My last post "Information Overload" you all gave a lot of great advice. Last weekend my wife and daughter took a Daughters of Texas shooting class. She is now hooked and shot very well. Let's just say while not "center mass" she tore up the throat and clavicle area. She took notes on each of the 8 guns she fired and that made our decision easy. We decided on the S&W M&P 22LR or the Ruger SR 22 as a jumping off point. so we could afford lots of practice. In a few months when she and I are consistent we will move up to a higher caliber.
After looking online at both online retailers and local stores I decided that I needed to go into a few stores to start a relationship and see what was available. At each stop I explained that I was new to guns and what I was looking for and why. The first store the salesperson listened to me said "we don't have either of those" and then just stood there and looked at me. Didn't try to sell me anything or offer another option. Just stood there looking at me. The second store I couldn't get in. I had to knock on the door to get on a list and no one answered the door. Maybe I didn't knock hard enough but didn't want to be rude. I knocked quite a few times. The third store I went to I was essentially ignored.
Once I got home I looked inward to see if I was giving off some vibe or something. I wasn't dressed like the rest of the customers in the store. I had on athletic shorts and a T-shirt. I am a heavier individual maybe it was that. I am generally a pleasant person so I don't think I was giving off an angry vibe. I identified that I am new to guns so they should not have expected a lot of knowledge.
Every thing I have read about purchasing a firearm says to support your local gun shops. At this point I'm not really sure I want to, it would appear to me that they don't want my business. I figured if the shop didn't have what I was looking for they would offer to order it. I don't even know if that is a possibility and I should have asked. Any recommendations / advice about online retailers? or other options I may not be considering.
After looking online at both online retailers and local stores I decided that I needed to go into a few stores to start a relationship and see what was available. At each stop I explained that I was new to guns and what I was looking for and why. The first store the salesperson listened to me said "we don't have either of those" and then just stood there and looked at me. Didn't try to sell me anything or offer another option. Just stood there looking at me. The second store I couldn't get in. I had to knock on the door to get on a list and no one answered the door. Maybe I didn't knock hard enough but didn't want to be rude. I knocked quite a few times. The third store I went to I was essentially ignored.
Once I got home I looked inward to see if I was giving off some vibe or something. I wasn't dressed like the rest of the customers in the store. I had on athletic shorts and a T-shirt. I am a heavier individual maybe it was that. I am generally a pleasant person so I don't think I was giving off an angry vibe. I identified that I am new to guns so they should not have expected a lot of knowledge.
Every thing I have read about purchasing a firearm says to support your local gun shops. At this point I'm not really sure I want to, it would appear to me that they don't want my business. I figured if the shop didn't have what I was looking for they would offer to order it. I don't even know if that is a possibility and I should have asked. Any recommendations / advice about online retailers? or other options I may not be considering.