Scary Customer Encounter at GM

[bgcatty]

So I played hooky this afternoon and stopped at Gander to look around. I'm looking at ammo and a guy says to me can I put a .30 Remington "bullet" in my .30-30 Winchester? I said what did you say, and he repeated the question exactly the same way. So I said no sir only a .30-30 will go into a .30-30 Winchester. So I looked at his shopping cart and he had all sorts of .30 cal cartridges including .300 AAC in his cart for his ".30-30" Then he asks me if a .270 WSM is the same as a .270 Winchester! At first i thought he was kidding with me but it turns out he was serious. I told him .270 WSM is a Winchester Short Magnum and not the same as a .270 Winchester and he looks at me like he does not believe me. And he asks why cant I use a .270 WSM in a .270 Winchester? So, to prove the point I grabbed a box of each and showed him the difference. He had the old "Doe in the headlights" look on his face. He said he had not shot the lever action gun in a long time. I said to myself: THank God for that! I could not believe it. I think I might have saved this guy's butt today. Just amazing that there are people walking around handling guns like this today. I'm still sitting here amazement.

 

[223 Gunner]

Yep! Now you're see the "liberal" side of things. It's guys like that, that don't have a clue, then he does something stupid, and we all pay the price. That's why liberals think guns should be taken away, to protect us from ourselves.
I'm glad you were able to educate him.

 

[Birds Away]

Ignorant does not equal stupid and neither equal crazy.

 

[huntall50]

This is similar to recent event/thread that happened in a 'urban' setting in NWI, except it did not have the racial profiling and ended with a fellow customer education another w/o incident. Thanks OP for representing.

 

[SERparacord]

Ignorant does not equal stupid and neither equal crazy.

I agree, just a little singed around the edges.

 

[LEaSH]

If the poor guy doesn't have access to internet or something (before he goes out shopping), otherwise I just don't believe this.

I know we're in Indiana and all and these cartridges OP mentions aren't used regularly, but dang nabbit.

 

[Mark 1911]

Wow. You probably just met a future Darwin Award winner.

 

[CavMedic]

So can I shoot .50 BMG in a .50AE gun? I can right? Im'a do it right now.

 

[leftsock]

Sounds like the guy just needed a little education. I remember being confused by the various bullets and calibers when I was starting out. There are plenty of rounds that are "compatible" that I can understand the confusion. That one can shoot .223 in a 5.56, .308 in a 7.62x51, .38spc in a .357mag, a smattering of .22 rimfire arms have various .22 compatibility, and plenty more.

 

[buckstopshere]

Hey, I'm glad he had the sense to ask you those questions and you were kind and knowledgable enough to answer them.

Nobody knew everything when they were first starting out.

 

[saleen4971]

So can I shoot .50 BMG in a .50AE gun? I can right? Im'a do it right now.

yup - if it doesnt fit right away, jsut tap it in with a hammer. thats as good as full length sizing will ever do

 

[Hoosier45]

I was at GM last year and a customer was looking at a Ruger 22/45. He asked the GM employee if the 22/45 meant that he could shoot .45 out of it, too. The girl who worked there said "yes, I believe so." I stepped in at that point and explained that it could only shoot .22lr and that the 45 referred to the ergonomics. He thanked me and handed it back to her. She proceeded to put it away, gave me a dirty look, and stomped off.

 

[Manatee]

Ammo specs and chamberings are confusing. Fortunately, we live in a world where this information is on line. In the old days (pre-PC) reference sources weren't handy or cheap.

Good on you for helping the guy.

 

[HoughMade]

Since there isn't any real convention or standards for naming cartridges, I surprised as many beginners get the right ammo as they do.

Of course it helps that the ammo manufacturers work hard to keep dangerous substitutions from fitting in guns that are close, but not close enough.

Good newbie tip- stick with what's on the barrel and don't get creative.

 

[LarryC]

I wouldn't call the guy stupid, just ignorant of the facts of ballistics and terminology of ammo. If you stop and think about it the nomenclature used for designating calibers and types is confusing as hell to the casual firearm owner. Like 30-06 (06 refers to the year - nothing to do with caliber) and 9mm Mauser (taken from the gun it was most used in), 9mm Corto (same as .380), 9mm Largo (very close to 38 Super - some is the same - dependent on the gun it is used in - some is lower pressure) - 8 mm Mauser (it actually is not 8mm). The designations have been a mismash of names determined by military, manufactures wanting to make some sound similar to existing popular rounds others named by the gun they fit (Weatherby, Remington, Winchester, etc.). In my opinion it is a wonder there is not more "blown up" firearms.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I was at GM last year and a customer was looking at a Ruger 22/45. He asked the GM employee if the 22/45 meant that he could shoot .45 out of it, too. The girl who worked there said "yes, I believe so." I stepped in at that point and explained that it could only shoot .22lr and that the 45 referred to the ergonomics. He thanked me and handed it back to her. She proceeded to put it away, gave me a dirty look, and stomped off.

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit this, but when I was shopping for a .22 pistol, I asked the salesperson at a local shop if the 22/45 came with a 45 conversion kit or something, since I'd never heard of the 22/45 before. Hey, at least I didn't think it would fire both .22 and .45 with the same barrel/bolt/receiver!

 

[Tomc1947]

I was in GM a couple of weeks ago and the Sales Associate didn't know the difference between 9mm Luger and 9x18 Mak.

 

[shooter521]

If the poor guy doesn't have access to internet or something (before he goes out shopping), otherwise I just don't believe this.

Man, I could tell you customer stories that would pin your ears back.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

otherwise I just don't believe this.

I do. I recently got some .38 special because the gentleman realized that .380 is mathematically the same as .38. Oddly enough, they were too long to go into his magazine when he got them home.

 

[stephen87]

Man, I could tell you customer stories that would pin your ears back.

OH! Do tell.