Today I tried to buy a couple of 100-pack boxes of shotgun target ammo for a shoot tomorrow. The clerk asked to see my driver's license...which sometimes they do to verify age, but when she saw that my DL was out-of-state she informed me I can't purchase ammo with an out-of-state ID...it's a "new law" and "they're really cracking down on that sort of thing".
I was of course very surprised to hear this and demanded to know who "they" were and what "sort of thing" they're cracking down on. She didn't have any answers for me other than babbling something about ammo being "dangerous"...while I leaned against a rack of bowie knives that were out in the open.
I then asked her to call her manager, and when she did, the manager came over and confirmed that "unless I'm seriously mistaken, that IS the law". I informed him that he IS, in fact seriously mistaken and there is no such law. He then said that I was trying to break the law and he would have none of it. I then (I didn't have to do this, I just wanted to see if there was ANY talking sense into them) showed them my CCW from Georgia which even if there WERE ammo purchase restrictions would allow me to buy ammo. They took a look and said "oh...yeah...well...that's from Georgia...this is Texas, that's no good here". Several people in line behind me all said "yes it is!" and couldn't believe this was happening in front of them.
Seeing that I was going nowhere fast, I went back to my car and called Walmart Corporate Office. To my surprise (as this was a Saturday afternoon) I reached a live person immediately. When I explained to her what had happened she was NOT happy. Put me on hold for a few minutes and came back on the line with "the most senior person I could find in the building". This person was also not pleased with how I was treated, called the store and straightened the manager out.
I went back to the store and asked to speak to the manager. The manager was very defensive and tried to explain to me that SOME Walmarts sell firearms and THAT would be illegal....to which I replied that this store doesn't sell firearms and I wasn't trying to buy one. then she said they have a store policy limit of 3 boxes, to which I replied I was only trying to be TWO boxes and then spent about 30 minutes explaining to her exactly how many levels of wrong they had committed and got many apologies and her assurance that the staff would be trained to make sure everyone understands how ammunition sales work. I also explained to the clerk that just because SHE has a problem with guns doesn't give her the right to make it MY problem by making up non-existent rules. I could do far more damage with the display of bowie knives than I could with a box of shotgun shells. With all the discrimination gun owners have to deal with, I wasn't just going to let this go. This is why I left California, and I wasn't about to let my rights get stepped on. I will NOT be treated like a criminal.
Now...this was a Saturday afternoon and I understand that this was probably not their A-crew...and judging from how long it took the clerk to sell a fishing license to the customer in front of me I'm not even sure it was their B-crew and I'm willing to let it go if it was an honest mistake and I got an apology and my ammo, but if it happens again...I'm pretty sure there's a civil rights violation in there.
I was of course very surprised to hear this and demanded to know who "they" were and what "sort of thing" they're cracking down on. She didn't have any answers for me other than babbling something about ammo being "dangerous"...while I leaned against a rack of bowie knives that were out in the open.
I then asked her to call her manager, and when she did, the manager came over and confirmed that "unless I'm seriously mistaken, that IS the law". I informed him that he IS, in fact seriously mistaken and there is no such law. He then said that I was trying to break the law and he would have none of it. I then (I didn't have to do this, I just wanted to see if there was ANY talking sense into them) showed them my CCW from Georgia which even if there WERE ammo purchase restrictions would allow me to buy ammo. They took a look and said "oh...yeah...well...that's from Georgia...this is Texas, that's no good here". Several people in line behind me all said "yes it is!" and couldn't believe this was happening in front of them.
Seeing that I was going nowhere fast, I went back to my car and called Walmart Corporate Office. To my surprise (as this was a Saturday afternoon) I reached a live person immediately. When I explained to her what had happened she was NOT happy. Put me on hold for a few minutes and came back on the line with "the most senior person I could find in the building". This person was also not pleased with how I was treated, called the store and straightened the manager out.
I went back to the store and asked to speak to the manager. The manager was very defensive and tried to explain to me that SOME Walmarts sell firearms and THAT would be illegal....to which I replied that this store doesn't sell firearms and I wasn't trying to buy one. then she said they have a store policy limit of 3 boxes, to which I replied I was only trying to be TWO boxes and then spent about 30 minutes explaining to her exactly how many levels of wrong they had committed and got many apologies and her assurance that the staff would be trained to make sure everyone understands how ammunition sales work. I also explained to the clerk that just because SHE has a problem with guns doesn't give her the right to make it MY problem by making up non-existent rules. I could do far more damage with the display of bowie knives than I could with a box of shotgun shells. With all the discrimination gun owners have to deal with, I wasn't just going to let this go. This is why I left California, and I wasn't about to let my rights get stepped on. I will NOT be treated like a criminal.
Now...this was a Saturday afternoon and I understand that this was probably not their A-crew...and judging from how long it took the clerk to sell a fishing license to the customer in front of me I'm not even sure it was their B-crew and I'm willing to let it go if it was an honest mistake and I got an apology and my ammo, but if it happens again...I'm pretty sure there's a civil rights violation in there.
