Should I say something.....

[recoilguy]

to this guys boss?

I was in Cabelas in Owantanna MN yesterday browsing hand guns. I look up for a sales guy and there about 25ft down the cabinet is a sales guy handing a Taurus ...pointing it straight down the Cabinet at me and then he pulls the trigger and says to the guy he is talking to "see pretty nice?" I walk down to him and say hey I was right down there and you pulled the trigger, pointing that gun in my direction. He says "oh sorry what can I help you with?" I thought it was odd but wanted to see a gun so I say I would like to look at the CZ rami down here. He tells me he carries a Glock so I say I carry a Kahr and he says " those expensive guns, man you must be made of money" He then moves down the cabinet to the CZ I want to see takes it out, checks the chamber (it is empty thank God) and swips the guy next to me as he is feeling it in his hand before he hands it to me. That guy just looks at me and leaves. Then he looks down the barrel and says "man this is clean take a look" and puts the barrel right in my face. I put my hand up and said put that down on the glass. I was just to weirded out and left. The more I think about it the more I think I should write a letter but I never caught his name. I know in our LGS if you swip the guy behind the counter you are outta there. I never saw someone handle weapons so willy nilly?

He has a dream job, shouldn't he know better? Should I say something, I will probably not be back there for 6 months, am I over reacting?

RCG

[jocko]

I would let that store know for damn sure, Hell they just hire anyone it seems. Some day someone is going to pull that fella over the counter for doing that to them. I see nothing wrong with letting the store know in a nice way. It is for their safety also and maybe some day for yours or a friend of yours.....

[In-Yo-Grill]

I hate to say it but these guys don't always hire for experience. I hate it when someone starts bashing one brand over another for the sake of cost. Then proceeds to say "I've never shot one because they cost too much."

I expect much more from my LGS but not from a chain store.

[jlottmc]

I hate to get any one in trouble, but I would for sure say something. Perhaps some TRAINING, or re-training.

[hsart]

You must say or write something to the store manager and to the main office. Be specific... day and time. If the store is responsible someone will call you with both an apology and a description of what they will do to correct this so it does not happen again. If they do not, then I would not go back. Support stores that respect proper gun handling. By doing this you may save someone's life or at least a lot of aggravation.

[jlottmc]

Well said.

[reign719]

I would definitely let someone know. For one, it's very bad customer service, and two very careless. If he had done the same antics to an off duty, plain dressed LEO, I'm sure it would've been his last day there.

[Bawanna]

Yup, I'd definitely say something. The store manager should appreciate it. That attitude and action is bad for business. I worked for a brief period in a shop as an on the job program when I got hurt. Its scary enough behind that counter let alone being scarey yourself. The so called veterans while experts in their own mind were too high on themselves for my taste.
I have a proud papa story to tell about my oldest son.
He had outgrown his chipmunk but was still very young, about counter top height. I took him to our local gunshop owned by our cities mayor, nice guy, good friend but did not mix business and pleasure. I also did'nt work for the city yet. Anyhow I told him I was looking for a rifle for the boy, like a Win 9422 bigger than the chipmunk but good for a small person. He exclaimed that he didn't need that expensive winchester but one of these. He grabbed a chipmunk off the rack and just handed it down to my son. My son had it by buttstock and forend, he just let the front drop so the barrel was pointed at the ground. He tugged my shirt and said dad, he didn't check it. I said I noticed that too, you know how? He said yeah, so I said check it. He opened the bolt, checked the chamber and even put his finger in to double check. The mayor almost crawled under his floor mat. He said he'd never handed a gun to a customer let alone a kid without checking. He ordered the Winchester at cost.
Proud papa. I had a female police officer in uniform come to my counter draw her duty weapon and point it right at my chest and tell me she needed bullets for this gun? NO JOKE. The store owner ran the length of the counter, knocked her arm aside, told her to holster her weapon and leave. She apologized to me and him, said she didn't know what caliber her gun was to ask. You gotta be kidding me. She left, never saw her again.

[jocko]

and she was a POLICE OFFICER. Oh my...

[cgo99]

I have a proud papa story to tell about my oldest son.
He had outgrown his chipmunk but was still very young, about counter top height. I took him to our local gunshop owned by our cities mayor, nice guy, good friend but did not mix business and pleasure. I also did'nt work for the city yet. Anyhow I told him I was looking for a rifle for the boy, like a Win 9422 bigger than the chipmunk but good for a small person. He exclaimed that he didn't need that expensive winchester but one of these. He grabbed a chipmunk off the rack and just handed it down to my son. My son had it by buttstock and forend, he just let the front drop so the barrel was pointed at the ground. He tugged my shirt and said dad, he didn't check it. I said I noticed that too, you know how? He said yeah, so I said check it. He opened the bolt, checked the chamber and even put his finger in to double check. The mayor almost crawled under his floor mat. He said he'd never handed a gun to a customer let alone a kid without checking. He ordered the Winchester at cost.

That is a great story, you just reminded me of my father making me check and double check until it became second nature.
I have great memories with my father and grandfather teaching me about guns..... See what you did, I'm getting all melancholic here.
I guess I'll call the old man tonight and thank him:blushing:

[Bawanna]

and she was a POLICE OFFICER. Oh my...

All the way live, true story. They say when you cross the river you see a very bright light, and sometimes your life passes before your eyes. I can tell you this is true. The life was extremely fast, like listening to Led Zeppelin at 78 speed. I still think of that store owner and I'm thankful that he was able to move in quick as he did. I'm sure I was the proverbial deer in the headlights. I was armed which was allowed for employees but nothing even remotely defense oriented entered my mind. Tight area behind the counter, in a wheelchair, no place to hide so to speak.
The owner did make a phone call. The contents of the conversaton I was never made aware of.

[recoilguy]

Bawanna45cal great story it is so good to get kids to know what is correct! Proud papa moment are my favorite ones.

I did send an email to Cabelas this afternoon and just tried to keep to facts and timeline. I will see what response I get. They do have a good deal on a very lightly used CZ Rami in Owatonna if anyone is in the neighborhood.

RCG

[Bawanna]

Bawanna45cal great story it is so good to get kids to know what is correct! Proud papa moment are my favorite ones.

I did send an email to Cabelas this afternoon and just tried to keep to facts and timeline. I will see what response I get. They do have a good deal on a very lightly used CZ Rami in Owatonna if anyone is in the neighborhood.

RCG

It was indeed a very very proud papa moment for me. Long long ago but I recall it like yesterday. Another short proud papa story.
During this same time period I was learning how to checker stocks and grips and my young son of course was watching this and apparently taking mental notes in his small head.
His ma brought him to the gun shop where I was on the job training to hang around for a while and I handed him a new rifle, don't recall what it was for him to check out. An old timer (said with great respect) walked by and told him one gun can't do it all you gotta have more than one. He asked my son what he thought of the rifle. Keep in mind son is like 6, large for age. Son replies bolt works pretty slick but the checkering is a little too sharp and painful. Old guy kind of laughed, kind of a kid knows it all attitude. He took the rifle and after a few moments he announced to the group, damn the kids right, feel how sharp this checkering is. I'm sure I was glowing!

[jlottmc]

That is one thing I can say about my old man. He would make for sure I knew how dangerous a mistake could be. Be it in the reloading or in the handling of a weapon. If I had ever tried something like that officer I would have been shot. And having one walk in and point that piece at you like that...I'd have needed a change of huggies for sure, and may have needed something more than that too. I don't do well on the front side of the guns. I tend to take it personally.

[Bawanna]

That is one thing I can say about my old man. He would make for sure I knew how dangerous a mistake could be. Be it in the reloading or in the handling of a weapon. If I had ever tried something like that officer I would have been shot. And having one walk in and point that piece at you like that...I'd have needed a change of huggies for sure, and may have needed something more than that too. I don't do well on the front side of the guns. I tend to take it personally.

I'm still as dumbfounded about that today as I was the day it happened. A cop too! Maybe she thought I could determine caliber looking at the end of the barrel, it was too close to my chest to see. I'm happy to say I didn't need new huggies but to this day I don't know why, I would not have been ashamed if I did need them, owner even offered the rest of the day off, that traumatic. I stayed just cause I liked it there. Probably still be there if I could hear better.
One thing that I tell new shooters especially kids is at the range the rules of respect for your elders is out the window. I tell em if they see something they think is unsafe, don't delay tell em about it, warn others no matter how old they are. Usually it's just a slip up and nothing to get worked up about and the offender is regretful and thankful for the reminder to exercise more caution. Some places are so overwrought with safety that it becomes a safety violation to pick up your gun, don't like that much either.

[jlottmc]

Well said.

[recoilguy]

Cabelas did respond.....here is what they said

Thank you for your email. We are very sorry to hear about what happened at the Owatonna store. That is not the conduct our employees should be remembered for. I have forwarded this incident on to the manager of the Owatonna store. We thank you for bringing this to our attention. If you have any more questions, feel free to contact us.

Have a great day.


I feel better that I did say something. All my buddies I have told the story too were pretty freaked. Then I told them the lady police story from here. That is a real classic scary one right there.

RCG

[hsart]

Cabelas did respond.....here is what they said

Thank you for your email. We are very sorry to hear about what happened at the Owatonna store. That is not the conduct our employees should be remembered for. I have forwarded this incident on to the manager of the Owatonna store. We thank you for bringing this to our attention. If you have any more questions, feel free to contact us.

Have a great day.


I feel better that I did say something. All my buddies I have told the story too were pretty freaked. Then I told them the lady police story from here. That is a real classic scary one right there.

RCG
Glad to hear that Cabelas responded. Let us know if the local manager does or communicates something. This incident and report of it becomes a liability issue for their main office, so they really cannot let it happen again. If someone gets hurt in the future, especially by the same employee or even at the same store, the courts would have a field day with Cabelas.

[kramm]

Most of the salespeople at the gun counter in Cabelas & Bass Pro act like they are doing you a favor to talk to you. Really don't need a dumbxxx back there too. You did the right thing now it's on them to follow up. just mho.

[jlottmc]

Well said kramm.

[Bawanna]

Most of the salespeople at the gun counter in Cabelas & Bass Pro act like they are doing you a favor to talk to you. Really don't need a dumbxxx back there too. You did the right thing now it's on them to follow up. just mho.

Exactly right, they have probably the best job in the whole world and the ability to make a huge impact on lots of people, new shooters, on and on and as you say they act like they do you a favor.
This on the job training job I'm sure is getting old but more stories. They teamed me up with supposedly the sales manager to learn how to sell guns. He only owned 1 gun that he won in a sales promotion. He was of the belief that you should work it like a car lot. Sell them the first gun they looked at. The owner believed that you didn't need alot of inventory, we could just order what they want. All mistaken as we all know. I absolutely loved people coming in shopping for their first gun. I spent alot of time and told them not to buy today even if they were convinced they wanted it. I didn't get any pay and the commission on sales I just gave to the other guys who were of course dumbfounded. They would always say you lost that one, he won't be back. I told them he'll be back. They always came back and often times if I wasn't there they wouldn't buy anything. I sold a lot of guns and made a lot of new friends. Had a little old lady (total respect for old ladies) come in, she held a 1911 with another salesman. He was selling it to her. I couldn't let that happen, so I intervened. Salesman and owner were of course ticked off. Told them she'll be back, tommorrow I'm not suppose to be here but I'm coming in to hang around. Same old lady and her husband came in and walked out with 2 new guns, ammo, holsters the whole deal. Told them I wasn't working, they said they'd come back my next day on. I just took care of them and gave the ticked salesman the commission since I couldn't make any money. Rules? Those saleman are lucky, they should enjoy their great jobs and help people.
YOu did good letting them know. If I was that store manager I'd be thanking you immensely and giving you a deal on something. He's not much of a manager if he doesn't notice this stuff going on.

[recoilguy]

Those guys do have great jobs. Bawanna you are the kinda guy I like to talk to at the LGS. We have 3 guys working locally. 1 I will stop in and see if I am just buying a bag of ice. the other I will ask if anything new came in and the last guy I won't talk too, because he never talks to me....I will let you know if I hear from the store, I am not anticipating I will.

If I were independently wealthy and did not have to work I would sell Motorcyles part time and sell guns part time...both for free just because I like talking to motorcycle people and to gun people. Then when I wasn't working I'd ride my motorcycle to the range and shoot or be out fishin with my kids.......

Too bad I never started my own business , was crazy successful, and now rich. Oh well I can still ride my motorcycle to the range and shoot, or be out fishin, so life is still pretty dang good!!!

RCG

[jlottmc]

Bawanna, that is the difference between management and LEADERSHIP. I'll stop before I hop onto my soapbox again.

[Bawanna]

Those guys do have great jobs. Bawanna you are the kinda guy I like to talk to at the LGS. We have 3 guys working locally. 1 I will stop in and see if I am just buying a bag of ice. the other I will ask if anything new came in and the last guy I won't talk too, because he never talks to me....I will let you know if I hear from the store, I am not anticipating I will.

If I were independently wealthy and did not have to work I would sell Motorcyles part time and sell guns part time...both for free just because I like talking to motorcycle people and to gun people. Then when I wasn't working I'd ride my motorcycle to the range and shoot or be out fishin with my kids.......

Too bad I never started my own business , was crazy successful, and now rich. Oh well I can still ride my motorcycle to the range and shoot, or be out fishin, so life is still pretty dang good!!!

RCG
Well I can't ride my motorcycle no more without training wheels but life is still pretty dang good!!! My downfall in the gun sales business other than I'd never make any money cause I want everything for myself is I just couldn't hear well enough to hear questions, still used a phone then but had a real hard time with it. I had a favorite gun shop who I knew all the guys real well but they had alot of stairs so couldn't work there but they had a ton of inventory, parts, holsters etc. I bet I referred 10 people a day from the shop I was at down to the other. People appreciated that also and would come back. I was only there about 6 weeks, owner didnt think I was working out, the other guys said the guy that replaced me was only there 2 days and he was gone. Wasn't a good fit except me and the customers. I liked it alot.
Perhaps in my next episode I'll tell about the black guy (no disrespect for black guys) running thru the showroom towards the front door, but that's another story.

[jlottmc]

We like stories. You know this. I'll drop anchor here and have a seat...ears perked up and all.