I’m with you on that one, @Don9. I probably would have called the police (non-emergency as the sales people seemed to have him under control) and taken pictures of him with my phone.
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The situation was handled.
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I would be 
and wink at you and tell you i got your 6 :)…lol!
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The guy sounds wired & weird…
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Hi everyone my names Bill and this is my first post.It hit me in a special way because I used to hang
around a gun shop in Glenwood Il.Back in 1998 that gunshop was robbed at closing time and the
owners a father and son and one customer were all that was in the store when four punks came in
and held the place up,and before the owners could draw their weapons they were overwhelmed
and executed.Luckily the patron who was shot in the chest and neck feigned dead and after the
heist called 911 and the police responded.Days later the thugs were caught and the guns found.
I guess I just want to warn everyone how fast things can go down.The father Bud&his son Ray were
just the nicest guys you would want to meet,gunned down by street filth that I hope are still doing time.
The neighborhood and all who frequented that store lost a great set of friends that night.If anyone wants to read about it just put in your search windows Glenwood gunshop robbery(sorry I aint good at that highlighting tech stuff)and the Chicago Tribune article will show what went down…always know your
surroundings,things go down real fast.Anyway nice to meet ya’ll! ps.I still have the news clippings from this
incident
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I’m so sorry to hear about your friends. You’re very right, things can change very quickly and there may not be time to draw to defend yourself.
What a waste. 
Glad to have you here, @Wilbur_H.
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Me personally I would have offered him what ever came close to what he was asking for and four 30 round “clips”, let him fill out a 4473 and then “Called” it in. He would of course be “denied” because I wasn’t calling in anything, I was denying the sale. Now I know who he is, where he lives and I have his drivers license number and zerox there of. At the same time make a call to the local PD with all the above info. Then inform him that his application was “delayed” or “denied” and that unfortunately we could not sell him a firearm tonight and no other gun shop would either. The local PD could do with him what they will.
Cheers,
Craig6
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That was my first though. “This has got to be a test”
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No, but they can run for political office with impunity…
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I was about 12 when I purchased my first 22 rifle, and I am now 72. We always called the “thing” that held the bullets a clip. A magazine was something you found on a navy ship, the area where the ammunition was stored, the one when hit would sink the ship. Someplace along the line terminology changed. Usage of the word “clip” or “magazine” may be a generational thing. It would be interesting to find out how many of the older members remember using the word “clip” instead of “magazine”.
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LOL…boy would I EVER love to be a fly on the wall for when THOSE encounters you speak of happen…hahahaha…
Touche…good one dude…good one…
That’s the very thing that concerns me now at this stage of my life Wibur. I’m 69 and lately my speed has taken a tremendous hit and I just know, even with all of the life-long tactical training I have had, none of it any longer applies because I just don’t have the youth and speed I once had. Not even close to what I had. In fact, it could be said that it has all pretty much dropped down to non-existent which makes me keep thinking why in the hell do I even bother to carry. I carry AIWB, right back wallet pocket and ankle carry and it’s all moot 'cause I’ll never be able to react as fast as would be required in a situation like your friends. Sorry for your losses sir. I’ve been past that place many times myself while an Illinois resident. I know it well.
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What a write Jeff and quite a read for me. Every word had my attention captive-bound sir.
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To those that don’t like the word"clips". A little history lesson for ya. Back in my tour of Vietnam and a 2nd tour in Laos, we called them clips. Was a Marine and used primarily a M40 sniper rifle when not in close fire combat. Had 61 confirmed kills with the M40. Anyway, No one called them magazines or mags. If someone yelled magazine, someone would toss a Playboy magazine!. Don’t know why, just the was it was back then. I catch myself today calling them clips at times. Some of the millennials at the range look at me like I had two heads and actually tell me that I need to learn about guns! Maybe when the last of us are gone, the word “clip” will be gone too.
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Well said John308
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@Erik380 I remember and still catch myself calling it a clip. I miss the days when the age of getting your first rifle was around 12. Good Times.
Johnie 74 years old
My Dad called them clips, too. He was a Marine sniper on Guadalcanal. Always told us he killed 3 Japs that he knew of: One he ran to death chasing him, and the other two died laughing at him.
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My dad calls them clips, my best friend calls them clips and many others do as well. I’m not one to go out of my way to correct the terminology but I do find it to be kinda an inside joke type thing, hence why I find the “this is a clip” shirt funny. I did point it out in my original account of what happened to highlight the fact this person was asking for something he couldn’t properly identify, which related to why it was such a unique situation that caused concern.
I’m pretty blown away by the amount of replies and great conversation this thread has brought about, particularly because I posted what happened because it reminded me of a vital lesson. That lesson is situational awareness is such a huge factor in the world we live in. I know I have personally been guilty of “letting my guard down” so to speak, when I’m in certain environments and this just reminded me how important it is to stay aware and vigilant at all times. I’m very appreciative to have experienced some great instruction from some very good instructors over the years, including great material from this forum/USCCA where situational awareness is preached heavily and rightfully so. We always here we fall back to our lowest level of training and I believe that. I believe my training taught me to be observant and aware when I realized something was off. It also allowed me not to panic, and the people working the store who handled it so well. I’m just thankful all ended well and my heart breaks for the story mentioned earlier in the thread of the gun store robbery.
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Well handled by the youngster at the counter. Thanks to the brothers that hung around just in case. Stay alert and stay vigilant.
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Most likely bluff and someone out to get a reaction. You never know however and it sounds like you and the staff had the situation covered should things had taken a turn for the worse. I myself am not at ease in a gun store, pawn shop or gun show where the general public can readily handle firearms. Just too easy for someone to pocket rounds into such places or just unbox ammo readily available in most of those cases and make ready a gun they “want to look at”.