Having worked at a firearm retailer and shooting range for close to a decade, I have had the pleasure (and displeasure) of dealing with some really interesting customers and co-workers. There are some great people that work in the firearm industry that are well educated on product and customer service, but its the industry’s “knuckleheads” that garner the most attention and have given us a very poor stereotype. I began working  in the industry part time because I enjoyed the shooting sports. My previous work experience was from the restaurant industry as a server and owning and operating a small martial arts training center. As difficult as some customers are in the gun the industry, working as a server for many years made it rather easy. Gun customers can be very difficult, but not as difficult as a drunk or worse yet hungry “guest.” Anything bad that can be said to a person is generally said to a restaurant server on a daily basis. I also valued my prior experience running a martial arts school as I enjoyed teaching people things that they didn’t already know. Sometimes it can be very difficult, but seeing a novice customer leave with a little more knowledge is very fulfilling.

My new co-workers at the gun shop fell into two different categories: Young adults of college age with little work experience and middle aged adults who were lifetime hunters or valued other outdoor activities. Younger salespeople looked to the elders for advice on customer service and product knowledge. Generally more opinions than facts seemed to float around behind the counter, but there was some firearm education present. Compared to the other stores in the local area, the staff at this store was slightly more knowledgeable and slightly more friendly to the general public. This is why I enjoyed this particular store and had frequented it often before my employment.

Over the course of my first 3-4 years at this store, I moved from part time to full time and became a much more educated salesperson. Although, a couple of my co-workers did add to my education, most of the knowledge I acquired in that time was from researching on my own and live fire practice on the range. Although, there is a lot of information present on the internet about the different guns out there, reading just doesn’t match shooting those guns, taking them apart, cleaning them and so on. I had a passion for shooting and for sales. I often had to bite my lip when dealing with certain customers, but I tried to not let the know-it-all, berating, obnoxious customers get me dowm. Other sales staff were not as successful and I regretfully saw many of them come and go. Some just didn’t want to take the time to learn the plethora of information out there, others were disrespectful and prejudiced towards some, and many just couldn’t deal with the rude customers that came in on a daily basis.

After a few years of working at the store, I took over management. The store was not making the numbers it needed to at the time, and I was given the opportunity to turn it around. Although, I could spend a lot of time going in depth on how I made such a turn around, I will only focus on one facet: Customer Service. Although, there may quite a few firearm retailers in our local area, most lack quality customer service. They are for the most part rude and uneducated. It wasn’t hard to raise the bar so to speak, but it took quite some time for the public to acknowledge the change. It wasn’t as easy as saying, here are the rules. I constantly had to be pushing and pulling with employees for them to offer great customer service to everyone, not just those customers they liked. Over time, we did get there and we had many customers willing to pay our marginally higher prices just because we gave them exceptional customer service. We grew so fast after that point, that our customer service issues shifted from bettering our attitude to trying to keep up with so many customers in the store at one time.

But, how as a customer do we deal with the average gun store commando who is so uneducated and rude? Well, if you have options on where to shop then I would explore those other options. There are a lot of stores out there that spend a lot of time and money educating and training their employees to better serve you. Those stores are more deserving of your patronage and you will find yourself more happily fulfilled in shopping there. Sometimes those better stores have lower prices and some may be marginally more. I personally am willing to pay a little more for quality and friendly service. This is how wide spread changes are made in a capitalistic society.

Another option is purchasing your firearms, ammunition, and accessories online. Although, the firearm industry is a little backward online compared to say the electronics industry; it has come a long way. You can find great prices, free shipping, quick delivery, and even quality customer service through online entities. Questions can still be asked via email or through the companies social media networks and many online companies can be just as informative and friendly as the better local stores. If you don’t have an educated and friendly local firearm retailer, going on line is logical less stress choice than dealing with those grumpy gun shop geeks.

Sometimes, a good store will have one or two bad employees or more often maybe there is just a misunderstanding with an otherwise good employee. If this happens simply wait for another salesperson to help you. Although, you may not find a lot of head way by asking for a manager on duty, you may find better service this way. Be respectful in the way you do this though. Being the boss, I didn’t mind if a customer had a problem or complaint they wanted to bring to my attention. If you go over the top though, cursing and making a scene, I would ask you to leave even if the problem you had with our salesperson was legitimate. You may think that the manager or boss will cower to such techniques, but I for one would not. If you disrupted my store, I’d be more than happy to allow you to spend your money elsewhere.

If you don’t have a friendly store and don’t wish to purchase online, you may just have to suck it up and deal with some poor customer service and attitude. If this is the only choice you have, don’t go into the store with a combative attitude yourself. Being rude to a rude salesperson won’t get you anywhere closer to getting that gun you want. Be friendly, be polite, and be patient. Many of the more rude salespersons out there are rude because they have to deal with a lot of jerks on a daily basis. If you define yourself as one of those jerks, you just justified his poor attempt at customer service. It shouldn’t be this way, but it may be your reality. Make sure to greet the salesperson when entering the store. This will make them relax a little as people who say hello aren’t usually the ones trying to rob them (I know this sounds absurd, but it is how a lot in the industry think). Greeting the salesperson also alerts them to your presence. It subconsciously says that you are there to buy something and you are an alright guy or girl.

Next, be patient. Sometimes a store is just busy and the salesperson doesn’t mean to be rude. Be patient after greeting him and wait your turn. This doesn’t mean you should let other customers come in after you and barge their way in. If that happens, stand your ground and make sure the new customer and the salesperson know that you have been waiting patiently and now are ready for you turn. After you are being helped, let the salesperson know what you are looking for. More information is better. Are you looking for a concealable firearm, something for home defense, something for target or competition shooting, something that looks pretty,  something for all the above? A good salesperson will engage you and ask these questions. A poor salesperson will not, so you need to step up and let them know. Just because they are poor at proper sales, they may still have the knowledge you need to make a proper choice.

After giving the information they need to assess what you will need, feel free to ask questions about the options they present to you. Be respectful of the firearm handed to you, don’t try to take it apart, and don’t point it at the salesperson or anyone else around you. Working at a gun store and range, we get a lot of loaded firearms pointed at us. WE DON’T LIKE THAT. Even with a new in box unloaded firearm, it can stir those past memories if you are pointing that gun at our heads. Although, you should ask the questions you have about the firearm, don’t spend 4 hours doing so. There are probably a lot of other customers in the store that need assistance. Be courteous of those other customers and the salesperson helping you. As much as we like to help customers and talk about guns, even good customer services representatives have other guests to help and other work to get done. If you can’t make a decision right away, let the salesperson help someone else why you think it over.

One of the hardest things to do is deal with a condescending attitude from the person helping us. If you are new the firearms industry or just don’t feel the need to know EVERYTHING about every gun ever made, you will most likely slip up and use the wrong terminology, hold the gun incorrectly, or just ask a “stupid” question. A good salesperson won’t attack you and most likely correct you in a very polite way. The lesser in our industry will blurt out caustic remarks to belittle you and boost their self-esteem. This is extremely irritating for a customer. I’ve had employees that did that and they only did it once. But, if you have no choice but to deal with that jerk, then you are better off just keeping your cool, possibly taking note of their poorly made correction, and finally paying and getting out of there as soon as possible. I know it’s tough, but sometimes as customers we have to bite our lip, just like how I had to bite my lip as salesperson on the opposite receiving end.

Finally, you have made it through a few of the hurdles of dealing with poor customer service, paid and ready to go. Although, I personally do not wish to give my money to stores with horribly rude customer service, you have done so and made it out the door. The biggest issue you can have at this point is if your firearm is defective in some way and have to return to the store. Finding a store with great customer service even if a little more expensive pays for itself at this point. They won’t trouble you with a return or will help you get the gun fixed as soon as possible. It’s hard to overstate how much finding a good store will make your buying experience so much better. If you made it out the door with your gun though, you most likely gained a little more knowledge than you had prior to that experience. Although, you may not know a lot more about guns, you do know more about the buying process. This will help you be a little more prepared or a little more picky in choosing the next store you will give your money.

This is one of the coolest AR pictures in my opinion.

I see a lot of bloggers drawing a parallel between the AR-15 (or occasionally other assault rifles) and the Japanese Samurai’s Katana. Since the AR-15 is uniquely American and it’s popularity unmatched in the free world it is easy to draw a line between it and the symbol of the Japanese Samurai: the Katana. It makes a beautiful narrative as the modern warrior has made the rifle not only a part of his work life, be it law enforcement or military, but also of his entire identity. LEO and Military both active and retired are not the only to do this, and many civilians have made such a dedication and are just as fine a shooter and or warrior as those with a profession requiring it. So is the modern assault rifle or more specifically, the AR-15, the modern equivalent of the Katana.

The Katana, which is a curved single edged (usually) sword, was developed in Japan over the course of well over a thousand years. Early Japanese swords were most likely iron swords imported from China or Korea. The first swords used by the ancient Japanese warriors lacked the curved edge we know today and were used by foot soldiers. The evolution of the curved blade began with the introduction of the Tachi which had a much deeper curve than the Katana. It was developed as the Japanese began to employ more mounted troops and the deep curve made it an effective weapon while on horseback. As the centuries passed, the wars in Japan became more populated by foot soldiers and the Tachi evolved into a much less curved weapon. It was finally evolving into what we recognize as the Katana. There were many different designs of Katana (just as there are many rifle designs today) that were more or less popular throughout it’s history but by about the 16th century it had nearly reached the peek of it’s evolution.

When we think of a Japanese Samurai we immediately think of the Katana as the weapon of choice. It is known that the identity and status of a Samurai was partly tied to the style and quality of the sword he carried (think of your average gun fanboy and hater today). Today when thinking of our modern warriors, SWAT members, Special Forces operators, and so on; we usually picture that warrior with an M4 or other AR-15 variant. But, I don’t think we should easily draw a parallel between the two weapons. A lot of other history has been left out of the story as to what Samurai’s armed themselves with as they went to war. Katana, Wakazashi’s (basically a short sword without going into too much detail), and tanto’s (long knives) were carried by the Samurai usually on a daily basis and also into combat, but they weren’t the most common weapons seeing use on the battlefield. Bows (Yumi), spears (Yari), and poll weapons were the common fair. The Katana and other swords were delegated for use in closer quarters battle if the need would arise or if their main weapon was broken or lost. A projectile weapon was generally preferred over a handheld blade by any culture in history that has had the choice. Eventually the bow gave way to the matchlock rifle in the 16th century and the Samurai’s used them in warfare and trained with them as they would any other weapon. The Katana was used when it was needed, but a rifleman or archer would generally be more effective on a battlefield just as it is today.

So, why is it that the Katana and even the medieval sword so iconic of the warriors that used them? Why do we not think often of a spear, bow, or polearm when thinking of the warriors of our past? There are a few reasons, but the one I will concentrate on is…..Peace time. Japan was almost constantly at war for more than a thousand years, but that changed at the beginning of the 17th century in what is known as the Edo period. During this period in Japanese history there was relative wide spread peace throughout Japan. Samurai’s still trained daily, dueled with their opposition, but were not heading to the battlefield as they were the prior 1000 years. Bows were not carried on their shoulder, neither were spears, but their swords still hung in their belts. They were not the great implement of war that the rifle was, but they were an effective personal defense weapon for an age of peace.

Although we have been at war for a decade, we are not at “war” here at home. We live in relative peace and so a parallel between the Edo period in Japan and our modern period in the US exists. Most of us spend more time fussing about how pretty our firearm is and what cool accessories we can add to it so we can show it off to our friends. We, just like the Samurai of the Edo period, have the luxury of such pursuits. Although, some may argue strongly against me, the rifle or specifically the AR is NOT the Modern Day Katana. What do I think is? The Pistol. The pistol is an inferior weapon when compared to the rifle in equally skilled hands just as the Katana was inferior to polearms and projectile weapons. But both of our societies look down on walking the streets while carrying the better weapons of war. Our modern day samurai’s do not go about their daily lives with a rifle slung across their back, but they can and do with a pistol tucked into their belt. The samurai’s were focused and efficient warriors. As the great wars ended and the sword and knife were the weapons of a more peaceful time, their training focused on those weapons. The arms of the battlefield were not forgotten and their training endured, but they were not the greatest focus. Today we should focus ourselves on the same.

Too often do I hear of CCW holders that will spend thousands on carbine classes, but don’t train with the “katana” on their permit. Preparing for war or just enjoying the shooting past time are fine endeavors and I suggest it to most, but we need to prepare ourselves for what will most commonly occur in our lifetime. Crime is prevalent in our society and it’s almost inevitable that it will touch us once or twice in our lifetime. Training and practicing with the weapon we can and will carry daily is very important because of this. We can all hope that we never have the need, but living prepared will more than likely keep you living. I know that putting $4000 dollars into our AR’s in preparation of the Zombie Apocalypse is fun, but how about dedicating some of that money to training with your $500 carry pistol. The katana may not have been the best weapon of war that a samurai had, but did that make them train with it any less? So, let’s pull out those modern katana’s concealed in our belt and get some real training and practice in.

Larry Vickers has partnered with EA Games to show off some of the firearms and gear that will be seen in EA’s upcoming game, Medal of Honor: Warfighter. In his latest video, Vickers shows off the H&K MG36 automatic rifle and covers the operation and history of the German made military gun. Although, the G36c variant will be the model scene in the game; the MG36 is similar enough to learn about it’s operation.The video is very well produced in typical Vickers style. Check it out “Holmes”.

A majority of Americans love guns, and a majority of them really love THEIR GUN. Owning a firearm is often a lot like our human relationships. Some relationships are solely based on looks, some based on their consistency and reliability, and some settle on anything they can get. Now that doesn’t mean we can’t fall in love with a beautiful and elegant firearm which later turns out to be the most reliable and trustworthy firearm we have ever had. On the other hand, we can have relationships with firearms that we thought weren’t based on physical appearance, but instead based on a mutually beneficial partnership and yet still things just go horribly wrong. Some amongst us will advise those new to the experience to only seek out 1911′s because that was what dad and grand dad had and look how long they have been together. Others will say that you don’t want one so old fashioned and need a more modern relationship. Even some will say that we shouldn’t just have one firearm in our lives as variety is the spice of life, right?  So, what do we do? How do we choose? Most of us can’t afford to have them all! Firearms today come in a multitude of calibers, sizes, barrel lengths, weights, and options, so how do we pick the right one for us?

Well, as most things in our lives to give someone advice on how to pick anything usually starts with how we started our own journey:

From the time I was a young child, I loved guns. My father wasn’t a hunter and we didn’t go shooting often, but we did have firearms in the house and I was taught about safety at a young age. I  had adventures visiting my family’s ranch in Oregon where we did some target shooting in the mountains behind the pastures. My love affair had a laser like focus on anything 1911. I don’t remember why the 1911 captured my attention the way it did, but there was no doubt that my heart was set on having one. While a lot of other children where building castles with their legos, I built guns. While other children were drawing pictures of their family, I was drawing 1911′s. I am very thankful that I grew up before the current level of political correctness or I probably would have been kicked out of school for drawing a gun and spent my childhood with therapists. I wasn’t crazy though, I just enjoyed shooting, reading about shooting, watching shooting, and everything related to shooting.

Fast forward through the years and I became focused on the more standard affairs of being young, but eventually I came of age and could purchase my first firearm. The first firearm I ever purchased was a Winchester model 94. I know it wasn’t a 1911, but it was $200 so I really couldn’t pass it up. A couple months later, I was able to convince my dad that “he” needed a 1911. Since I was only 18, my dad purchased the firearm and I was in heaven. The Springfield 1911 Mil-spec model was used and in pretty bad shape in it’s appearance, but it shot well and shot reliably. I didn’t care about the way it looked! It was my first pistol and it never quit on me. As with a lot of early relationships though, I became eventually became bored and looked to something new and exciting. Through the years working at a shooting range, I saw many firearm relationships come and go. There were 1911′s, Glocks, Smith and Wessons, Beretta’s, CZ’s, Rugers, Colt’s, custom pistols and rifles, production models, and the list could go on and on. I had periods of horrible luck in my firearm relationships where it seemed like I always picked the wrong one. I’ve seen $500 1911′s fail, $3000 1911′s fail, Glock’s fail, Revolvers fails, rifles fail, just about anything that could possibly break did, and everything that could fail did as well. These bad relationships made me stop and think about what is really important in my relationships with guns.

We all learn as we go, and I did as well. Looks and trophy models seem to matter a little less over time and a deeper love was found in a harder working, always faithful partner. So, who is this partner that I now fondle and fuss over? I’m sure some of you are thinking that I made my way from a young child in love with John Browning’s beautiful creation and finally, through many tough lessons, found my way to a reliable subtle beauty like a Glock or other polymer pistol? Well, that actually isn’t the case here. My life partner pistol is still a 1911 that I have had for many years now. It hasn’t skipped a beat through the many thousands of rounds I’ve put through it. It has had some cosmetic work done over the years to keep it looking new and youthful like when we first met. My Springfield Custom 1911 has been carried and shot for years. It is a quality piece of workmanship from the benches of Dave Williams at Springfield Custom. It is one of the few guns that I will never part with and will always have it at my side. It may not be the most concealable, or lightest, or rust resistant, but it goes bang every time it is needed. If one could marry a pistol, I’d buy her a diamond front sight and get down on one knee at the range.

So, what is the right pistol for you? It may be a Glock, 1911, M&P, Beretta, Kahr, Ruger, or one of the many other firearms on the market. There isn’t a need to confine yourself to one narrow group or make or model. In the end, good looks won’t make a gun reliable, nor will blocky guns necessarily be reliable because they lack good looks. Spend some time at your local shooting range that rents firearms. Take a few models or all of the models out on a Range date and get to know each one as well as you can. And don’t forget, as much as we may love a gun and want to keep it at our side forever, if it doesn’t work reliably then it may be time the two of you sat down and talked. A gunsmith counselor may be able to repair the broken relationship a untrustworthy gun can create, but if he can’t then it’s time you part ways for your own good. It will be difficult, there will be fits of anger and depression, but know that you will find love again with a new firearm and hopefully it will be the trustworthy one to last a life time.

Just a few days ago a friend asked about a magnetic device that sticks on top of the Bullet Button and allows the user to press the magnet to easily drop the magazine. I have reservations about such a device since it is a very grey area between where does the bullet button magazine release end and the magnetic “tool” begin. I also pondered how long it would be before gun control advocates cry foul and make a push to change California firearms laws even more to prohibit even the bullet button itself. Almost as soon as I finished pondering these things, a San Francisco affiliate of CBS News did the report shown above. Regardless of whether innovative individuals create obscure grey area devices such as the magnet shown in the video, the gun control political machine will charge on.

As a gentleman mentioned at the end of the report, why is the bullet button seen as circumventing or going around the California law and not as a tool to bring a firearm into compliance with it?

This is a well produced video of the history of the carbine rifle used in the US Military. It shows off some of BCM’s products such as their new Mid-length gas system model and a mysterious BCM Comp which can be seen in the video. Travis Haley makes a welcomed appearance to make it even more exceptional. Bravo to BCM for some fine marketing material.