Post by: Bigsmoke on October 27, 2016, 02:24:13 PM
Have you ever encountered questionable advice from so called experts at a gun store? Share your stories here. I'll go first.
I am not so sure that the "black powder guys" at sporting goods stores are always the people to be believed.
Case in point: Maybe 35 years ago, I went into a Big 5 store in Spokane, WA. Just for grins, I decided to play dumb (easy for me) and asked to see a T/C Renegade. I asked him a couple of questions about this and that, and finally pointed to the set trigger and asked him what the second trigger was about. That, he proclaimed, is your built in spare trigger. If the front one should happen to break, you always have the second one to rely upon.
True story.
I knew I couldn't hold on to my laughter too long, so I thanked him and walked quickly out of the store.
Post by: rollingb on October 27, 2016, 02:39:48 PM
I was also told by an "expert" (who worked in a sporting-goods store),.... that it is illegal to possess blackpowder, so that's why they only stocked the "substitutes". :laffing
I've been told many silly things by those type of "experts" over the years,.... and I'll post'em if I can remember'em.
Post by: amm1851 on October 27, 2016, 05:42:03 PM
Post by: Uncle Russ on October 27, 2016, 07:47:11 PM
Quote from: "amm1851"
A few years back, after I had harvested a real nice tom turkey with my flintlock trade gun, I went into a local sporting goods store to purchase a second turkey tag. I happened to mention to the salesman I filled my first tag with a flinter, and he informed me all the serious muzzleloader hunters used inlines. I am guessing the turkey I killed thought I was pretty serious. :applaud :bow
Uncle Russ...
Post by: Ironhand on October 29, 2016, 10:40:09 PM
When I asked him why. He said that every time he has some bozo complain about needing a bigger gun to kill a Tom he just points to the photo. He shuts down a lot of self proclaimed "experts" that way. : :Doh!
Ironhand
Post by: Bigsmoke on October 30, 2016, 11:02:31 PM
He wanted to hang my target on the wall to show to centerfire shooters.
Some time after I happened to go by the shop and I asked him about it. He said many good old boys scoffed at it and said it just couldn't be done. When he told them he had been there to witness the event, they all just shut up.
IIRC, I think this was before I re-barreled my T/C Renegade.
Post by: Keb on October 31, 2016, 07:33:12 AM
Quote from: "bigsmoke"
I remember back in the 1970's the owner of one of the local gun shops in Hayden, ID was out at the range watching one of our shoots. Evidently, I must have flinched just identically in a 3 shot match I was in. I think it was a pistol bull at 100 years. Shot offhand. I put three shots in a group that could be covered with a half dollar.
He wanted to hang my target on the wall to show to centerfire shooters.
Some time after I happened to go by the shop and I asked him about it. He said many good old boys scoffed at it and said it just couldn't be done. When he told them he had been there to witness the event, they all just shut up.
IIRC, I think this was before I re-barreled my T/C Renegade.
Did you ever have to use that "spare" trigger on that T/C Renegade or is the 1st one still working?
Post by: Two Steps on October 31, 2016, 08:27:09 AM
Quote
Did you ever have to use that "spare" trigger on that T/C Renegade or is the 1st one still working?
Post by: Muley on November 01, 2016, 06:04:00 PM
I stopped talking to him at that point.
Post by: RobD on November 01, 2016, 07:01:21 PM
"naw, we don't sell no black powder. but hey bud, you really wanna make meat this season, forget that old time crap, get you one of these here state-of-the-art modern in-line cannons, pop on one of these nikon high power scopes, load up the break action breech with power pellets and a barnes spitfire sabot boolit, and you'll fill yer freezer in no time - them 200 to 300 yard shots are a breeze"
really? umm, yeah, right, gotcha sparky ... SEE YA! :Doh!
Post by: MountainDevil on November 01, 2016, 08:21:46 PM
Post by: rollingb on November 01, 2016, 08:44:25 PM
Quote from: "MountainDevil"
last year i was talking to a fellow at a rendezvous and he said because of the salt in the air, his hunting rifle rusts up and he doesnt bother to clean it, no point bcuz of him being unable to stop rust.. He also said he lets the bore rust up cuz it puts a little extra spin on the ball.....I've been "rendevousin' for nearly 50 years, with some folks bein' from the west and east coasts, and I've yet to meet anyone that dumb.
Post by: Bigsmoke on November 01, 2016, 10:43:15 PM
Post by: MountainDevil on November 02, 2016, 02:38:30 AM
Quote from: "rollingb"
Quote from: "MountainDevil"last year i was talking to a fellow at a rendezvous and he said because of the salt in the air, his hunting rifle rusts up and he doesnt bother to clean it, no point bcuz of him being unable to stop rust.. He also said he lets the bore rust up cuz it puts a little extra spin on the ball.....I've been "rendevousin' for nearly 50 years, with some folks bein' from the west and east coasts, and I've yet to meet anyone that dumb.
Im sure he figured i was a greenhorn since i was in city clothes, but he smarted up once i started talking about my lubricants and looked away from me a lot after that
I've visited his trading post a lot, I've known him to be a mouth runner, so I knew what I was dealing with once he started the talking. Just a shame folks like that get into the 'vous and can ruin it for the visitors.
Post by: Hanshi on November 02, 2016, 12:37:43 PM
Post by: rollingb on November 02, 2016, 01:10:53 PM
Quote from: "Hanshi"
My funniest tale doesn't involve a clerk but rather an old friend. He was always into the hottest modern rifles and expensive ammo. He knew I hunted only with a flintlock. We often hunted the same farm and always talked a bit. He told me he'd bought an in-line and would now take advantage of the primitive season. When he saw my astonishment he added, "have you ever seen what one of those sabots with a modern bullet will do"? I then asked him had he ever seen what a round lead ball would do. He paused at that. I added that if I ever caught him out with an inline that I'd shoot him. Hunting one day we met on the farm. The first thing out of his mouth was, "I bought a sidelock".:horse
Post by: Mad Irish Jack on February 12, 2017, 04:50:29 PM
Post by: Ironhand on February 13, 2017, 11:35:41 PM
Quote from: "Mad Irish Jack"
. Didn't know it's that hard to find knowledgeable workers for skilled positions.
You have no idea. When I sold guns for a regional chain store I worked with a kid who was an engineering student. He and his father had parted together some modern rifles, that made him an expert.
I have been in the firearms business for over 30 years but he told me flat out that he knew more about guns than I did. Seems he had read a lot of books on the subject.
I started quizzing him and he knew almost nothing about BP except pellets and plastic. He did not even know anything about modern guns except for the current models and calibers. Still he insisted that he knew more than anyone else.
Eventually I just told the kid to get over himself. He literally had no idea what I was talking about. He left for the summer to do an internship and, strangly, there was no job for him when he came back.
IronHand
Post by: prairie dog on February 17, 2017, 12:27:17 PM
Looking for expert advice, talk to a fine custom rifle builder.
Post by: Fletcher on February 17, 2017, 01:12:00 PM
following this post for the humor in it, but the more I think about it the madder I
git.....
In my home town we have about 3 big sporting goods stores, and the new Cablelas
Outpost a couple years ago make four. There are 3 or 4 big box stores that also carry
some guns and ammo (unlike SOCAL which I am about to leave) Now up until 4 or 5 years
ago there were 3 good little gun shops where the owners and staff actually knew their business.
If you had a good question, they were the go to guys. The sporting goods stores had a few on
staff and forget the box stores.
I never good a really good answer for why it happened other than the feds tied up the
supply with huge orders that even went to agencies that never before had weapons, but
in the early years of the Obummer Admin, the supply of retail ammunition virtually dried up.
Since it is very hard to sell guns if you cannot get ammo, all three of these little shops went
out of business - and with it went about 75% of the gun knowledge in the county stores.
It has gotten better, but still VERY hard to get powder (Black or modern) and primers anywhere
and if you can the cost has near tripled 10 years ago. So mostly I just stay home
Post by: Hanshi on February 17, 2017, 06:22:51 PM