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Lonest4r wrote:UPDATE: I purchased a Mossberg 100 ATR at academy this past weekend to be ready for deer season. I was expecting a long wait, but to my surprise they had simplified the paperwork and got everything moving pretty quickly. Only took 30 minutes to get out the door, but they would not let me try the trigger pull. The longest wait was for the manager to come back and look everything over.

I'm not sure this is a change. I have bought 9 guns at 4 different Academy locaations, and seven of took around 30 minutes of total time from choosing the weapon to walking out the front door. The 2 exceptions were both times that the gun counter was extremely busy and they had trouble tracking down a manager. Those were more like 45 minutes. I have not had the nightmare experiences that some are reporting.

These were all Academy locations near Houston.

ex_dsmr wrote:My experience was bad but I didnt let it go on as far as the OP did.
Burleson, TX Academy.
Went in looking for a future CCW and got to talking with a couple knowledgable guys. One presents to me a SR9C but is then called away to tend to something else. This strikes me as odd. If im about to put down $500 in your store wouldnt you think it was pertenant to stick around and answer my questions? Evidently not.

He leaves and some old grump takes his place. I ask him "any way you can take care of this trigger lock for me?" to which he barks "and just what do you need it off for?!?". Im taken back for a second then calmly reply "I just want to try out the trigger break". "Well, we dont allow that here!"

I turn to the wife who's jaw is on the floor. She never grew up around guns but even she could see the need and could not believe how rude the guy was being. "Well, ill just take my business elsewhere then"

A week later I walked into the CTD on 820, wasnt treated like a criminal, was allowed to test (dry) 2-3 pistols, and walked out in less than 20 minutes including THE phone call.

Later I read how Academy further treats its firearms customers like crooks like they did with the OP by walking them to the door like a 3 year old and being told that they are not allowed back inside.

Academy does not allow dry firing. This is company policy, and is consistent with alot of retailers, so it wasn't anything personal. Personally, I would not buy the display model at a place that did allow dry firing (good to know about CTD), but to each their own. The walk to the front of the store doesn't really bother me. I have never been told that I could not come back in with the same gun properly concealed, but this is usually not an issue since you have time to grab anything else you might need either before buying the gun, or while they are getting a manager to OK the paperwork, etc.

I have bought guns from 3 retailers, and don't find Academy's policies or procedures any more restrictive than other places. I have experienced a variety of attitudes, but that is more dependant on the individual you are working with, rather than the store. If it really bothers me, I will just go somewhere else, or come back a different day and deal with someone else.

Academy does not specialize in guns, so you will find alot of people working there who are not very knowledgable about them, and some will give you bad info. Its the same with anything else. If you want to find people who are really knowledgable about a specific product, then go to a place that specializes in that product. If you just want the lowest price, then go to the big box retailer. This is true for Golf clubs, guns, etc.

I just bought another gun at Academy on I-10 and Bunker Hill. 25 minutes from "I'll take it" to walking out the front door.

Pete92FS wrote:As far as Bass Pro Shops go, they are not 30.06 posted and I ignore the check your gun sign and walk in and do my business. Both Bass Pro and Gander Mountain are over-priced as far as I'm concerned unless they have a special going so I wouldn't buy a gun from them anyway.

I know that I could just ignore the sign at Bass Pro Shops, but I like to stick to the policy of not bringing my gun (or my money) anywhere that we are not welcome. I respect their wish to keep me from carrying in their store, the same as if a friend asked me not to carry in his house. However, they need to understand that this costs them money. Kind of an odd policy for a place that caters to people who are more likely to own guns, in my opinion.

Academy may walk me to the door after I buy a gun, but at least they don't ask me to check the one (or two) I am carrying at the door.

I have bought 5 long guns and 4 handguns at a total of 4 different Academy stores. I have also bought at a gun shop and a pawn shop that specializes in guns (Tomball Pawn). My easiest experience was at the gun shop. I also paid $40 more for my Glock 19 than I would have at Academy. I think this comes with the territory to some extent.

Out of my 9 Academy buying experiences, all but two were very straightforward and efficient. The first gun I bought there (shotgun) took about an hour and 15 minutes, due to short staffing at the gun counter and a rush of customers looking to buy at the same time. Another time, I got some very strange attitude from the sales manager. I was buying a Mossberg ATR 100 bolt action rifle in 30-06 (hardly a good weapon to use in a crime) and I got the third degree about why I was buying the gun. Definitely got the impression that he thought I was up to no good. For what its worth, that Academy was in a less than desirable neighborhood in south Houston, so he may just be more skeptical with all customers. The other 7 times at Academy have been smooth and straightforward. Less than 30 minutes from choosing the gun to walking out the front door. I use the delays to look for ammo and anything else I might want to buy.

I don't think Academy is worse than any others when it comes to being anal about the paperwork. From my experience, this varies according to the person helping you. I have actually found my non-Academy purchases to be more particular about rewriting numbers and letters so they are more clear (my handwriting is not the best).

Personally, I will not go into Bass Pro shops. I refuse to check my gun at the door, and don't want to give my business to a place that has this policy.