Buying guns as a lady......

[Mininut]

Has anyone else had issues while looking at guns. I went to the San Antonio Academy on Military Dr to look at the
Taurus Raging Judge magnum because they are the only ones in town that had one in stock. Keep in mind this is a large gun that shoots .410/.45LC and .454 casull.
As soon as I asked to see it the guy behind the counter says " you don't want to see that gun, you want to look at this" and he pulls out a .380. I informed him if I had wanted to see a .380 I would have asked for one. I literally received 5 minutes of grief from this "kid" because the Raging Judge magnum was "to much gun" for me. Gratz to you Academy, you just lost a sale.

I carry a 1911 .45 and/or a Taurus Judge Public Defender.. I frequently get comments from guys at gun stores about it being "to much gun". One guy at cabella's actually told me that I couldn't conceal a .45 because it was so heavy it would pull my pants down.

How do you combat stupid people while shopping for a gun?

[The Annoyed Man]

How do you combat stupid people while shopping for a gun?

Ask to speak to the manager. If he's stupid too, don't give 'em your money. Take your business someplace where you're appreciated for being an intelligent human being who knows what she's doing.

Or, just fix 'em with a gimlet eye, and say "My everyday carry gun is a 1911 in .45 ACP, and I am very well trained with it. What's your EDC?" Given that not everyone who works in a gunstore has a CHL, you have a 50/50 chance that he doesn't carry anything. Some people are just stupid, and you can't fix that......but you can certainly get a little satisfaction by reminding them that they are.

[discoqueen]

How do you combat stupid people while shopping for a gun?

Ask to speak to the manager. If he's stupid too, don't give 'em your money. Take your business someplace where you're appreciated for being an intelligent human being who knows what she's doing.

Or, just fix 'em with a gimlet eye, and say "My everyday carry gun is a 1911 in .45 ACP, and I am very well trained with it. What's your EDC?" Given that not everyone who works in a gunstore has a CHL, you have a 50/50 chance that he doesn't carry anything. Some people are just stupid, and you can't fix that......but you can certainly get a little satisfaction by reminding them that they are.

Man, I wish there was a "Like" button here. Well said, TAM.
I've walked away from the gun counter and out of the store when some salesperson tried to tell me what I was interested in. I can find somewhere else to spend my money, thankyouverymuch.

[pinkpistol]

I have gotten more grief shopping in the electrical aisle of Home Depot than buying/shopping for a gun. Good thing, too, because I'm likely to respond with a little snark.

[Kadelic]

Man, I wish there was a "Like" button here. Well said, TAM.

[LikesShinyThings]

Maybe I just shop at too limited a range of stores, because I don't ever recall that rude a response. I can guarantee the store would lose the sale if not my AND my husband's business if I got a comment like that. FWIW, on a few occassions I've gotten a "You look like you've handled guns before". That aalways gets a smile and confirmation from me.

I'm with TAM - talk to the manager. If s/he makes good enough response/satisfaction, you can consider buying the gun. But with the manager indicating that is totally inappropriate, no way would I be staying in the store.

[WildBill]

How do you combat stupid people while shopping for a gun?

You could ask him or the manager if there is another sales person working who actually listens to the customers.

I bought a gun the other day. I knew exactly what I wanted, so that wasn't an issue. Listening to some of the other conversations betwen salesmen and customers made me roll my eyeballs.

[OldCannon]

How do you combat stupid people while shopping for a gun?

Ask to speak to the manager. If he's stupid too, don't give 'em your money. Take your business someplace where you're appreciated for being an intelligent human being who knows what she's doing.

This. Speak to the manager and tell them Academy needs to rethink their policy of hiring misogynistic cavemen, especially in the firearms department.

Firearms are _equalizers_. They prevent a disparity of force and, regardless of calibers, can be managed by most people, male or female.

As a guy who now runs a business selling firearms, I go to extreme lengths to make sure that my female customers are handled appropriately. I have yet to have a female customer that acts like they know something when they don't (plenty of guys though). I do NOT claim to treat them "just like men" - women have different needs and objectives when it comes to issues like concealed carry, and want to be able to speak to folks about their shooting interests without encountering cro-magnons like the Academy guy (apologies in advance to any cro-magnon sensitivities I might raise ). This is why I take the time to tell women about groups like the Austin Sure Shots and websites like corneredcat.com. I'd put up posters of outstanding shooters like Julie Goloski and Randi Rogers on my wall, but I have too little space as it is.

Ok, I'll stop ranting now.

P.S. - One interesting story: Had a lady pick up (well, transfer) a S&W Model 625 from me that used .45 (Long) Colt. Seems a male friend suggested she get one for bear defense when she went to Alaska for an extended hiking trip. Having lived in Alaska as a child and an adult, I can attest to the fact that a 45 Colt round will just annoy a bear more, unless you're by chance shooting a 45 Colt high pressure round (in which case you MIGHT get lucky). Problem is, her guy friend didn't know that the S&W Model 625 can't handle high pressure cartridges, and would have likely shattered the cylinder on the first shot. I explained this all to her and pointed out that her best protection was a big can of bear spray (strong pepper spray that shoot out in a broad fog -- works great on 'em). I pointed out that the revolver was still great defense against the really mean two legged bears that occasionally wander the frontier in Alaska, so it wasn't a waste of money.

[Mininut]

Sadly the "kid" at academy was the manager, I contacted a gun store in san Antonio that will order for me and beat academys price by $50. The whole time at academy this "kid" was bashing everyone's gun choice because its not what he would shoot. The funniest part is he was maybe 5'6" and 120 lbs soaking wet and I am 6 ft 200 lbs and he was telling me what I could and couldn't handle. I did contact the regional manager and corporate as well about his behavior. I now carry a picture of my proficiency test Target, if I get a comment about the size of my gun I proudly show off my perfect score BAHAHAHA

[WildBill]

Sadly the "kid" at academy was the manager ...

I was wondering about that. Very sad indeed.

[WildBill]

Or, just fix 'em with a gimlet eye ...

I hadn't heard that term before. Leave it to TAM to make me go to the dictionary. Is that halfway between a martini eye and the evil eye?

[urnoodle]

I usually stick to the same gunstores and they treat me well. If I go somewhere else and talk with someone new then it might start off a little rocky. Once the employee realizes that I'm not completely clueless then they are usually courteous and show me whatever I ask to see. There are only 2 occasions that I just walked out. The first, I asked to see a s&w 686p and the employee proceeded to show me a gun I could "handle", a used 9mm hi-point pistol which I saw in the case on a previous trip priced at $210 (way too much) however, he was willing to sell it to me for a mere $469. I still don't know if that occasion was about me being a woman or just a potential sucker. The 2nd experience just surprised me. Again, I was offered a smaller caliber than what I asked to see. This time it was a derringer .22lr. The surprise was that it was coming from a woman. I left that store too. I know that it happens but I don't think it happens nearly as much as it used to. I have found that there are many employees in gunstores that really don't know anything about the product that they sell. Especially in the larger stores. IMHO their lack of gun knowledge leads to the ignorance and that it's less about gender profiling.

[The Annoyed Man]

Or, just fix 'em with a gimlet eye ...

I hadn't heard that term before. Leave it to TAM to make me go to the dictionary. Is that halfway between a martini eye and the evil eye?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gimlet+eye

[RPBrown]

Was in the Academy in Arlington a few months ago to restock my cleaning kit and overheard a sales kid telling a woman that the revolver she was looking at was a semi auto because the cylinder will turn to the next round and fire as long as she pulled the trigger. Lady knew a thing or two, called him an idiot and walked out.

BTW, dont tell my wife what she can and can't handle. She shoots my S&W 500 pretty well and has never complained

[WildBill]

... overheard a sales kid telling a woman that the revolver she was looking at was a semi auto because the cylinder will turn to the next round and fire as long as she pulled the trigger.

It was a semiautomatic with a round clip.