Crossing my fingers. - The Firearms Forum

bunnyhunter12 · 06-13-2007, 12:31 AM

I went to the local gun shop yesterday and was a little put off. I spotted behind the counter three fine rifles that, had I the money, I would love to have. All three were original, war issue, unmodified Lee-Enfields, one being a No.1 Mk.3, to the right a No.5, and to the right again a No.4 Mk.1. Now being a .303 fan I asked the young pup behind the counter (you know its bad when I at 23 call you a young pup) "how much for the No.5 Enfield there?". He replied "oh the one with the bayonet?", pointing to the No.4 Mk.1. I sighed and said "no, that's a No.4, I mean the carbine, the No.5." He didn't know so he shouted to one of the other guys, "how much for the Jungle Carbine?", now I let slide the fact that there is no such thing as a jungle carbine, that's just a name that got stuck to the No.5 back God-knows-when. He came back with the answer, "$325(CDN. a good price) and they're some sweet rifles too, good for moose, they are." Here's where I had to tell the young fella he was wrong, "No," I said, "If anything I want her for a display piece, they've got fierce recoil, excessive report AND a wandering zero," A blank look came over his face and my jaw dropped when he asked me, "what's a WANDERING ZERO?" in my most patient voice I said "when they developed that variant they lightened it by cutting metal away from the reciever, thus weakening it. It changes shape when you fire and after five or six shots you're not zeroed anymore and you have to adjust you're sights." "Oh, I never heard that term before" he said, and in my mind I said, "well you shouldn't be working here," and decided to drop off my resume on Wednesday. He was a nice guy and outwardly I don't think I was being an A-Hole but I believe you should know what you're selling.

As an end note, so I don't look like a wimp

, I'm not afraid of rifles that kick and bark big. It's just not what I want in a hunting rifle where I MIGHT need a follow up shot. And for this particular piece, you know it's bad when a rifle issued to front line rifle-men had a recoil pad as standard. I want one to be sure, because I want every Enfield I see, but NOT a No.5 for hunting.

pickenup · 06-13-2007, 09:36 AM

Question is, are you willing to work at the same "pay" as this "young pup' is?
Good luck.

I have seen a LOT of people that can run a cash register, and don't have a clue about what they are selling. But they work cheap.

Pistolenschutze · 06-13-2007, 10:39 AM

It seems lack of competent help is a common problem these days, but in a gun store it can really create problems. Too often I've seen an incompetent (or dishonest) clerk trying to sell a handgun to an equally unknowledgable buyer (usually because the clerk is paid on commission) and end up creating a disaster just waiting to happen. I remember one incident I witnessed in which a young clerk was urging an older, rather frail looking woman to buy a Smith Mod 29 he had in stock for use as a home-defense weapon! Hell, the lady could barely get her hands around the grips and she obviously had no experience with firearms of any kind. Had she fired that cannon, I have no doubt she would have broken her wrist! She almost bought the thing, but fortunately, at the last minute, she changed her mind and exited the store, saying she would probably return the next day to purchase the revolver. I usually keep my big mouth shut in cases like that (which is normally the wiser course), but this time I just couldn't. As she was leaving, I walked up to her, introduced myself, and politely explained to her why a .44 mag would probably not be the best choice of home defense weapons for her, and why. I suggested instead that she look into a .38 Special revolver, a 9mm auto, or perhaps even a good quality .380 auto for that purpose. Anyway, she ended up inviting me to coffee at a nearby cafe, and we continued the conversation there. The upshot was, as I found out later when she called to ask me to take her out to the range for a little firearms instruction, that she ultimately bought herself a Sig P-230 which fit her hands well and that, as it turned out, she could shoot well after a little practice. And yes, I did tell he to make sure she could work the slide easily before she bought any auto pistol!

Anyway, I felt pretty good about that one, but I never went back to that particular gun shop again. Let's just say I am not fond of stupid, dishonest people who sell firearms. They give all shooters a bad name.

obxned · 06-13-2007, 08:49 PM

He ain't gonna learn any younger.

06-13-2007, 12:31 AM	#1
bunnyhunter12 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 1,090	Crossing my fingers. I went to the local gun shop yesterday and was a little put off. I spotted behind the counter three fine rifles that, had I the money, I would love to have. All three were original, war issue, unmodified Lee-Enfields, one being a No.1 Mk.3, to the right a No.5, and to the right again a No.4 Mk.1. Now being a .303 fan I asked the young pup behind the counter (you know its bad when I at 23 call you a young pup) "how much for the No.5 Enfield there?". He replied "oh the one with the bayonet?", pointing to the No.4 Mk.1. I sighed and said "no, that's a No.4, I mean the carbine, the No.5." He didn't know so he shouted to one of the other guys, "how much for the Jungle Carbine?", now I let slide the fact that there is no such thing as a jungle carbine, that's just a name that got stuck to the No.5 back God-knows-when. He came back with the answer, "$325(CDN. a good price) and they're some sweet rifles too, good for moose, they are." Here's where I had to tell the young fella he was wrong, "No," I said, "If anything I want her for a display piece, they've got fierce recoil, excessive report AND a wandering zero," A blank look came over his face and my jaw dropped when he asked me, "what's a WANDERING ZERO?" in my most patient voice I said "when they developed that variant they lightened it by cutting metal away from the reciever, thus weakening it. It changes shape when you fire and after five or six shots you're not zeroed anymore and you have to adjust you're sights." "Oh, I never heard that term before" he said, and in my mind I said, "well you shouldn't be working here," and decided to drop off my resume on Wednesday. He was a nice guy and outwardly I don't think I was being an A-Hole but I believe you should know what you're selling. As an end note, so I don't look like a wimp , I'm not afraid of rifles that kick and bark big. It's just not what I want in a hunting rifle where I MIGHT need a follow up shot. And for this particular piece, you know it's bad when a rifle issued to front line rifle-men had a recoil pad as standard. I want one to be sure, because I want every Enfield I see, but NOT a No.5 for hunting. __________________ Quaerite Prime Regnum Dei~ Official motto of Newfoundland If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government --and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws. -- Edward Abbey in Abbey's Road, p.39 (Plume, 1979) -Smitty -->

06-13-2007, 09:36 AM	#2
pickenup Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains Posts: 6,841	Re: Crossing my fingers. Question is, are you willing to work at the same "pay" as this "young pup' is? Good luck. I have seen a LOT of people that can run a cash register, and don't have a clue about what they are selling. But they work cheap. __________________ The gene pool needs chlorine

06-13-2007, 10:39 AM	#3
Pistolenschutze Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 13,094	Re: Crossing my fingers. It seems lack of competent help is a common problem these days, but in a gun store it can really create problems. Too often I've seen an incompetent (or dishonest) clerk trying to sell a handgun to an equally unknowledgable buyer (usually because the clerk is paid on commission) and end up creating a disaster just waiting to happen. I remember one incident I witnessed in which a young clerk was urging an older, rather frail looking woman to buy a Smith Mod 29 he had in stock for use as a home-defense weapon! Hell, the lady could barely get her hands around the grips and she obviously had no experience with firearms of any kind. Had she fired that cannon, I have no doubt she would have broken her wrist! She almost bought the thing, but fortunately, at the last minute, she changed her mind and exited the store, saying she would probably return the next day to purchase the revolver. I usually keep my big mouth shut in cases like that (which is normally the wiser course), but this time I just couldn't. As she was leaving, I walked up to her, introduced myself, and politely explained to her why a .44 mag would probably not be the best choice of home defense weapons for her, and why. I suggested instead that she look into a .38 Special revolver, a 9mm auto, or perhaps even a good quality .380 auto for that purpose. Anyway, she ended up inviting me to coffee at a nearby cafe, and we continued the conversation there. The upshot was, as I found out later when she called to ask me to take her out to the range for a little firearms instruction, that she ultimately bought herself a Sig P-230 which fit her hands well and that, as it turned out, she could shoot well after a little practice. And yes, I did tell he to make sure she could work the slide easily before she bought any auto pistol! Anyway, I felt pretty good about that one, but I never went back to that particular gun shop again. Let's just say I am not fond of stupid, dishonest people who sell firearms. They give all shooters a bad name. __________________ --Pistolenschutze (Pistol Shooter)

06-13-2007, 08:49 PM	#4
obxned Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,342	Re: Crossing my fingers. He ain't gonna learn any younger. __________________ Proud member of a North Carolina Committee of Safety "If we loose Freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the Last Stand on Earth!" Ronald Reagan