I don't know how many of you live in Houston and have frequented the Katy Freeway store, but the counter help has a reputation of being a bit less than courteous and helpful. I call them "help" because they are far from professionals. I've gotten used to it over the years and still shop there. It's just too handy, being my work is close by.

I have been wanting another .45 automatic lately. Why, I don't know, I have two already. So I'm thinking about it this morning and decided what the heck, I'm going to take a real nice Colt Government Carbine (6520 LEO) I have but never shoot over to see if they'll do a straight up trade on a .45. Total impulse buy.

I get there towards the end of the day, well it was 5:55 to be exact.  I didn't know what time they closed (it turned out to be 6). When I walked in the sign on the door said "OPEN". I get no farther than the front cash register and a fella blocks me from walking any farther and asks me what he could do for me like he really didn't mean it (which I expected). I told him I was wanting to know what they might give me in trade value for a really nice LEO marked Colt 6520 Govt. Carbine. In a slightly ruder than normal for that store voice he told me they were closed and I had to come back Wednesday.

Funny thing was as I was walking back to my car I saw a couple walk in and they weren't asked to leave as far as I could tell. They weren't escorted out like I was.

I stop at Fuzzy's Pizza, and go back to my shop. I take the gun out of the car and set it on my sofa. I'm fooling around in the shop, and in and out of the office a bunch, and come to realize that the guy did me a favor, and I'm glad the deal fell through. I was about to trade in a gun that I can't replace without spending a fortune on for another .45.

Most of the time the guys behind the counter there only chagrin the customers, but other times they would piss off the owner if he knew how many sales are lost due to the acrid attitudes there.

I paid $825 for this rifle earlier this year, and would have traded this now probably $1500 rifle that they could sell in 30 minutes straight up for something like a Springfield XMD that sells for about $750.

I've never been glad until now those guys act like they do.

Thanks Carl for the Christmas present in disguise!

Those guys are pricks. I've been there a few times and always seem to detect an attitude from all of them.

I am new to Houston, thanks for the heads up, I'll steer clear of them.  Message me if you have any suggestions on good places to go around here...not too far from Memorial and 6

They are not customer service oriented at all.

Don't steer clear of them, just be prepared to deal with a bunch of primadonnas when you walk in.  

I have been going to the Spring store to shoot for years and Billy Carter works there. I mean works. When that guy is behind the counter he's hustling to help people, but it is HIS name on the sign though. At the Katy freeway store you have to put a chalk line around those guys to see if they even move.

The way they act at the Katy freeway store has been sort of a joke amongst me and my friends for years. We don't go there to make friends with those guys. We go there because they have cool toys.  

And they don't discriminate. A lot of people don't get help and think it is because they don't fit the profile of the customer they like that lives in Memorial.  I walked in there with a haircut, a smile, and an $8000 Rolex on.


I went over there with a friend earlier in the year that wanted and bought a new rifle. Another impulse deal. The salesman, who I've seen there for years, had a black eye. I wanted so bad to ask him if a customer had given him that.

As mentioned earlier, this isn't the case at the spring location; not even close. I have used their range once but won't go back.

If you go to the Pasadena one ask of Bob,he has always treated right.

Carter's country and their owner are not friends of the 2A despite selling guns, and have been working against gun owners for along time.  I won't spend a dime with them .

Here is an article from 1991 where bill carter was petitioning to shut down gun shows and ammo sales so he would have less competition, even if that we at the expense of gun owners ...

"I hate to see gun owners' freedoms restricted in any way," Carter said, "but these shows aren't doing anyone any good. The prices really aren't any better (than in stores), and there's no warranty or dealer service after the purchase. (Gun shows) are an embarrassment to the industry."

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1991_763461/bill-seeks-to-prohibit-gun-sales-at-flea-markets.html

I remember those statements when Carter (of Carter's Country) was trying so hard to kill gun shows in TX.

Have made it a point to avoid that place ever since.

Sort of sad, as I learned to shoot my first deer rifle (Ruger 77 in 270) at the old North Carters Range when I was 15.  

If you are clearly against us, don't then around and say are now "with" us...

It;s a lot worse than that actually. His dirtbag salesmen used to get angry when someone came in asking for a Glock.Always telling people that Glocks were so unsafe that no one would insure them. Then they'd point at their display counter and say: "Now take that S&W Sigma there....Now that's a gun!" The problem was that they were Smith dealers but not Glock.

They hate assault rifles because AR15s or AKs are not for shooting Bambi. In the 90s when I lived there they wouldn't have an AR in the shop...now I understand they have a small stock on hand...grudgingly, I'm sure!


Some people are just so stupid that they cannot believe that the 2nd Am doesn't contain the words "hunting" or "sporting" anywhere....the 2A is ABOUT assault rifles!

I won't ever shop at Carters .....

I'd never been but my buddy used to live close to there and he was getting into guns. I figured it couldn't hurt to at least go with him so he could window shop a bit.

Wrong. Fuck that place.

good to hear you're keeping the AR, especially now with talks about another AWB.

i've never had any problems with CC treashwig/humble gun range one. been to the 59 SW fwy one and to the Katy fwy one a few times, seemed ok.

on Christmas Eve?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/13/AR2010121305395.html

and they have the recording of the ATF telling Carters to sell to the guys. They are not nice, not helpful but the ATF tried to fuck them over during Fast and furious

They had AR's back in the late 80's and the early 90's when I lived in Birnam Wood.

But yea, their customer service leaves alot to be desired.  They are some grumpy ass people that work in those stores.

This. I can't stand those idiots.

...and since when has this been news? They cooperated with ATF and violated the law at ATF direction. Now they are surprised that ATF is disavowing them? If you are going to deal with snakes and break the law...I'd have it in writing signed and sealed before I broke the law on their say-so. The problem is we can't let ATF get away with crap like that, no matter how much it chaps my butt to help a scumbag like Carter