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Bizarre Walmart "policy" - heard of this?

crotalus01

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Dec 24, 2007
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Memphis, Tennessee, USA
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Surely this is just some stupid local policy and not the corporate line...

I was in Walmart last week with the GF, and while she was clothes browsing I decided to check and see if they had any ammo I could use. Got to sporting goods and saw some .223 behind the counter but no clerk, so I went to find someone. I got a woman from another department, she got the ammo and started to ring me up, then noticed my OCed Glock on my hip.

She says, "Sir I'm sorry but it is against Walmart policy to sell ammo to you if you are carrying a gun".

I was a bit taken aback at first so I just said "Really?". She says, "Yes sir, its just a precautionary policy, they don't want to take the chance that someone might load the ammo and shoot up the store".

I laughed and began to point out the obvious to her that

a) My gun is already loaded with one in the chamber and

b) this is rifle ammo and I am wearing a handgun.

Long story short, I got my ammo, just wondering if anyone else has heard of this so-called policy?
 

Fallguy

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McKenzie Tennessee, USA
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I agree it is somewhat strange, especially if you already have a loaded weapon as you say.

But it seems I have heard of this before.

It may be employees misinterpruting some policy about purchasing a firearm and ammo at the same time? Which still doesn't make 100% sense, if you just bought a new gun you are going to want to shoot it. But I could see being escorted out if you bought both at the same time.

Who knows?....
 

crotalus01

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I was escorted out, but I have been every time I have bought ammo at this particular Walmart. Most others I have bought ammo at escort you to the register.
 

suntzu

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Walmart has no such policy.

Walmart did initiate a 6bx per customer per day limit on ammunition in my area...but considering they have not had my particular caliber in for some time--I have no worries about this new ammunition limit.
 

Pol Mordreth

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Jun 27, 2008
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Smyrna, Tennessee, USA
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i'm spoiled, I guess. I have never been escorted out of wally world when I buy ammo there. And I buy ammo while carrying. Heck, the last time I did, I was having a converastion with another customer about self defense ammo for his 9x19, and I pulled my spare mag and showed him what I was carrying. no one batted an eye.



Regards,

Pol
 

Ss

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Jan 27, 2007
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SW city, , USA
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Just put your shirt over it. Then its like you didn't have a gun.

lol


I have to get back to TN. My brother is stationed at Campbell. Freaked him out when I carried my .44 all over the place the first time I visited him.
 

old dog

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The solution is simple: Avoid Walmart as you would an open sewer.
 

SlackwareRobert

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Can't even find out, my wallmart policy is to have no ammo. Just empty shelves.
Haven't seen a box of ammo since last summer.
No complaint when I bought a bore brush and cleaning pads though.:cool:

I think it is that they are so close to the auto service section you could
load your suv with all that ammo and hold off the asst. manager before
help can arrive.:p
 

Ss

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LOL



What little ammo they have is camped. People wait on the days it comes in for employees to stock the shelves. They get it fast. The only thing that seems to stick around my Wal Mart is .357 sig and .44 mag hunting ammo. Everything else is sold out.
 

Citizen

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Suggested half-wise crack reply:

"Ma'am, we don't get escorted. Guys like us--we do the escortin'. "
 

SW-sigma

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Mar 31, 2009
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Springfield, Tennessee, USA
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YeapI had this problem at Springfield Walmart, and also the manager and lost prevention stoped me and asked to see my permit I showed them both the permit and we talked a second then they state that i need to cover my weapon because it makes customers uncomfortable well humm not real sure what my grounds are here and being a new permit holder i said sure no problem. No reason to make a big deal but the last thing the guy says is "If i need you I'll holler,could have used you the other night when there was a fight in the parking lot" now like I'm new at this but that was clearly the dumbest statement I have ever heard... whats your take on this guys and gals
 

Fallguy

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McKenzie Tennessee, USA
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SW-sigma wrote:
YeapI had this problem at Springfield Walmart, and also the manager and lost prevention stoped me and asked to see my permit I showed them both the permit and we talked a second then they state that i need to cover my weapon because it makes customers uncomfortable well humm not real sure what my grounds are here and being a new permit holder i said sure no problem. No reason to make a big deal but the last thing the guy says is "If i need you I'll holler,could have used you the other night when there was a fight in the parking lot" now like I'm new at this but that was clearly the dumbest statement I have ever heard... whats your take on this guys and gals

Well three points...

1) Nothing says you have to show anyone except a LEO your permit, but a property owner can always tell you to leave if you don't follow their rules.

2) The AG has said a property owner can regulate (OC/CC) the manner in which you carry on their property (See 07-148 Question 7). Again they can tell you to leave if you don't follow their rules.

3) The comment about could have used you just shows how little those that don't carry know about those of us that do. Should have told him if he personally needs protection he should carry also. If he feels his customers need more protection than he can provide or them provide for themselves, he should hire store security.
 

SlackwareRobert

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But can a property owner arbitrarily order you to leave a store open to public?
Unless he also asks the leo to leave. If there is no policy, can he show
favoritism, or discriminate solely on a whim?
Just seems discriminatory I can't order armed leo off of my property as I like,
but they enforce removal of armed citizens from others property without asking.

The only store that can really hurt me is home depot, since they have a policy of
"Bite me, Uncle Sam" I need to support this great company, but then they also
want to hassle me. Only catch 22 for shopping I run into. So far the get lost BHO
is winning.
 

Fallguy

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McKenzie Tennessee, USA
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SlackwareRobert wrote:
But can a property owner arbitrarily order you to leave a store open to public?
Unless he also asks the leo to leave. If there is no policy, can he show
favoritism, or discriminate solely on a whim?
Just seems discriminatory I can't order armed leo off of my property as I like,
but they enforce removal of armed citizens from others property without asking.

The only store that can really hurt me is home depot, since they have a policy of
"Bite me, Uncle Sam" I need to support this great company, but then they also
want to hassle me. Only catch 22 for shopping I run into. So far the get lost BHO
is winning.

I agree, I think it is very discriminating.

But HCP holders are not among those list of people it is illegal to discriminate against. :(

As far as a an off-duty LEO, even though TN law allows them to go armed at all times, they can be asked to leave a place like any other citizen unless they are their on official business.
 

old dog

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I hate to whip a dead horse but let me reiterate:

I am not trained in the nuances of the law but I truly believe that a commercial or professional enterprise that solicits public attendance sacrifices some private-property rights. Arbitrary and capricious rules must be balanced against the interests of public accommodation.

Can a Muslim shopkeeper ban shorts on women? Can message T-shirts be censored? Merely making some segment of the public uncomfortable doesn't pass the test. Some years ago a college student complained to her school, insisting she had the right not to be offended. She was wrong!
 

Fallguy

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McKenzie Tennessee, USA
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Old dog I fully agree with you. Especially on the part about property open to the public.

There are many things a shopkeeper could get in trouble for, either legally and/or with some civil rights organization, if they told someone to leave for a certain reason.

I think part of the problem could be that in TN it isagainst the law to carry a loaded weapon in public, 39-17-1307. Having a carry permit is simply a defense against that law. In other words having a permit doesn't technically make it legal, it just provides you a defense against something that is otherwise still illegal.

I guess all we can do is keep after our elected officials and try to get things changed...
 
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