done Posted June 6, 2010 Posted June 6, 2010 Alright, I generally will not call out a company like this but this boggles the mind. Bass Pro in Charlotte, NC posts against concealed carry in the store. They sell firearms specifically for CCW, they sell holsters for it, they sell handgun ammo, and they HOST, I repeat HOST CCW classes. So while they are completely content taking cash hand over fist from us, allowing us to carry in accordance with state law, that is an issue. It just ticks me off to no end. it is not like a ma and pa corner store who do not want guns anywhere near their store. This place sells them, supposedly caters to us and then flips us off after they have their money. This is really the last straw for me with this place. I am done with spending anything at that place. Gander is about the same distance away, and they got some awesome stuff in there. Sorry guys...just had to vent...these guys totally ticked me off this weekend.
Super User grimlin Posted June 6, 2010 Super User Posted June 6, 2010 That is kinda stupid. :-/ I'm sure they somehow have their reasoning behind it.
done Posted June 6, 2010 Author Posted June 6, 2010 That is kinda stupid. :-/ I'm sure they somehow have their reasoning behind it. That is what I thought. When I gave up on contacting the local store, I emailed corporate customer service. They tell me "You may feel free to bring personal firearms to the Charlotte Bass Pro Shops. However, you will need to have them in plain view and check them with the attendant at the main desk before entering". So they pretty much reiterated my problem making it sound like a good thing. Like arguing with a brick wall.
VolFan Posted June 6, 2010 Posted June 6, 2010 Since they sell guns, they do not want any loaded guns walking around that may possibly be confused with the unloaded ones, or be taken out and tried in holsters that they sell; it's a recipe for disaster. I'm pretty sure they had an accident like that, confusing the gun from the counter with someone's carry, pointing and BANG...hole in the fish tank. I doubt they're anti-CCW, it's just a safety issue.
done Posted June 6, 2010 Author Posted June 6, 2010 Since they sell guns, they do not want any loaded guns walking around that may possibly be confused with the unloaded ones, or be taken out and tried in holsters that they sell; it's a recipe for disaster. I'm pretty sure they had an accident like that, confusing the gun from the counter with someone's carry, pointing and BANG...hole in the fish tank. I doubt they're anti-CCW, it's just a safety issue. See though that is it. Any other store (like Gander) requires that IF your weapon is to be worked on that it be checked. THAT makes perfect sense. I carry concealed everywhere. My gun does not EVER come out of its holster. 99% of the folks who carry weapons OC/CCW for protection are not out twirling them on their fingers or anything. They simply stay in the holsters unless the worst case scenario occurs (a criminal running in there shooting away). Folks who carry concealed just don't take loaded firearms out of the holster like that. There is no reason they would be confused. I carry/have carried in Walmart, Gander, Best Buy, Panera, Starbucks, and a couple dozen firearms stores...the list goes on and on. There really is no elevated danger. That's not to say there are not idiots out there with guns. there are idiots out there with cars, we don't tell everyone else they can't use theirs though because of them. Not trying to blast you VolFan, so please do not take my response that way. It is a common opinion that lots of folks walking around with concealed weapons means accidental discharges all over the place. While it does happen, it is rare compared to the number of folks carrying concealed. A LOT more folks will have one or more accidents with their vehicles (many resulting in injury or death) than firearms owners that carry concealed.
done Posted June 6, 2010 Author Posted June 6, 2010 LMAO. Guys...the manager apparently felt obligated to return my call. She JUST called me. Apparently they have gotten a number of calls in the last hour. She states, she is sorry for the misunderstanding with the sign and by her employee. CCW IS permitted within the store. I suggested maybe they need to fix the sign or add verbage similar to Gander's that states the exemption to the check policy for CCW.
Super User Dan: Posted June 6, 2010 Super User Posted June 6, 2010 Makes perfect sense to me. They sell guns...why would they want people to walk around with them in their pockets? I see it preventing a lot of confusion.
Super User Lund Explorer Posted June 6, 2010 Super User Posted June 6, 2010 Sorry, but I find the saddest part is that anyone would be so afraid to shop at BPS that they needed to carry a gun.
done Posted June 6, 2010 Author Posted June 6, 2010 Sorry, but I find the saddest part is that anyone would be so afraid to shop at BPS that they needed to carry a gun. First of all stuff happens. You never get to know when or where. Hopefully it never does anywhere near you. Odds are it won't but that does not mean it won't. I carry a fire extinguisher in my car, it has airbags, and seat belts. I have never had to use them in 20+ years of driving. But I am not removing them. Also, you think JUST BPS. On my last BPS trip, I had to stop at 3 bathrooms, 1 at a rest stop (I have 4 little girls, bathroom stops...way too common), go to a grocery store (one 5 miles from my home was robbed in broad daylight about 3 months ago), and a number of other stores. I am not for leaving a loaded firearm in an unattended vehicle. In my holster, it is under my control, reasonably safe from accidental discharges (I bought a nice holster that cuts that chance down to near zero). It would not take long to google and bring up a ton of cases where folks in perfectly safe areas where "that stuff don't happen" ran into the wrong person and ended up dead or seriously hurt. So it is not like CCW folks go army crawling through the store. It is simply a case of being prepared just in case you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sometimes no matter how careful you are, trouble does find you.
VolFan Posted June 7, 2010 Posted June 7, 2010 It is a common opinion that lots of folks walking around with concealed weapons means accidental discharges all over the place. While it does happen, it is rare compared to the number of folks carrying concealed. A LOT more folks will have one or more accidents with their vehicles (many resulting in injury or death) than firearms owners that carry concealed. When you buy a holster for CC, do you check to make sure your sidearm of choice fits? When you purchase a handgun, do you look down the sights at the counter (hopefully into a "safe" backstop)? My point was that banning carrying loaded handguns is the absolute rule in many gun shops, law enforcement academies, and other places where you run into a large quantity of guns that "should" be unloaded. I don't think alot of CCW holders are idiots (while there are some, you have to admit), but on a whole they're pretty a pretty responsible lot. But accidents do happen, and if you carry a loaded weapon into a store/cleaning room/classroom etc. where people will be handling "unloaded" guns, you introduce the chance, no matter how small, that an accident will happen. Alot more people walking around carrying concealed actually does increase the likelihood that someone will have an AD, just by sheer numbers. It happens at police departments, training academies, ranges and gun shops across the country.
NHfroggin Posted June 7, 2010 Posted June 7, 2010 Sorry, but I find the saddest part is that anyone would be so afraid to shop at BPS that they needed to carry a gun. You may never need your cc firearm but why not be prepared. This story comes to mind when i hear people say you dont need a cc firearm in places such as stores or in this case a church.. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/14817480/detail.html -matt-
guitarkid Posted June 7, 2010 Posted June 7, 2010 I think it might be concord mills not BPS that made that rule up. -gk
Super User Bassn Blvd Posted June 7, 2010 Super User Posted June 7, 2010 The most appalling thing out of this incident is that you are giving up bass pro for gander mountain. The store in S.Florida absolutely sucks. If your gun is properly concealed then they wouldn't know you had it on anyway. And if they did notice, no crime has been committed. What are they going to do, ask you to leave : ?
done Posted June 7, 2010 Author Posted June 7, 2010 The most appalling thing out of this incident is that you are giving up bass pro for gander mountain. The store in S.Florida absolutely sucks. If your gun is properly concealed then they wouldn't know you had it on anyway. And if they did notice, no crime has been committed. What are they going to do, ask you to leave : ? Well bassnblvd...the problem here is in NC the private signs carry the weight of law. So if they got a wild hair up their butt and called the cops, you can be charged as soon as they arrive and the weapons charge will at a minimum result in loss of your CCW permit. Our Gander is not that bad. They have a great firearms selection(though I would never take one of their floor model rifles that have been manhandled by 7,00 people and dry fired half a million times). Pretty good fish finders, reels, etc. Some great fishing stuff. Now the one thing BPS has a lock on is the trout fishing gear. They just have way more selection in that area than anyone i have found so far in this area.
Super User Bassn Blvd Posted June 7, 2010 Super User Posted June 7, 2010 Our Gander is terrible for fishing but I understand their hunting/bow/gun section is very good. Regardless, I understand your point and it does seem ridiculous to not allow ccf customers into the store.
BassResource.com Administrator Glenn Posted June 8, 2010 BassResource.com Administrator Posted June 8, 2010 LMAO. Guys...the manager apparently felt obligated to return my call. She JUST called me. Apparently they have gotten a number of calls in the last hour. She states, she is sorry for the misunderstanding with the sign and by her employee. CCW IS permitted within the store. I suggested maybe they need to fix the sign or add verbage similar to Gander's that states the exemption to the check policy for CCW. Ok, it seems like a number of folks have missed the above post. So I'm closing the thread now. G'nite Irene.
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