Gander Mountain Training Academy

[jw00j]

Nevermind, nothing usefull here.

[kipper]

https://academy.gandermountain.com/

I want to use this thread to start some intrest to the new Gander Mountain Training Academy. They have opened a new facility in a few stores that allow advanced and begginer shooters to learn saftey and fundamentals while also providing an advanced shooting system that would test the skills of any of the best shooters. It has opened up in just a few of the stores but it is rumored to have interest in one of the Western PA stores which is why I want to use this thread to show some feedback to the company and prove interest in a facility like this. I know that several law enforcement departments around the Academy's that are open have been speaking very highly of the system. New shooters and women wouldn't find a better place to learn and I would love to see a indoor live fire range around since Bullseye closed up. Please give a look into the web site and post your thoughts and interest and I will be looking into the company resources to answer any questions anyone may have. TY J.W.

A few thoughts:

1. Why do you specifically address that women wouldn't find a better place to learn? Are you saying that women aren't capable of learning at other ranges? Why do you think women are so stupid that they need a place like this to spoon-feed them an education on firearms? My experience with new women as shooters, is that they tend to be far more cautious than men, especially with loaded weapons. There's a thread on here about a 63-year-old MAN who shot and killed himself in a training class. Not a woman, a man. I've discussed new shooters--men vs. women with Massad Ayoob, and he'd be the first to tell you that women make far better students than men. Women actually listen to instruction and don't come in with pre-conceived notions and bad habits that they need to unlearn.
2. While I think it's a great idea, I think Gander Mountain corporate is spending far more money on this than they should be, considering that now, they're telling employees, that when they are buying used firearms, they should pay 50% of what they're going to sell the firearms for, and at most, 60%, stores are at a skeleton crew most times, and many of the firearms associates know very little about the products. That's just for starters. Then, there's that they did away with most of the gunsmiths, along with their 1 year warranty for used firearms, and are now selling "Protection Plans," which are $29.99/year. If you don't have one of those, and you bring a firearm in for manufacter's warranty work, you still have to pay shipping. Nickel and dime customers, to get the money for this sort of thing, and you'll lose customers.
3. Then, Gander no longer test fires used firearms. They have a 30 day warranty. Let's say I take a used gun out, the day I buy it, it doesn't fire. I bring it back, it gets sent to Williamsport, to the gunsmith there. Considering that there's already a 3 week backlog, by the time I get the gun back, it's already out of warranty, and I've never actually fired the gun. Let's say it doesn't work again. Now, it's already out of warranty, and I'm screwed. I spent a couple hundred dollars on a gun that's a paperweight, because trying to find a manager at Gander Mountain who understands and would handle that to keep me happy is almost impossible. The gunsmith could claim he fixed it, but didn't, and I have no recourse, because it's already out of warranty by the time I get the gun back.

In regards to their used firearms prices, check out the comments on their facebook page when they announced their used firearms on the website. You'll note the comments from most people about how ridiculous the prices are. Look at them yourself. $700 for a sporterized Smith Corona 03A3? Really?

[ProShooter]

The Gander academy is the latest effort to cash in on the firearms training craze. First they started charging instructors $50 per student for classes taught in their lodge room.

Ask some of those instructors how they feel about the new Gander academy.

[mp517prct]

https://academy.gandermountain.com/

I want to use this thread to start some intrest to the new Gander Mountain Training Academy. They have opened a new facility in a few stores that allow advanced and begginer shooters to learn saftey and fundamentals while also providing an advanced shooting system that would test the skills of any of the best shooters. It has opened up in just a few of the stores but it is rumored to have interest in one of the Western PA stores which is why I want to use this thread to show some feedback to the company and prove interest in a facility like this. I know that several law enforcement departments around the Academy's that are open have been speaking very highly of the system. New shooters and women wouldn't find a better place to learn and I would love to see a indoor live fire range around since Bullseye closed up. Please give a look into the web site and post your thoughts and interest and I will be looking into the company resources to answer any questions anyone may have. TY J.W.

Sir,

If you would like to advertise for The Gander Mountain Academy, perhaps you should speak to your store manager, district manager, or someone at base camp and ask them to be a sponsor of PAFOA Forum.

[PA Traveler]

It's academic because there isn't a Gander Mountain anywhere near me. The few I've been in while travelling were totally unimpressive (slelection, prices etc). OK so they spent a lot of money on a range (the booth size to accomodate two people is good. Armored partitions? Not sure how critical that really is. Range officers? Good idea - if they're any good and they pay attention. Simulator? Might be the best thing I'd get from it - but I'll never see one.)

First impressions, however matter. Clicked on the link and arrived at the home page and a couple of photos jumped out at me. First photo I see is a guy handing a girl a pistol and she has one hand in front of the muzzle. Two photos later I see a girl posed with a pistol in a basic isoceles position and a grip that looks like the first time the gun fires she will take her left thumb off.

I can't say I'm impressed.

[kipper]

The Gander academy is the latest effort to cash in on the firearms training craze. First they started charging instructors $50 per student for classes taught in their lodge room.

As some of those instructors how they feel about the new Gander academy.

Ah, yes, I forgot about that. The lodge fees for those using the lodge for firearms training classes. IIRC, and it's been a while since I looked at lodge fees, but if you wanted to use the lodge for a non-firearms training activity (a group meeting of some sort), wasn't it stilll free for that?

[jw00j]

Kipper, "1" I never implied women were stupid as you put it? It seemed to me that this faciltiy would be less intimidating to a new crowd. "2" What does this have to do with my post? "3" What does this have to do with my post?

Mp517prct, Sponsor is a great idea there is no reason not to except that everything everyone had to say about them was negitive.

Thank you for feedback and reminding me why I stay away from forums. They are not the community they claim to be. Way to keep it classy! Its your kind of attitude that may be the reason the 2nd ammendment has trouble with progression these days. Its nice to see one of the #1 firearms retailers in the country trying to move forawrd promoting a positive program implying education and saftey.

[kipper]

Kipper, "1" I never implied women were stupid as you put it? It seemed to me that this faciltiy would be less intimidating to a new crowd. "2" What does this have to do with my post? "3" What does this have to do with my post?

Mp517prct, Sponsor is a great idea there is no reason not to except that everything everyone had to say about them was negitive.

Thank you for feedback and reminding me why I stay away from forums. They are not the community they claim to be. Way to keep it classy! Its your kind of attitude that may be the reason the 2nd ammendment has trouble with progression these days. Its nice to see one of the #1 firearms retailers in the country trying to move forawrd promoting a positive program implying education and saftey.

1. If you didn't imply that women were stupid, why did you single out women? Why not just leave it at new shooters? Looking at their classes, why is it that they feel the need to offer the "intro" courses in a women-only setting, but not the advanced courses?
2. What #2 had to do with it is that they're alienating many good customers with their new policies, while funneling money to things like this, that at least right now, only helps a select few customers, in a select market. This is the company that used to say, "You don't pay more, you get more," and now, you're paying more for less.
3. This is a safety and liability concern. When you have employees who aren't very knowledgeable mislabeling firearms or calibers, or purchasing suspect firearms, and allowing your customers to be your guinea pigs, how long is it before a customer kills or maims themself because some person, working for $9/hour, didn't know what they were doing, and sold a customer a low-serial number 03 Springfield that the employee insisted was safe, or labeled a 270 as a 308, and when the customer took it out and shot it, the gun blew up in their face? Or, an employee who doesn't know that you can't fire 8X57 JS out of a Model 1888 Commission Rifle, even though it's labeled 8 mm, because it has a .318 bore instead of a .323 bore? All to save a few bucks for the Gander Mountain Academy.

You want to say that it's great that they're "trying to move forawrd promoting a positive program implying education and saftey," yet they've taken several steps back in regards to the safety of the firearms they sell!!! Gone are the days of gunsmiths, or "gun techs" test-firing firearms before selling them. How is that promoting safety by selling firearms not tested?

My comments about Gander Mountain are based on having been on both sides of the counter there. I've dealt with countless clueless employees, to the point that I ended up working there, because the firearms manager asked both my husband and I to consider it, because he couldn't find qualified employees. Having worked there, wow, was it an eye-opening experience! The number of clueless employees, employees thrown to the sales floor with no training, and the number of managers who know nothing about firearms (even if they don't oversee the firearms department, they should still know something about firearms, because occasionally, they need to interact with a customer back there), was mind-numbing. Add to it that now, if you want to sell a gun to them, they're going to offer you 50% of what they'll sell it for, and sometimes, will bump it up to 60%? I realize they need to make a profit, but it's amazing how the supply of used guns has dried up, since they changed to that, from 68 and 70%, depending on if you were selling outright or trading.

Then, recently, when they were asking us to lie to customers about the "Pro Plans," and what they cover/why they're necessary, on guns with lifetime warranties, I quit, because I'm not going to lie to customers. Sorry, but I have ethics.

[mp517prct]

Sir,

I'm sorry if you're offended by our rough treatment, buy you joined our forum, and your one and only post was and advertisement for Gander Mountain and then you expect us not to treat you like a "shill" for GM. As for the negative comments about GM, perhaps base camp should stop worrying about ways to wring one last penny out of every customer and try giving the associates the tools necessary to build lasting relationships with their customers. Instead of telling the associates to lie to customers to convince them that they need to buy a "Summit Plan," "Pro Plan," or sign up for the "Gander Mountain Credit Card" so the store can meet it's goal for the night, they should worry more about what customers have to say after the sale.

When Gander Mountain did away with the one year warranty on used firearms, did they make an announcement ahead of time? Did they put up a sign in the front of the store saying "as of such and such date, we will no longer offer the warranty?" Did they roll out the Pro Plan before they did away with the warranty? The answer to both is NO they did not. They did away with the warranty in the dark of night, on a Sunday in November. Why, because they knew it was wrong and base camp hoped most customer's wouldn't notice.

When Gander Mountain got rid of all but one gunsmith in each state, did they make an announcement ahead of time? Did they put up a sign in the front of the store to inform customers that "as of such and such date all gunsmith work will be done at such and such store?" The answer to both is NO they did not. They axed all but one gunsmith in each state in the dark of night in January. Why, because base camp knew it was wrong and hoped most customers wouldn't notice. They didn't even bother to take down the "Gunsmith" signs, they just put a sheet of plywood over the gunsmith's window so customers would think the gunsmith area was being renovated.

When Gander Mountain stopped test firing their used firearms before selling them to the public, did they make an announcement ahead of time? Did they post signs to inform customers that "as if such and such date no firearms would be test fired?" The answer to both is NO they did not. They just stopped doing it at the same time they axed the gunsmiths and base camp hoped the customers wouldn't notice.

When Gander Mountain stopped honoring the Gander Bucks that they used to hand out, did they put a large advertisement that as of January 30th we will no longer honor the coupons we gave you? No, they put up a tiny piece of paper about 3"x5" that said they'd no longer honor their own coupons that don't have an expiration date on them. The signs were up for about two weeks prior to the last day they were honored. Why, because base camp hoped most people wouldn't notice until it was too late, and they could weasel out of honoring them.

This is not the way a business builds lasting relationships with their customers. This is how a Catalog Company that got out of the catalog business and into the brick and mortar store business gets out of the brick and mortar store business and back into the catalog business.

[normanvin]

Sir,

If you would like to advertise for The Gander Mountain Academy, perhaps you should speak to your store manager, district manager, or someone at base camp and ask them to be a sponsor of PAFOA Forum.

Maybe he has come here to just advertise for Gander. But I do not see what he has done that is any different then the posters who sign on just to sell things in the classifieds. Or any of the other training courses that pop up in the training section. They are also not free courses

By the way this is not "our forum". This is DANP's forum. I also notice that you do not donate monies to the forum.