Academy gun clerks, who hires these people

So I was at academy buying some ammo and as I'm looking around I hear a soldier talking to a guy at the gun counter. The first thing that caught my attention was when the soldier says "Im looking to get into long range shooting out to 400 yds but I don't know where to aim at different distances after zeroing at 100 yds" Immediately I thought ok I can't wait to hear the Academy gun guys answer to this. He says" its easy man just zero at 100 and then the bullet will drop 1 inch every hundred yards so at 100 you aim dad on, 200 aim 1 inch high, 300 aim 2 inches high, 400 aim 3 in high, 500 aim 4 in high and so on" Soldier shakes his head and say s sweet thats way easier than I thought. I guess he is shooting the worlds flatest and fastest round ever heard of for such little drop and the clerk didn't even ask what rifle or caliber he was shooting. I just shook my head and walked off. I thought about intervening but decided not to. First off you would have thought a SSG in the Army would have a little more knowledge in how a bullet works, you would also think he would have done a little research before thinking he could just jump into long range shooting, you would also think he would know 400 yds isn't long range, and last you would think the guy working at the gun counter would have atleast some knowledge in guns and ballistics and how they work. The whole thing blew my mind.

Do you think Academy questions them on their gun and ammo knowledge? No way. If the employee knows how to run a cash register, stock material on shelves and dial the NICS back ground system, then they are GTG.

I would hope if they are put in a specific section then they would have some knowledge on what they are attempting to sell but apparently not.


Oh and can you load me up 100 rounds of 6.8 that only drops 9 inches at 1000 yds?

very few, maybe 1% know anything about any product

That would be a "laser" (pinky on the corner of my mouth). LOL!

I worked at an academy for about 6 months when i was 18, left because i realized there was nothin for me to learn there other than I needed a much higher paying job.
Im no guns and ammo expert, but I could give better advice to people asking questions than anyone else that worked in the huntin and fishing department. If I didnt know then i would say "sorry sir, I dont know enough about that to advise you"

And yes, sadly, I seem to expect that our military soldiers would know better.

Id rather be told i don't know any day than to be given bad advice.

i try not to ask questions at walmart,
kroger, academy, bass amateur shop, or
cowbellys.
if i don't see it, i figure they don't
have any of whatever it is.

He is a retail clerk in a big box store, not a shooting instructor. Not sure why you would expect him to have such knowledge. His job is to show you handguns, rifles, and shotguns... nothing more.

I'd never expect good information at Academy. I hate the customers that hang out in the hunting section wanting to talk to anyone and everyone about whatever gun conspiracy they read about on the internet. I didn't ask you about it, I have already heard it before, I am not interested in it, why did you start talking to me in the first place?

OP you witnessed "when dummies collide".

One for giving advice on something he obviously had no idea about. The other for asking long range shooting advice at a big box retailer.

I don't expect him to be a shooting instructor but i do expect him to have some knowledge on a subject if he is going to explain it to someone. If he didn't know he should have said IDK.

Gun counter guy should've said "I don't know".

Wish I was standing there.

I can't listen to them. I have wanted to throat punch every Academy gun counter guy I have came across.

first mistake, asking Academy person anything other than , "can I see" if you are looking for any other answer than "sure" you are a dummy for even going there in the first place.

you go there to buy, not to gather info. grab your chit off the shelf, pay and leave, simple

Heck I don't know where they find them. I'd consider myself about average on knowledge and they wouldn't hire me. Maybe I would make them look bad. I don't know.

I'm with you. Cant tell you how many times I have stood there waiting on the endless dumb questions to be answered by them, and I cant get anyone to hand me a couple boxes of 22.

That's like asking a kid working at Queen Burger how to cook the perfect steak.

They shouldn't be expected to be experts, but should be accountable for basic information and advice. Killing time at the local academy one evening, I asked to see a glock 40 10mm. The grown man behind the counter autonomously interjects he doesn't understand anyone's attraction to the 10mm caliber when you could find more ammo availability and at a cheaper cost by going with the more popular 9mm. To which he expressed the only difference is the 10mm is one millimeter bigger and encouraged me to take a look at a glock 17 instead. I just said no thanks and continued shopping.

This is a LOT of gun stores, not just Academy. I call them the unemployed "What you oughta do..." crowd.

With all the information that's available on the Internet for anyone looking to buy anything, all a person needs from a store clerk is the price and location of the check out counter.

Of course determining fact from fiction while searching the Web for information can be a little challenging sometimes.

my .02, there is no excuse for any one working in retail not to inform them selves on as many products as they can. if they don't know the answer, the correct answer is I DON'T KNOW BUT WILL FIND OUT

If you know what you want,buy your rifle or pistol then go to the gunsmith for technical advice or answers.

They are not all ill informed or ignorant.

One of the best gunsmiths/makers I have ever known was an Academy employee, but he is the exception to the rule.

There is a gun guy at the Texarkana Academy who is great. Even though he is an old navy guy. He seems knowlgeable and enjoys talking guns. I've purchased 3 rifles and a shotgun there because I like how he handles the transactions. There is a lady at that gun counter who knows more than most and is very personable as well.
Now in general, I stay away from gun counter people who look younger than 50. Retired old dudes working the counter part time are way better than any of the 25-35 tacticool guys.

Not sure why anyone would buy a long range rifle at Academy anyway.

I've bought three guns from academy and one of the times I said here is a my chl he said that doesn't change anything I just need a your drivers license, then he told me it was illegal to do a 4473 electronically and had lots of other bad advice and the store manager came and was just as bad, one of the employees there thinks that he's a god and he will constantly give bad info.

Because they can save money on a perfectly capable rifle.

For the most part they are thin on knowledge and quick with questionable advice.

As for customer service, I went to the new store in Lubbock a few weeks ago, and a guy spent some time going to the back to find a box for me that would fit the case I bought for shipping. He checked the gun room to no avail and then went to the dock area and finally found one. Thanks to that guy for being a good, helpful employee!

Academy hires them.

The Army doesn't teach any better than that? My dad was USMC and I knew how bullets dropped on a basic level before puberty.

I went to buy some binoculars that were on sale at Academy and ended up standing behind two idiots that spoke little english asking for a rifle that would shoot a "half mile"

The guy was irritated, said they will all move a bullet that far but it is up to you what you can hit. They didn't savvy, and were wasting everyone's time, so I shouted out, "hey, I just want to look at things 1/2 mile away, can you please hand me those Redfield binoculars over there? If something looks good through those then I will know to move closer for a shot"
Everyone but the two idiots got a laugh.

they do teach a lot about basic rifle marksmanship and go into detail about the trajectory of the bullet. I'm assuming this guy was a supply clerk or something of that sort or maybe he just didn't pay any attention throughout his career

I waited on quite a few current military members at Cabela's. My impression was they were no different than civilians when it came to firearms. They ran the gamut from knowing a lot to knowing next to nothing.

One day they're assigned to women's apparel, fishing the next and guns on the 3rd day. Most don't even have outdoor experience. Academy just hires a breathing being to ring up sales.

I think this is the central issue. They hire clerks to complete transactions all day and don't care if they know anything about the products. As aggravating as it is for us, I'm not sure we can reasonably expect much more for that type of job. It irritates me to listen to some of the crap they tell people, but I'm like most others here and do my own research before I go and rely on that rather than the gun counter clerk.

again , if you are going into an Academy to "talk" guns, reloading, optics, fishing, hunting, etc. you need to get back in your car and get back to work or get a life.

you go there to look and buy, not bull chit

I have no issue with it. The people that listen to them are just as dumb as the clerks. They can have at it.
I go, I buy, I leave.

One time I went in and heard the same clerk telling someone two whoppers:

A) Savage actions and Weatherby Vanguard actions are the same
B) The 45/70 was originally developed as a pistol round because it was a straight case.

I had to just back away slowly....

The only real concern I have is customers being given advice that could get them killed. If I heard it where I worked I know it happens at Academy.

There's a dude at one North Texas Academy store that looks like a transgender Jonah Hill.

Same thing here. Worked in the store for 2+ years and corporate office for 2 years. got instantly hired for hunting when they gathered that I hunted and shot my whole life. One "old-timer" I worked with was so ignorant, but would flat out lie. I called him out and corrected him everytime I heard him do that. He didn't like me much. I truly believe they need to go to a commission system for the gun counter. They would have a better chance at getting and retaining competent sales staff.

I had the same experience with the Cabelas gun counter guys in Allen.

Unfortunately, thedoveshooter, a commission system in that kind of environment could foster even more misinformation (lies) just to make a sale. With the big box stores and cheaper prices any hope of finding knowledgeable help behind the counter is pretty much gone.....well, maybe not in cosmetics or lingerie.
P_102

Some of the gun counter people know a lot, some know next to nothing. The Fort Worth store used to have quite a few knowledgeable people. Now they have almost none. I cannot argue with your premise.

On multiple occasions I have tracked down somebody who got terrible info from the gun counter guy and helped them out. More often than not it's a lady buying a present for her husband. I listed to one guy tell a woman that steel shot shotgun shells were the best option for shooting sporting clays. He was selling her hevi-shot.

Benelli is the lightest recoiling shotgun.

Vortex blows Nightforce out of the water.

7mm Remington Mag is the minimum for deer.

As others have said, I know what I want before I go into a Cabelas, Academy, Bass Pro, etc. I do not go there to fact find, I go there to buy something. What do you guys expect for what they pay those guys?

You have hit the nail right square on the head, there.

If I want good advice, I ask here at THF, or at an honest to Gawd gun shop. (Which we all really should be supporting)

Ive read some of those same opinions here!

The answer on THF is always: 6.5 Creedmoor.

On a serious note, I always try to give business to the local shops. My dad had put a deposit on a safe yearssssss ago and the LGS called us and asked if they could sell it because they had a customer that wanted it right then and there. We said no problem and had them order us a new one, but somewhere along that timeline someone broke into our business and stole most of the guns we had so we never went back to pay it off and eventually just forgot about it. 16 years later, I was looking for a rifle and half jokingly mentioned it to the owner that we had at one point had a $1200 or so deposit down on a safe and if it would still be good. He said if I could find the receipt, he would make it good. Dad went and dug it up in his files and sure enough the owner honored it 16 years later. I will probably never buy a gun anywhere else, regardless of it being maybe a couple of hundred dollars higher with him, a man that can keep his word on something like that after so many years deserves my business.

Prior to this, I had gone to academy with my dad to buy a rifle he wanted for his birthday and he had forgot his reading glasses. I was telling him what the form said on one of the portions and the guy at the counter started scolding me and told me he should rip the form up and report us for illegally purchasing firearms because I was helping my dad fill out the form. I ripped the form up for him and told him he could keep his gun, then informed the managers why I was not going to be spending money at their store that day and went and bought it somewhere else.

I guess you can't really expect much for what they're paid, if it was higher they might be able to get a little picky with the selection process. Thing that gets me is that these are the same people trying to vote for someone that'll give them $15/hr or whatever the hell amount it was.

Wait, the gun store employees broke into your business and stole all of your guns, and you still patronize that business?

LOL...that is what it says

If that is what you think I meant, sure.

If I go into a store to look at the product, ask questions, ask for opinions, etc, then I will buy the item there unless it's WAY higher than somewhere else. If I do my own research online, then I'm going for the best price. If a local place is close on price, then I'll buy there.

I've seen my LGS match Academy's price on a couple of guns. I don't particularly care for that LGS but I thought that was decent.

"We said no problem and had them order us a new one, but somewhere along that timeline they broke into our business and stole most of the guns we had so we never went back to pay it off"

That's what it says.

Pretty sure you know what I meant, as would most people. Like I said, if that's what you think then sure. Idk what to tell you, sir.

English is hard.

LOL

Entertaining thread. I usually walk by the gun counter at the San Angelo Academy and ask if they have any 6.5 creedmoor rifles just to hear their reply for entertainment. A couple guys know a little, most don't. One young kid last week pointed out the savage stealth on the shelf. Followed by "that's a really good caliber, I haven't shot it much.... actually I've never shot it." It was kind of a drawn out sentence with a pause after I haven't shot it much. At least he ended up being honest.

Now thats hard to do. Being honest after you've made an [censored] out of yourself. Kudos to him.

one of those times where you say something then instantly think oh shoot what if he starts asking me details and I can't come up with lies as fast as he is asking questions so I better come clean now. Haha

Must be if you can't understand what I'm saying.

Betcha he was shooting a 22-250.
I swear, if one of y'all gets triggered^

In your sentence, "they" would reference the same party as the previously used "them". In this case, "them" was referencing the gun shop. Had you used "somebody" instead of "they", which would have been correct, I would have understood.

I wasn't being a smartass when I originally asked the question. I was legitimately confused. Now you're just being obstinate.

I have to agree that your sentence says the gun shop employees robbed you. Lol there is no other way to read it.

I corrected it immediately after your first post pointing it out. The fact that you continued to antagonize me over it confuses me, since I had already explained the misunderstanding and fixed the sentence. I don't see how I'm being obstinate over something that I already changed? I get how it was technically an incorrect sentence if you were to break it down and scrutinize it.

English isn't my first language and I type pretty much the way I would speak it in person. As I said, most people I know would assume that "they" meant a random party and not the gun store that I was praising and giving my business to. I am sorry if it was confusing, I really don't see it, but if it is then that is just beyond my scope of the language itself and out of my control.

You were right? I don't know what to tell you other than that.

On the other hand is Academy having any good sales ?