So I came home from college last weekend and I got a chance to go a Walmart again for cheap groceries, since Ely, MN doesn't have a big store within an hour of town, other than a Pamida.... I walked past the sporting goods and happened to see some ammo sales. Well they had boxes of 12 guage slugs for $3 and some odd change. Well my brother and I got done with our shopping and headed to the check out. I handed the cashier my ammo boxes, my money, and my ID all at once so I could try and streamline it for the lady. She informs me that my brother who is 14 needs to hand her his ID as well! I ask her since when, she replied by saying they are trying to crack down lately. When I asked her what they were "cracking down on," she had no answer for me. She told me that it is new store policy and that I couldn't buy the ammo. The kind sir behind me inline offered to pay for it for me if I would just give him the cash. The cashier just about went berserck!!! She said that it was some kind of federal offense and that she could not allow the gentleman to do that for him. I thanked him anyways and told him (while the annoying cashier was only feet away) that I'd just give my brother the keys to the truck and walk back and get my ammo again. I should've returned to the same cashier since she could do nothing about it at that point but I didn't. The other cashier I went to that actually let me buy this ammoe was very kind and double checked my age. I had no problem with that as I know I'm legal to buy slugs and rifle ammoe. So has anyone else ran into this kind of BS? I basically understood that I was being convicted of buying my brother shotgun rounds so he could go shoot up some school or something. He shoots a lot of rounds off with me back at home and I trust him with a firearm. Now he is also the type of person who is WAY smarter to do anything stupid with a firearm, so I really don't worry about him. I jut thought that this 2nd pary ID check rule is completely stupid and unnecessary. I mean if a father or mother was in Walmart doing their grocery shopping and decided to pick up a few shells since they were already at a store that still carries them, and had their young kids with them, does that constitute Walmart employees asking for an ID on the toddlers and grade school kids that could possibly be along with them????

This post has been edited by hunterotto91: Oct 20 2009, 08:57 AM

I'm unclear as to why you could not buy the ammo since you are of age. Was it simply because a minor was along with you? In that case anyone with a toddler or baby would also not be allowed to purchase ammunition.

I have run into similar but different BS at Wal-Mart with their policies. I refuse to buy from them now. in the last incident I left about $100 worth of various stuff on the counter when I was told I'd have to trek all the way BACK to the sporting goods counter in the massive super center (where no one was working) to pay for a box of shotgun shells as they could not check them out at the front counter. I told her "just forget the whole thing" and bought what I needed elsewhere. They obviously don't want our business.

Walmart cashiers are seldom former NASA employees, and they often err on the side of caution when making sales of firearms/ammunition. It's pretty tough for Wallyworld to keep them all informed as to the complicated laws regarding firearms, too.

That said, I only go to Walmart when there's no other option, but you're not in that position, so I can sympathize. If it were me, though, I'd just avoid that particular cashier from now on, and maybe drop a word to the manager about her combative attitude. Just because she works at Wallyworld is no reason for her to be hateful, and if she doesn't know the rules about ammo sales, she should ask someone who DOES.

On the rare occasion I have to step foot inside one of those damn stores I pay for everything in sporting goods.

Red, I am 18 so I couldn't figure it out either. My brother was along and I think that was the only reason she did that. I had some candy bars and other groceries on the counter, and I should've left it there, But I'm a student on a budget so I'm a sucker for a deal! ESPECIALLY ON AMMO!!!

HunterOtto,

As a fellow Minnesotan, who is a couple of years older, here is some advice. Next time you shop there, pick up your ammo, etc. then pick up a pack of lefse, and a pound of lutefisk. The cashier will then know that you're "one of us" and not a terrorist and will let you pass.

Oh sure you betcha!!! That aughta work great!!!! I'll talk to them about how I go to school waay up nort, and how it gets a bit chilly up there... I suppose I'd get even more weird looks than what I do already!

This post has been edited by hunterotto91: Oct 21 2009, 12:35 PM

O man . . . one of my biggest regrets is that I didn't do my general studies in Ely

Oh, you missed out! I love it up here!

I used to make deliveries to a Wallyworld on the weekends. One of their employees lied about how I did the job and I got fired. Only time I set foot in a Wallyworld anymore is if they are putting money in my pocket (I do inventories). Spend money in there? Not even if I have to pay 4X as much else where.