Trying to buy a Ruger 10/22 is very trying!

[puma guy]

I have a substantial Wal-Mart/Sam's gift card given to me by my daughter from when we put her on our cell phone plan. I have many .22 rifles, bolt actions, pumps, a lever and half a dozen semi autos. I began selling firearms a year after the Ruger 10/22 was introduced and sold quite a few, but never purchased one. After all these years I got the bug to get one. I've been checking our closest local Wal-Mart that sells firearms and finally found one in stock yesterday. I pick up the phone on the counter to summon a clerk to sporting goods. While I'm waiting a guy shows up who ignores me and walks to a terminal/screen/ keyboard at the far end of the counter. He starts tapping keys while making phone calls. I overhear him say something about "opioid system" and I assume he's a manager type checking something. A young man arrives to help me and I take a look at the Model 1103; basic wood stock carbine and say I'll take it. The young man says he can't sell it because "that guy" is working on our sales computer referring to the man who walked up before he arrived. How long will it be? I ask - don't know - tech guy still working but he's silent. He gets back on the phone then starts writing on a piece of paper, places it on the keyboard and walks away still o the phone. Another older sales clerk shows up so I ask him if he knows what's going on and if the system will be back up? He doesn't know. I ask how many Rugers they have in stock and he says we get one at a time and they go fast. Great! Do you have paper copies of the 4473 forms? No! Again, great! Then a light bulb goes off in my head. How 'bout I put it on lay away since a 4473 form is not required for that. We can do that with 50% down they both tell me. They get through the transaction with a few stutters, I pay half down and I get my receipt. They assure me the system should be working tomorrow.
Meanwhile over night!
I called a couple of other Wal-Marts because I saw on another forum they had a better price at the one in Baytown as a data base indicated. I noted when I signed the layaway agreement that you get all your money back if you change your mind. So I drive to Baytown. They don't have the model I wanted they only the takedown version, so whoever I spoke with is a dummkopf. It didn't matter because wait for it. Their computer system is No Bueno, too. Yes I forget to ask about their system. Well, I guess I won't get a better, deal so I drive back to my local WM and their system is still down In fact the note is still laying on the keyboard! Supposedly they will notify me via email when its' ready. I hope the 10/22 is worth the wait!

[mrvmax]

Great system they have in place.

[puma guy]

Great system they have in place.

If I didn't have the card I'd go somewhere else.

[cmgee67]

My 10-22 is one of my most used firearms that I own. You will like it. Also get som BX 25 mags for it and more factory 10 round mags. Sometimes they work well with after market sometimes not. If you ever wanna upgrade it internally look at volquartsen.

[AF-Odin]

Typical Wal-Mart buffoonery. Have my own story about trying to buy a 10/22 for my son at a K-Mart back in 1996 which has resulted in me not setting foot in a K-Mart since and a formal complaint on them to the BATFE. Big box stores MAY have better prices, but their hassles can drive you ape.

Hope it all works out.

[cheezit]

Bought mine from the neighbors when I was 14, that was a long time ago. Still have it too.
Pre warning barrel sn# starts with 110-
I need to dust that thing off.

[The Annoyed Man]

I actually want to get the takedown version some day. For an inexpensive rifle like the 10/22, I don’t care if it has wood or plastic furniture, as long as it functions reliably and has a decent set of adjustable sights on it. I like the takedown version simply because it is easier for me to store it in a duffle bag or backpack in my SUV - which isn’t really configured for hiding a gun under a back seat or in the rear.

[Grundy1133]

can you not buy a stick of gum and get like $500 cash back via the gift card? that'd be pretty nice if you could... then you could go buy it anywhere you wanted.

[puma guy]

I actually want to get the takedown version some day. For an inexpensive rifle like the 10/22, I don’t care if it has wood or plastic furniture, as long as it functions reliably and has a decent set of adjustable sights on it. I like the takedown version simply because it is easier for me to store it in a duffle bag or backpack in my SUV - which isn’t really configured for hiding a gun under a back seat or in the rear.

They had the takedown model, but I have no real use for it. I already have a breakdown .22, the Charter Arms version of the AR-7, which is more a survival rifle than a convenient break down version of a full size like the 10/22. The 10/22 takedown was more than I had on the card anyway and I had bought another Winchester 490 .22 semi-auto to add to my collection, so my available cash is low. Haven't had a chance to check back in the store to see if the system is up.

[puma guy]

Today I returned to WalMart for the fourth time to check if their system was functional allowing me to complete my purchase. I had some shopping to do, so I went by the Sporting Goods first to check the system because I know they escort a gun purchaser out of the store at the completion of the sale. Din my shopping, put it in the truck and went to complete the firearm purchase. Completed the computerized 4473 after which the clerk entered some information. He asked me to keep the mouse moving while he retrieved the rifle so the screen would go blank and lose all the info. He was gone 20 minutes and two employees approached me and asked me what I was doing on the terminal. Explained it twice. Clerk arrived with the rifle did some move stuff on the computer and called what I thought was a manager to complete the sale. It was not. Just someone to check his work. Another call for a manager who checked a form with a little booklet that masked all but the pertinent answers and info on the printed form. The system had lost the clerk's signature so he went back and completed that, but he simply sighed the form so I don't know why he had to page back on the terminal. Three fails trying to split payment between the gift card and a credit card. All told one hour and thirty-five minutes. The next time I get a Wally World gift card I'm selling it!
I saw an H&R Pardner 12 ga Pump reduced to $146.88 for any masochist who may be interested.

[Liberty]

Oh, well, I hope you enjoy that 10/22 as much as I do mine. Good luck my friend.

[Deltaboy]

Bless your heart my friend!

[LDB415]

You just have all the fun Steve.

[tbrown]

I'm glad it worked out for you after much persistence and effort.

I had a rain check for a Ruger 10/22 from a big box sporting good store. I went by every other week for a few months and they never had any in stock. Well, they had 10/22 carbines in stock, but not that exact model listed on my rain check, and they wouldn't substitute or offer a discount on the models in stock. Then I started to drop by every couple of months, but only when I was in the area for other things. That went on for more than two years, and then I gave up. I haven't bought anything from them since the first trip after getting the raincheck. Character matters.