Female Troubles

[Kathryn]

I am getting tired of gun store clerks
who ask insulting questions!!!

"Why isn't your husband here with you?" Why don't you mind your own ##$(*& business?

"Why don't you try a different brand of ammo?" This was today's unsolicited friendly advice regarding my defective Ruger that had just been FIXED by the company. The clerk, BTW, swiped me twice while he was playing with my gun, and never checked to see if it was loaded.

I'm getting to the point where there are no nearby gun shops that I care to return to. I am a relative newbie, but would prefer to get advice when I ask for it. And don't ask me about my husband! Maybe I'm arming up to defend myself. Or I'm tired of him. YOU WILL NEVER KNOW!

 

[Oleg Volk]

I have noticed this attitude when I first got interested in guns. Guess what? Over the last five years, the two stores owned by misogynist pigs closed. Of the other stores, the one that had rude, sexist employees replaced them with better people. That place, btw, also has several female employees...but if a woman comes in, she isn't told to go talk to them. It is assumed that any employee can help her with what is really a technical, non-gender-specific field.

The situation has improved considerably and I no longer see clerks saying "M'am, you ought to get this cute little .25 here, that way it would go with your lipstick color." They do offer help to everyone in the same manner.

The Web has also spawned a number of sites ran by women that is gratifying to see. I bet a number of predators won't live to see retirement except at the muzzle of a .45


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Oleg "cornered rat" Volk (JPFO,NRA)

http://dd-b.net/RKBA

 

[Jessica Wellman]

I know exactly how you feel!!

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Shooter's Enrichment Program/Forum

 

[Oleg Volk]

As an aside, Michelle's (my GF) experience with gun stores mirrored my perception of improvement. However, all the liberal-bashing on TFL turned her off, badly.

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Oleg "cornered rat" Volk (JPFO,NRA)

http://dd-b.net/RKBA

 

[Coinneach]

The owner/operator of the shop I work at is a woman. She's *scary* with her pet P245 (I'm talking about stacking 10 bullets in the backstop), and sneers at the notion that a woman can't handle a "real" gun. All of her employees are male, and we all know better than to recommend a mousegun to a woman who's just getting started. We don't ask where a female customer's husband is (if she's in the shop alone, that's a major indicator right there) or talk down to her.

Unfortunately, the shooting community has been overwhelmingly male-dominated for so long that there's a bit of testosterone overload to deal with. We desperately need more women to get involved, but those boneheads refuse to admit it and actively oppose the concept of armed women.

Personally, I'd much rather be with a woman who can and will take responsibility for her own safety (like my gf ).

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"If your determination is fixed, I do not counsel you to despair. Few things are impossible to diligence and skill. Great works are performed not by strength, but perseverance."
-- Samuel Johnson

 

[DorGunR]

Oleg Volk
I know exactly how your GF feels.....all the gun owner bashing by the liberals has turned me off badly, also.

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"Lead, follow or get the HELL out of the way."

 

[Spectre]

I don't know where I fall, except, perhaps, as "Libertarian". Someone who primarily fwds "Christian" emails (mostly thinly disguised chain letters- no, I don't think Jesus would have fwded it to someone not a friend) sent a poll regarding same-sex marriages. While I am in favor of preferential treatment for no-one, I do favor equality. I voted "yes".

People are people, and should be treated as people. Sex, and hair, eye, and skin color are just part of what makes them interesting. In my experience, when they care to be involved, women tend to better shots than men.

 

[Morgan]

Kathryn - try Tom & Joe's Firearms. They're not far from you, and have excellent pricing and good service. Tom knows his stuff, and has treated me (and many I've sent his way) fairly. 303/231-0998.

Cal's Sporting Armory is good, too. Good prices, and Chad really knows his stuff. His stuff, however, is mostly hard-core black guns. AR's, shotguns, HKs, etc. - no Ruger .22s here. A bonus (which really adds up on large purchases) is really low sales tax, just over 3%, if I remember correctly. 303/806-0357.

I don't think either of these shops will treat you any differently as a woman.

 

[SB]

The local gunstore that I frequent has a real nice family atmosphere. And I would never be so stupid to assume that just because someone is younger or is of the female persuasion, that means they are inferior than me. Ooooh nosirreee BillyBobJoeBob! They treat me with respect, like family, and I do so the same.

Ya gotta hate bigoted sexist oinkers. Heh.

 

[SB]

Come to think of it, I'll never forget this one time a female IDPA shooter was there talking to I guess her friend (another female who regularly works there). In any case, she was talking normal when I entered the store. But when I close to the counter, and the moment she sees me, she turns into this big ole cowboy, "Ayup, walking and shooting is OK but my favorite is to roll and shoot!"

People are silly.

 

[Cliff]

Kathryn - My wife can certainly empathize with you. Miriam simply refuses to frequent any gun shop where she is treated in a patronizing and condescending manner.

Fortunately, there are a couple of gun shops near us that are much more enlightened in their approach and who are HAPPY to see and serve women. Those are the two we give our business to, as well as recommending them to friends.

I hope you find a similar shop near you.

Cliff

 

[Herodotus]

I don't doubt that women have extra troubles at some or most gun shops.
But you should remember that a good number of these people are crude and rude to everybody.
I actually believe the requirement for FFl's to sell guns actually is to blame for this. Gun shops today just don't have the competition they used to have to worry about. If you had more choice, you would be treated better. Thats just a fact of life.

 

[Glenn E. Meyer]

Worse one I saw was a store in FL that
had a fake parking sign in front of its
entrance that said:

Pervert's Parking Only

In San Antonio and Austin, there are a couple of shops decent to women. One has nice young knowledgeable clerks.

 

[Matt VDW]

> "Why don't you try a different brand of ammo?" This was today's unsolicited friendly advice regarding my defective Ruger that had just been FIXED by the company.

I have to admit that I might have said the same thing (to a man or a woman). That's just a basic trouble-shooting procedure.

BTW, does the Ruger actually work now, or was it just "fixed"?

 

[Dr.Rob]

Kathryn,

Sorry to hear you are having troubles in this realm. I see MOST of that attitude at "supersports" stores as opposed to true 'gunshops" for the most part, but you do have to recognise that guns are still very much "boys toys" and the macho attitude is VERY much in effect and can condescend even when it isn't meant to.Remind your ill informed clerk that YES i already had this fixed and that YOUR SO (which is none of thier damn business) doesn;t SHOOT IDPA but you do. Take a girlfriend to the shop, its tougher for 1 guy to insult Thelma AND Louise.

Many of my female friends ask me to go to the mechanic with them for these same reasons. they don't want to be talked down to, or shooed away.

Being informed and level headed is your best defense agaist condescending attitudes, macho BS and patriarchal values.

All that being said... if you need assistance in ANYTHING gun related you have friends here you can call or e-mail.

Dr.Rob

 

[Bill in NM]

Kathryn,
I'm sorry to hear of your troubles...both with the Ruger and the stores.
About 5 years ago my wife and I went into a local gun store expressly looking for a new pistol for my wife. The owner/operator would not talk to my wife at all, who is VERY gun knowledgable. He continually spoke to me, even though we tried several times to have him speak to my wife. After the 3rd time, we informed him that we would NEVER buy anything from him, and told him why. That store is now out of business. We now drive over an hour away to make our gun purchases, due to this type of attitude locally.
Good luck with your problems, and please don't hesitate to ask here. We'll be as helpful as one can be online.
Bill

 

[MustangSally]

Boy, can I sympathize with you! I've never bought a firearm through a shop, but I can tell you that I've encountered the same prejudices with my main extracurricular interest, classic cars.... to the point where if my hubbie and I are out with my car, he's the one who is approached with questions about her. Sigh!! As much as we go forward, we slip back.

 

[Jessica Wellman]

Last Monday night I went to a club that holds competition shooting. I sit around most of the night just observing. Twice I was asked which shooter was my husband. I didn’t take offense and replied both times that I was there on my own and was interested in learning more about competition shooting. Luckily, everyone has been tremendously supportive, but I do sympathize with treatments in Gun Shops. The more I learn and the quicker I can apply my knowledge, the better!

I did find a local gun shop owner who is very helpful. He answers my questions whole-heartedly. The disadvantage to this shop is the size. It is a very small store. Finding what I need is virtually impossible, but he will order whatever I need. The best part is he does not shun me for being a woman shooter or for my lack of knowledge. These are the type shops you need to locate.

Best of luck and Happy Shooting,
Jessica



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Shooter's Enrichment Program/Forum

 

[Jessica Wellman]

MustangSally & Kathryn we can't be too hard on them!! Imagine how we would feel if one of these guys showed up at a Quilting Bee! Women shooters have come along way, but we have to remember we are in a male dominant sport.

Did you know a male Olympian once sued because he was not allowed on the Women's Synchronized Swimming Team? At the time, I thought that was funny, but I'm learning just how he felt.


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Shooter's Enrichment Program/Forum

 

[Kathryn]

Morgan, thanks for the leads.

My lousy experiences were from "The Gun Room" in Lakewood and "Gart Sports" in Westminster. The Gun Room is a small shop, the other a diversified chain. Jerks (and nice ppl) can be found everywhere. I actually liked one fellow at Gart (Roger), but am getting really tired of driving over to drop off or pick up the gun... and I think he's getting a little tired of me too. Why can't they just give me my money back???

Although the clerk's suggestion had some merit, it was unsolicited and he could have noted that Ruger did fix some stuff (the ejector this time). Additionally, I'd never met him and he _guaranteed_ that Gart didn't lose a magazine. How would he know? On top of that he swiped me with an unchecked gun. What a bloody idiot.

BTW, the little Ruger was for cheap plinking. I have tendonitus, and it can start to hurt when I use my Sig Sauer for more than about 50 rounds. I don't know if the Ruger is working or not. It takes a chunk of time to go to the range and try it out.

LadydeeJ, it really makes me wonder when I hear or read from white males whining about reverse discrimination and whatnot. I wonder if they just don't cut the mustard and are looking for someone to blame. I've been living in a male dominated world for a looong time. They don't need any slack. I met one man who didn't get into Stanford med school. Perhaps the poor baby went to Johns Hopkins, after suing for reverse discrimination.

In the end, regardless of the ways we can be distinguished from each other, it's courtesy that counts.