iamkris
Member
So I took a long lunch today to run up to the Bass Pro Shop in Gurnee IL (about an hour north of Chicago) and use their range (which I often do when limited on time and can't make it to my club). I've been shooting a 3-gun match that utilizes a pistol caliber carbine instead of rifle cartridge and while I've been shooting a Win 92 in 45 Colt, recently picked up a Mech Tech CCU unit for my 1911 to use (gotta love common caliber and magazines). I've been having a little problem with FTEs so I went up for a short range session to test out a new load with my pistol and the carbine unit.
After running through the safety gauntlet (written inventory of everything I had, locks on all the guns, zip ties on my range bag and gun case) I make my way to the range.
The guy at the counter points at my pistol conversion and says "you can't shoot that here."
I say "Oh, its a 45 ACP"
He says "you can't shoot an assault rifle here"
Me (getting a bit steamed) "No, it's a 1911 with a longer barrel"
He says "You can't shoot something that looks like that. You can shoot your pistol but not that. Not my rule...just policy."
Now Bass Pro proclaims itself a cut above the regular discount store when it comes to guns and hunting. This one even sponsors cop training, hunter training and even pin shooting. I politely but firmly tell him the corporate policy stinks and will undermine shooting and hunting everywhere, tear up my range card, turn in my Bass Pro Outdoor Savings card and tell him the store / chain just lost a $500 - $1000 a year customer.
After jamming my guns back in the car and listing the number of letters I was going to write (Bass Pro corporate, this store and posts on every internet shooting hunting board I could think of) I decide to go back in and get the straight scoop from the manager.
They found the Hunting and Shooting department manager. I calmly explained what happened, told them what I was going to do and stated that the store's policy played right into anti-gunner's laps and would eventually undermine hunting and the right to keep and bear arms. The department manager accepted my invitation to look at the gun. She (who was into hunting herself) agreed that it was a pistol and said the only policy she knew of was against AP ammo because it hurt the range bullet trap. She said she would talk to the rangemaster to ensure that their people were "on the same page".
Feeling a little smug, I decided to press her.
Me: "If I brought an AR 15 to the rifle tube, could I shoot it?"
She said "no, it would hurt the bullet trap".
Me: "Well, then could I shoot a .308 hunting rifle I have for deer in the tube?"
She says "Yes."
I ask "You said you hunt, right? Can you legally shoot a deer with a .223 in most states?"
She says "No, the cartridge isn't powerful enough"
Me: "Well, why can't I shoot an AR?"
She: [pauses, looking perplexed] "Ummm, since we're attached to this outlet mall, it might scare the people here?" :banghead:
So, the drama isn't over. I'm going to check back in with them and see if they've had a chance to look deep into their logic.
After running through the safety gauntlet (written inventory of everything I had, locks on all the guns, zip ties on my range bag and gun case) I make my way to the range.
The guy at the counter points at my pistol conversion and says "you can't shoot that here."
I say "Oh, its a 45 ACP"
He says "you can't shoot an assault rifle here"
Me (getting a bit steamed) "No, it's a 1911 with a longer barrel"
He says "You can't shoot something that looks like that. You can shoot your pistol but not that. Not my rule...just policy."
Now Bass Pro proclaims itself a cut above the regular discount store when it comes to guns and hunting. This one even sponsors cop training, hunter training and even pin shooting. I politely but firmly tell him the corporate policy stinks and will undermine shooting and hunting everywhere, tear up my range card, turn in my Bass Pro Outdoor Savings card and tell him the store / chain just lost a $500 - $1000 a year customer.
After jamming my guns back in the car and listing the number of letters I was going to write (Bass Pro corporate, this store and posts on every internet shooting hunting board I could think of) I decide to go back in and get the straight scoop from the manager.
They found the Hunting and Shooting department manager. I calmly explained what happened, told them what I was going to do and stated that the store's policy played right into anti-gunner's laps and would eventually undermine hunting and the right to keep and bear arms. The department manager accepted my invitation to look at the gun. She (who was into hunting herself) agreed that it was a pistol and said the only policy she knew of was against AP ammo because it hurt the range bullet trap. She said she would talk to the rangemaster to ensure that their people were "on the same page".
Feeling a little smug, I decided to press her.
Me: "If I brought an AR 15 to the rifle tube, could I shoot it?"
She said "no, it would hurt the bullet trap".
Me: "Well, then could I shoot a .308 hunting rifle I have for deer in the tube?"
She says "Yes."
I ask "You said you hunt, right? Can you legally shoot a deer with a .223 in most states?"
She says "No, the cartridge isn't powerful enough"
Me: "Well, why can't I shoot an AR?"
She: [pauses, looking perplexed] "Ummm, since we're attached to this outlet mall, it might scare the people here?" :banghead:
So, the drama isn't over. I'm going to check back in with them and see if they've had a chance to look deep into their logic.
That's got to be one of the most ridiculous things I'ver ever heard of. Boycott Bass Pro folks and let them know why. That's gun-ban PC nonsense if I've ever heard it. BTW, I want one of those Mec-Tecs with the long rail for a G20. Very cool. Maybe if you painted the long rail pink and the rest of the gun baby blue....
