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One of Us |
I was in my local Cabela's yesterday. I asked the three gun counter guys standing around doing nothing about whether a particular red dot sight might work with a SS Ruger MK II. First dummy says, "I use a red dot on my AR!". Great. Thanks for the irrelevance. Second dummy just looks around with a blank face. Third dummy says, "What's a MK II? Is that a semi auto?". Really? Then he proceeds to tell me about drilling and tapping the receiver and I let him know they are dovetailed so scope mounts attach directly. Hence, my question. I said there is a Hawkeye right behind you and he refused to get it down to look. Dummy then said, "You could always superglue a red dot on the rifle, I guess." All three dummies laughed and I went on my way. Unbelievable. | ||
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Now thats funny.. which Cabela's was this? What state?location? I'll be sure to stay away.. I would not have been so cordial... I would have retorted back at their stupid comments.. I'm old and mean lookin... I can get away with it... plus, playing sarcastically with unwashed idiots is kind of a hobby..  NRA Benefactor. Life is tough... It's even tougher when you're stupid... John Wayne | |||
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Scarborough, ME. | |||
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This is why, more and more, I shop online. I used to call the Counter Monkeys at many retail establishments, Burger Flippers. Now, I am beginning to believe that that is an insult to Burger Flippers! I restore and repair old muscle cars as the other of my retirement hobbies, going into local national parts chains like Autozone/O'Reilly etc. is an exercise in frustration. I have had them look at me and ask me what a Plymouth or a Pontiac is! That is why I reduced them in rank to Counter Monkey. I can order online, pick the RIGHT part, and not have to draw pictures for anyone. As to Cabela's, I love looking at interesting classically stocked rifles on their online site and constantly seeing them descibed as having a "Monte Carlo" stock. I guess that is their generic term that they use because they don't know any better. The worst part is, that no one in management knows any better or tries to correct it. Counter Monkeys all, from top management on down. DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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I was in the Gander Outdoors (formerly Gander Mountain) store in Flint Michigan last week.I just acquired a Marlin Model 1892 lever action rifle and was looking for a Marbles tang sight. The person behind the counter in the gun department was talking to a customer about some part he wanted for his AR rifle. The sales person seemed to know a lot about AR rifles. I waited patiently until they were done, then I asked if they had a Marbles tang sight for the Marlin. I got the deer in the headlight look and the sales person asked "what is a tang sight"? I explained that it is a rear sight that mounts on the tang of the rifle and can be folded down when not in use. He didn't know what a tang was. He finally took me over to where the scope mounts and rings were and asked if there was anything there that would fit. I thanked him and left! | |||
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You don't really expect the guys and girls who staff any of the gun counters to actually know anything about guns do you? Some of them might know a little about modern guns (ARs), but as for something as obscure as a sight from the 1800s; definitely no. That's the way it is. It takes years of experience to know all facets of the hobby and they will never get there. It just gets worse year by year. How are they going to learn? | |||
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Let's see: outfitter, guns, gun counter worker. You're right, it is expecting too much. | |||
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Who is going to train them? No one from the managers on down know anything. How is a 23 year old kid going to learn about all the intricacies of the job. He never will. Turnover is too high to try. And sales of tang sights, for example, would be so low that the loss of that sale is of no concern. I am on the BOD for a gun store here; their staff only knows new items. If someone asks a question about something made before the year 2000 they call me. When I go onto a gun shop, and they ask me if I have any questions, I answer, "No, do you?". | |||
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The problem in America is that everyone makes excuses for, and accepts this kind of service as the new normal. Gun shops used to attract and hire gun oriented people,Auto parts houses attracted and hired car oriented folks. One thing I can say, based on my experience, is that new car sales personnel, seem to still know their product fairly well, because if they don't answer your questions, they don't make a sale. They either get motivated to learn their product, or hit the bricks! Stores nowadays seem to project the attitude of "If you can find it in here, we will sell it to you". Since I have to do that, I can do it online, waste no gas, and have in delivered second day free with Amazon. We are destined to live in a Wal-Mart world, because we are willing to accept sub-standard service in the quest of the myth of lower prices. Our national motto should be, "Blessed are they who expect nothing.... For they shall not be dissappointed". DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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They were all at least 60 FWIW. One might think given the low pay it would attract older, retired gun cranks who may actually know something. One other doofus in there was spouting off about owning 100k worth of ARs. And yes, he was young. | |||
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Yes we are living in a Wal Mart world. I wouldn't hold my breath for that to change any time soon. Or for any minimum wage gun store workers to know anything. | |||
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As Jerry Miculek once said: "Always talk to the old guys, they know stuff."  | |||
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That's why I talk to dpcd so often, I guess... | |||
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I was at Grandville MI store a week ago, the three guys there were not much better. They should have stayed in the fishing department, as they sure knew nothing about guns or scopes. Remember, forgivness is easier to get than permission. | |||
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On the bright side, there are some store employees who do know their stuff. The young woman (20-something) who manages our local O'Reiley's Auto Parts Store knows her store's inventory in her head, knows what each part and tool is for, knows the interchangeability of each, and if they do not stock or carry something knows who does. She is truly a breath of fresh air in the retail world and the reason I frequent that store. As to Cabela's, a family friend used to be the Western Regional Promotions Manager, and quite after they went public because of their policy changes regarding customer service and quality. The bean-counters cut staff, cut pay, and changed vendors to lower quality and cheaper stuff. One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got into my pajamas I'll never know. - Groucho Marx | |||
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Yep, I see guns mismarked as to the maker all the time. Springfields are Mausers, Enfields are Eddystones and if you ask if they have any Mausers they say no. Yet there are FNs, Mark Xs, Huskys, Zastavas, milsurp, etc,,, in the racks. lol | |||
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Could you imagine how hard it would be to educate modern counter help ? No company would ever make a profit , all the time trying to educate the young counter help would be wasted , dollars out the window , if you think the prices these stores charge now is a lot , just imagine the extra cost involved trying to educate minimum wage employees. Online parts are a godsend. Both for guns and my hobby , old hot rods . | |||
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Pay 'em peanuts, no experience necessary, will train. They train on what sells the most I believe. Black and/or plastic. Are they only interested in working there to get the company discount? Cabela's used to be great, Bass Pro, Gander Mountain and Dick's too. The local TROP is the same way. They reduced their extensive ammo shelves by more than 50%. It's a fairly large store with all young fellas that don't know squat about anything custom let alone the 'high end wood stocked mid caliber customs I asked about. They all huddle around the AR's. Keep looking for that gem in a smaller shop. We got Richland Shooters and Shyda's within 40 minutes of here. Less than 5% of their inventory is AR type. Heck, Shyda's even stocks Fed Premium Nosler Partition and Accubond ammo. Keep lookin'. Aim low. Life itself is a gift. Live it up if you can. | |||
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Internet sales are killing off all the small shops, (and some big ones) just like it is killing off the retail clothing stores. It can't be stopped, just like the Malls of the 70s killed down towns, now Mail Order, very popular in the 1800s and up to 1970, is back again, killing off he malls. Why? Look in the mirror; the consumer did it. | |||
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Ya know Tom, I guess it is a matter of perspective. I order by mail because many of the local stores just don't give a shit about the customer. I did not abandon them, they abandoned us and are now crying about it. At the end of the day, all excuses aside, a business lives and dies by customer service. DRSS(We Band of Bubba's Div.) N.R.A (Life) T.S.R.A (Life) D.S.C. | |||
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That isn't what killed all retail as we know it; not just gun stores; mail order places have very little customer service. It was/is, price and convenience. I, and most guys I know, already know what they need and want, and don't need much "customer service". | |||
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9 years ago, as I was retiring, I interviewed at a brand new Cabala's. Had an FFL and 40 years of gun experience. Not needed. NRA Benefactor Member US Navy Veteran | |||
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Emailing with Eotech support: ******************************************* Hi, I am going to put hws on my 500 s&w revolver. What model do you recommend? I like exps3-0 now, but will acept any advice. It would be nice to have also 3x magnifier, but I think it is not possible on handgun because of short eye relief. I am going to use hws in combination with head mounted pvs-14 too. Thank you for help. ******************************************* Hello Jiri The EXPS3-0 with G33.STS would be your best option. Thank You, Dan xxxxxxx Consumer Support Specialist ******************************************* I tried EXPS3-0 with G33.STS magnifier in the shop. Of course it is not possible to use magnifier on handgun. What support is that? Do they have monkeys there? Jiri | |||
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Those things aren't too bad as shooting is for most of us a sport. But when you go into your bank and tell the bank rep that you want to close your account and he says "How much do you want to withdraw" I say all of the money! He says the same thing three times! At that point I almost said "Give me half of it and you take the other F%^Kin" other half. I didn't say it because he was so stupid he would have. Hip | |||
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The “Bass Pro Shops” bubba mindset has ruined what was Cabela’s. I will no longer spend my money at Cabela’s & either place is a no go. Example of current Cabela staff dull wittedness: About a year ago I bought a .375 Whitworth Express from the Cabela’s in Thornton, Colorado (employee to remain anonymous). Rifle was to be shipped UPS to my FFL guy in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The rifle arrived broken clean in half at the wrist....... The packing by Cabela’s staff consisted of 1 layer of bubble wrap and inserted into a single layer cardboard box. Interesting point....the box itself was not crushed, bent, or damaged in any visible way at delivery to my FFL guy. So I’m guessing that the brain damaged gun room guy dropped and broke it then boxed it up anyway. Cabela’s Thornton gun library manager blamed it on UPS......yea right. Rifle became an expensive loss for Cabela’s, I called UPS and sent them pictures of the box, I hope UPS rightly denied the claim. Just my 2¢ - Mike | |||
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What is it you all think they pay these folks...$13? $18hr? They likely don't have the money to even get practical experience in pursuing the shooting sports. How many car salesman actually no about cars? That is just the nature of retail sales. Knowledgeable sale people are few and far between. I don't expect the staff at Outback to be able to discuss the difference between a ribeye and a porterhouse. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Nice. Give 'em hell.  | |||
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I find the bass pro fishing guys in Orlando well informed. Academy guys vary but they don’t sell high end rifles or fishing gear in stores. I would not expect them to know about it. Margins in gun business are crappy. Sadly you get what you pay more. I go to dsc and SCI to mainly look at scopes and gear. Mike | |||
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All this sounds like dummies. Yesterday I went to the BIG W/M. Asked three different: blue vests in the drug dept. Where can I find: Mentolatum? Huh? Say that again, "what's that?" Second one: Never heard of that before. Finally I told the last one to just show me where the Vicks VapoRub in. Huh? uh, should be over here. Looking on the other rack. I saw the Vicks. as expected, right next to it was Mentholatum. Handed him the jar. "Hmm, never knew we had that stuff". Hell of a deal, all three of them were stocking the damned shelves in that dept. Amazing how dumbed down the younger generations are. Sure don't surprise me any when counter help don't have a clue on guns or parts for them. I see Larry finally got his head out of his ass and had a catalog printed again. Got one in today's mail. Not a big book, but, decent sized. George "Gun Control is NOT about Guns' "It's about Control!!" Join the NRA today!" LM: NRA, DAV, George L. Dwight | |||
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A couple of years back I bought, at my local Cabelas, a very nicely done older 1903 sported rifle off the used rack. The tag had 30/06 on it as the barrel was still military and no chambering was stamped in it. After getting it home it was discovered that it had been reamed out to some mystery magnum. Back to the store it went for a refund which they didnt want to do using the excuse that all used guns are sold as is. After a song and dance I got my money back and the next week it was back on the rack listed as 30/06. I contacted corporate and informed them of the incompetence of their staff and I will certainly be a witness in a court case should someone get injured by shooting 30/06 in the rifle. It was off the rack the next day. ......civilize 'em with a Krag | |||
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That's a lot like asking the guy at Ponderosa Steakhouse for a dry aged porterhouse; preferably 28 days not 48. Nothing wrong with Ponderosa it just is what it is. | |||
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before my daughter got sick and had to quit, she was at the 10 yr point and head trainer at her job. her disability lawyer told her that she would of made a lot more money getting a new job at a diff place every 3 years. said they pay the bucks to recruit new hires and the old hands get shit. they EXPECT employees to quit after 3 years. they want new fresh faces to attract the clueless, and loyality and work ethic be damned. she had a hard time believing this and asked some HR people she knew and every one told her the same story. sad | |||
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Not sure what your daughter does for a living but as an employer I can tell you I don't hire anyone with a new job every 3 years. | |||
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makes no sense to me either. her explaination which she said was given to her was that young new hires were more willing to work part time thus less benefits, less sick time given age, lower pay being new, etc etc said experience, job security, promotions etc mean less to them as they want to experience "life" as opposed to a steady job, and the employers don't give a damn about pleasing their customers as theres plenty of em coming thru the door. this is in austin, don't know how it is elsewhere but i can't imagine this being the norm. austins motto is "keep austin wierd" and bud, they believe it. recently i went to a 4x4 shop to get a winch for my sons mule. they kid that waited on me had to call the service manager over to explain to him all the options such as cable versus rope, batt connections etc. i asked how much a spare fuel pump would run and he pulled up the schematics on the computer, turned the screen towards me, and asked me to point it out. i don't know if it was this kids first day or his 10th year. he had business cards on display and made sure i got one. two weeks later when back in austin i called to ask if the wiring harness had gotten there yet and was told he was out that day. same thing next day. asked for service manager and got the answer. this is really what prompted the conversation with my daughter. i'm with you though, seems like you'd want experience and be willing to pay for it if you owned the company. | |||
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Gun counters seem to attract the opinionated blowhard idiot that know everything. Dave | |||
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Wow. Not surprised, but I had some dealings there with the guy who ran the library that were good , but that was years back when they first opened in Maine. Some of the biggest jerks I've ever met were in bars or behind gun counters. Must be the testosterone thing....many need a good bitch slapping. JMHO Rick DRSS | |||
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Whining about the lack of service/product knowledge at the big box stores does nothing to improve things. I have found the best local gun store and when I need something I go there. If they don't have it they order it for me. They aren't Griffin and Howe, but I want them to stay in business and I am willing to invest my trade to make that happen. I've been doing business with them since the early 70s and they are still there. Good service = customer loyalty. | |||
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Spot on post! | |||
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But recall I, as the OP, mentioned I happened by and did not go there specifically. Cabela's is a pathetic state of affairs. | |||
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This is true of Cabelas regarding the treatment of longer term employees. I have a buddy that works there and he has said the same thing when I asked him why always new faces when I went in there. The place has really gone downhill. ......civilize 'em with a Krag | |||
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