Today (a Thursday, at about 2:00) I went to my nearby Rural King in Greenwood to see if they had any .30 M1 Carbine ammunition. When I got there the sole clerk was trying to help a customer through a NICS check, sell a Beretta 92 to another customer, and help the other counter customers.
Apparently, when you buy a firearm there, the clerk has to radio to the stockroom in the back of the store and have the weapon's box brought up.
When the poor guy finally got around to a point where he could ask what I needed, I told him I was looking for M1 Carbine ammo. He cocked his head with that "dog reading a road map" look, and I told him "30 caliber M1 Carbine" and that it was a specific cartridge. He kind of sniffed around the rifle ammunition and told me they had none (all the ammunition is behind the counter and so far back that I couldn't read the labels).
Admittedly, .30 Carbine is not the most popular caliber, but I was surprised that a clerk at a gun counter had apparently never heard of it. It wasn't like I was asking for .50 Action Express or something.
Apparently, when you buy a firearm there, the clerk has to radio to the stockroom in the back of the store and have the weapon's box brought up.
When the poor guy finally got around to a point where he could ask what I needed, I told him I was looking for M1 Carbine ammo. He cocked his head with that "dog reading a road map" look, and I told him "30 caliber M1 Carbine" and that it was a specific cartridge. He kind of sniffed around the rifle ammunition and told me they had none (all the ammunition is behind the counter and so far back that I couldn't read the labels).
Admittedly, .30 Carbine is not the most popular caliber, but I was surprised that a clerk at a gun counter had apparently never heard of it. It wasn't like I was asking for .50 Action Express or something.