I was beyond pissed yesterday at the Suburban show/Novi. Walking the show yesterday talking with my 9 year old daughter, and as we're passing, the older guy there reaches out saying something to me about how I'm going to need ammo & is trying to hand me a business card. I didn't hear everything he had to say because I was talking with my daughter, and I already had a price sheet from the last show there, I think in June, and my hands were full at the time. So I told him I appreciated it, but I got their price sheet last month & said thanks. He pops off with something like - well F#*k you, and you can take that with you today. I couldn't believe what I heard, so I turned around, hoping I misheard or that he was talking to someone else. He stood there glaring at me like I'd done him wrong somehow & I don't know this man from Adam. I've worked shows for about 10 years in TX & OK and have been a walker for another 10 plus years. During those years, I've heard some stuff, said some stuff, and have had my share of days where I wasn't the greatest person to be around. But never in my life have I experienced anything like that. I tried to keep walking the show, and enjoying time with my kids, but every time I looked up, that guy was glaring at me. Ended up leaving, before I let my temper get the best of me. For what it's worth, both my girls have correct gun show manners. My oldest spent her first 4-5 years behind my tables, so mom could get some rest. A lot of you that I've dealt with in the past, have seen me with my wife, and or kids in the car with me when we've met up. I'm usually a pretty easy going guy. But this asshat is the exact reason that many people don't go to the local shows. I've driven to the Indy & Tulsa shows more than I've gone to local shows for this exact reason. I have met some great guys at the shows, and I throw them a bone here & there on mags & ammo when they're reasonably close to on line prices. I know that everyone has to make a buck. For what it's worth, I try to support our local guys/vendors/dealers as much as I can. I knowingly paid more for a couple cases of ammo at the last Novi show, than what I could have gotten it delivered to my house for, just to try to keep my money in Mi. God knows we need it. But I know one thing for sure, I'll never do business with. I'm still just stunned by that experience yesterday. I was going to go back this morning to pick up a few things, but I just don't see things ending up well. Was I just lucky yesterday, having that experience with that guy? Or is that the norm for him? Sorry for the rant, but for you family guys out there, I'd keep my kids away from him. Same for anyone with a temper. End of rant

Never had any meeting with Oakland Ammo, but they look like yet another garage reloader that popped up on the west side of the state during the panic, so I'd not expect professionalism or quality from them.



Thanks for the warning about them.

Thanks for the info.

Never heard of them, but they will not see any of my business either way now.

Wow, that's really ignorant.

No more business from me either.

My family likes going to shows, it's at least some exercise, if nothing else. Most of the dealers here are extremely overpriced, but you never know when you're going to run across a rare find, or the occasional good deal. But when you bend over to pay $5 for parking, and $6 ea to get in ($5 actually, I use the coupons) you don't typically look to get further violated. I could see the guy going off if we had been in a conversation/negation that went bad, if I lost my mind first. But my daughter and I were simply walking by, minding our business. I took a quick look at their site, I like what they say they're doing. The kind of family business I would normally get behind, especially if their product performs, and their prices are on par. But my family will always come first, no matter what. The best thing I could do yesterday, was walk away. I strongly believe in out rights, as do my girls, and I did not want to cause a scene there that I was sure was going to end badly. I won't feed the libtards ammunition to try to ban shows. Had something like that happened anywhere else, I'd of demanded an apology right then and ther. The way I was raised, you don't run your mouth reckless in front of children. You respect them, and their parents. And if you have something to say, be a man about it & say it to a man's face. Don't wait till the man walks by, then run your suck. That's just cowardly. Does anyone here have any experience with these people? I'm trying to figure out how I want to deal with this situation, and knowing if this guy is off his meds or has mental problems would be good to know first. If he does, I'll leave this post as a simple warning as to what anyone could run into around this guy. If he doesn't have mental problems, or something, I'll be persueing this further

I would have stopped and found out what his problem was and who his manager is and solved it there.   If he is the owner then at least by your thread we would know who we were dealer with at Oakland.   Right now we don't know if that guy is the owner or some schmoe they had fill in because someone who is usually there had a family emergency or something.

I am the guy at the Novi show, and although I’m not sure what to do about it, I can assure you that the story on Michigan Gun Owners is very inaccurate. A large number of people decline an offered business card, and I have no problem with it. I pay for those cards and literature and would prefer people decline if there is no interest. I would never respond in the manner Wood suggested, let alone in mixed company at a venue like that. When I first started reading the post that was forwarded to me I thought maybe Wood just hear wrong, and I would just get in touch with him and clear the whole thing up. As I read further, I have no idea where the rest of the story, about the glaring and such comes from. We saw hundreds of people at the show and I can assure you and every one else that each person we had contact with was treated with friendliness, courtesy, and respect. We are a relatively new business, 1 ½ years, and I have invested considerable resources in it, I am a reasonable person and would never risk behaving like that in public, let alone in mixed company. I hesitate to say anyone is being less than truthful, but after reading the entire post I can reach no other conclusion. I have five children and 14 grandchildren, trust me when I say I know what type of example to set. As a former newspaper publisher, I dislike these internet accusations, where someone sits at a computer and anonymously bangs them out. If Wood truly thought he heard something inappropriate from me, I would have preferred he talk to me about it. A better example for his daughter I would think. As for the other parts of his story I have no idea what he is talking about. I am surprised that Wood1 would post this in two forums but not talk to us.
George Willard Sr., Chairman / CEO
Ranger Data Technologies, Inc.
360 E. Maple Rd. Suite X
Troy, MI 48083-2707
Phone: (248) 336-7300 ext. 221
Cell Phone: (248) 321-7198
Fax: (248) 336-8775
Email: [email protected]

2 different people  yet different stories.
2 different forums with the same exact story. Even the guy with no paragraphs

That's an awfully nice nice title you have there.  

Well, at least for now the OP has an avenue to "pursue it further".

Really

I haven't been to a gun show in ten years don't even miss em , back in the days of the bill goodman shows me and my brother loved em . good deals and friendly sellers who weren't doing it as a so much as making a living but extra cash .its been all down hill from there ,Gibraltar lol ugh .everything way over priced , surley navy seal vendors no thanks .try and trade ah yours is worth 10$ mine 1000$ yeah no thanks. even local gun stores meh...ammo, parts, accessories all cheaper and all shipped right to me .

Good morning everybody-

What we have here is a situation that neither of us can fix - George says one thing, Wood says another, and nothing is really going to be solved except that our company's reputation is taking a beating. Those of us that know George feel that this is not something he would ever do, but I'm sure those that know Wood will support him the same way.

All we can really do is make a peace offering, so if anyone from this forum is local and would like to stop by our offices in Troy and meet me or George or the rest of our staff you're all welcome. Wood, if you are in the area and would like to stop by we would be happy to give you a couple boxes of our ammo on the house for your trouble. Obviously there's no way to determine who was right or what happened, but I definitely don't see any solution to be found in continuing to argue about it. The best solution I can think of is to give everybody the chance to meet us all so you can gauge for yourselves what kind of people we are.  

I'm really not sure what else to do, but a real person-to-person interaction and handshake is something that clearly can't be done on a forum, and I don't know anything else that would make everybody happy. Obviously we have reason to be concerned if people are coming online and posting content trashing our company's name and we feel it's unfair - we're just a small business trying to build something here, and we want to work with the community, not fight against it. I'll post this comment on the other forum discussing this as well.

Kevin Flowers
Oakland Ammunition
(248) 588-6000
http://www.oaklandammo.com

360 East Maple Road, Suite X
Troy, MI  48083
[email protected]

That's really nice of Kevin, trying to resolve a bad situation. I hope you all are able to get it straightened out.

I give you guys credit for coming on and trying to clear this up.

Talked at length with Wood, the OP. I believe we are good now. I explained that I could not and would not apologize for something that I did not do. I also explained that I am sorry that he had that experience at the show and that I was in no position, with my bad hearing to say what he heard. Our conversation was pleasant and respectful on the part of both. Wood asked where I would like to go from here. I requested that he remove our company name from the title of the post so that it would not show up in search results, and he obliged. I am not a regular forum user, this seemed like a satisfactory resolution for my company. I wish Wood well, I am sorry for all the discord, but am pleased that it got resolved. The invitation to visit still stands to Wood as well as the rest of you, and we're still doing free FFL transfers. Wood, if I missed anything please chime in.

George Willard Sr.