Four Seasons Firearms, Woburn, MA

[ColdDayInHell]

Also, the whole magazine thing is mind blowing. And then the cable lock story. So much ****ing fail.

 

[MAGG]

I bought my first gun from FS..wasnt a bad experience except for getting delayed and having to drive back. Then I went back to buy a mosin(actually to check them out and get a lil info.) I asked the guy about them and he said " its an okay gun if you wanna support communism" with a major ahole attitude. gave him the gun back and walked out. I didnt get assed up or anything. Not saying I wont go back there ever but I stay local now to the south shore. I know everybody has diff personalities and good days/bad days. But some peeps shouldnt be dealing with the public

 

[PappyM3]

Went here a couple weeks ago and it will most likely be my last visit.
...
There is absolutely no excuse for this behavior.

Yeah, that's pretty bad service from that one clerk. Regarding the GSG-5 issue, perhaps that was a used gun and they still didn't have any new ones in stock? I'm just trying to think of reasons for that.

 

[Miked617]

Wow this is a bit discouraging.

 

[Len-2A Training]

No matter what shop/business, it is very tough to "control" all employees. Owners can't do much about a "problem child" until they are told what transpired and given an opportunity to take "corrective action"! The real measure of a shop/business is "what do they do about a situation when they are told what happened", not so much on a "loose cannon" employee ranting bad info.

I stopped in there during the week prior to the tax-free weekend and other than Carl, John and Dawn, I did not recognize any other employee in the shop! I rarely get out there due to distance/time, but it appeared to me that most of the crew is new.

Those that have had a problem should contact Carl directly and then judge the shop on what action he takes after being given info on the incidents.

 

[FNHFAL]

Went here a couple weeks ago and it will most likely be my last visit.

While I appreciate the "karma" giveaways, etc... it doesn't make up for poor service.

I had a discount coupon from MFS that I was planning on using that gave $25 off plus a free mag with Sig purchase...
While I was awaiting my LTC to arrive, I was continually calling them to get an ETA/put a deposit on a hard to get Sig Sauer P238. Every time I called I was either met with "we're out" or "we have been waiting for them to come in" etc.... I understand that distribution is not their fault, but I bought at another place that miraculously had one in stock for weeks. Id still be waiting if I was holding out for FS to get one in.

Moving on, I had set aside some time to make a trip up there and was planning on picking up either a GSG-522 or a S&W M&P15-22 (depending on what was in stock).
I emailed them about stock on the GSG and received a response 2 days later saying they were out of stock. No problem, I am new to guns and figure the 15-22 will be a better gun to get me used to the AR platform and function anyways.

Arriving at the store the next day, all was normal. 4 or 5 clerks standing around waiting to help and a couple even asked if they could help me out. I was still soaking the place in and looking at ammo prices to compare with my local shops (they are more expensive on all the ammo I looked at, contrary to what everyone claims), but when I was finally ready to wrap things up, I got a clerks attention and told him I wanted to purchase a M&P15-22.....

He says "You sure? Thats something a kid would buy" in a very condescending tone. I said "Yes, I'm new to rifles, Ive done my research and Ive decided to buy the M&P15-22 since its very identical to the 5.56 version and is going to be much cheaper to shoot until I am ready to make the step up to one".
Im then told that "You might want to look at a 1022, They've been around forever and you can get a lot of accessories for them". I said "I know, but I dont want one of those today".
He then starts the paperwork process and goes and gets the gun. When I finish the paperwork (before he fills out the gun info part) he tries again to sell me something else, a Ruger SR-22 and hands it to me. It was nice but not what I wanted. He said "Thats what I'd get, if I were going to get a .22" . At this point, I'm getting aggravated and just want to leave.
He then tells me that the M&P15-22's 10 round mags can be "broken" to accept 22 rounds and that if I get caught, just tell them that "you didn't know it was broken".
He then asks if I was transporting this in a trunk. I mentioned I was was using a Jeep. He then sighed and proceeded to open the cable lock and lock it up. I asked "is that because theres no trunk"? He replies "yes", which is 100% wrong as that lock is only good for storage and not transport (which he should know).
I then notice a GSG on the shelf and ask "Is that a GSG-522?" "yes" he replies. Hmmm... I wonder how they were out the night before and had them on the shelf the first thing the next morning...

He finishes the paperwork and then calls it in. While he's on the phone, he turns the paperwork around and hands me the pen again. I cant understand what he wants so I shrug my shoulders. He points to a part on the form that I entered the county but forgot to put in the "state". Like Im supposed to know exactly what I missed without him telling me. So I enter "MA" and hand the pen back to him. A few seconds later, he thanks the person on the other end of the NIRCS call and checks off a box labeled "proceed" on the form.
I jokingly said "Yeah! They like me today!" he then says "You're white."

If I wasn't halfway through the whole process, I would have left right there.

There is absolutely no excuse for this behavior.

Wow, you got to be the first person I know who gets mad when offered the opportunity to handle a bunch of different gun.

 

[ColdDayInHell]

That's not what happened according to the OP. He was going to buy a specific gun and had two others pushed on him that he didn't want or need.

Correct. I would have walked out after repeated condescending remarks. I don't like being talked into buying something else. Plus he is new to the gun world and buying guns that aren't for you are mistakes we all have made! I am disappointed with FS after many posts on here. I bought 3 guns of them too.

 

[M1911]

If you feel you weren't treated properly, then call Carl and tell him. He can't listen in to every conversation between one of his clerks and a customer. Carl does care about customer service.

 

[Matt_SERE]

If you feel you weren't treated properly, then call Carl and tell him. He can't listen in to every conversation between one of his clerks and a customer. Carl does care about customer service.

This; as has been pointed out by many of the long timers here that know Carl.
I have known Carl/FS for 20 years as a customer and just a little bit more.

He will take care of a known or preceived problem. After all perception is reality.
Give Carl a call and ask if he wants to hear your story and I know you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

[JClark]

FS seems to be hit or miss to me. The first couple times I went there it was busy but fairly well managed and I was able to get what I needed and get out. I have have had a couple pleasant interactions with staff there as well as some unpleasant. My latest experience, which is indicative of my more recent visits, was to stand at the register (not in a line waiting, but actually at the register) for more than 5 minutes with several boxes of ammo on the counter to purchase. I couldn't even get someone to make eye contact with me. I ended up leaving the ammo on the counter and walking out.
I think a lot of their problems stem from poor organization.
Collectors in Stoneham has been seeing more of my business lately.

 

[jasons]

He has a couple meatheads working for him, but all in all it's a good shop. Maybe if people made him aware of the meatheads they would be gone...

 

[Idoktr]

Sky Dive Guy. I echo what others have said. Carl and his employees are great at what they do and very knowledgable regarding their products. As a business owner myself, I would rather have seen you speak to the owner of the business, in this case Carl, rather than rant here. As an owner, I and probably he, would have tried to resolve your issue. Or at least communicate with the employees so that it is not repeated. Ranting here gets you nothing, and talking to the people in charge of a business does. I do respect you right to vent here, but feel you would have been better served to speak directly to Carl. I would bet if you called him now and vented he would appreciate the feedback.

Just my 2 cents....

Stewart

 

[Terrence]

+1 to everyone who has said to speak to Carl. If the owner doesn't know whats going on, he cannot correct it.

 

[Enzo]

I've been calling Four Seasons practically every day for the last couple of weeks looking to see if they got a delivery of a particular pistol I want to buy. I usually call late afternoon when I think theyve received all deliveries for the day but Tuesday I called before noon. When I said to the guy who answered, i don't want to be a pest but is it ok if I call back later, he said, that's what we're here for.
He gets it, most of them there do but those aren't the ones most of us remember....

 

[mac1911]

Little derailed topic but.....don't semi auto rifles with detachable Mag's need to be locked up dureing travel.......the magazine advice is just stupid. Ok so you get caught with a mag that doesn't exist in pre ban configuration. You happen to have 18 rounds in it.
YOU KNOW BY YOUR FIREARMS COURSE ABOUT MAGAZINE CAPACITY AND PRE BAN. just from your class...there's no saying.....I did not know it was broken. This seems unlikely of Carl's regular crew. That there would have made me want to talk to Carl. Pushing another manufacture.....not so much. The ruger vs sw just on feel alone.....sorry rugger feels like a toy more than the sw.....I have had plenty of shops talk me out of spending my money.

As for ammo prices other than walmart I don't see to many shops with more ammo than Carl. Might be a little cheaper somewhere else maybe? Best thing to do with Carl is ask about quantity discount or 1st time buyers break.....hey this is my first rifle purchase can you give me a deal on 5k rounds of 22?

 

[jraysig]

You should definitely tell Carl! He needs to know he's hired some one who offends the customer!

 

[Mpen1070]

yes it has great prices, however they are not very friendly when it comes to non- Caucasian buyers.
I went there because all the great reviews from this site and great prices. They were rude and dismissive. I bought two guns and a lot of amo so you would think i would treat me nice.. they treated me differently than the other customers i feel discriminated against.

 

[Mpen1070]

1

 

[mike01824]

As a white male in my 20s... They always take my purchase and put it behind the counter while they go in the back to call. And I have only ever recieved the 2% cash discount on firearms and not ammo. I do believe you're wrong in both accounts.

 

[FrugalFannie]

2% is only for cash purchase of firearms. Did you purchase with cash or credit card?

I have bought way too many guns there and they know me by name when I walk through the door. They always hold the gun(s) until the background check and all paperwork is finalized. They will however hand me my accessories once I pay for them. If someone handed a gun over before everything was completed that sales person was wrong.

 

[ColdDayInHell]

As a white male in my 20s... They always take my purchase and put it behind the counter while they go in the back to call. And I have only ever recieved the 2% cash discount on firearms and not ammo. I do believe you're wrong in both accounts.

23 here, white, usually wearing a metal shirt so they could label me pretty quickly too. They go in the back for everyone, so I don't think that they discriminated against you. Plus it's a private business that can run the shop in any way they see fit, not implying that it's okay to discriminate based on anything, I'm just calling it the way it is. I'd give them a call if the letter didn't get you anywhere.

 

[mike01824]

2% is only for cash purchase of firearms. Did you purchase with cash or credit card?

I have bought way too many guns there and they know me by name when I walk through the door. They always hold the gun(s) until the background check and all paperwork is finalized. They will however hand me my accessories once I pay for them. If someone handed a gun over before everything was completed that sales person was wrong.

And PennyPincher is a lady so we cover another protected class!

 

[terraformer]

Plus it's a private business that can run the shop in any way they see fit

Not in the case of retail operations and race. 4S has no discretion as to treating customers wrt race. It's one of the areas of discrimination law that applies to "private business" when said business is open to the public.

Regardless, I truly believe Carl and crew are not racists and the poster misread their security procedures to be something it is not.

 

[mike01824]

23 here, white, usually wearing a metal shirt so they could label me pretty quickly too. They go in the back for everyone, so I don't think that they discriminated against you. Plus it's a private business that can run the shop in any way they see fit, not implying that it's okay to discriminate based on anything, I'm just calling it the way it is. I'd give them a call if the letter didn't get you anywhere.

I wasn't trying to say I was descriminated against too... I was just trying to say that its their policy.

[sarcasm] UNLESS THEY'RE DESCRIMINATING AGAINST EVERY CUSTOMER!! [/sarcasm]

 

[ColdDayInHell]

Sorry Mike, my reply was directed at him not you haha.

 

[Mpen1070]

As a white male in my 20s... They always take my purchase and put it behind the counter while they go in the back to call. And I have only ever recieved the 2% cash discount on firearms and not ammo. I do believe you're wrong in both accounts.

well im not wrong because thats what happened to me, my personal opinion and how i feel about what happened ..

 

[xp220]

well im not wrong because thats what happened to me, my personal opinion and how i feel about what happened ..

It is all how you look at a situation and how you react to it. Is the glass half full or half empty?

I am not white and have been to FS a few times, I thought that all salesmen were pretty good, some of the best in knowledge and respect to customers.

 

[Mpen1070]

1

 

[mike01824]

well im not wrong because thats what happened to me, my personal opinion and how i feel about what happened ..

Well my opinion and feelings are that your opinion and feelings are wrong. Happy now?

 

[Mpen1070]

2% is only for cash purchase of firearms. Did you purchase with cash or credit card?

I have bought way too many guns there and they know me by name when I walk through the door. They always hold the gun(s) until the background check and all paperwork is finalized. They will however hand me my accessories once I pay for them. If someone handed a gun over before everything was completed that sales person was wrong.

that might be in your case they were letting the customers hold the weapons or left it on the counter in front of them. when i spoke to the owner he said that standard operation procedure was to do not do that . I understand his policy and agree with it a 100% but they were deviating from the policy except in my case... if you can see my situation and my point of view things are different. everyone here had good experiences with fs and that is why i went there. and that is why i was so surprised by what i personally encountered.