short barreled 12 guage shot gun for home defense.
Good idea of course; however, it was the woman that is wanting the gun as the husband works nights. The counter guy was telling her, "well, if I were you, I wouldn't worry about the bruises on your shoulder or the kick because this will stop them dead in their tracks, better to have a bruise than to be dead!"
My mouth drops and I put my face in my palm. The lady turned down the gun and started to move away from the counter. I politely stopped her for a moment and this is what I said to her,
"I'm sorry but that guy should never try and sell you a gun that you aren't comfortable with. While in theory he's correct, better a bruise on your shoulder than to be dead, but the problem is that you may have to fire the thing more than once.
"If you are worried about the kick, buy yourself a short barreled 20 guage and load it with buck shot. It won't kick as hard as the 12 and no burglar is going to laugh at you for shooting a 20 at him rather than the 12."
Store clerk puffs up like a blowfish and says, "Well the 12 guage has more power!"
I smiled my sweetest Southern Belle smile and said, "Yes of course it does, but it's better to have a little less power and be confident of what you're shooting and be able to handle your weapon properly and accurately, than to have all that power and the fear of pulling that trigger because of the pain involved. Hesitation breeds disaster."
Store clerk, still puffed up and a little red in the face, "Power is better!"
Me, still smiling at him said, "What good is power if you can't use the effing thing?"
Store clerk just looks at me, unable to say anything and moved along to help another person down at the other end who had been waiting before I arrived. The lady and her husband both thanked me and said they would be back for a 20 guage.
Once the clerk returned to help me, I said, "I will take 3 boxes of Monarch 9mm Luger FMJ and 1 box of 9mm Luger Monarch Hollow Points"
I don't know what it is about this guy but he just couldn't resist, "Well hon, are you sure you want Monarch, we have some really nice Winchester rounds on sale for just a couple bucks more and it's much better quality!"
I smiled again and said, "Did you really just ask me that? Winchester is the dirtiest ammo that I've ever fired and I refuse to put that crap in my gun. Monarch, is cheaper, it has quality enough to hit what I'm aiming for and it is extremely clean."
I think that guy was just trying to save face because had been served and quite possibly owned. Never patronize a lady shooter.
The only reason I stepped in to the conversation was because the way he was talking to that woman, was not promoting a concern for self defense, but just plain old bravado. Shame on him.
Good job!! :)
ReplyDeleteGood for you!! I went to a gun store that carries a LARGE inventory of used firearms with a male friend, and asked the clerk if he ever got in any used S and W 66's as I was looking for another one. The owner heard me and VERY condenscendingly (in that "well you MUST be an idiot" tone), and loudly so the whole store could hear, "Maam, they don't MAKE those any more!" I said, "I know, the key word here was "USED". I bought a .99 cent target and left with the $1200 I was going to buy an extra pistol and accessories with.
ReplyDeletewell done :)
ReplyDeletewell done! There was this time i was standing at the counter of the gun store, with credit card visible in hand and the shop assistants were serving all the guys around me ... eventually they got to the guy i was with - who had his head in a safe, when they asked him if he wanted help he replied "no, but i think the lady at the counter does" ... they then acted as if i had just magically appeared!
ReplyDeleteI know that brand well. Like the Wally Place if they could make $.10 more with the space where the shooting and hunting gear sits they would throw it under the bus in a heart beat. I have bought from them in the past. The irony that they wouldn't hand me a .22 rifle in a box with no ammo until I was past the stores threshold while I used my CHL on the paperwork wasn't lost. Here they're corporate policy is they are concerned with you holding a firearm in their store because you may load it and turn around and shoot them. I just handed you a card that says I am more than likely already carrying a loaded firearm.
ReplyDeleteOn another note this guy needs to learn to be a salesman. A person who is really good at sales does both the customer and company right. They listen to what the customer needs, wants, desires and guides them through the selection process. They are more a counselor than an expert. This guy needs to learn this. I don't care if a 4 bore has the most knock down power. It does not fit my needs.
ReplyDeleteNone of us are experts on what someone else needs. They are their own expert on that. The rest of us are there to counsel and share our experiences with them to help them make the best decision for themselves. If it is a D.Eagle so be it. If it is a 20gauge fine. If it's our least favorite caliber that the bad guy is just going to laugh about before they take the gun and beat them over the head so be it. As long as you have helped them to understand what they are getting with facts and imparted as much information as possible. They are getting what they have requested.
Typical, typical, typical. I have NEVER been to a gun store where I DIDN'T run into this kind of tripe.
ReplyDeleteI am a fat, balding, over middle aged white cracker and I dislike counter guys like this. They are the reason so many people DON'T arm themselves. I could care less if they know the terminal velocity of a 45 vs a 9mm. I am an informed consumer; and I know what I like and want. You aren't going to "sell" me on what you think is right for me.
The lady that wants/needs a shotgun needs to be sold a weapon that SHE can handle. Not what the clerk gets a woody from. In fact if he would have sold her on something that she could handle; he could probably sell her another weapon in the future. He just screwed the pooch with his "knowledge" and now he won't get the initial sale. Dumb ass!
Steve