Gun Shop Commando

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73 Jock

New member
So I call a local shop because I'm interested in seeing a Smith&Wesson M&P9 Compact.

Commando: "Oh, you mean the sub-compact"

Me: "I didn't realize there was a sub-compact?"

Commando: (tone now indicating I'm an idiot) "Yeah, you mean the sub-compact, we got one."

Me: "I'm a little confused, I'm looking at the S&W 2008 catalog. The M&P comes in Full-size and Compact. I don't see any sub-compact. How long is it? What is the height?"

Commando: (sarcastically patient now): "It's SUB-COMPACT".

Me: "I'm sorry, this is confusing, the S&W catalog has no reference to a sub-compact. On the slide does it say M&P9c, with a small c?"

Commando: (a little tentative now) "Uhhh, yeah."

Me: "I believe that small c stands for Compact"

Commando: (arrogance coming back) "Well, that's not an industry term, I'm using industry terminology!"

Me: (after hanging up) "Give me strength!"
 
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Omega blood

New member
I don't think it's the gun shop commando necessarily, it's the "I work in the shop so I know more than you mentality".
I fly RC planes, I find the same attitude in the RC shop. If they don't have it or don't know about it, it doesn't exist.
 
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oldbillthundercheif

Moderator
That's not a gunshop commando. Here is how that goes (happened to me a few months ago):

GC: "Whatchoo carry?"
Me: "A Hi-Power."
GC: "All nine milimeters are junk, you know."
Me (while showing him my HP): "This is junk, eh?"
GC: "Yep, only .40s and .45s will do the job"
Me: "I dunno... I shoot it well and the 127gr +P+ Ranger loads have a good reputation"
GC: "You ever shoot anyone?"
Me: "Well..."
GC (interrupting): "Well I have and only the .40 and .45 are combat rounds. A 9mm will take seven or eight shots to the chest to put 'em down, .40 and .45 will do it with one."
Me: "Depends where you put 'em."
GC: "It don't matter where you put a 9mm, it will take seven or eight shots at least. You won't hear that at any other gunshop in town, we educate people 'round here."
Me: (silently walks out the door, never to return)

THAT is a gunshop commando. I was about to buy an Enfield from him before he started mouthing off. His name is Lonnie and pretty much everyone in town has a story about something totally wack-o that he has told them.
 
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VinnyT

New member
Luckily I don't have that with any shops around me. They all give their opinions and help me with any questions I have. I guess I'm lucky with mine.
 
7

73 Jock

New member
oldbillthundercheif said:
GC: "You ever shoot anyone?"
Me: "Well..."
GC (interrupting): "Well I have and only the .40 and .45 are combat rounds. A 9mm will take seven or eight shots to the chest to put 'em down, .40 and .45 will do it with one."
Click to expand...

Well OK, you've got me beat with that one.

Let's see, old Lonnie apparently has experience shooting at least 3 people with three different calibers; 9mm, .40 and .45 (where does this guy hang out?), and yet the best job he can find is clerk in a gun store.

Yep, he's a commando allright.
 
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Erik

New member
Commando or not, whether he should have gone about it differently or not, he's right in so far as industry terminology is concerned.

Pistols with 4.25 inch barrels are typically labeled compact; those with 3.50 inch barrels, sub-compact.
 
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The Canuck

New member
I work in a gun shop/range part time. A good chunk of us are ex-military and some of those do contractor stints in the sandbox (yes, even Canadians can be contractors). When we don't know the answer, we tell it like it is, "I don't know, but I can try to find out for you", is the phrase I use. As for the 9mm not being a combat round... Next time somebody pulls that B.S. ask them if they are tough enough to stand down-range of a few... Like oldbillthunderchief said, "Depends where you put 'em".
 
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