A RadioShack in Montana is making headlines — and doing a brisk business — by offering free guns to new Dish Network customers.

“Protect yourself with Dish Network. Sign up now, get free gun,” reads the sign over the door of a Hamilton, MT, RadioShack. The promo has been running since October and the store’s owner says it’s tripled the business in that time. It’s also made the store a bit of a local landmark.

“We have people literally stop in to take pictures of the sign,” the Shack’s manager tells local paper the Ravalli Republic.

To qualify for the deal, customers have to sign up for Dish service and installation and purchase a certain amount of related equipment from the store. They are then given a gift certificate for a local gun store where they have the option of a Hi Point 380 pistol or a 20-gauge shotgun.

The gun store runs the proper background checks on all customers before giving out any firearms. “We’re not just giving guns to felons,” said the Shack manager.

If the customer doesn’t want — or doesn’t pass the background check for — a gun, they can receive a $50 Pizza Hut gift card.

The store owner says it took some convincing to get Dish on board with the free firearm idea: “They’ve never had a gun promotion before, so they’re a little nervous about it.”

The promo has been so successful that the store plans on doing the same thing next month for new DirecTV customers.

The RadioShack’s marketing approach is the opposite of the Alabama adult erotica store that recently handed out free sex toys to customers who got rid of their guns.

Hamilton Radio Shack offers free gun with new Dish Network service [Ravalli Republic]

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