View Full Version : Does your gun shop steal handgun mags?
The_Biased_Observer
12-03-09, 17:58
About a year, year and a half ago I bought a NIB Sig P229SCT from my local shop. Was supposed to come with four mags, at the end of the sale I discovered there were only three in the box. Made a stink at the shop, they "ordered" one from Sig. Called Sig CS and wound up getting one sent after the gunshop failed to call me in a timely manner with the new Sig mag......
Fast forward to today. Same shop, bought a LE model M&P 45 from the display case. Employee (good guy) went back to look for a NIB model and brought out a couple, the stickers SW uses on the side of the box doesn't have a lot of info and he was looking for a new gun as opposed to selling the display model. Turns out those are all the thumbsafety models and not what I need, so they go back. Got to see that those two only had two mags in the box. Got my box out and sure enough only two mags in the box.
Double checked with SW LE Rep, says there should be three in every LE model and checked my gun, it was sent out of the factory as an LE model.
I have another gun on order through the same shop that's due soon. Third time should be enough to confirm someone at the shop is skimming.......
Common issue?
spankaveli
12-03-09, 18:00
I'd definitely say that is (should be)? far from common...
I know for a little bit Sig was only sending out firearms with one mag, then recently they started sending two mags again. Probably doesn't apply to your gun but I figure I would pass it on. The Shop I loiter at only takes mags if they are over 30rds due to the fact that MD's laws state no sale/transfer/trade/etc of mags over 20rds inside the state. Usually if the mag is over 20 rds they'll either modify it to only accept 20 or replace it with a 20rd mag. The shop the OP is talking about sounds a little sketchy.
The_Biased_Observer
12-03-09, 18:51
I know for a little bit Sig was only sending out firearms with one mag, then recently they started sending two mags again. Probably doesn't apply to your gun but I figure I would pass it on. The Shop I loiter at only takes mags if they are over 30rds due to the fact that MD's laws state no sale/transfer/trade/etc of mags over 20rds inside the state. Usually if the mag is over 20 rds they'll either modify it to only accept 20 or replace it with a 20rd mag. The shop the OP is talking about sounds a little sketchy.
I think the Sig shortage was for their version of the 1911 and they were shipping shitty off brand mags when they ran out of whatever they usually use. I never heard they were short on their P series mags (made by MecGar).
gtmtnbiker98
12-03-09, 21:28
For about a four month period this year, Sig only shipped one magazine for all their models with the exception of the X-Series and the SCT models that ship with four magazines.
I know for a little bit Sig was only sending out firearms with one mag, then recently they started sending two mags again. Probably doesn't apply to your gun but I figure I would pass it on. The Shop I loiter at only takes mags if they are over 30rds due to the fact that MD's laws state no sale/transfer/trade/etc of mags over 20rds inside the state. Usually if the mag is over 20 rds they'll either modify it to only accept 20 or replace it with a 20rd mag. The shop the OP is talking about sounds a little sketchy.
You're lucky here in Hawaii we have a 10 rnd. limit for our hand guns! What were they thinking?:confused:
Yeah the law doesn't make ownership of mags over 20 rds illegal though, you just gotta buy out of state. I heard Hawaii has some very strict laws when it comes to firearms. At least you guys have nice scenery. :)
I got screwed at a gun show on a police special Beretta 92FS w/ night sights last month. 2 Mags. When I got home, I noticed the sticker on the side of the box mentioned 3 mags
...but I know a local shop that does that. It's a great way to get a bad reputation, IMO.
During the 94-04 Federal Ban, lots of stores did this. It is unethical and immoral and I would never visit a store that did that again.
nope... my G19 came with both mags...
i've never heard of the local shop doing that...
SWATcop556
12-04-09, 00:39
My stores don't do it because I don't buy guns from thieving pieces of shit.
I've heard about it but if I ever ran across it I would not buy and do business elsewhere.
If they are willing to steal a ****ing mag that they can pick up cheaper than I can replace it then I don't trust them with all the info on the ATF forms plus my CC/Debit info and they don't deserve my money and business.
ThirdWatcher
12-04-09, 00:52
Well said.:)
I always ask how many mags the gun comes with before I say I'll take it.
VERY common during the ban, and shops that did it then probably do it now too.
The shop I worked at did it, but we were up front about it. The tag next to the gun in the case said "1 magazine" or "3 magazines" or whatever it came with. Read the tag, agree to a price, move on.
the bosses most commonly did this with the "factory reconditioned" Glocks that shipped with two high-cap magazines at first (later they only had one when we got them in, and still later they started coming with two 10s). In fact that's the only gun I can remember them doing it with.
I know of at least one shop in my area that steals a magazine from LE Glock sales . They also charge above the standard Glock LE price.
It's just one more reason why I will never buy anything from them again.
They tried!!
I was in a shop, a few years ago, that I have bought from many times and picked up a gun for my wife. I had already done my research to know that the gun came with two mags but the case only had the one, that was already in the gun. I questioned the clerk, who was the owners son, who was now in charge of gun sales. His response was...."What you see is what you get!!" fully knowing that I was a good, repeat customer that, by word of mouth, did my best to promote the place. I promptly asked if his Dad was there and before he cousd answer, I walked off and directly into his Dads office. Shortly thereafter his Dad & I headed back to the guncase and not only did I get the other mag but Dad threw in another and a box of ammo. As I was leaving he was calling his son into the office for a........talk!!! Three days later I got a letter in the mail of apology from the Son.
tex45acp
I always ask how many mags the gun comes with before I say I'll take it.
This.
I guess I wouldn't consider it an unpardonable sin if they were reducing the price of the gun to be more competitive across the board (not everyone wants more than 2 mags, even though most of us on here would consider 3-5 the absolute minimum).
Now if they're not stating up front the # of mags in the package or they're leaving the gun at the same price it would be with all the mags, that would set me off and I wouldn't do business with them.
spankaveli
12-04-09, 09:19
If I were buying a brand new gun I would expect the correct amount of magazines to come with it.
However, if I were buying a used gun from a shop, pawn shop, gun show, etc, I would hope but not expect to get all the magazines. You might call it naivety but I fully accept the fact that if someone acquired a used gun they themselves mightn't have acquired all of the magazines.
When doing buisness one has to be prepared to walkout. I have never done this when buying a gun, but I almost walked out of a car dealership over cetain fees they wanted to tack on. I said "no thanks" and went to stand up, my legs were not even straight before he changed his mind. There is a shop around here that I go to look at, but not buy from. Their idea of buisness is; "you will buy it our way".
Seen it several times. Taking extra mags, removing or swapping parts or accessories, etc. Let them know what you know, and vote with your wallet.
If the store is a dealer that is contracted to the manufacturer in some way, addressing the concern to that manufacturer, sales head, or their area rep is sometimes helpful. Do the same if there's pricing that's different, as sometimes the manufacturer will set price points or ranges for certain types of dealers.
Protect yourself by knowing what the gun and accessories are worth at retail, wholesale, and in your area.
i know of one gun shop in Northern Virginia that definitely DOES NOT do that
:D
I've heard of shops stealing a spare mag from their pistols in some of the places I've lived but so far I have been fortunate in not getting stuck doing business with them. Stealing gear or mags from a package deal is obnoxious.
That said, if I got burned once I wouldn't go back to the place like the OP apparently has done. Sure, the manufacturer may bail you out of a bad situation with a bad dealer but why reward a bad dealer with one's continued business?
"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."
"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."
I read the first post and thought the same thing. I guess fool me three times would be lube me up?
The_Biased_Observer
12-05-09, 15:43
One horse town, there's no other shop where I can special order direct from Smith, at least that I know of. I do have a buddy with an FFL and simply should have ordered from Bud's, but the impulse buy got me.
A stink will be made if the special order is short a mag.
rocket 442
12-05-09, 16:37
During the 94-04 Federal Ban, lots of stores did this. It is unethical and immoral and I would never visit a store that did that again.
local store did the same thing. hi-caps were swapped out for 10 rounders or 100.00 was added to the price. as the store was going out of business they were crying"WHY US"
RogerinTPA
12-05-09, 17:44
That was very prevalent during the AWB. Most shops "stole" the 2nd or 3rd mag from the box and only sold one with a hand gun. Meanwhile, they had a display case where they had a ton of spare mags for sale, at outlandishly marked up prices.
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