[Dennis D. Carter]

Today, I stopped at my local Walmart to purchase a brick of .22 cal ammo. After about 5 minutes of fumbling around with the key to the ammo display case, the clerk gave me my ammo and I handed him my money...

...Then came my laugh (and a reminder of why I never vote for democrats) for the day.

The clerk asked me whether the ammo was for a pistol. I gave him that "Are you nuts" look. He pointed to the "Yes/No" display that had popped up on the cash register.

"Why does it matter?" I asked.

"Because if it's for a pistol you have to be 21, but if it's for a rifle you only have to be 18," the clerk replied.

...When I finished snickering, I answered, "Both."

It took about another 5 minutes before I was able leave the store with my ammo. The clerk's dilemma over how to enter "Both" into a cash register with only "Yes/No" options and my laughter and comments regarding his intelligence, common sense, gun control, and the unfortunate probability that Mark Warner (Democrat) will be Virginia's next Governor caused the delay. I don't think we ever decided whether I was over 18 or 21 (I'm almost 49.).

Fortunately, all the nail clippers were safely locked up, so I felt much safer leaving the store

Dennis D. Carter

[This message has been edited by Dennis D. Carter (edited 09-26-2001).]

 

[jpwright]

There is a semi-famous incident in the Army where an officer read, initialed, and passed on a report. Only he was not supposed to be on the route slip for that report.

He got the report back with instructions to "erase your initials and initial the erasure."

Sometimes, people see rule-making as an end in itself, and it makes for some pretty silly situations, such as deciding how to sell .22 ammo. Mercy. Glad I live in Texas.


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If God didn't want us to own guns, why did He make the 1911?

 

[Watch-Six]

I have had the same comedy happen to me at Walmart. I'm 52. I have started just answering "no" to the handgun ammo question about 22s. It seems to speed up my checkout. Whatever... Watch-Six

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Get your 1911s and AR15s while you still can!

[This message has been edited by Watch-Six (edited 09-26-2001).]

 

[blee89xj]

i'm not sure if this law is nationwide or not but gun stores in arizona are supposed to ask you if you've ever been convicted of domestic violence. no paperwork involved, but i've yet to have been asked this question, nor have i been asked the question regarding .22 for pistol or rifle. you should really just give the clerk a break, he didn't make the stupid policy, nor do i think he even cares, it's just that he's probably on camera

.

 

[geegee]

Last week I stopped at an Academy store in Ft Worth, to buy some handgun ammo. I picked up a few boxes of 9mm and some .45's. The clerk then told me he would have to carry the ammo up to the front of the store to be rung up-customers aren't allowed to do that apparently. I wanted to say something to the effect that I was legally carrying a loaded, concealed weapon in the store, but thought better of it-would be time as well spent as trying to complain to the the drones that work airport security about the new law prohibiting knives. Like my daughter says "Whatever!". geegee

 

[RM]

At our WalMart in Maryland, you have to give the clerk id, and then he/she writes down your name and address in a book they have for ammo purchases. I personally find this intrusive. I wonder how this procedure could be anything more than useless paperwork? Perhaps it could assist law enforcement at some point in time, but I doubt it. And if it is just to help WalMart, forget it.

 

[Dogwhisperer5]

Be prepared to see Walmart and Kmart (and probably some others) go away completely as sources of firearms and ammo. Political correctness is catching up with them.
Remember, 35-40 years ago Sears was a MAJOR player in the shooting sports. JC Penny was there also, to a much lesser degree. You won't find any of the nasty stuff in their stores anymore! They decided it wasn't "right" for their corporate image to sell firearms and ammo. The current "Marts" will follow suit. IMHO of course.

 

[ScottsGT]

Along those same lines....Before I started my boycott of K-Mart, they had a sale on 10-22's for $119 each. I had made my purchase and the 19 year old snot nose said he had to carry my rifle to the front of the store for me. As we approached the front door, I asked him if he would mind that next time I came into the store would he carry around my pistol that was in my pocket for me while I shopped. Thought he soiled his pants, even though I wasn't packing. But I could have been carrying legally in there if I had my permit at the time.

 

[kbear38S]

Walmart has been doing that for years.

 

[Houston1944]

I think we are attacking the wrong group. Walmart and the others are simply attempting to follow a maze of vaguely written, "feel good" laws that were put in place by the individuals WE (the American people) voted into office. If you want to change it vent your anger in the voting booth, not at some single mother working for minimum wages at a discount store trying to understand how she complies with the law, follows store procedure and keeps from making the customer mad.

 

[jrf]

Originally posted by RM:
At our WalMart in Maryland, you have to give the clerk id, and then he/she writes down your name and address in a book they have for ammo purchases.

Where in MD? Three different Wal-Marts I've bought Ammo from in MD never asked me to write down my name and address. I've only seen the "Over 21 Y/N" question on the display and even then they don't ask since I'm obviously over 21. Of course the employees in the stores I go to are unfortunatly very lazy and rude, and probably just don't want to bother with it.

 

[AllenTC2]

Who wants to buy their firearms at a 'Mart anyway? Whenever I want a mediocre, generic product, and don't expect any assistance from the staff, I go to Walmart. When purchasing a firearm, I go to a place with a knowledgable and helpful staff.

Actually though, the gun counter at my local KMart IS pretty helpful. Their prices are too high, but I ususally just go there to get a comparison.

 

[themao]

They've been doing that in Illinois Walmarts for some time now. I'm 20 years old, and I always have fun when I go there to get ammo. You think that's something? When I bought .223 ammo, the clerk had to ask me if it was for handgun or rifle. I didn't know whether I should have laughed or cried.

In St. Louis and St. Charles, MO., I went to a couple of places, and now you have to be over 21 to purchase .22 caliber ammo. I have to take a friend along every time I go so I can get a brick of RWS .22 ammo for my Ruger. At least I won't be bothered (I hope), any more when I turn 21 in November.

themao

 

[TX CCL]

It certainly can be entertaining buying ammo at Wal-Mart.

A couple of months ago, I wanted to try out several different types of hollow points for a new pistol. As the youth behind the counter was checking my purchase out he mentioned that I could kill a lot of people with all that ammo. I think the smile on his face was inappropriate too.

I didn't say anything.
I got my ammo, found his manager and let him know what his "staff" was telling his customers and how it was not appreciated.
The manager apologized, thanked me and said he would take care of it.

And I haven't seen that kid at the ammo counter since...

 

[papa g]

i refuse to deal with wal-mart for a book full of reasons. i have seen posts on other sites saying they have bought aks and handguns at wal-mart, i thought a few years back that they were no longer sell hand guns because of school shootings. so i e-mailed them and asked specifically about handguns. got a reply saying they have sold guns for 42 years blah blah blah, wal-marts the sportsmens friend blah blah blah. they never came out with a specific answer to a specific question, fred astaire would have been proud of all the tap dancing. my first experience with them came about 6 years ago, we moved to ky. homestate nj had one store too far away for me. i saw a post that nj now has 3 stores, and NO guns and ammo period!!! as far as my guns and ammo purchases i will continue to support the mom&pop stores. some one who cares about customers and customer relations. who don't mind shooting the breeze once in a while. also i would rather pay full retail and help them keep going. one last thing, remember back when the 2 largest retailers sears roebucks, and j.c. pennys about 40years ago.mama dragged pappa to the store for sock, curtains and such?? so while mamma shopped pappa was in the sporting goods checking out the guns and fishing stuff. maybe buy something. then they dropped sporting goods. now they are struggling to keep alive. sorry for the long post but icould go on and on.

 

[ChrisS]

I live in a semi-rural area and Wal-Mart is pretty much the only game in town, unless I want to do some traveling. Buying ammo there is never a problem however. Guess it depends on the SMR (soccer mom ratio) of your area. There are more people moving out from the 'burbs these days. Hope they don't screw it up.

 

[Iceberg]

Hey, papa, thought I recognized you!

Don't do business with the 'Marts if I can at all help it. Don't want to deal with the damn fools and their damn-fool questions. My dealers get the business instead. I don't mind paying a buck a brick more to keep them in business and get decent service in return.

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Ignorance I can deal with. Stupidity is a different matter.

 

[Kharn]

RM: That is the local manager's discretion, a gun-counter employee was ranting about the manager at the walmart he had just transfered from when I was buying my Rem 597.

Kharn

 

[shooter452]

ALL the Walmart stores in my state ask the same stupid question, but when I asked why the first few times I was told that they couldn't sell 22 handgun ammo. As a matter of fact, it is on their register, and they can't complete the entry without the answer. After the first time or two of trying to explain to a pimply faced, minimum wage, totally disinterested cashier that even if it was for a pistol, I'd lie, I gave it up as a lost cause. If you look at some of those folks closely, you can see that there's nobody home.

By the way, I agree that the 22 ammo you buy there ain't the greatest, but it's good enough for bunnies, and teaching little kids who can't reliably hit the backstop.

 

[papa g]

iceberg!!! buddy!!!!!i see at least we're on the same wave-length. i try to buy as much as i can from the small business man. their the best in my book. if i must go to the Mart. its a last resort. and keep a barf bag handy. when i need some clothing i travel 25 miles to liberty. theres an old clothing store there. the owner about eighty or so,hand writes up a receipt, puts his copy on one of those spike things. takes a check with out asking your life history. gives a smile a thank you, and come on back now. all you mart fans try to get that!!!!