I hate having to shop Walmart for my ammo. First you have to locate someone with a key, and then you have to literally take them by the hand giving them directions to find the correct box of ammo you need.

The boxes are clearly marked, but it seems they have a hard time reading what is plainly written on the box.

I don't have young eyes and it's hard for me to read those labels also from a distance of eight feet behind the counter, but they are right on top of them and still can't find the box.

"Low prices, no service" should be their motto!

It's only a matter of time before even the ammo is gone!

Stop in there one time and bought 40 bags of corn, the kid had trouble counting, got 4 extra bags.

We made a fortune repairing extractors in 9mm's one year, Walmart in Bonham sold a bunch of 9mm ammo cheap.......9mm Makarov.....to everyone who asked.....including a couple of LEO's that tried to use the stuff. It was steel-cased Russian made, would fire, but kinda rattled a little. I tried to tell them after the 3rd or 4th one, but they kept selling it.
What was funny was to hear some of my customers brag about the cheap 9mm ammo, then they couldn't return it or it damaged their gun. They saved a dollar a box over the Wolf 9mm ball ammo we sold, and it was "real" 9mm.

IN the mid 90's Walmart in Greenville stopped selling guns for a while, (they later restocked long guns). I bought 118 long guns from them, had to take out a loan. But made a fortune on them since they sold them for pennies on the dollar. They were so glad to get rid of them, said they needed the space in the back for video games....

One time not so long ago i was browsing walmarts hunting section while the wife was shopping .I got to talking to this employ and i asked him if i could order a rifle from them and he gave me a catalog and said "if it's in this book you sure can",lots of different rifles in that catalog but i didn't order anything.I was looking for another rifle and i got it at another place but anyway...I was looking at walmart.com and typed in rifle scopes and i guess walmart has a lot of Howa rifles in different calibers then i typed in scopes,they do sell a lot of scopes i havn't heard of but they do have some quality ones like the Nikon Monarch for about 1/2 the listed price.Has anybody heard of Barska scopes ?.

I do believe if you go to Walmart you really need to know what you want and don't get talked into something that you later decide you didn't want.

If someone can be convinced that a different kind of ammo will fit in their gun, they deserve what they get. That might sound a little harsh, but there is a thing we have all forgotten called "natural selection". If someone is that uneducated, and relies on another's intelligence without any hope of imporoving their own, do they really deserve any of our oxygen? Obviously someone dying is the worst case scenario. So lets say this person gets home wih a type of ammo that won't fit their weapon, or the wife brings it home after picking it up for Hubby. I feel nothing bad for them because they can't return it. They should be educated as to what they are buying, or what they need. And if the wife don't know, get your lazy [censored] up and go get it yourself.

Our world has catered to pansies way too long. I call it the Plug & Play generation. It should all be spelled out for us. And with ammo, it IS right on the end of the box. "The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth". We're well on our way for that.

I buy nothing hunting/fishing related at Walmart anymore. I rarely even go in a wally-world anymore, for many of the reasons stated previously. There are no good chain stores that have any educated people working their sporting goods counters. Not Sportsman's warehouse, Academy, BPS, Cabela's, or any others I can think of. I'm a recreational user of all this type paraphenalia and I know more than just about any of them. And I know, I don't know it all, but damn. Anyone could tell you a 280 shell won't even chamber in a 7-08. I've never dealt with one in my life, but I know the 280 is out of the '06 case vs. the 7-08 being from the duh, 308 case.

Who is really making the mistake here? The people working behind the counters, or the peope who believe them? I believe it's the latter. If you KNOW what you need, no-one will ever be able to convince you otherwise. We are dealing with a controlled explosion here. No-one should take anyone's word for anything when something this dangerous is involved. Especially not a stranger's. If you need advice, seek it elsewhere. Be educated before you buy, or even shop. Information is too easy to come by these days to be relying on some high school kid who's only concern is what's happening after the football game friday night. No offense to the many intelligent HS kids out there. I would love to sit behind one of those counters and help people. But I am smart enough that my earning potential is much higher than the store is willing to pay. Maybe not in the same feild, but it is higher none-the-less.. It sux, but that's the way it is. It's all about $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$, Not Service!

Jay

PS, If I've offended anyone with my ranting, sorry. But if you were offended there might be a reason why, think about that before jumping on me.

And just how much CAN these people know when they are there everytime you walk in. I would think they'd need to be out using some of this stuff every now and then if they were advising people on it's use.

Jay

Well, I don't want to pee on the parade but the last time I bought a rifle at Wal-Mart, it went great. Ruger had just released their 77/44 bolt action rifle. I stopped at the Wal-Mart in Carrollton and the guy was very knowledgable. He looked in his catalog and the gun wasn't listed so he called their supplier to confirm it was available. Although it was available, they didn't have a price for it yet. He quoted me a price and said it would cost me no more than regardless of what it cost them. If it cost less, they would charge less. It came in about a week later and was about $25 less than he had quoted. Wal-mart wasn't the original "Axis of Evil". It started with Sears, JC Penny, Woolworth, etc. Now it's Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowes.....

P.S. No, I don't work for Wal-Mart.

The only person that really does their job well and provides customer service at out local WM is the greeter. They say "Hello and welcome to Wal Mart" and put those little colored stickers on returned merchandise. Most are older, know what it means to work, and are happy to have a job. These younger punks and deadbeats need to work as floorhands on drilling rigs to get an appreciation of what real work is. Imagine tripping 8000' of pipe 2 times in one night on a little double joint derrick. I didn't do it since I was there as a mudlogger (I had plenty of a** time). Those guys were dead men walking by morning.

[quote Low prices, low values, low morals.

Just look at what WalMart has done to guns. Looks at all the gun makers out there who have caved into Walmart and turned out total pieces of crap, the Rem 710 comes to mind, direct result of WalMart, then Marlin makes a crapy lever action for sale thru walmart I have heard.

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The idea that Walmart has somehow caused a decline
in the quality of gun manufacturing is funny as heck.
Again, it's called economics. There is a big market
for low cost items. Manufacturers, domestic or foreign,
decide whether or not to tap this market or compete in
the higher end market. To blame Walmart because Remington,
Marlin or any other manufacturer decided to put a product
in the low grade market is ridiculous. The consumer
decides what to buy (unless they are gullible enough
to let a high pressure sales person sway them, read
Specialty Store).
And just where does the "low morals" come in????

PK

The best way to kill the local mom-pop speciality store which provide SERVICE is to let a Wally World open. The general public think LOW PRICE and forget the service.

You know, Home Depot sells some of their stuff cheaper than Wal-Mart. How many times have you been to Home Depot and couldn't find anyone that knew what the heck they were talking about? Yet people love Home Depot.

What about Best Buy? They have good prices and knowledgable employees. I bet they've run off their share of mom-pop stores.

I don't understand why everyone whines about Wal-Mart. Don't want to shop there? Don't. Want to shop there? Do. If you're educated enough in the item you're looking for, go to Wal-Mart. If you're not, don't. Quit whining and use them like you would any other tool.

Exactly! My wife had a store in Sherman a few years back. She taught art and sold art supplies. Hobby Lobby moved in and there was no way she could compete with their prices on supplies. People would come to her store for expertise and then go to Hobby Lobby to buy the material. After a couple of years of that, she closed her store. She's not mad at Hobby Lobby. They're just doing what they do best. Not only does she shop there herself, she schedules and teaches art in their classroom. They don't even charge her to use the room.

Instead of sitting around feeling pitiful, she changed her strategy. She still teaches art but now she travels all over the US teaching at conventions. She still sells supplies but now she sells supplies at the conventions that are her own personal creation. You can't go to a store and buy any of her stuff. She has been published in National art magazines. As an artist and a teacher, she's grown more than she ever would have from her shop; all because she didn't sit around and complain about being forced out.

Sorry for the long post and the fact that it's so far off topic but IMO, it I think it was pertinent. Instead of boycotting Hobby Lobby or griping about it, she found a way to use them to her advantage and went on with her business.



The point is that you either adapt and overcome or you become a casualty. It's entirely your choice.

Great story! Sounds like you have a very talanted wife!

Its funny, I started out working my uncle's farm driving tractors. Built miles of fence and worked at many a feed store. Earned Bachelor's degree in Animal Science and ran a ranch for a couple of years. Now I work as a manager for Wal-Mart. Why? Because after all the BS everybody seems to throw their way, they provide quality products at fair prices. As for firearms, I have learned more from associates at Wal-Mart than from people on all the forums I've been a member. These guys/gals hunt and fish the same as the rest of us, and most know their business. Some don't and shouldn't be in their position, however, there is so much more to working a sporting goods department than knowing ammo and guns. They should know some, however, with so many different opinions it doesn't really matter what a person knows as most folks know it all anyways, LOL. Either way, quality service does exist in Wal-Mart as much as it does anywhere else. In fact, one of my sporting goods associates helped a new hunter with a gun that had a manufacturers defect, invited the person to a Hunter Safety Course and offered to take him hunting. This kind of service happens more often than not. I could and will name many folks working at stores in Waco, Palestine, Huntsville, and other Central Texas towns that can and will help you with what you need.

I am not trying to defend the company I work for as much as alter the general perception that many people have towards big box retailers. Service is what you make of it. If one comes in the store with the feeling that they will not be treated right or that everyone working there are idiots then you will not be disappointed. I dislike disrespectful and arrogant customers as much as I dislike employees that act the same way. I and my management team will not put up with poor customer service, yet at the same time its hard to give good service when customers act like they know it all and we are nothing but morons. Hopefully I can provide a different point of view to the standard bash Wal Mart sporting good associates. If you have any questions feel free to ask, and I will help you as best as I can.

Jeremy

Wal-Mart, Low Prices, Low Values. Personally I will never step foot in a wal-mart.

txbrain you got it right!

I love to shop at wal mart. They don't have any guns that I am interested in-most seem like low end junk, but I do buy ammo etc from them. I don't need anyones "expertise" when I go there. I know what I want and I get it at a cheap price. I know better than to go to a big box store and ask some poor fellow who is probably just glad to have a minumum wage job a bunch of technical questions. Do your research elswhere. He probably is just their to ring up a sale and get things from behind the counter. If you go to places like wal mart to learn about guns and ammo then you have no business owning a gun.
No I don't work at wal mart either.

Nothing against the "associates" at WalMart they are nice folks. I just hate the way WalMart screws the local businessmen and eventually becomes a drain on the local economy. When are the local politicians going to wake up and smell the coffee and stop giving these retail nazis tax breaks. OK stepping off my soapbox.

When it comes to something as serious as ammo and firearms you should do your homework before purchasing anyways. I would not rely on suggestions from someone unless I went to a store that was specifically a hunting and fishing store like cabellas. Walmart never advertised that they know everything about these items so I do not hold them responsible for my decisions. They simply sold them so the husband would have something in a store built for women. I think under-educated customers making improper decisions on their purchases end up suing walmart and cause them to do things like take out firearms.

I simply think that it is my own responsibility to educate myself on these types of things. However, if I had a question about which type of fresh-cut deli meat tasted best I might ask one of the associates that is cutting it for me, what they like the best and why.

It just seems that everytime someone says walmart the other says lets sue. I feel this is a way to get something for our own mistakes.

And its not only walmart. When the school got fired upon in columbine, Co. There was a lawsuit brought against Kmart for selling the ammnunition. So we wonder why big box stores are so cautious when selling ammunition. I just simply don't blame them.

I shop at wal-mart. Their gun counters are not a threat to our small family business. I get a lot of referrals from the three closest wal-marts on repairs or returns, warranty issues, accessories/optics that they dont special order, so I don't want to seem that I hate them. I like the idea of being able to buy what I want at basically low prices. I also don't expect the person stocking the meat counter to be able to explain how to butterfly a pork chop or wrap a filet mignon. If I need that type of meat, or expertise, I go to an expert.

I will admit once they were in a position to hurt me. Several years ago they decided to stop selling guns altogether, and had ridiculous prices on lots of guns. i went to the three local walmarts and bought them out. I took the guns to gun shows out of the area and moved them quick, but at a significant profit as well. In my opinion our local economy only has X number of dollars a year to be spent on guns. I know walmart is going to get their share, I just want my share. I also could not blame my customers from buying huge bargains if they were offered. I had to take a line of credit loan to buy them all, but it was profitable and market-saving, and I'd probably do it again.


On a negative note, I have heard and read stories about Wal-Mart and other large stores dominating a market, then overpowering a supplier in the market. There are horror stories to read about Murray mowers, Huffy bicycles, and Vlasic pickles to be sure. Look them up on the net sometime. I don't necessarily blame wal-mart, they were doing what they thought was best for walmart. But I don't have to like the methods.

I used to refuse to buy groceries at wal-mart. I had two good friends (so I thought) that owned a local grovery store, and we shopped at home, no matter what the cost. Would gripe at the wife if she did buy something somewhere else. Since then, one of them was part of something so bad, I can't call him a friend anymore, loyalty lost, my loss as well. I don't know if the other friend understands or not, but I can't support the one without the other. We buy mundance groceries at walmart, better meats at a meat market, and eat a lot more healthier wild game.

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I just hate the way WalMart screws the local businessmen

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So what about Lowe's, Home Depot, Sears, Best Buy, Frys Electronics, Jack in the Box, McDonalds, Braums, and on and on and on? They're all big chains that move into an area and compete for business. They all have the same business concept. People complain that Wal-Mart drives down wages in an area and is a crappy place to work but when they open a store, they get 3,000 applications for 200 jobs.

Unless you are one of the Mom & Pops that were bankrupted, quit worrying about it and let them take care of their own business. As I talked about in an earlier post in this thread, my wife was affected by Hobby Lobby but she came out of stronger and doesn't really need anyone else to champion her cause. Trust me, she doesn't consider anyone a hero if they refuse to shop at Hobby Lobby.

Most people that get up on a soapbox probably have good intentions but a good business-person is going to prevail without people boycotting or trashing their competetion.