A guy went through the waiting period (3-5 days at the time, IIRC) in Washington state, then came in to pick up a handgun. Wife/girlfriend was with him. Something he said had her in tears after a few minutes in the shop so I told him he wasn't getting a gun from us on that night.Originally Posted by Dan Lehr
Got chewed out the next morning for that, but I'd been chewed out before.
Okie John
“The reliability of the 30-06 on most of the world’s non-dangerous game is so well established as to be beyond intelligent dispute.” Finn Aagaard
"Don't fuck with it" seems to prevent the vast majority of reported issues." BehindBlueI's
Anecdote Alert
A friend worked at a gun and pawn. He reported that one day a guy came in, noticed only the proprietor, and announced a holdup. The owner calmly said, "You might ought to look over there and think about this." Sure enough there was my friend with a 1911 beaded in on his head. He left in a hurry, they didn't try to detain him.
At a gun show, I once declined to sell a rifle to a guy whose behavior seemed odd.
I didn't work there but I used to be one of those bums hanging around the store scaring off new customers.
Back when we had a state waiting period, I saw a guy come in with his girlfriend to pick up his Astra Constable.
He picked a shoulder holster off the rack and took it out of its bag. He flopped the straps around a while without getting it on and finally stuffed it back in the bag with the remark "I'll figure it out the next time I am straight." The dealer completed the sale and let him have his Astra and holster. I hoped the girlfriend was driving.
At one time there was only one rental range in this end of the state, behind a high volume store.
It had the unenviable reputation of having been used for at least two rental suicides.
And also of being the place where an irate professor practiced before she shot up a faculty meeting.
Code Name: JET STREAM
The one with a history of shooting someone else, investigation screwed up the local police then - didn't get tenure?
Cloud Yeller of the Boomer Age
This thread has lot’s of potential. I’ve nothing to add other than the hope it continues.
Listen to your gut!!!!!!!!!! It wasn't from behind the counter but a sale just the same. Back in the day over on Snipers Hide I had some 308 ammo for sale. Guy hits me up and says he will take it. I say fine, I mark it sold. We start having comms on payment arrangements and shipping and such.....and he just tweaked me out! Wasnt any one thing, it was just generally "off" behaviour. So this is the only deal I ever broke! I just told him sorry, deals off, not selling it. Time passes and then it comes out! He was arrested for planning a second Virginia Tech mass shooting! When they raided his place, it was packed with everything he had acquired making deals online. Trust your gut, if your wrong its only hurt feelings but if your right......
Great thread.
I've always wondered about the "something isn't right" vibe without concrete denial reason and how the No sale decision is made .
Sometimes it's the totality of the situation and your subconscious picking up enough weird or abnormal factors that you "know something is wrong" even if it's incredibly difficult to articulate. I realize we're talking the gun counter but, I'll post this here since it has to do with customer behavior.
I'm no one but, one particular situation from my past left a stark reminder for me about the "trust your gut" phenomenon. Not saying everyone's "gut" is accurate and doesn't result in false positives but, in this particular case, felt like I dodged a curve ball from hell. I won't go into much detail on an open forum. I'm at the range working as the range officer on that particular day. Younger guy in his early 20's comes in. I'd noticed him several times before. Always brought his Romanian WASR in. I always watched him like a hawk, standing fairly close. Not any one thing. Body language, demeanor, the odd pauses just staring downrange holding the gun at sort of a high ready, the emotionless dead-eye stare, just overall strange behavior. Subtle enough not a single other employee had a freakin clue because, well, that's the average indoor range for you...
Long story short, a couple weeks after his last range trip, I see his picture on the news. Guy went active shooter, shot up a local college with his AK (injuring no one) and then self-deleted. Could have been much worse. You just never know who's in the stall next to you at the range...
Administrator for PatRogers.org
Was there a mental health record that should have been in NICS but wasn’t?
Because unless he’s been involuntarily committed to a mental health facility by a judge it doesn’t matter how many times he’s been in and out. Emergency detentions for mental health exam by police and voluntary admissions don’t count.
Was hanging out in a gun shop years ago, and a pretty sketchy guy came in. Must have triggered the Spidey senses of the dude I knew from the local motorcycle shop as well, because we both stuck around until Sumdood left.
"You win 100% of the fights you avoid. If you're not there when it happens, you don't lose." - William Aprill
"I've owned a guitar for 31 years and that sure hasn't made me a musician, let alone an expert. It's made me a guy who owns a guitar."- BBI
Great thread.
Definitely going to pay a visit when we are up visiting family in Jacksonville (August I think it is.) Will drop in to say hi.
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