I'm Going to Have to Ask You to NOT Work The Action

In I go to Bill's Gun Shop in Circle Pines, MN (a Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN suburb). It used to be a shady gun shop called "Armored Fire", but it got shut down because the owner was trafficking cocaine out of the place. So Bill's Gun Shop of Robbinsdale, MN (a Minneapolis suburb) bought the place and its indoor 50yd range and made it their second location. It's always been a bit shifty, and nothing's apparently changed. The Robbinsdale location is cool, and the guys there are pretty sharp.

Circle Pines location, not so much.
I was looking at the new Benelli Vinci. I wanted to know how to take the gun apart, since the way it breaks down is the major selling point of the gun. I'd never played with one before. So, no one is around and the guns are right up on the wall on pegs, no counters-you can handle them. I start playing around with one, and playing around with the controls since they're a bit aesthetically different than my SBE and M4. I pull the action back and figure out how to lock the bolt back. Then I release the bolt to see how the bolt release works, since the release goes both forward and back. I do it a second time, this time moving the release switch the other way. Then I start just kinda looking at it all over when I see a flash out of the corner of my eye and hear:

"I'm going to have to ask you to NOT work the action. You do that, and guys around here are liable to draw their guns on you."

Me: (perplexed look like I was just threatened) "Uhhh, what?"

"I can't have you working the action on that gun. When we hear it, we think that you're chambering a round and we might pull out our guns on you."

(now very annoyed and thinking "yeah, I got a gun too. So what?) "Alright." (I turn back to the gun and keep fiddling with it, but not working the action. I'm very obviously done paying attention to the guy.)

"I just want to let you know. We just can't have you doing that."


"You guys are jumpy. Alright." (I never stop fiddling with the gun)

The guy kind of saunters away.

I was royally annoyed by that. I still can't figure out whether or not I should take that as them posturing and trying to look tough, or if it bordered on a threat. I basically just turned around and walked out. Won't be buying a gun at that location again.

Originally Posted by Reedo302

In I go to Bill's Gun Shop in Circle Pines, MN (a Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN suburb). It used to be a shady gun shop called "Armored Fire", but it got shut down because the owner was trafficking cocaine out of the place. So Bill's Gun Shop of Robbinsdale, MN (a Minneapolis suburb) bought the place and its indoor 50yd range and made it their second location. It's always been a bit shifty, and nothing's apparently changed. The Robbinsdale location is cool, and the guys there are pretty sharp.

Circle Pines location, not so much.
I was looking at the new Benelli Vinci. I wanted to know how to take the gun apart, since the way it breaks down is the major selling point of the gun. I'd never played with one before. So, no one is around and the guns are right up on the wall on pegs, no counters-you can handle them. I start playing around with one, and playing around with the controls since they're a bit aesthetically different than my SBE and M4. I pull the action back and figure out how to lock the bolt back. Then I release the bolt to see how the bolt release works, since the release goes both forward and back. I do it a second time, this time moving the release switch the other way. Then I start just kinda looking at it all over when I see a flash out of the corner of my eye and hear:

"I'm going to have to ask you to NOT work the action. You do that, and guys around here are liable to draw their guns on you."

Me: (perplexed look like I was just threatened) "Uhhh, what?"

"I can't have you working the action on that gun. When we hear it, we think that you're chambering a round and we might pull out our guns on you."

(now very annoyed and thinking "yeah, I got a gun too. So what?) "Alright." (I turn back to the gun and keep fiddling with it, but not working the action. I'm very obviously done paying attention to the guy.)

"I just want to let you know. We just can't have you doing that."


"You guys are jumpy. Alright." (I never stop fiddling with the gun)

The guy kind of saunters away.

I was royally annoyed by that. I still can't figure out whether or not I should take that as them posturing and trying to look tough, or if it bordered on a threat. I basically just turned around and walked out. Won't be buying a gun at that location again.

Yea that's crap. My conversation would have gone something like this:

"Wait, what? This is a gun shop right..?..a place where you sell guns and ammo? Fine, well if I can't play with the merchandise, than you have a nice day."

Then i would have just walked out...that's absurd

Originally Posted by david05111

Yea that's crap. My conversation would have gone something like this:

"Wait, what? This is a gun shop right..?..a place where you sell guns and ammo? Fine, well if I can't play with the merchandise, than you have a nice day."

Then i would have just walked out...that's absurd

I was trying to decide whether or not to be a jerk, but I just decided to ignore him. I was really pissed off, and felt disrespected. A couple of the guys there know who I am, so it's that much more annoying. I hope one of the other guys saw it and said something to him after I left. The guy was probably 60 years old, and I suspect that he looked at me and figured I knew nothing about guns. It was blatantly obvious that he gave me no credit. He obviously didn't see me 15 minutes earlier teaching another employee how to field strip an FN SCAR 5.56mm.

It's okay, I'll go to the main shop next week and talk to the guys there. They're cool, and I'm sure they'll provide me with some closure or some form of consideration. All the top guys work at the main shop/range, while all the rejects and jerks seem to work at the Circle Pines location. The main shop has always had top-notch customer service. They NEVER yell at me for shooting too fast or doing semi-tactical shooting drills. The Circle Pines location is where I've been yelled at several times for everything under the sun.
I especially like the "you're shooting too fast!" complaint, especially when all my shots can be covered with a soup bowl from 15yds.

Sounds like a place that I wouldn't do business. Do they really expect someone to look at guns and consider buying them without working the action at all? I can see if you were doing it and lining up the sites on another customer or employee, but most guys shopping at a gun shop are aware of basic gun safety. I'd tell the owner or manager at the other location and get their take on it. Regardless, location #1 wouldn't get my return visit.

Maybe I am alone on this but I was always taught, and believe it to be true, that you always ask before finger fvcking someone's firearms, shop or not.

Originally Posted by daddys///m

Maybe I am alone on this but I was always taught, and believe it to be true, that you always ask before finger fvcking someone's firearms, shop or not.

I've always done it in a shop that has the guns on the walls and doesn't require a sales person hounding you. To me, when you're buying a gun you look at some basic things. First, how does it feel to you? Second, is the caliber right? Third, is the action smooth or clumsy? Fourth, hows the trigger pull? You cannot possibly make an educated buying decision without knowing the answers to at least those 4.

Working the action is standard practice in a gun shop...if you get jumpy when it happens, its time to find a new job.

Originally Posted by david05111

I've always done it in a shop that has the guns on the walls and doesn't require a sales person hounding you. To me, when you're buying a gun you look at some basic things. First, how does it feel to you? Second, is the caliber right? Third, is the action smooth or clumsy? Fourth, hows the trigger pull? You cannot possibly make an educated buying decision without knowing the answers to at least those 4.

Working the action is standard practice in a gun shop...if you get jumpy when it happens, its time to find a new job.

There's a BIG difference between another man's guns and guns on the wall at gun shops where you're free to handle them without a salesman. They were obviously too busy schmoozing with each other to notice that I (a CUSTOMER) was trying to figure the gun out, but then they should come over and say something to the effect of "may I help you?" or "That's the new Vinci. It's a great gun. Do you have any questions that I can help you with?" It's poor customer service.

As much as I've gone in to both locations, I'm surprised the huge difference between the two shops. The Circle Pines location is much closer to my house, so for shooting it's more feasible. But given the horsesh*t service I always get, I don't know why I keep going back...

I would def. not purchase anything from them. What kind of shop gives you crap for cycling the action before purchasing a weapon?

Originally Posted by learthworml

I would def. not purchase anything from them. What kind of shop gives you crap for cycling the action before purchasing a weapon?

Well that's just it. I am actually seriously looking at getting another Benelli (I already have 2). If the guy would have taken a different approach, he would have found out what was going on instead of just coming over to yell at me and then leave without offering assistance. Again, just piss poor customer service.