I went to the Stafford location after my first stop on Marine Corps Base Quantico yielded no gains. My first firearm buying experience was a good and expensive one. I've always wanted to build up my stock, but didn't know when would be a good time. But I will say this, buying a firearm is like opening up a can of Pringles, once you pop, you can't stop.
I bought three weapons, a Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0, a Ruger EC9 for my wife, and a Remington 870DM shotgun. I wanted to buy additional items to go along with it, if you're going to get things, might as well get them all at once.
I got a holster for my S&W, a carrying bag for the shotgun, a carrying bag for my wife's Ruger, and I asked about magazines for my 870DM and was showed a ProMag 12 gauge 10-round magazine. I bought it and took everything home.
I showed my Veterans Affairs (VA) disabled ID card and my drivers license. I was not offered a military discount. I figured it was busy (which it was definitely) and that they did not offer the discount. After showing my VA ID and not getting the discount, I didn't even ask.
It's when I got home and tried to use the ProMag magazine that I found it did not work with the weapon. I had to return the mag and understood that there would be a 15% restocking fee and I read in the website that it was 14 days or something? I forget.
I live 30 minutes away, so I went in early one morning to make the return only to be told that after 7 days it was too late, and then told that magazines were not returnable. I didn't know what to do honestly, I just offered the magazine over to them. I had no use for it.
I decided to purchase two additional mags for my wife's EC9 and took a look at an S&W M&P-15 Sport II. I was set on buying it before trying to return the magazine. Every American gun owner should have one I thought to myself. I hate to say it, but not offering a refund for the magazine turned me off. Even if they charged a 15% restocking fee, I would have been fine. I handed back the M&P-15 and decided to check out with the two mags for my wife.
When I was rung up, the young lady cashing me out asked if I was military, veteran or law enforcement. I laughed and said all three. I got a discount of 10% and asked why I couldn't have gotten one the week before. She laughed and said it would take a long time to look up my invoice if it were even still in the system.
I walked out of the store feeling strange. I sent my son inside and asked to take my ProMag with me. I didn't feel right leaving it with them, no offense to the establishment, it just didn't feel right to me. They kindly let my son have the magazine back and I put it on eBay for a fraction of the cost. It was sold within an hour (I should have asked for more!).
I emailed them later that day asking if they would retroactively refund me the military discount. I offered my invoice number, and proof of ID, whether it be DD-214 or my Disabled Veteran's ID. I received an email from them hours later thanking me for my service, and told that they could not give me the discount. That the discount was 10% for equipment and only 5% for firearms. Still, had I received the discount, I would have gotten about $100 back.
So all of this to say, thank you for selling me my beautiful M&P9, and other firearms. I would also like to thank you for providing us with the ability to execute our 2nd Amendment rights, and lastly I don't think I will be coming back here again. The feeling of euphoria I felt the first time was negated by the bad taste I felt the second time. It may not be of your own doing, you could just be following store policy, but exceptions could be made once in a while, circumstances considered. read more