Dissapointed with my local Gun Shop

[Phantoms]

I was in Mission Essential gun shop here in Savannah, GA today when I overheard a conversation between a customer and salesguy about carry inside the store that upset me. It was what the sales guy said and the way he said it that upset me. Below is the e-mail I sent to the store. It describes what happened and what made me mad. It's a shame because I've always been happy with this place up till this.

I was in your Savannah Store today where I have purchased guns in the past, just browsing handguns when a customer that was next to me asks one of your sales guys "so why did y'all stop allowing carry in the store?". I was carrying concealed so this caught my attention and I listened to the conversation.

Sales guy replied: "you can carry as long as it's unloaded. You can leave your magazines at the door". (I assumed he meant right inside the door).

Customer replies: "Why did y'all start this policy, did you have an incident?"

Sales guy responds: "No, we just don't want someone in here with a loaded gun and then jumping over the counter and grabbing a MP5".

What kind of nonsense is that? He could of just said it was store policy and left it at that, but that response only goes to feed the anti-gun-rights-people ammunition to continue taking our rights away. It feeds into a wrongful hysteria that if the people are allowed to have guns, they will be shooting and robbing everyone. We've fought hard in GA (and nationally) to get some of our constitutionally guaranteed gun rights and freedoms back and continue to fight every day to get the rest of them back and these types of responses can do nothing but harm.

I personally would think that a Gun Store would want everyone inside that could legally be carrying to be so if they were ever actually robbed. A person set on robbing will most likely not be carrying legally and will not honor any store policy anyway. Furthermore, someone who would rob a gun store would most likely be a much more violent criminal who expected there to be armed people inside. But in the end it's your store and you can set whatever policy you wish (though in GA all you can do is ask someone to leave if you actually observe them carrying in your store whether you post a policy or not).

Whatever policy you wish to implement in your store, please don't allow your sales people to spout rhetoric like they did above. If you actually believe such hysteria, perhaps you shouldn't be selling guns to start with.

*EDIT: There was a misunderstanding that's been addressed. Please see reply #28 at http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbulle...31-post28.html

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[j21blackjack]

I just don't ask, the signs mean nothing in GA anyway. I just assume it means guns that people are trading, selling, or pawning. I pretend it doesn't apply to concealed guns.

[crankinNM]

I just don't ask, the signs mean nothing in GA anyway. I just assume it means guns that people are trading, selling, or pawning. I pretend it doesn't apply to concealed guns.

Yup........what gun?

[Phantoms]

I didn't ask either, just overheard the conversation.

The part that offended me though was the attitude and statement of the saleman. He basically responded that allowing law abiding citizens to carry in the store would result in people jumping over the counter and robbing them.

It was the attitude of if you allow people to legally carry weapons, then watch out. This attitude is unacceptable, especially from a gun shop employee.

[ScubaDuba]

A lot of the guys I was in the Army with really liked the owner of that store. Can't remember his name, but they all thought he was a good guy. Maube you should talk to him about it.

[Ram Rod]

This attitude is unacceptable, especially from a gun shop employee.

That's what you've got to realize........employee/owner. Service, and sales. With service you get service, with sales, you'll get whatever is on tap at the time. I think you've done the right thing, other than boycott the place all together. I wish you well on the outcome.

[Majorlk]

Sales guy responds: "No, we just don't want someone in here with a loaded gun and then jumping over the counter and grabbing a MP5".

Did (has) anyone considered that the clerk was simply making an attempt to be funny?

I think there are too many uptight gun owners around.

[jhh3rd]

Please quit worrying about words and deeds that fuel the anti-gun movement. I believe most of their rhetoric is based on lies, distortions of facts and paranoia. I am not going to live my life worrying that I may be "helping" the other side. Their version of truth is opposite of mine.

[tbmccord]

There are a lot of places that I deal with that have illegal signs (Texas issue). After I have been in their store and traded with them where they know me, I pretend I have never noticed the sign and discuss it with management/ownership. Most every one of them has had no issue with me, someone they know well at that time, having a concealed handgun. Their main concern is "the unknown". I even carry inside a Kay Jewelery store that has a LEGAL sign because the management was willing to listen to reason and allows ME and several others to do so.

There have been stores that were not willing to listen to reason. Those stores found that I was willing to drop my business with them when they received one of the "no guns = no money" cards I show in my avatar.

[BugDude]

There are three gun shops and two pawn shops that I purchase from locally that have no problem whatsoever with their customers carrying. There is one that is posted with a "no loaded weapons" sign that I no longer frequent for that reason. My thought is if they hand someone a box of ammo in the store, what would keep someone from loading up? If someone has ill intents, they're going to ignore the sign anyway.

The only other reason I could imagine would something that I've witnessed many times in local gun shops. I apply safe and proper gun handling principles with their weapons and mine. If I must unholster in order to try another holster/gun, I unload and clear and always point everything in a safe direction. I ask before dry firing. Unfortunately, I regularly observe other customers not practicing safe habits. I've had a few conversations after some of those customers have left where the shop folks said those kinds of folks make them nervous (pulling out their loaded weapon to show or ask questions, etc, and not paying attention to where they are pointing it, etc.). The gun shops I frequent use it as an educational opportunity if the person seems oblivious. That makes more sense to me than posting a sign.

[armado]

I was at a gun store in Rio Rancho the other day and it had a sign on the door "supporting and encouraging" conceal carry while in the store. I felt right at home and was even more inclined to purchase something!

[dukalmighty]

So to ensure nobody is armed do they make you strip down to a speedo before you come in,that mentality is just stupid

[ep1953]

I personally would think that a Gun Store would want everyone inside that could legally be carrying to be so if they were ever actually robbed. A person set on robbing will most likely not be carrying legally and will not honor any store policy anyway. Furthermore, someone who would rob a gun store would most likely be a much more violent criminal who expected there to be armed people inside. But in the end it's your store and you can set whatever policy you wish (though in GA all you can do is ask someone to leave if you actually observe them carrying in your store whether you post a policy or not).

I can't believe a GUN STORE wouldn't understand this!

[BugDude]

I witnessed a customer in a local gun shop as he was looking at a handgun and discussing it compared to his with the employee take out his loaded CCW and proceed to break every safe gun handling rule possible. The shop employee asked him if he could see his weapon, and then proceeded to unload and clear the weapon and lay it in a safe direction. He then proceeded to explain to him the basic rules of safe gun handling. After he left, the employee said it was people like that guy that make him nervous. Perhaps they are more concerned with idiots than criminals. I'm just trying to guess, not saying it's right.

[halfcrazy]

That is my bet. It really is amazing how many people do crap like that in a gun shop. I don't say I agree but I can see where they may post the place to protect themselves from people like that.