A gun shop episode that left a bad taste in my mouth...

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saturno_v

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Ok, maybe I'm wrong so help me seeing things from the right perspective.

Yesterday I was at one of my favourite gun shops, I know the owner by the name (and he knows me by my name) and I did buy several guns from him.

Of course, he's not my "friend" (or even an acquaintance) by any stretch of imagination, however he knows who I am, I'm always respectful and quiet.

I was patiently waiting for my turn when I noticed a lady that was showing to him a rifle she wanted to sell or pawn. I was not able to tell what model it was and I thought it was not nice to try to take a peek.

The guy kindly refused to take it because he claimed he had so many of them and was not able to offer to her a decent deal.

The lady was on her way out and, without thinking I admit, I followed her and by the door I ask her quietly if she can show me the gun....then almost the hell broke out...the guy almost jumped out of the bench and almost yelled in front of everybody "You cannot do that in my propriety!!" I immediately and clearly apologized for doing it and backed off...the guy kept repeating in a loud voice (and all redded up in the face) over and over "you cannot do that in my propriety" "If you want to do it go outside", basically ignoring my apology.

Frankly I was shocked by the overeaction.....I made a mistake but I think the reaction was out of proportion......and when the calm returned I pondered what to do, waiting for my turn.....I knew that the gun I was interested (a Chiappa 1911-22) was sold much cheaper in another store where I had to drive a little bit......initially I was willing to give him a chance to win my business and ask him what was the best price he could give me that pistol...but frankly, after that outburst, I decided otherwise and I walked out of the door.

What do you think of this episode?? Am I right or wrong??
 
I used to work in a gun shop and this was everyones biggest pet peeve. It is extraordinarily rude and inconsiderate. Major faux pas, it sounds like you learned your lesson. I do understand that you were polite and apologetic, but when this happens over and over again, store owners get fed up in a hurry. Most of his frustration probably wasn't intended for you directly, but the countless people that have tried this before. Go back, apologize again, and tell him about how you were oblivious to how you were being disrespectful. If he's a decent guy, he'll be cool with that, you may even be in better standing than before the incident.
 
Sounds like his reaction was a lot over the top. I have been in several gun stores that frown upon you making an offer to someone who has been refused a sale by the store. They want to keep such transactions off their property, since they can be held liable for a gun sold on their premises that they have no record of.
Imagine the conversation.
"This gun was used in a serious crime, and they said they bought it here."
"I never sold that gun!"
"But they said the transaction occurred here."
"I never sold that gun! I refused to by it, and someone else bought it in the parking lot."
"So it did sell on your property, yes?"

See where it goes? I'd say he could have handled it better ( a lot), and you are free to vote with your feet and go somewhere else.
If you want to, later on when emotions have cooled, you could go and talk to him privately.
 
IMHO I believe that seeing as "the guy" declined to make an offer on the object in question you were well within your right to ask to see it and make an offer. I used to do something similar at a local video game store when people brought in games they didn't want. The game shop offered them like $2 and I offered $10. None of the clerks there ever gave me any crap about it.
 
He was out of bounds.
He had already refused to buy the gun. You weren't making an offer on it, merely asking to see it. Had you wanted to pursue it, you could have told her to meet you outside.
Sounds like someone over-reacted.
 
The game shop offered them like $2 and I offered $10. None of the clerks there ever gave me any crap about it.
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Because they were minimun wage CLERKS that didn't give a damn about the store. Again, very rude disrespectful behaviour at another persons place of business.
 
I used to work in a gun shop and this was everyones biggest pet peeve. It is extraordinarily rude and inconsiderate.
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I disagree. The owner and customer had finished their business. Saturno merely asked to see the gun. He did not say "how much you want for that?"
In my position when that happens I politely remind people they need to step off premises to pursue their business. Yelling at an established good customer is never a good idea.
 
Also consider the fact that the proprietor needs to make a PROFIT on the gun, you could stand by the gun counter and offer better deals than the store all day if you wanted too. Consider your actions in the eyes of others occasionally.
 
to HGUNHNTR:

There is no <removed> way I am going to apologize to some ignorant SOB that yelled at me. People like that usually get slugged in the face by people they yell at.

He should be the one doing the apologizing to a PAYING customer. Last time I checked there are NUMEROUS gun shops in this world. No need to put up with some ignorant SOB. People are free to take their money to other places.

Agreed if a shop owner does not want that in their shop then that is the owners' right.

The OP should never patronize that business again.
 
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There is no <removed> way I am going to apologize to some ignorant SOB that yelled at me. People like that usually get slugged in the face by people they yell at.
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Sounds like just the type of customer I would enjoy losing.
 
Well, he did overreact. And he owes you a big Sorry man! I had a similar incident at my favorite gunshop but with way better results. I was in there looking at 1911s and a guy walks in asking if they want to buy a nice 3in Taurus 88 in excellent condition. It is a copy of the smith 66 btw, anyway, I love 357mag revolvers and they know it at the shop. They politely told him they would not give him what he wanted for it but asked me right in front of him if I was interested in it. I said yes and we went to the parking lot where I ended up getting it for a measly 200 bucks. I walked back in and they said I made a great deal so i bought some ammo right there on the spot even though I could have gotten it cheaper somewhere else. Basically I GUESS you should have waited till both of you were out in the parking lot and made a deal. Personally I would go back to the store and tell the owner you are sorry for the misunderstanding and I'll bet he will apologize to you.
 
If he didn't want it that's his darned tough luck. I'd have stepped up right beside the two of them and said, "Well, if he isn't interested, I certainly am." I might offer to let him do a tranfser for me (though that would not be necessary in most states), but it is absurd that he'd get his knickers in a knot that someone else wants to purchase a gun that he did not.

Yeah, maybe you should take the transaction off of his property, but to act rude over it and get all bent out of shape is EXTREMELY poor customer service. If he wanted the chance to sell that gun to you, then he should have bought it when it was offered. If he passed on it, he has no reason to be angry that you DID choose to buy it.

(Switching voices for ease of expression...)

What kind of stupid charade are we playing that I can't mention to the seller while we're both there in the shop that I am interested? I'm either going to do it in front of the shop owner, or I'm going to go outside and say something in the parking lot. Acting like Miss Manners is going to look down her long snoot at me because I choose to buy a gun you didn't want makes you look like a fool.

In today's age, I don't HAVE to shop anywhere I don't choose to. There are MANY FFLs within a short drive. Put on a silverback gorilla display like that and you won't see my smilin' face again.

There are some wonderful people who own and work in gun shops. But there are a few age-old attitudes that should have been discarded decades ago and this "you've offended me by having options" attitude is a BIG one.
 
Basically I GUESS you should have waited till both of you were out in the parking lot and made a deal. Personally I would go back to the store and tell the owner you are sorry for the misunderstanding and I'll bet he will apologize to you.
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Yes, that is EXACTLY the way to handle it.
 
yo HGUNHNTR:

The business owner REFUSED to buy the gun. Therefore he is not going to be able to make a profit on what he has not bought.

Granted he might be selling the same thing in his shop, but last time I checked we live in a free country with a free enterprise system.

If the store owner is so adamant on this kind of thing happening they need a sign posted as soon as someone walks in.
 
Perhaps there was a BATman in the backroom?

I've had at least two dealers state emphatically that personal transactions can't legally occur on an FFL's premises - these were cases when I was buying from his or one of his employees personal collection. We went to the parking lot.

I haven't been able to confirm that such a statute exists at the Federal level but given some of the rulings the BATFE has pulled from between their cheeks I wouldn't be surprised. At any rate we all know that if Mr. FFL believes it to be illegal it might as well be illegal for all practical purposes.

A personal belief that such carrying on will get one an invite to club fed, IMHO, would mitigate some but not all of an over-the-top reaction.

My dealer was being cautious and emphatic and I was buying the firearm from him. I can only imagine if I had started a transaction with somebody else.
 
Yeah, maybe you should take the transaction off of his property, but to act rude over it and get all bent out of shape is EXTREMELY poor customer service. If he wanted the chance to sell that gun to you, then he should have bought it when it was offered. If he passed on it, he has no reason to be angry that you DID choose to buy it.
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First off there was no customer service bent on this discussion, secondly he does have a reason to be angry. He was attempting to conduct business on the FFL's property. No it isn't illegal, just in very poor taste.
 
Point of order: Saturno did NOT stand next to the shop owner and try to outbid him on a deal. That would be rude.

The owner REFUSED the deal flat. Saturno then asked to see the gun.

There is NO conflict here. The world is full of options. As much as I love local FFLs, ones that display this attitude are more than welcome to fail and make room for others who can do their job with grace and respect.
 
Any laws regarding conducting private transactions in an FFL shop (I honestly don't know)? Think about how many laws and regulations he's bound by and it may shed some light on why he doesn't want private dealings in his shop.

His reaction may be based on either some law prohibiting such transactions (if the occur), the possible loss of livelihood if it is, in fact, illegal for private transactions on the premises (if he were to be shut down), or the potential liability he may incur if the firearm were used in a crime and his store was identified as the place of purchase.

At the very least, if you own a business, think about how it would feel to have someone come onto your property and try to conduct the exact same business. I'm sure many of us who are business owners would react in some way or another.

I'm not saying this justifies some wild-eyed, spittle-spewing, arm-flailing response, I'm just saying that we don't know his side of the story.

Just something to consider.
 
Granted he might be selling the same thing in his shop, but last time I checked we live in a free country with a free enterprise system.
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Living in a free country doesn't mean living in a country free from rules.

Did the owner over react, yes, does acting like an ass right back to him help the situation, no.

Now I understand why this was so prevalent in the ol' gunshop years ago.

The owner REFUSED the deal flat. Saturno then asked to see the gun.
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This is why the dude got mad--Leave the store!
 
to HGUNHNTR:

It is also very poor taste to yell and be an ignorant SOB to a PAYING customer.

I swear some gun shop owners think they are doing you a FAVOR by selling you a firearm!!!!

I can guarantee this, the OP won't be going back to that business to spend his hard earned money.

The ignorant SOB lost a paying regular customer just because he wanted to be.........an ignorant SOB. If getting the last word is worth his business then that is his decision.
 
I would not have had any problem whatsoever if he just tapped me in the shoulder and tell me that I could not do that in his shop...I think that reacting that way in front of everybody with a customer he knows and did buy from him several times was a mistake.

I did already apologize for doing it on the spot...I do not think I need to do it again.

I don't know if I will shop there again or not....not planning to buy a new gun for a while anyway....after all I will look after my interests...if I find what I want at the right price I may buy from everyone.....this is my attitude, especially after yesterday.
 
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