I have an extra job doing AR work in a local shop when I'm not on duty to support my BRD treatment without having MrsM24 shoot me.
I got a call from a prospective customer the other day asking about reblueing an AR.  I explain why this can't be done, and ask what needs to be refinished.  He states that he has recently bought an AR at a gunshow and that it is scratched up.  I told him I would try to find the contact info of local guy that does DuraCoat.
He calls back on Friday and asks if I have been able to find the phone number.  He then goes on to say that he needs to have a "c clamp" put on his rifle because his is broken.  We discussed this, and he ended up describing the handguard retainer ring perfectly.  I explained that I could replace it, but that there would be significant charge due to the need to remove the barrel.  He now tells me that I don't need to remove the barrel to replace ring.  I explain to him that it is neccessary, but that I'll cut him some slack and give him the ring for free.  No prob.
Then he asks about removing a flash hider.  Discussion continues, I explain SBR risks and the added cost of removing a permanently attached device.  I ask if he has a 16" barrel, he says yes.  So I tell him I'll look at it and call him with an estimate of what his cost would be.  
Throughout the conversation it becomes pretty clear that he really doesn't know much about ARs.
When I arrive at the shop I find an SGW Frankford Arsenal XM177 clone, S/N FAXXXX.  It has an 11.5" barrel, XM177 comp permanently attached (sort of, more on that later), a CAR telestock with hideous cheekpiece that won't allow the CH to be operated without the stock being at full extension, teardrop FA, A1 sights, Deerfield scope on Leapers/Tapco mount that has had the front badly chopped off and touched up.  The lower is of the old hybrid A1/A2 type with the full mag fence but a visible tunnel for the takedown pivot detent and spring and no reenforcing across the top.  The handguards are flopping around the barrel because there is no sign of the retaining ring.  The weld spring is visible, and obviously broken.
There were several pretty serious scratches on either side of the upper, just aft of the barrel nut threads and below the junction of the carry handle.  The scratches are through the anodizing into the metal beneath and are clear and bright.  It appears that somebody has removed the retainer ring by prying it to the rear, chewing up the metal on the upper is it passed.  Now I know why he thinks you can remove and install the "c clamp" without removing the barrel.
Then I check the comp.  Very bad juju here.  There are two parallel gouges (not scratches, gouges) on either side of the comp.  They appear to be similar to what you would expect if someone were to chuck a barrel into a vise without padding and draw down HARD on the barrel.  It gets better.  There is horribly mangled scar on the bottom of the barrel on and around the blind pin.  It would appear that someone has used a hand drill and wallowed out a significant chunk of metal from not only the comp, but also the pin itself.  There are visible gaps between the pin and some of the surrounding pin hole in the comp.  Again, the metal is clear and bright with no sign of corrosion or contamination.  There is still some of the pin remaining, but not enough to give me a warm fuzzy.
I take the upper and lower apart.  The pivot and takedown pin are so loose and wobbly that they don't move cleanly or even in a straight line.  The lower is filled with funk from an untold number of rounds having been fired without any kind of cleaning.  The BCG is significantly worn with large areas of wear.  The CH channel in the upper is showing bare aluminum for most of its length.  The locking lugs recess in the extension is heavily fouled.
The weld spring was separated into several pieces.  The gas tube showed a significant amount of carbon build up at both ends.  Some corrosion noted at the gas port.  The barrel nut showed significant wear and tool marks on the teeth as if somebody was not using the wrench correctly.  When I got around to removing the barrel nut, I could not only feel a tremendous amount of grit on the threads, but the counter guy 8 feet away could actually hear the nut being removed.  There was a large amount of grit between the barrel extension and upper mating surfaces as well.  I had to blow out the threads on the barrel nut with cleaner and use a GP brush and patches to get them clean.  Three times.  
I got the thing together and called the guy to come pick his rifle up immediately.  When he arrived we had a talk regarding SBR regulations, and I directed him to get the barrel fixed or repaired immediately.  He again indicated that it was like that when he bought it.  yeah, sure it was.  I couldn't ask him how much he paid for it because I don't think I would have been able to keep a straight face when he responded.
After he left the counter guy indicated that he had come in inquiring about a Barrett a few days earlier.  I hate to think what he would do to that.  
The same day while I was working on the Club Fed rifle, we had the requisite Marine sniper come in looking for a thigh rig for an upcomming camping trip that he needed hunting license for.  He indicated that he didn't hunt anymore though, because after you've hunted man there just isn't any incentive in hunting animals anymore.  Whatever Gomer.
Then we got a guy in looking at getting a folding front sight for his rifle.  I ask what kind and configuration, and he indicates that it is a Knight's SR25.  I told him that he would have to be insane to do that and recommended an upper.  He advised that he had only shot it about three times since he got it, and asked about the possiblity of selling it and getting a new rifle set up like he wanted.  He very nervously asked how much it was worth.  He was quite surprised when I told him that they are not real easy to come by and that they are at a premium.  Turns out he traded straight up for a Benelli.  He was worried that he had gotten taken on the trade and that his rifle wasn't worth much.  I made his day.
Also had the obligatory comment on how easily an AR could be made to fire full auto with "just a few simple adjustments" from a recent basic grad.  I just smiled.
I've seen all these events happen before, but never all in one day.  In a few hours actually.

Quoted: LOL, I should start hitting the gunshops just for the entertainment value.

The prices in Maryland's gunshops are entertainment alone.

"You want HOW much for a Springfield Mi Spec?"

I worked in a shop for about a year and its just amazing the crap that you hear come out of peoples mouths.  The entertainment factor was high!

I really enjoy these threads.  Keep the stories coming guys

You need a digicam so you can post pictures of the weapon next time.  

There was a time when I use to think I wwant to either own, run or in some way work in a gun shop but just about every time I've ever been in one I've seen at least one ex-sniper or gang banger wanna-be or some other type of idiot that convinced me that working in a gun shop is not for me

Why are there so many blow-hard, know-it-alls that don't actually know shit in this hobby? I'm involved in other hobbies and while those groups do have some people who are more knowlegeable then others, they have no where near the amount of idiots and assholes as this hobby does?

I was in the Gander Mountain in Marquette a few weeks ago, and a older fellow was looking at a Glock while I stood by waiting for the comments to begin.  He procedes to lock the slide back, grab the barrel, wiggle it, and pronounce that since the barrel is so loose, the gun will not be accurate.  I mention that what he is observing has nothing to do w/ the accuracy of the gun, and that the lockup when 'in battery' is all that practically matters.  

Blank look.

He did the same 'accuracy test' to several semi's and then gave up in despair.  I mentioned that he might look at a revolver given his criteria.

Quoted: You need a digicam so you can post pictures of the weapon next time.

That's exactly what I thought of while I was working on it.  I've decided to keep a disposable in my armorer box just for the next one that comes in.
The owner came in on Saturday and I told him a little more about it.  The more I described it the more worried he got.  He called his LT and gave him the SN to run.  We'll see what it turns up.  I don't really think it's stolen, but it is definately worn the hell out.  If he paid more than $200 he got ripped off.  Bad.

Quoted: I was in the Gander Mountain in Marquette a few weeks ago, and a older fellow was looking at a Glock while I stood by waiting for the comments to begin.  He procedes to lock the slide back, grab the barrel, wiggle it, and pronounce that since the barrel is so loose, the gun will not be accurate.  I mention that what he is observing has nothing to do w/ the accuracy of the gun, and that the lockup when 'in battery' is all that practically matters.   Blank look. He did the same 'accuracy test' to several semi's and then gave up in despair.  I mentioned that he might look at a revolver given his criteria.

OMG that is hilarious! I too love these stories, although I wish they weren't so common. Too many goobers want to get into guns that have no business with anything more lethal than a spatula.

Quoted: Quoted: I was in the Gander Mountain in Marquette a few weeks ago, and a older fellow was looking at a Glock while I stood by waiting for the comments to begin.  He procedes to lock the slide back, grab the barrel, wiggle it, and pronounce that since the barrel is so loose, the gun will not be accurate.  I mention that what he is observing has nothing to do w/ the accuracy of the gun, and that the lockup when 'in battery' is all that practically matters.   Blank look. He did the same 'accuracy test' to several semi's and then gave up in despair.  I mentioned that he might look at a revolver given his criteria. OMG that is hilarious! I too love these stories, although I wish they weren't so common. Too many goobers want to get into guns that have no business with anything more lethal than a spatula.

Careful what you wish for. Cold Steel has "unbreakable" baseball bats on the market. A "tactical ball bat", any bets on how long before NYC or another Kommie locality bans ballbats....fo da chillenz!

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I was in the Gander Mountain in Marquette a few weeks ago, and a older fellow was looking at a Glock while I stood by waiting for the comments to begin.  He procedes to lock the slide back, grab the barrel, wiggle it, and pronounce that since the barrel is so loose, the gun will not be accurate.  I mention that what he is observing has nothing to do w/ the accuracy of the gun, and that the lockup when 'in battery' is all that practically matters.   Blank look. He did the same 'accuracy test' to several semi's and then gave up in despair.  I mentioned that he might look at a revolver given his criteria. OMG that is hilarious! I too love these stories, although I wish they weren't so common. Too many goobers want to get into guns that have no business with anything more lethal than a spatula. Careful what you wish for. Cold Steel has "unbreakable" baseball bats on the market. A "tactical ball bat", any bets on how long before NYC or another Kommie locality bans ballbats....fo da chillenz!

True.

I can always get it cheaper by buying online and paying a transfer.

Every dealer knows it, so most won't do transfers for items they can order themselves.

I don't blame them though. MD democrats are doing everything to put them out of business.

Wow... Pictures would have been Priceless.

The unfortunate truth is that most people are morons but want to feel smart so they convince themselves they are.  I've heard supposedly reputable dealers at gun shows tell prospective customers all sorts of BS-scary stuff that I have ceased to even try to correct.  Yes you CAN legally buy a machinegun, but you have to ask Uncle Sugar very politely and get the Local Authorities to go along with your request.  No the Russians did NOT create their weapons with bores just a little bigger than ours so they could shoot captured ammo but we couldn't.  Any time the gun doesn't sound right STOP NOW and find out what happened-do NOT "shoot it out!!!!!!!"  OMFGWTFBBQ!!!!!  It's crazy!  Where in God's green earth do people get this idiot stuff from?

i think my favorite time to go to the gun shop/range is right after a local gun show...

it's like these guys have a fever and the only cure is more MOSIN-NAGANT... they bring these cosmoleen packed beauties (M38/M44) in for a yeehaw good time... bayonets out for CQB against cardboard backers... then come the guys who bought the AK's... slung across their back with a loaded magazine and their CETME bayonet that century arms just can't get rid of...

in those 12 hours on saturday and sunday... a normal indoor range looks like some third world militia training camp... smells like corrosive primer, 60 year old gun powder, and burning cosmoleen...

it's like watching a car accident... it's so terrible you can't keep your eyes off it...

then come the comments... "is that legal", "is that a machine gun", "are those high cap clips", "my brother took one of them from the army, it's full auto!", "are you a cop", "do they still suck? mine sucked in 'nam", "is that the gun from <insert popular gangster movie here>", "i shot one of those in <insert video game here>"...

then they show off their greasy new old stock russian surplus rifles and spout off whatever BS they were fed at the gun show... my favorite of all time was in reference to an AK47: "this is what the commies used against us in WWII!"... i didn't have the heart to tell the guy that we only started hating the "commies" after WWII and the AK47 was made in 1947. he seemed to be having too much fun.

Quoted: i think my favorite time to go to the gun shop/range is right after a local gun show... it's like these guys have a fever and the only cure is more MOSIN-NAGANT... they bring these cosmoleen packed beauties (M38/M44) in for a yeehaw good time... bayonets out for CQB against cardboard backers... then come the guys who bought the AK's... slung across their back with a loaded magazine and their CETME bayonet that century arms just can't get rid of...

Don't be hatin' yo!

Quoted: Quoted: i think my favorite time to go to the gun shop/range is right after a local gun show... it's like these guys have a fever and the only cure is more MOSIN-NAGANT... they bring these cosmoleen packed beauties (M38/M44) in for a yeehaw good time... bayonets out for CQB against cardboard backers... then come the guys who bought the AK's... slung across their back with a loaded magazine and their CETME bayonet that century arms just can't get rid of... Don't be hatin' yo! i10.photobucket.com/albums/a103/thedoctors308/myfirearms/9130002.jpg

haha i have one of each carbine (an M38 and an M44, both with russian characters in the serial numbers) and about 2000 rounds of corrosive 7.62x54R. my fiancee loves to shoot them.

Quoted: I work in a shop as well. I see a lot of bad crap, but whats the WORST is when the bad crap comes from the shop down the street. Guy comes in the shop and asks if I can have an Aimpoint magnifier and flip mount. I had just sold out of my last magnifier a day or so before, and my last order hadnt come in yet. So I mention they may have one at the other shop about 10 miles away. He comes back in a little while and asks if I have a flip mount. I say sure, I still have those. He tells me the other shop sold him a magnifier, and when he asked for the flip mount, they sold him an ARMS #40 rear sight. They assured him this was what he needed. The customer knew what he wanted, and was asking for the propper items. He kept the #40 because he needed a BUIS anyway, but it just never ceases to amaze me. This is the same place that sold a guy a RobArm XCR with a GG&G back up rear sight with a GG&G flip up front sight. Too bad the GG&G flip up front sight is for a gas block that sits lower than the rail of the rear sight. So now the guys front sight is far too high for his rear. Same shop who sold a guy who needed a gas block flip up front sight a flip up front sight that belongs on a rail. Not only was it the wrong sight mounted in the wrong place, they put it on backwards. The list goes on...

I know where you work but do tell where is this other shop 10 miles away? Green acres maybe? It couldn't be Bulleye they are a lot closer than 10 miles away.

[hit the wrong button, meant to quote, not edit... sorry. new-arguy]

Quoted: I worked in a shop for about a year and its just amazing the crap that you hear come out of peoples mouths.  The entertainment factor was high!

+1 to that

I worked in a Shop were the owner would tell people that Colt and bushmaster were crap and if they wanted a quality gun to carry on duty that they could always trust there lives to they needed a DPMS......I thought I was going to die.

Works both ways, too. I was reading up on the Taurus 24/7 and thought I might like to look at one since I stopped by the shop for some targets, etc. Looking at a .45, the young man behind the counter started telling me how it was DAO, yada yada. I mentioned that I believed it has a dual action with a lighter pull for the second shot (the striker is half-cocked by the action), but NO! It's DAO! So I showed him, and he tried it and said, 'Well, I'll be...'. Then, I said I wanted to look inside, so he showed me how the take-down pin comes out. It was very stiff, but I got it out with no tools. I liked the innards, and went to put it back together, but the take-down pin would not go in for the life of me. Definitely not wanting to scratch their pistol, I gave it to the kid, who also failing to get it together, took it to the store 'fixer'. Turns out he had to stick a probe in and pull down the detent spring in order to get the pin in. Whatever, this turned me off on the Taurus, along with the fact that the grip felt a little big (I couldn't wait to get home and fondle a 1911). Still, a very nice pistol that I may re-visit. Anyway, somewhere in there he started talking about wanting a Kel Tec, and I mentioned that the KT P11 only has one safety, that being the long, hard trigger pull. I have had one myself for years and like the little scamp. No, the KT doesn't have a hard trigger pull, he says, whereupon my two new molar implants about jumped out of my mouth. Anyway, you can get BS from both sides of the counter.

Without a doubt.  There is a gunshop on the east side of the Metromess that has a "former Army armorer" that "used to work on sniper rifles in the Army" working there.  One day he got busy telling me that the M24 and the PSS are the same.  I tried to enlighten him to the error of his thinking, but he insisted.  Didn't believe that it was a long action.  Had no idea what an HS Precision stock was, or who Mike Rock and Boots Obermeyer were.  "Those names don't really mean anything to me.  Who are they?"
What was so stupid is that this guy had NO idea how totally clueless he was.

He indicated that he didn't hunt anymore though, because after you've hunted man there just isn't any incentive in hunting animals anymore.

That was former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura.

We laugh everyday at something that happens. We have a alley across the street that ends exactly one hundred yards from out window. I had a guy looking at a range finders when another customer was telling a deer story. He said his buddy shot this big buck with a twelve gauge at about three hundred yards. It was hard the estimate but looked to be here to that building he said pointing to the end of the alley. My customer then ranges the distance and looks at me. I smile then start talking range finders and how EVERYONE should have one.
Will that be check or charge today?

Quoted: Quoted: I worked in a shop for about a year and its just amazing the crap that you hear come out of peoples mouths.  The entertainment factor was high! +1 to that I worked in a Shop were the owner would tell people that Colt and bushmaster were crap and if they wanted a quality gun to carry on duty that they could always trust there lives to they needed a DPMS......I thought I was going to die.

I remember those days

Him and I worked at the same shop for 6 months together in late 05/early 06.

I worked in a shop for a few years and I've heard plenty to keep me entertained for the rest of my life.  What ticks me off is when I go to some of these shops and they have these people now working behind the counter!  I did have a co-worker at shop who claimed to have been shot with a russian 5.45 during one of his "shadow ops" or some b.s.  He proceeded to show the scar.  I had scars from chicken pox bigger.  Oh well, some peoples children.

i work at sportsmans wharehouse, the story earlier about the loose barrel on the glock brought up the memories.  How about "am i crazy or is this barrel tilted back"   or the husband who insists that the smith and wesson 357 air wieght (the one with the scandium cylinder) is perfect for his wife.  We try and warn them, that the kick from one of those is tremendous but oh well its what he wants. Of course hes back next week and is pissed when we wont let him return it.  I remember one guy i spent 10 mins showing him a glock 23 explaining everything, after iv got it sold his buddy walks up and says "dont get one of those german peices of crap, wont last a week, look its plastic."  Or the absolute best is the guy who came in with his buddy and wanted to buy his first hand gun.  For some unknown reason belives his buddy is some sort of a gun expert.  Im showing them a springfield milspec.  The expert is fumbling with the thing pressing as hard as he can on the safety trying to drop the slide, like a nice guy i take the thing from him saying "they're a little stiff when their new" and lower the slide (yeah dont drop the slide on and empty 1911).  As im putting it up i hear the guy say to his buddy "yeah springfields a great company they been around over 80 or 90 years or something."  As for the guys behind the counter i can say formyself its hard to be an expert on everything, iv learned more from my customers just listning.  So next time your at a gunstore and the dude behind the counter doesnt know jack crap about that athena grade III and you start to get made relize he might know a shitt ton more about an AR or whatever than you do.  

I love hanging out in gunshops my favorite was Tabors when I lived in the Bay area the owner is a crusty marine EOD guy (my kinda brother marine) and he will loudly out someone when they are feeding him BS. I have seen him just absolutely wreck people before in front of wives, girlfriends, buddies etc. He does it in that crotchety old grumpy man way that is hard to not fund amusing.

I also love hearing the BS guys in gun stores say to sell a weapon or because they don't know better. Last one was here in Utah a guy trying to get rid of those heinous looking FN P90 told a customer that Taiwan uses these because they have a better military then the US so they are obviously much better then the AR he was also looking at, I couldn't resist squaring that fat body away.

I know the P90 is all the rage but sorry to me they are the ugliest POS ever. To me if you can't buttstroke someone effectively with it then it is not a battle rifle, assualt rifle, whatever. Leave the submachineguns for the European Border police in their funny uniforms and big hats.

I was 18, and in the market for a M4. I went to one of the gun stores, and ask to handle the Bushie M4 behind the counter. Being 18, and looking at a $960 gun, the guy behind the counter said "what for?". I said "I am interested in buying one" he let me hold it, but when I started to push the takedown pin out, he said "what do you think your doing? give that back" I explained I wanted to see the inside of the lower receiver, and the BCG. He said it was all standard, and would not open it himself, for me to see. I ran across town, and bought the same M4, but paid about $50 more, then came back in his shop, and bought some mags and ammo.

I was at a police supply store, and they had mostly pistols for sale, I looked around, then asked about the glock a .357 SIG on a shelf inside the counter. She said no it is a .357 Magnum! I said It is a .357 SIG, with the "bottle neck case." She said no Glock only makes .357 magnums, and pulled out a box of .357 mag ammo to show me what it looks like. so I asked if it would work with .38specials?(LOL) She again said no it is a .357 magnum! Needless to say, I did not buy a pistol from her.

It goes both ways

Owner of a "fudd" gunstore- (lots of bolts very few S/A anything) catches me eyballing a Colt SP1 they had in the used rack. It's only 1200 bucks (only worth 700-800 IMO) Tells me if I buy it he can tell me how to make it F/A. I tell him I know how and own a couple of MG's myself. He tells me MGs are too expensive and to make a cheap F/A AR15, you reload with pistol primers, set them high, and wedge the firing pin to make it slam-fire Its the same a F/A he exclaims

A week later he has a Colt HBAR sporter that he is selling for a guy. One of his employe's (good guy) ask me to help him to name all the add-ons the previous owner has installed. I make out a list and give approximate prices so he can put a pricetag on it.

The gun had the FSB cut off with hacksaw, then cold-blued to kinda match the park(got in the way of the scope I guess). The FS had been taken off and replaced with a fucking huge home made brake-Ugly as hell, complete with pipe wrench marks where it was torqued down. Had some SUPER HIGH rings (four of them) on a cheap ass 20x scope. The owner saw me helping out his guy, asked me to price it out for him,  if i was in the ball park, I could have it (since im such a good customer). I said 700-800, he got PISSED and told me that was a highly tuned sniper rifle built by one of the best in the business. He told me it was worth 3000 and that was cheap for such a great gun. I left

Stupid people on both sides of the counter.

its like that around here
i walk into the local gun shop to browse some AR's
me being 20 years old wouldnt have anything to do with them giving me looks either
as im talking to one of the older guys behind the counter theres 3 bushys hanging up a couple A2's and an A3 as well  as a colt sporter
i ask to look at the A3 and the guy replys "which one is that" i pointed trying to hold my laugh in

however with the bad there is some good, there is one gun dealer i am impressed with about knowledge its owned by a really nice guy and his wife and they both are extremely knowledgeable in firearms and the prices are fair, but the shop is a little over 1 hour away
but i gladly make the drive
i got my first pistol there as well as my dads first auto

An employee at a local gunshop told me he shot woodchucks at 4000 yards with a necked down 30-06 round firing 223 projectiles, at 5400fps. "From one mountaintop to the other".

He also claims to have been an SF operator in Iraq in 2003.

I best ive heard in a local shop from a guy that seems to be always tanked was"fire the rifle dry to break it in"refering to an AR15.Then theres the guy at the range with the Garand..I love those rifles too..who looks at me with my Bushy Carbine and says"get a real mans rifle" fires it and the empty stays in the chamber while the operating rod goes back and locks behind a new round thats not goin anywhere.I say I think your real mans rifle has a problem,so I spend the next 20 minutes with a rod down the barrel and couple of banks on the but on the concrete to jar it free and low and behold it looks like the empty has been pin pricked from the inside.

I ask what kind of ammo hes using as the chamber and some of the bolt face has rust and small pits and he says mil-surp mildly corrosive...the primers I figure.He had just got the rifle a month before put 500 rounds down the poipe and this was the second time he shot it.I told him warm water and mild detergent would have gotten rid of the salt but now his "real mans rifle was ruined"and didnt someone instruct him on the ammo he was using and how to maintain the rifle..the buzzword being he knew it was mildly "corrosive"time for a rebarreling and possibly a new bolt and then I proceeded to blast of the few hundred more rounds I had for my non mans but perfectly functioning rifle.

You know what's really entertaining?

A thread with gun shop employees talking about stupid people.

Yeah. I love seeing the "SNIPER" rifles. Jezuz wept. If I had a dime for every ak with a scope on it .....

My best story starts witha six foot white haired fat body leaning on a case of knives and saying " Back in 69 I had one of them Gerber Mk2s. I got one a them too, but my original bent one I left in the ASHAW valley in the back of a gook......" I asked what unit just for fun.... He said he worked speshul Forces..... I had to laugh and go sweep[ the floor.

Or the guy witha sawed off 410 that wants to pawn it......... Ummm No.

Not exactly a gun shop tale, but close.

There was an military surplus store I used to visit quite a bit in the town where I went to college. I went there a lot between classes and such. The guy behind the counter was a nice guy, but he wore fatigues every day and talked like he was a drill instructor. I never asked if he actually served. Anyway, my favorite guy that was in there everytime I went in there was this 275+ pound guy that could barely walk that looked to be in his late forties. On his forearm there was what was left of a tattoo of a black panther, and it looked as if there had been an attempt to have it removed. It was a real bang-up job from a bad doctor or he tried to take it off himself. As I was standing in line he offered the information that he was in a "special" Special Forces unit, in 'Nam of course, specializing in "black ops" and the like. My favorite thing he said to me, in a real serious voice, was "Ya see that tattoo right there?", pointing to his arm. "Each member of my team had this tattoo. I had to have it removed because there was a bounty on our heads by the NVA." Riiiiiight. The only organization that  would put a bounty on his head would be the manager of the local restaurant that had a buffet.

About a week after selling a Bushmaster to one of our more colorful locals, he returns to the store with a live round stuck in the rifle.  The bolt is about half closed and you can see the greenish color of a Wolf steel case.  So I chew his ass for using wolf and then proceed to try and free the stuck case.  No love, so I go back and have the gunsmith look at the rifle.  After about 30 minutes of trying to free the round, we figure out the problem.  He had tried to shoot 5.45X39, and when the bolt didn't close, he started banging on the forward assist.

The only way we could get the case out, was to remove the barrel from the upper, slowly drill out the primer, thread the case, and use a bolt to extract the case.  I forgot what the gunsmith charged him, but it wasn't a cheap mistake.

Quoted: So I chew his ass for using wolf

Quoted: slowly drill out the primer, thread the case, and use a bolt to extract the case.

On a Live Round!!!!!

I have to admit I never attempted that before, but I think I would have told him to pound sand before I risked a KB.

Quoted: About a week after selling a Bushmaster to one of our more colorful locals, he returns to the store with a live round stuck in the rifle.  The bolt is about half closed and you can see the greenish color of a Wolf steel case.  So I chew his ass for using wolf and then proceed to try and free the stuck case.  No love, so I go back and have the gunsmith look at the rifle.  After about 30 minutes of trying to free the round, we figure out the problem.  He had tried to shoot 5.45X39, and when the bolt didn't close, he started banging on the forward assist. The only way we could get the case out, was to remove the barrel from the upper, slowly drill out the primer, thread the case, and use a bolt to extract the case.  I forgot what the gunsmith charged him, but it wasn't a cheap mistake.

Now that sounds like a gunstore story DRILL THE PRIMER- YGBSM

So wolf wasnt the problem- him using the wrong round round was- did you apologize?

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I worked in a shop for about a year and its just amazing the crap that you hear come out of peoples mouths.  The entertainment factor was high! +1 to that I worked in a Shop were the owner would tell people that Colt and bushmaster were crap and if they wanted a quality gun to carry on duty that they could always trust there lives to they needed a DPMS......I thought I was going to die. I remember those days Him and I worked at the same shop for 6 months together in late 05/early 06.

The good ol' days right Ghetto? I tried to do an FFL Transfer through him the other day and he refused my business. This from the guy who told me to let him know if I ever needed a reference letter when I quit.

...wow....this thread is hilarious.  I'm not all that well educated with firearms (just purchased my first this January, been shooting for 3 years now) but when I was in shops looking around for a bolt rifle I could tell when the guy behind the counter was trying to blow sunshine up my @$$.

Oh and I've heard more than a few guys in Dicks, yes Dick's sporting goods, claim that they were SF in Nam.  Kinda funny the BS that they'll pipe out to try to impress someone.

-Mike

Quoted: He had tried to shoot 5.45X39, and when the bolt didn't close, he started banging on the forward assist.

isn't 5.45x39mm smaller than 5.56x45mm? how would the case get wedged so badly on a smaller round?

Quoted: Quoted: He had tried to shoot 5.45X39, and when the bolt didn't close, he started banging on the forward assist. isn't 5.45x39mm smaller than 5.56x45mm? how would the case get wedged so badly on a smaller round?

Wouldnt it fireform to the chamber?  Its unwise to mix mags with 5.56 and 6.8...

Quoted: Quoted: slowly drill out the primer, thread the case, and use a bolt to extract the case. On a Live Round!!!!! I have to admit I never attempted that before, but I think I would have told him to pound sand before I risked a KB.

I got my ass out of the shop when he told me what he was going to do.  He dremeled a hole out of the primer and sprayed oil in there.  He seemed confident that it wouldn't go off, I was not so trusting.  It worked, but I still wouldn't do it.

Quoted: Quoted: About a week after selling a Bushmaster to one of our more colorful locals, he returns to the store with a live round stuck in the rifle.  The bolt is about half closed and you can see the greenish color of a Wolf steel case.  So I chew his ass for using wolf and then proceed to try and free the stuck case.  No love, so I go back and have the gunsmith look at the rifle.  After about 30 minutes of trying to free the round, we figure out the problem.  He had tried to shoot 5.45X39, and when the bolt didn't close, he started banging on the forward assist. The only way we could get the case out, was to remove the barrel from the upper, slowly drill out the primer, thread the case, and use a bolt to extract the case.  I forgot what the gunsmith charged him, but it wasn't a cheap mistake. Now that sounds like a gunstore story DRILL THE PRIMER- YGBSM So wolf wasnt the problem- him using the wrong round round was- did you apologize?

Hey it's the internet, if you don't want to believe me it's cool.   You weren't here and it is a pretty outrageous story, so it is what it is.

Naaa it was Wolf 5.45x39 so I was still right!  That said, I have no problems using Wolf, I just had to bust his chops.  I liked to joke with him whenever he came in, so I was trying to lighten his mood.  Since I sold him Wolf .223 the day he bought the rifle.

Quoted: Quoted: He had tried to shoot 5.45X39, and when the bolt didn't close, he started banging on the forward assist. isn't 5.45x39mm smaller than 5.56x45mm? how would the case get wedged so badly on a smaller round?

5.45X39 has a larger diameter body than 5.56x45.  

5.45X39 has a larger diameter body than 5.56x45

The case is tapered also isn't it? Don't know if that makes a difference or not?...andy