Montana Radio Shack offers free gun or pizza with satellite TV purchase
The owner of the Radio Shack in Hamilton, Montana, says only one customer has responded negatively to his promotion.
March 28th, 2011
02:44 PM ET

Montana Radio Shack offers free gun or pizza with satellite TV purchase

A Radio Shack owner in Montana has upped foot traffic at his Hamilton store by offering free guns for new satellite television subscribers, according to a local paper.

Fear not, those opposed to gun ownership and those who might fail background checks. You can have free pizza instead.

The sign says it all: “Protect yourself with Dish Network. Sign up now. Get free gun.” (The real marquee has no periods, so I took a little punctuative license.)

Owner Steve Strand told the Ravalli Republic that the promotion “really, really fits the Bitterroot Valley,” while manager Fabian Levy told the newspaper that the gimmick had “been really successful.”

Strand said the promotion, which began in October, has tripled his business and lured hundreds of people curious about the sign. Only one person who “didn’t understand how it works” has reacted negatively, he said.

“We have people literally stop in to take pictures of the sign,” Levy added.

Simply sign a contract, purchase certain equipment, set up an installation date and congratulations! You could be the proud owner of a Hi-Point .380-caliber handgun or a 20-gauge shotgun from Frontier Guns & Ammo, which is just north of town.

If you don’t want a gat or can’t pass the background check (which the Republic reports is also free with the satellite TV subscription), you can still have a $50 Pizza Hut gift card.

Strand told the newspaper that other Radio Shack owners in the state were too scared to follow his lead. Even Dish Network had its doubts but agreed to the idea after months of talks with Strand, the newspaper said.

“They've never had a gun promotion before, so they're a little nervous about it,” Strand said. “It's been an uphill battle with Dish.”

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Filed under: Business • Montana • U.S.
soundoff (332 Responses)
  1. really?

    Did this "journalist" really just use the term "gat"? Idiot

    March 28, 2011 at 3:33 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Nick

    Why is this news? Businesses do promotions that involve free stuff all the time. Would this be covered by CNN if the store were giving away cuttlery? Stop demonizing sporting equipment.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:33 pm | Report abuse |
    • groovygoober

      Of course not, it's because they are giving away a big bad evil scary gun!!!

      Stupid lib turds.

      March 28, 2011 at 3:38 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Dean

    He won't get any takers on the guns...everyone there already owns several. And Pizza Hut sucks. I'll shop elsewhere.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:34 pm | Report abuse |
    • Warhammer

      LOL...

      March 28, 2011 at 3:56 pm | Report abuse |
    • Employee

      Actually, business has more than tripled......IDIOT........Guess while you are shopping elsewhere, everybody else is getting a free gun.

      August 3, 2011 at 3:52 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Doomguy

    A hi-point? LOL. Think I'd take the pizza instead.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:36 pm | Report abuse |
  5. billz

    I'm moving to Montana.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:38 pm | Report abuse |
  6. SHRIKE

    Hi-Points suck. Take the 20ga or pizza.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:43 pm | Report abuse |
  7. ricky

    That's it..I'm moving to Montana..oh ya!!!!

    March 28, 2011 at 3:46 pm | Report abuse |
  8. ThomasD

    Mmm double pepperoni, canadian bacon, black olives and target practice. Fun.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:47 pm | Report abuse |
  9. tttt

    Just shows if you give a gun away you can sell anything.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:47 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Hugo

    What gun, at the price of a pizza, can you defend yourself with? I'll take the pizza thank you!

    March 28, 2011 at 3:48 pm | Report abuse |
    • Denizen Kate

      I was thinking the same thing. They must be pretty crummy guns if your other choice is a free pizza.

      March 28, 2011 at 4:31 pm | Report abuse |
    • Employee

      The pizza is a consolation prize for those who dont qualify for or dont want the gun.

      August 3, 2011 at 3:54 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Matt Downhour

    This has been going on since at least January, I'm from Helena but I was up in Hamilton. I kept the Tid Bits ad.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:52 pm | Report abuse |
  12. NODAT1

    ***&&^^it I live in Maryland The only way we get free guns is go to Baltimore and wait outside one of the many housing complexes sooner or later a police will raid the apartment and the guns will fly out the windows all you need to do pick them up.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:53 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Brad

    Gun at that price compaired to a pizza??? Is it a slingshot?

    March 28, 2011 at 3:55 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Warhammer

    Watch the Dem's go crazy over this one. OMFG...actually arm the American citizens? Whoda thunk it?

    March 28, 2011 at 3:55 pm | Report abuse |
    • Hugo

      Get a life.

      March 28, 2011 at 6:24 pm | Report abuse |
    • SDN

      Thanks for stopping by.....

      March 28, 2011 at 8:40 pm | Report abuse |
  15. banasy

    Hi, Herbert. Hi, Jazz. jj, what's up with the maggot thing?

    And anyone who uses the phrase "lib turds" deserves to eat Pizza Hut. Forced to, I should say. At gunpoint.

    March 28, 2011 at 3:58 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jazz7

      Ya, using the word "libs" is so PARK AVENUE as new yorkers would say .

      March 28, 2011 at 7:07 pm | Report abuse |
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