# Fun with Wal*Mart Shotgun Shopping



## Phil Elmore (Jan 29, 2004)

"I'm pricing shotguns," I told the clerk behind the counter of the Wal*Mart sporting goods department.  "What do you have with an 18" barrel with a cylinder choke?"

"Let's see," the clerk said, turning the rotating glass case.  "That one's twelve inches.  That one's twelve, too.  And that one..."

"I doubt it," I said.  "The Federal minimum barrel length is 18 inches."

"Let's see," the clerk puzzled, placing his hand on first one extra-long deer gun, then another.

"Eighteen inches," I said.  "The shortest barrel you can sell me."

"Well, that one's got a choke, and that one too," he said.

"Cylinder," I said.  "No choke at all, in other words.  Slugs or shot.  C-Y-L-I-N-D-E-R."

"This has a rifled slug barrel."

"Okay," I said.  "We're done here."


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## Ceicei (Jan 29, 2004)

Phil,

Did you actually do that????!!

- Ceicei


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## OULobo (Jan 29, 2004)

Well, it was WalMart afterall.


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## theletch1 (Jan 29, 2004)

Yep, it was Wally World so you're lucky the guy even knew which were shotguns.


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## kenpo12 (Jan 29, 2004)

hahahahah

That's great!


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## dearnis.com (Jan 29, 2004)

Here is one in .2-2 L- R?  is that it??


:rofl: 

Support your local gun dealers, even if it costs a few bucks more.  Like a good mechanic and a trusted dentist, they are an important part of your support network.


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## Phil Elmore (Jan 29, 2004)

I would support the local gun dealers if there were any in that particular town.



> Did you actually do that????!!



Yup.  Today, in fact.


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## dearnis.com (Jan 29, 2004)

> Support your local gun dealers, even if it costs a few bucks more. Like a good mechanic and a trusted dentist, they are an important part of your support network.




Note that this was general advice, not picking on Phil.  In all seriousness, knowledgeable arms dealers are a key component in a free society.   I suppose it would be unthinkable now, but I spent many happy hours as a young teenager pawing guns in a couple of local shops.  The owners knew full well I would never be able to afford most of what I was looking at, but they treated me with courtesy and respect.  In return I spent what I could afford.  (even more unthinkable today I suppose; it was nice growing up in a small town in the country 20 years ago).

For those following the sawed-off thread one of these shops was in fact a class III dealer (ie the bad evil non-PC weapons...).  And yes, they would even get the machine guns out of the safe for me to hold.....

Chad


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## Touch Of Death (Jan 29, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Sharp Phil _
> *"I'm pricing shotguns," I told the clerk behind the counter of the Wal*Mart sporting goods department.  "What do you have with an 18" barrel with a cylinder choke?"
> 
> "Let's see," the clerk said, turning the rotating glass case.  "That one's twelve inches.  That one's twelve, too.  And that one..."
> ...


 They aren't paying this guy to be gun expert. In fact I'm sure they pay him as little as they can legaly get away with. He can read a price tag and scan it. What else do you want? Welcome to the service econemy.
Sean


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## Phil Elmore (Jan 29, 2004)

While I expected no better (I went there for fun, not to get good service), the store actually _should_ feel compelled to provide a baseline level of competency.  That they do not is simply amusing.


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## Cryozombie (Jan 29, 2004)

I went to Wal-mart to buy an 870 Express, walked in told the Clerk "I want that gun" 

He looked at me, my leather jacket with the chains and skulls, and told me he couldnt sell it to me.  

I produced my FOID Card (Id required to purchase a firearm or ammunition in Illinios) and told him again I wanted "That Gun"

He suggested I come back and speak to the department manager in the morning.

So I went to the Gun Dealer 3 blocks down and told the Guy, I am looking for an 870 express... He sold it to me right then and there.  

To he11 with Wal-mart.


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## theletch1 (Jan 30, 2004)

Techno, you must have been having one of your megalomaniacal episodes and had that "look" on your face. 

I gotta agree with Phil on Wally World having someone with at least a modicum of knowledge in the department that they are assigned to.  Go to electronics and ask the folks about a stereo, dvd player or computer and they will be able to at least tell you the basics of the machine.  That basic level should be at least the same in automotive, appliances and sporting goods all together.


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## OULobo (Jan 30, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Technopunk _
> *I went to Wal-mart to buy an 870 Express, walked in told the Clerk "I want that gun"
> 
> He looked at me, my leather jacket with the chains and skulls, and told me he couldnt sell it to me.
> ...



Call the national customer service line and see if you can get some free stuff from your negative experience.

I'm always for shopping at private shops because I'm sick of Walmart promoting the urban/suburban sprawl.


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## superdave (Jan 30, 2004)

I bought a shotgun last year at Wal-Mart. 
After filling out the 4473, the clerk tried to give it to me for my records.    He looked even more clueless as he tried to fill out the bound book.


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## rmcrobertson (Feb 1, 2004)

I liked the post that said, "welcome to the service economy." Businesses like Wal-Mart pay very low wages, offer very few benefits, source their products in the cheapest overseas markets they can possibly find.  They hire kids, the elderly, the poor, and people without an education. They have no incentive whatsoever to train employees in anything more than the barest minimum of necessities--in fact, the way capitalism works is that they have every incentive NOT to, because people don't go to these stores for expertise. They go for the cheapest bulk products they can get. So, the guy behind the gun counter was probably in Shoes the previous week.


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## Samurai (Feb 6, 2004)

OK,

I know from personal experience (best friend is a Sporting Goods Manager at Wal-Mart) that the people in the department are required to receive SOME training.

They have to watch a video on gun safety and then another video on filling out the proper forms and one more on Gun Identification.  Granted 3 - 20 minute videos are not quite good enough for some people.

The bestest problem happens when people from one department come over and "cover" for the other departments.  You might have had a Housewares sales rep trying to sell you a shotgun.


Thanks,
Jeremy BAys


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## KenpoTex (Feb 7, 2004)

My favorite trick, if I'm really bored, is to ask for common ammo by its military designation, for example 5.56x45 (.223); 7.62x51 (.308) or 9x19mm (9mm luger/parabelum).  You should see the blank looks they give me.
  Then there was the time during college that I went by the sporting goods counter to see a buddy who worked there just as he was showing an elderly gentleman a Ruger mini-14.  as I walked up the man asked my buddy a question he couldn't answer so he just handed me the gun and told the old guy to talk to me.  It was funny 'cause the other person behind the counter got all mad because he was trying to impress the guy with how much he knew (which was nothing).


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## Cryozombie (Feb 7, 2004)

> _Originally posted by rmcrobertson _
> * So, the guy behind the gun counter was probably in Shoes the previous week. *



Actually "Shoes" is an outsourced department, not *actually* PART of wal-mart, but a separate company INSIDE the store...

At least it was years and  years ago when I worked there... they had several "departments" like that that didnt actually answer to the store.  A WEIRD way to do buisness if you ask me.


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