You can't shoot that in a 1911

[Artful]

On the .380Auto topic: I encountered a truck driver with some type of Soviet era Makarov pistol and noticed that he had .380 cartridges in the magazine. Now a lot of Makarov's are rebarreled in .380 but this one clearly had the original 9x18 barrel. I politely attempted to tell him that it wasn't chambered in .380 but he would have nothing to do with my warning. He said it cycled fine and therefore it was "A 380" .

Used to see this all the time with imported 9mm largo Pistols.
Especially the Blow back's like Astra 400.
People would show up with anything that would fit in the chamber
- and darned things would usually function.

[oldred]

When I first saw this thread I thought hey I got one to tell also but after reading the other replies mine won't seem like much!

A couple of years ago I was in WalMart (wow, how many of these stories start out with that line, but honest it's usually true) and a 50ish guy there holding a bunch of camping gear was inquiring about some "30 by 30" rounds, -30 by 30?????? He was telling the guy back of the counter about his big up-coming deer hunt, as if the poor fella was interested, and somewhere in the conversation he mentioned that he had been hunting there for years, hunting for years but yet asking for 30 by 30 ammo???

[Beerd]

At least the WM gun guy in post #1 understands (sort of) that the numbers and letters on the "bullet" has to be the same as the numbers and letters stamped on the gun.
I wish him luck and hope he doesn't hurt himself or someone else.
..

[Cowpoke]

Makes one wonder how the gangbangers come up with the right ammo for the stolen guns they use. Suprised we don't here more about them blowing themselves up..............

Another while at Wal-Mart story..... I was looking over the guns there a while back and a wanna be "banger" walks up and ask the lady behind the counter "Gots enny nines?" I'll be durn without even blinking an eye, if she didn't turn around and hand him a box of 9mm Luger.

[gwpercle]

I was looking at a Weatherby scope once and the "sales person" said they would only fit on Weatherby rifles. Unless I had a Weatherby rifle there was no use in me buying it. WOW!
My friend said he had a Weaver scope and wanted to buy a Weaver rifle to go with it, "sales person" actually looked around for a Weaver rifle! They didn't stock them....We left in utter amazement !
Gary

[jcwit]

At least most of these folks are working, and not having their hand out for a welfare check.

[oldred]

At least most of these folks are working, and not having their hand out for a welfare check.

True but it sure sounds as if they would qualify for a check!

[DuckHunterJon]

I've got a recent one. Was at Gander Mountain on Friday to pick up some things for ice fishing. Took a stroll back to the guns, and had to stand in line to take a look at an older used S&W model 36. The guy in front of me was looking at every different AR in the rack, and asks if there's anything else he can mount on the rails, besides the scope, laser, and flashlight that's already on it. When asked to clarify, he says "can I mount knives, or other guns to it". The guy behind the counter says no, not really and I'm thinking fwew, glad he's talking to someone that will keep him straight. Then (I swear, I couldn't make this up if I tried) the clerk proceeds to tell him he really needs this gun, and hands him an AR carbine in 9mm. The clerk goes on to say that its a much more powerful bullet because its a bigger round! The two of them sat there, looking down the barrels comparing the hole in the end.

I almost said something, but I just quietly went to the next clerk, bought the 36, and left. Unreal...

[Springfield]

It's not just ignorant gun people, they are in all walks of life. Many years ago when I worked as a motorcycle Mechanic, a guy came in with a wheel and tire and wanted the flat fixed. So I fixed it for him while he watched, and when I went to put the air in he said hey, don't do that. I asked why, He said " I rolled that over here from 6 blocks away , and it is kinda heavy, and if you put in another 38 lbs of air I don't think I will be able to roll it home". And he was dead serious. So I told him I had to put in at least a little bit to re-seat the tire, and then filled it all the way up. He took the wheel from me, rolled it a bit and said, yeah, this seems ok, good thing you didn't fill it all the way up, though.

[Artful]

The two of them sat there, looking down the barrels comparing the hole in the end.

Can't wait for comparison between 300 win mag and 30-30 with that clerk.

[Kent Fowler]

Where does one find this ammo marked 1911?

If you had paid attention in math class, instead of having dirty thoughts about the cheer leader who sat in front of you, you would have known you could find it between the 1910 ammo and the 1912 ammo. Education is a wonderful thing.

[gkainz]

And if you think .22LR is hard to find, try finding some 10/22 ammo for your Ruger!

Wait! What? I thought 10/22 was the ammo combo I needed for my 10 gauge/.22 over-under?

[rosewood]

Got a couple of ones myself. Was in Dick's sporting goods. Had a sale on Savage 110 rifles with scope for like $300 and it only came in .30-06 and .270. Guy wanted a .308, I said why don't you get the .30-06 and he said the .308 had more shock power. I told him they used the same bullet but he didn't get it. I just let it go.

Was in Academy (or WM) can't remember for sure. Guy was looking at a 870 with his girlfriend and asked the clerk if they had the 870 in an automatic. The clerk said no. Just shook my head.

[shdwlkr]

Funny about the 1911 not being able to fire lead bullets, I must have one of the mistakes actually several 1911's that shoot lead, and horrors of horrors hollow point bullets.
You need to sometimes enjoy the counter folks as some of them don't even know the difference between center fire and rim fire forget calibers. I once got told that my 22 WMR ammo would not work in any rim fire rifle because it was too big. Even got told once that I didn't need stingers in my 22 as they would blow up if fired in a standard 22 lr firearm.

Walmart, Sportsmans, Cabellas they all hire low paid help that might know the difference between a rifle and shotgun or maybe a revolver and semi automatic pistol but don't confuse them with calibers.

[archmaker]

I just shake my head when I read this. Not because they are idiots, but because in this day and age, when 'SMART' phones are everywhere (I intentionally emphasized smart), there is should be no excuse to take a few minutes and learn something. I might excuse the guy who is looking for 1911 ammo, if he does not have a cell phone with no web browser, and he does not have access to internet, (I would say the library is an option, but that is not always the case anymore), then he is just 'lazy dumb' and why is he even breathing!

I don't know what to call that, stupid or idiot, would be an insult to the people that ARE stupid and idiots.

[35isit]

Not all employees behind the counter are stupid. My wife worked at a K-mart in our hometown in the office. Whenever there was a question about guns and their ammo they used to go get her. If she couldn't tell she would call me. They used to get a lot of mens wives buying for them to go deer hunting.

[DLCTEX]

My pastor loaned his nephew a rifle to hunt deer with that he had gotten from his father. The nephew came to me because he was unable to find 303 Savage ammo. We ordered dies and brass and when it arrived he brought the rifle over. I looked at it and immediately knew it was an Arisaka 7.7 x 58. He showed me the partial box of 303 Savage he had left that came with the rifle and said he had shot those and another box. I checked with pastor, who confirmed that was what he and his dad had always fired in it.. When I discussed it with the dad, he said maybe that was why it never shot well.

[archmaker]

Ok, my wife just informed me of something similar. She worked for a law firm, and they were talking with a client and asked the client what was the name of the Doctor that prescribed his medicene. He said he could not pronounce it, but he could spell it.

Dr. A-u-t-h-r-e-q-u-i-r-e-d

[dakotashooter2]

Not all employees behind the counter are stupid. My wife worked at a K-mart in our hometown in the office. Whenever there was a question about guns and their ammo they used to go get her. If she couldn't tell she would call me. They used to get a lot of mens wives buying for them to go deer hunting.

Your statement makes somewhat of a point. Many employees these days are too ignorant, stupid or embarassed to ask for help if they don't know the answer. It's easier for them just to say no or fabricate an answer. Fortunately some know where to go for help....

[jcren]

Sadly, it's not just wm employees. Last year, my father in law bought a Rossi revolving rifle from a family owned gunshop that had been in business for 15+ years. He asked me to load him something hotter than the cowboy loads he was finding, so when I was in that town the next day, I stopped in the shop. Signs on the door proclaiming "certified glock armorer" and "gunsmith on site". Asked the older man at the counter (the owner) if said gun was +p rated or not. Was informed that only 38 special is available in +p and that was the 158gr swc that police used. I politely tried to explain +p when a younger guy (son/"gunsmith") assured me that there was no such thing as a high pressure 45 Colt load, only cowboy loads.