Lesson Learned

[getsome]

Hi all, Last Saturday night I went to Bass Pro Shop to buy a new S&W 1911 to replace the one stolen a couple weeks back...They had a new one never out of the box for a good price $749.00 plus tax so I bought it...I looked it over but Bass Pro shops puts a screw on trigger guard on all their guns and will not allow it to be removed in the store so I couldn't operate the slide and check the trigger pull...Well everything looked good as far as I could tell until I got it home and pulled off the store trigger guard and this pistol has by far the worst trigger to frame fit I have ever seen even on cheap-o imported 1911 pistols...There is 1/8 inch slop in all directions fore/aft, up/down, side to side... The trigger is so loose that it rattles like a penny in a beer can when you shake the pistol....Well Bass Pro Shop has a no return, no exchange policy on guns so I won't be buying anything else from them no matter what the price is...Well I'm sending my brand spanking new unfired pistol back to Smith & Wesson to see if they will repair the gun which I hope happens because I like everything else about it and I know they know how to fit triggers because my stolen S&W 1911 had a perfect trigger...This new gun came from the new S&W plant in Maine where all steel guns will be made in the future and I hope one of the CNC machines wasn't set up properly and this is just a fluke that got by inspection so I'll give them the benefit of a doubt and let them have an opportunity to make it right...I guess the moral of this story is to never buy a gun from a store that won't let you inspect everything about it's operation and won't return or exchange a defective gun....:mad:

[MikeyKahr]

Ouch. I hurt after a story like that. I'm sorry to hear of your situation, getsome, particularly after what happened to your original S&W. I know Cabela's policy well, but did you at least try to have a conversation with the store manager about it? Not sure what they could have done, but I think it'd be helpful to let them know. In the meantime, hang in there, I'm hopeful S&W will make it right.

[Bawanna]

Man that totally sucks. I have no doubt Smith will make it right but it doesn't help one iota while your sitting around waiting for results.

Alot of our sporting goods stores that are mostly exercise machines and baseball gloves but have a few guns are like that. Gun's all cable tied to the counter, with trigger locks, takes a half hour to cut one loose to hold and they don't act happy when you want to hold one either.

I feel your pain, like Mikeykahr said I'd let the manager know but not waste much time sending it off to Smith.

Hopefully they'll just send you a shiney brand new one that is right.

[MW surveyor]

getsome

I've only bought one pistol at BassPro. Made them take the lock off before I bought it. This of course was after getting the manager over to OK the deal. I'd sure let the manager of the store know before I sent the gun off to S&W. Maybe they have another that is in better (perfect) shape that you could return yours for? Even though their policy is no returns.

Still suxs though having something like that making it through QC!

[getsome]

I did try, I took it back to the store yesterday and they made me put one of their stupid trigger locks on it before I even got in the front door...The store manager came over to the gun counter and I explained the problem but he just restated store policy, NO REFUNDS-NO EXCHANGES and wouldn't allow the trigger lock to be removed inside the store, again referring to "store policy" but offered to ship it to Smith for me...I said thanks but no thanks and offered him my "Getsome Policy" of never setting foot in his store again for anything and that he had seen the last Lincoln penny from me for anything else EVER...It didn't seem to faze him in the least which I suppose is "store policy"...When I bought the thing it took over an hour to fill out all the paper work even with my carry permit...First the salesman scans and copies all the stuff then the gun counter supervisor has to come over and scans everything all over again and if all is well they then escort you to the front door where the store manager has to triple check everything once again....I mean if they don't want to sell you the freakin thing fine, just tell me up front and I'll go somewhere else... Oh well I'm sure Smith will do me right about it as they always have in the past so the leason learned is if you want customer service don't go to big box stores that only care about money and not their customers no matter how much they advertise to the contrary

[Bawanna]

I really like the getsome policy. Especially not another lincoln penny. (no connection to our very own Old Lincoln of course) I never knew it had an official name but thats a good one. I apply it in several locations and one or two genuine gun shops.

If they lie to me even once I'm gone for good and theres no getting me back.

I have very low expectations at the big box stores, I assume the guy behind the counter is clueless which is a bad thing as I'm sure there are actually a few out there that are quite gun savvy but they are the exception.

Usually the managers are even more clueless in my experience.

We have a relatively new Cabela's a couple hours away and it's quite the rave for alot of people. I haven't been there yet and it really doesn't excite me one bit to go there. I would like to check out the stuffed animals and I guess they have quite a collector gun area that I would no doubt enjoy looking at. Perhaps some day I'll make it down there.

Keep us posted on your ordeal with Smith on repair / replacement. I'm gonna search around I had a contact with Smith a couple years ago with a LE sales guy that had marginal pull. He was courting us to buy M&P's when we switched. I would have bought them if it was all my decision, they were my choice. Oh well I'm not chief YET!

[MW surveyor]

It took me nearly 25 years to buy something from Sears again after getting the run around on a Sears branded item.

With the internet nowadays, the loss of one customer due to "store policy" really compounds after it gets posted.

[Dietrich]

I remember that I really got irked at Gander Mountain and decided not to do business with them a few years ago.I think it had to do with outrageous ammo prices.They had a pretty crummy attitude about customer satisfaction as well.The more I look and listen it seems as all of the larger stores have adopted this screw the customer policy so I have stopped dealing with them entirely.I`d much rather go somewhere that actually cares about customer satisfaction and values me and my business.Give me a Mom and Pop operation anyday.

[TheTman]

The big box stores have people at the gun counter that have absolutely no clue what a gun is for. Saturday I went down to Gander mountain to check out a gun, and after about half an hour finally got someone to get it out of the case and let me hold it and dry fire it. I asked a couple of questions about it that I already knew the answer to and he got both answers wrong. I won't do business with Gander Mountain, due to their prices, but they do have a large selection of guns, and his handy to go check out something you are considering ordering online. You do get a lot better service if you go in during the week when they aren't so crowded.

[mr surveyor]

I have never bought a firearm (except for my first handgun in 1974) at a "big box store". I don't even look at guns in bass pro or any other big store, except through the glass case. I buy from the small store front shops where they will let you handle, work the action and even dry fire if they know you're serious. Heck, my favorite shop will even let me field strip the new ones to get a good look at the innards, then hand me the cleaning supplies so I can make them customer ready for the next guy with money:). I'd rather pay 10-15% more up front, and have the satisfaction of knowing these folks will ship the gun back to it's mother ship if necessary, on their dime. Plus, I get free drinks and free hand rolled cigars when I hang out at my favorite shop ... try to get THAT at the mr. big box store:D

[MikeyKahr]

That's one of the best gun store ads I've ever heard. I think your local funstore should put that up as a radio ad. If I lived in NE Texas, that's where I'd go!

[Bawanna]

The small but extemely well stocked gun shop I use to hang out was like that. I knew the owner and the sales guys very well. I'd still be going there but they have too many steps. I go once in awhile to visit but I hate getting packed up steps.

Anyhow years ago I was in there and checking out a Colt officers model. This was when they first came out I believe. I looked and drooled but left it behind. 2 or 3 weeks later I went in intent on taking it home, had a shoulder rig already on just waiting tohaul er out.

Lo and behold it wasn't in the case. I was dumb struck. The sales guy a newer one said it had sold, wanted to know if it was mine. The owner came around the corner and said don't panic Bawanna (they called me Bawanna too) he opened the safe and wa la theres my officers model.
He said he knew when I was in before that I would be back.

They had my home phone number on the wall, when I was in love with something they would call my wife to make sure it was ok. Good ole small gun shop that does very very well.

If you ever had a problem he would deal with it, no questions asked.

[wyntrout]

Nice story, especially "They had my home phone number on the wall, when I was in love with something they would call my wife to make sure it was ok." :D

It sounds like a great LGS. :cheer2:

Wynn:)

[aray]

With the internet nowadays, the loss of one customer due to "store policy" really compounds after it gets posted.

That's for sure: case in point this. When I was trying to find a new CW9, I had considered Bass Pro as they had it listed in their inventory as a stocked gun. Alas no distributors had it in stock and so it simply wasn't available for months. Wound up getting one used from a fellow kahrtalk forum member.

However I do plan on also buying a CM9, when they are released and when I can afford to do so. I'll be scratching Bass Pro off my potential list of places to shop. I found a small local gun shop anyway, but this story just confirms where I've been leaning anyway.

[MW surveyor]

I'm pretty lucky, around where I live here just outside of Houston to have four gun shops within a 2 mile radius not counting Academy Sports and Gander Mountain (gag). Plus the evil pawn shop located in Tomball, I'm pretty much set for LGSs and reloading supplies nearby. Everyone of the LGSs with one exception sells their guns for way less than Bass Pro, Gander Mountain and Cabellas. Plus you can handle them all you want.

[WMD]

I have found that most guys working at big stores are just putting in their time to get a pay check. They do not care or even try to understand the customer's point of view.

Whereas, in some small stores, the guys are either the owners or, are there because they want to be and really care about the customer.

That being said...., I have also been in small Gun shops where the dudes are a bunch of "used car salesmen" and only see a "billfold" when a customer walks in. If you are fortunate to have a decent LGS in your area, I would definitely support that shop. :cool:

[slowpoke]

Sorry to here about your misfortune but thanks for posting it. Now I can add another big box to the list of stores that I won't do biz with. We have one of those stores in my area and I now now better than to go in it.
Thanks for the info.

[Bawanna]

"That being said...., I have also been in small Gun shops where the dudes are a bunch of "used car salesmen" and only see a "billfold" when a customer walks in. If you are fortunate to have a decent LGS in your area, I would definitely support that shop. "

That's the shop I did my on the job training program out. A used car lot for guns. It was sad. I bet I sent 5 customers a day down to the shop I mentioned earlier. We didn't have what they wanted he always did without fail.

Slowpoke, it's ok to go in them big box stores and look around, just don't get roped into buying nothing. Look, Fondle, Leave. And take all your Lincoln pennies with ya.

[wyntrout]

Gander puts out flyers locally with sales on good prices on some guns and those are good deals... lower than LGS or shows for LCP($279.99) and other popular pistols, but only on sale.
Ammo is atrociously priced. I bought a MegaPack of 250 rounds of UMC .45 FMJ at Wally World (bought both that they had) for Just under $90 each + tax. At Gander they were $149.99! I told the sales guy there and he said the higher management there wouldn't listen to the sales personnel about prices being too high.

Wynn:)

[jimbar]

I think we should all support our LGS, as well as other small business in our community. Sounds like we need a bumper sticker "Support Your Local LGS",...or not.
Recently, I bought a box of 50 9mm at my local shop, and later I was in a local big box for something else, and checked their price, it was "one" dollar cheaper. I have to drive 10 mi's from my town to the big box,......have ya checked gas prices lately?
I bought my last gun from my local shop, and every time I go in there, it's the same three or four guys, + one gal, (she's a shooter, and knows her stuff about guns and ammo). I can ask questions, and get real answers, handle the guns, and if I don't buy, no problem, it was time well spent,
I was interested in a certain rifle, and the guy even called the manufacturer to get an answer for me. Try that at Big Box.
Yeah, I'd rather spend a few bucks more, and know I can always go back if I have a problem, and get it resolved.

[Bawanna]

Jimbar, you ever been in Kesselrings in Burlington? We buy most of our dept stuff there. Been around 50 years, family owned, inventory out of this world.

[O'Dell]

I have never bought a firearm (except for my first handgun in 1974) at a "big box store". I don't even look at guns in bass pro or any other big store, except through the glass case. I buy from the small store front shops where they will let you handle, work the action and even dry fire if they know you're serious. Heck, my favorite shop will even let me field strip the new ones to get a good look at the innards, then hand me the cleaning supplies so I can make them customer ready for the next guy with money:). I'd rather pay 10-15% more up front, and have the satisfaction of knowing these folks will ship the gun back to it's mother ship if necessary, on their dime. Plus, I get free drinks and free hand rolled cigars when I hang out at my favorite shop ... try to get THAT at the mr. big box store:D

Well, it sounded like my LGS until you got to the drinks and cigar bit. No wonder I walked away this morning feeling vaguely unsatisfied.

[jimbar]

Jimbar, you ever been in Kesselrings in Burlington? We buy most of our dept stuff there. Been around 50 years, family owned, inventory out of this world.

I have been there many times, looking around. My buddy bought most of his pistols there. I like Dave's in Lynden, although, I did buy my CW9 at Wholesale Sports in Burlington. They have a large supply of guns, and seem really knowlegable about them.

[Bawanna]

I have been there many times, looking around. My buddy bought most of his pistols there. I like Dave's in Lynden, although, I did buy my CW9 at Wholesale Sports in Burlington. They have a large supply of guns, and seem really knowlegable about them.

Wholesale Sports is good since they rebuilt the inventory after they bought the place. Was pretty bare there for awhile. I've only been there once or twice but its a great store. Used to be lots of reloading stuff and accessories too.

Since the dept buys most all our duty guns and holsters, Kesselrings knows me pretty well. It's a zoo to go there in person, always crowded (and out in the sticks too), narrow aisles but theres always somebody around to hand me stuff I can't get to. Most everything I get from them they just mail to me. I do have a 4# can of powder on a desk up there waiting for me. They no longer ship powder and primers so I guess I'll have to drive up there soon.

I never heard of Dave's but if I'm ever up that way, I'll do my best to change that. Our old city administrator is now the city administrator in Lynden. Maybe I better go visit him.

[GunStoreGirl]

Hi all, Last Saturday night I went to Bass Pro Shop to buy a new S&W 1911 to replace the one stolen a couple weeks back...They had a new one never out of the box for a good price $749.00 plus tax so I bought it...I looked it over but Bass Pro shops puts a screw on trigger guard on all their guns and will not allow it to be removed in the store so I couldn't operate the slide and check the trigger pull...Well everything looked good as far as I could tell until I got it home and pulled off the store trigger guard and this pistol has by far the worst trigger to frame fit I have ever seen even on cheap-o imported 1911 pistols...There is 1/8 inch slop in all directions fore/aft, up/down, side to side... The trigger is so loose that it rattles like a penny in a beer can when you shake the pistol....Well Bass Pro Shop has a no return, no exchange policy on guns so I won't be buying anything else from them no matter what the price is...Well I'm sending my brand spanking new unfired pistol back to Smith & Wesson to see if they will repair the gun which I hope happens because I like everything else about it and I know they know how to fit triggers because my stolen S&W 1911 had a perfect trigger...This new gun came from the new S&W plant in Maine where all steel guns will be made in the future and I hope one of the CNC machines wasn't set up properly and this is just a fluke that got by inspection so I'll give them the benefit of a doubt and let them have an opportunity to make it right...I guess the moral of this story is to never buy a gun from a store that won't let you inspect everything about it's operation and won't return or exchange a defective gun....:mad:


The store manager came over to the gun counter and I explained the problem but he just restated store policy, NO REFUNDS-NO EXCHANGES
That's horrible. Not even a 30 day warranty to back up function??


The big box stores have people at the gun counter that have absolutely no clue what a gun is for. Saturday I went down to Gander mountain to check out a gun...
Unfortunately, this is true and Gander seems to be the worst case. I've had the same experiences at Gander, ****'s, Bass Pro, and once in awhile even Cabela's.


I have never bought a firearm (except for my first handgun in 1974) at a "big box store". I don't even look at guns in bass pro or any other big store, except through the glass case. I buy from the small store front shops where they will let you handle, work the action and even dry fire if they know you're serious. Heck, my favorite shop will even let me field strip the new ones to get a good look at the innards, then hand me the cleaning supplies so I can make them customer ready for the next guy with money:). I'd rather pay 10-15% more up front, and have the satisfaction of knowing these folks will ship the gun back to it's mother ship if necessary, on their dime. Plus, I get free drinks and free hand rolled cigars when I hang out at my favorite shop ... try to get THAT at the mr. big box store:D
We've got some customers like that, too... sometimes when they're in the store around lunch time, we'll order pizza delivered (or whatever) for all of us. :D My favorite thing to do is call one guy in particular to let him know when something comes in that he's been chasing after. It sounds like Christmas on the other end of the phone line!


Gander puts out flyers locally with sales on good prices on some guns and those are good deals... lower than LGS or shows for LCP($279.99) and other popular pistols, but only on sale.
You know, after reading this ^ I think I know what happened to getsome.
See...the way Big Box Stores work is very different than the LGS. Small places like us...we can only order a few of each thing due to space issues and such. Places like Gander order several hundred of each thing (their first cost break) and then farm them out to all the Ganders. Not only that, a higher-up-than-me told me that Big Boxes get incredible deals on seconds (the other cost break). Meaning, there's nothing mechanically wrong with the gun (although the specs are maybe not as tight as they should be, as in the case of the OP's trigger)...but it'll usually be something cosmetic. Maybe glaringly obvious, or maybe not noticeable so much at all...a little tooling mark there, a bluing rub off here, etc..
Anyhow, the Gander near me is doing that with ARs right now. Only releasing two every three weeks at a price that's LOWER than we pay at dealer's cost!! Not possible - UNLESS...it's a second.
Which would explain why "only two every three weeks"...they're waiting for someone to screw them up on the Bushmaster production line because they've got buying dibs on them...
Sooo... http://checkthisup.com/images/attachements/two_cents.png

[GunStoreGirl]

P.S. Getsome, don't worry about your fix. S&W has excellent customer service and I've found they really strive to make a happy customer...helps make them a returning customer.

[getsome]

Thanks GunStoreGirl, It's on a Fedex plane right now back to the mothership...One reason I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Smith & Wesson or a Kahr sight unseen is I know that both companies will take care of a customers problems...I will make a post when she gets back home...

[jlottmc]

I had a revolver that I bought from Academy that went back for a bad bbl crown, and a re-time job. Thing came back worse in the timing department, but that's another story. I will never buy another gun from a big box store. When I bought that pistol, they treated me like a criminal, and after the sale was done, the manager had to walk the gun and me out (even though I already had a concealed pistol on me and he knew it, I use my CHL to save them a phone call). When we got to the door the manager hands me my new toy and shuts the door behind me. At the time I had gunshop were my phone number was on speed dial, and knew everyone in there really well. I went to the big box to save about $20, and won't do that again. Incidentally, I used to have the manager of that store call me and ask me to bring some of my toys in so he could play with them. My wife used to be really confused by that one, one minute she'd laugh, then the next was annoyed. Made that place a lot of money from my side of the counter. The reason that I would bring my stuff in like that is because it was a GOOD store, with an indoor range. That has to say something for them.

[jocko]

wal mart here walks u out the door, they don't care if you have a permit or not. I have no issues with that. The help is not allowed to make those type of decisions. All orders come right out of Bentonville. They even tell me here in Indiana that they haveno decdision on the long guns that come into their store. You canhorder outr of thei9r special catalog certaina guns but they have no power over what they put on the shelves. Probably when you have 3000+ stores selling long guns, it might be best to make these gun decisions from one location. I have seen some help behind the counters in wal mart that are scarry to say the least.Also seen somein Gander mt that scare the pant soff of me to. Those peo0ple are the b rightest, the smartest people in the world, JUST ASK UM..