So the wife gave me a green light to buy a new pistol after my year-end bonus. I wanted something smaller and lighter than my full size M&P9, so I settled on a Glock 19, which appears to be the best compromise. I also wanted to start working on my own pistols an figured Glocks have a good reputation for simplicity.
Anyhow, I go to Cabellas in Hazelwood, MO to check out the pistols as they have an advertisement for $50 off any Glock in stock. After waiting at the counter for about ten minutes I am greeted by a kid, relative to the gray hairs that mostly work the counter. I announce that I am there to purchase a gun so that I get more attention than a casual window shopper. Throughout the process of showing me the pistols he generally feels disinterested and lacks any desire to tell me the pros and cons of the guns in the case. He also refused to disassemble the Glock into its main functioning parts so I could compare the inner workings to my M&P for quality and durability.
At one point I ask him what he thought of the pistol and get this line. "I personally carry a .45 because that is the only caliber that matters." I asked him about a G19 and I get that line? I hit my limit with him and bought the Glock. When I got home I sent a very strongly worded email to Cabelas telling them of my experience and that their "salesman" was practically useless and had some very juvenile thoughts on firearms. I also noted that his views would make a less knowledgeable person feel unjustly inadequate about carrying a 9mm. More so, it could cause a lay person to buy a .45, regardless of their ability to hit anything with the more robust caliber.
Anyway, I got a response within two hours and a personal call from the store manager later that night. I repeated the story and told him that I shop at local retail stores and pay the premiums they charge (versus the web) because of the better perceived customer service and I don't need an FFL. The reality is they will always loose on price to the online retailers so they better do a damn good job on the more qualitative elements of the sale. I also told them that this kid should be further educated on the pros and cons of different calibers and that multiple hits with a 9mm are better than a miss with a .45.
In my mind, advising a person on a gun purchase is a very serious matter. If the buyer is convinced he needs something that he is not able to control, it creates a liability for himself and others he may injure. I also expect a little frickin respect when I plan on dropping $500+.
As a side note, my confidence in retailers was redeemed when I went to Bass Pro in Overland Park, KC and the guy behind the counter knew everything about the guns and show me the differences between the S&W 1911 and Sig Models. I now know the best day to buy a gun is Christmas Eve around 3pm when the gun counter is empty!
Anyhow, I go to Cabellas in Hazelwood, MO to check out the pistols as they have an advertisement for $50 off any Glock in stock. After waiting at the counter for about ten minutes I am greeted by a kid, relative to the gray hairs that mostly work the counter. I announce that I am there to purchase a gun so that I get more attention than a casual window shopper. Throughout the process of showing me the pistols he generally feels disinterested and lacks any desire to tell me the pros and cons of the guns in the case. He also refused to disassemble the Glock into its main functioning parts so I could compare the inner workings to my M&P for quality and durability.
At one point I ask him what he thought of the pistol and get this line. "I personally carry a .45 because that is the only caliber that matters." I asked him about a G19 and I get that line? I hit my limit with him and bought the Glock. When I got home I sent a very strongly worded email to Cabelas telling them of my experience and that their "salesman" was practically useless and had some very juvenile thoughts on firearms. I also noted that his views would make a less knowledgeable person feel unjustly inadequate about carrying a 9mm. More so, it could cause a lay person to buy a .45, regardless of their ability to hit anything with the more robust caliber.
Anyway, I got a response within two hours and a personal call from the store manager later that night. I repeated the story and told him that I shop at local retail stores and pay the premiums they charge (versus the web) because of the better perceived customer service and I don't need an FFL. The reality is they will always loose on price to the online retailers so they better do a damn good job on the more qualitative elements of the sale. I also told them that this kid should be further educated on the pros and cons of different calibers and that multiple hits with a 9mm are better than a miss with a .45.
In my mind, advising a person on a gun purchase is a very serious matter. If the buyer is convinced he needs something that he is not able to control, it creates a liability for himself and others he may injure. I also expect a little frickin respect when I plan on dropping $500+.
As a side note, my confidence in retailers was redeemed when I went to Bass Pro in Overland Park, KC and the guy behind the counter knew everything about the guns and show me the differences between the S&W 1911 and Sig Models. I now know the best day to buy a gun is Christmas Eve around 3pm when the gun counter is empty!
