[bokchoi]

Just a rant...

I was at the shop, putting money down on my new Sig Pro SP2009 with a factory threaded barrel. As the gun is sitting in front of me on the mat while I chat with my friend across the counter, some, er, gentleman trundles across the store and sees this gun in front of me.

"Hey, a Sig!" He exclaims, snatching up the pistol right from under my nose.

To my horror and before I can even anything, he racks, the slide, sights in the pistol, and before I know it, I hear the horrible sound of a slide being dropped on an empty chamber. Dry firing the pistol once, he none too gently plops the pistol down on the mat, and trundles off.

My friend and I are speechless, not really over the potential damage to my pistol (Sig Pros are pretty well built), but just the speed with which this guy managed to basically break every rule of gun shop etiquitte there is in less than 5 seconds. If that was a custom 1911 with a fine trigger job or a revolver which he felt would be nice to flick closed, I would have made a very special note for the guy to never come near a handgun again.

Just my little rant. I'm still apologizing to the gun, as I haven't dropped a slide on an empty chamber in any of my guns since I owned them. :fire:

[TonyB]

Even worse when the people who work there do these things.......I stopper in to get some ammo and poke around one time.......Iguess these 2 bozos who worked there didn't see me come in because they were racking slides ,spinning revolvers,slamming mags and giggleing like schoolgirls.....when they saw me they stopped,but it had me wondering if they even realize that these are going to be bought by somebody who maybe doesn't want a used new pistol!!!I don't baby my guns ...but they're MY GUNS........a buddy grabbed my Airweight one time and flicked the cylinder in place....needless to say he never handled any of my guns again..:fire:

[dhoomonyou]

Inconsiderate SOB
Stupidity knows NO bounds.

[matsaleh]

I must confess my ignorance here. I'm fairly new to handgun etiquette (not new to handgun safety, however).

To start, it's obvious to me that - whether it's a handgun or a hammer, it's pretty rude to snatch something up from right in front of a person who is obviously attending to it at that moment.

But, why is it bad form to rack the slide and let it slam shut on an empty chamber?

Why is it bad form to spin the cylinder on a revolver and "flick it in place"?

Whenever I'm at a gun shop, I always ask permission to rack the slide and dry fire the pistol, but I never thought there would be a danger to doing so, as long as all safety practices are observed.

I'm not trying to be argumentative here, just to learn. I simply wish to cure my ignorance so that it will not be mistaken for stupidity some day.

Cheers.

[Skunkabilly]

Thankfully this hasn't happened to me yet...maybe I'll let the guy handle my Karambit while he's at it :D

Sorry to hear about your Sig. Like the man said, I'm not gentle but they're my guns.

[El Tejon]

Rude indeed, but harmless to your weapon. The guy is a sloppy pig, but no reason to start a fight, no matter how much he deserves missing teeth. Some people grow up without fathers and do not know how to behave.

I dry practice with "custom" 1911s all the time. No harm to the weapon. Pistols are weapons, tools to fight with, not adore.

Upon purchase of every new pistol, I kick it to the car so that I do not flinch over every scratch or "flaw."

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

BIG TIME NO NO----grabbing the gun you are buying out from under you. Very rude.

Dropping the slide on an empty chamber----no big deal-----but it wasn't his gun to drop the slide on.


Cylinder spinning on a DA---no big deal--------not good on a SA as it will leave wear marks.

Cylinder flicking is strictly verbotten.

[Kestrel]

This just happened to me last week. I was at a shop, picking up an Ed Brown Kobra Carry, blued, that I had ordered about three months ago. Beautiful. A customer walks up to me, asking a lot of quetions about 1911s. Says he's thinking about a Wilson. I also had one sitting in front of me... Well, I had ALREADY paid for these and he asks if he can see how the feel is on the two. I had already glanced him over, noticing his attire, if he was carrying, had any ammo or mags in his hands, etc... (I've seen some nervous things in gunshops...) He was friendly enough and looked okay.

Well, he grabs the slide, with his hand over it kind of like a clumsy gorilla. I'm thinking he's not even sure how to do this. (I'm looking at his fingers to see if he's wearing any rings that would scratch the finish. None.) He pulls it back about 3/4 of the way back and the slide kind of sticks. I realize it's caught on the mag follower, but he didn't know. He starts trying to drop the magazine. I quickly say "wait!", but he's plowing ahead. The mag pops free and the slide smacks home. :fire: :fire: :fire:

He just said, whoops. "These things don't hold back the slide?" :fire:

Well, I asked the sales person to put my stuff behind their counter, while I look around. (He kept asking if he could keep comparing the sights and feel of the Ed Brown to the Wilson.) They put them up. Then the guy starts asking me why do I have all these guns. How many do I have? Do I shoot them all? He keeps following me around the store asking me questions, while I look at other things. I finally just started ignoring him, being prepared to politely ask him to buzz off (I'm still irritated about the Ed Brown at this point...) He finally walks off after I stop responding to his questions.

Actually, it still irritates me...

[Kestrel]

Skunk,

I wish I had had a Karambit to let him handle... Funny.

Steve

[J Miller]

To my horror and before I can even anything, he racks, the slide, sights in the pistol, and before I know it, I hear the horrible sound of a slide being dropped on an empty chamber. Dry firing the pistol once, he none too gently plops the pistol down on the mat, and trundles off.

And you just stood there?
Even after the fact I would have been all over him like a mongoose on a snake.
What he did warrented a very loud and vocal responce.

[Kentucky Rifle]

Someone THAT rude needs a quick kick to the 'nads. One should ALWAYS ask before doing ANYTHING involving the touching of someone's gun. Sheesh!

KR

[James Bondrock]

Why is it bad form to spin the cylinder on a revolver and "flick it in place"?

This practice is abusive and damaging to a swing-out cylinder double action revolver. It can spring or bend the crane (the part that supports the front of the cylinder) out of shape, which will keep the cylinder from locking properly (or at all) into the frame later. It can also damage the ratchet and pawl that rotates the cylinder, somewhat like fanning the hammer of a single-action. When closing the cylinder of your DA revolver, do so relatively gently, and give it a small twist in the direction of cylinder rotation until it clicks into place and stops to be sure the locking bolt in the bottom of the frame properly indexes with the cylinder notch.

[10-Ring]

:rolleyes: Some peoples kids :rolleyes: :scrutiny:

Yeah, the stuff that happens inside the walls of a retail store is truly amazing sometimes!:banghead: :cuss:

[George Hill]

I would have had some words with this Gentilman.
I don't tollerate rudeness.
:cuss:

[cslinger]

It's funny when I handle other peoples guns I make a concious effort to ride the slide down very gently but every once in a while the slide will slip out of my hands due to it being under more spring pressure than I am prepared for or the slide release being more sensitive than I expect and the slide will slam home................................................and I always feel sooooo bad and apologize profusely.

Other peoples kids is right.

Chris

[Smoke]

EL T said: Upon purchase of every new pistol, I kick it to the car so that I do not flinch over every scratch or "flaw."

But you don't kick your buddies gun to the car do you?

[El Tejon]

Smoke,:D, no, of course not. Well, once during a "battlefield pick up" drill, I kicked a buddy's AR while running up to it. Right out of the Three Stooges--they called me "Moe" the rest of the class.:D

[foghornl]

I don't know for certain if slamming the slide home on empty is a bad practice or not, but I don't do it on my Springy 1911 or KP-90 Ruger.

Now, as to "flicking" the cylinder closed.... NO! You will eventually warp the crane/yoke, and you will wind up with a messed up revo that has lockup-timing problems.

Saw an idiot the other day load up the cylinder on his 50th Year Ruger single-six, spin it as hard as he could, then slam the load gate closed. Made me want to remove pistol from, his grip, and start "flicking" him about the head and shoulders.

[Top_Notch]

Ok, Ok, I apologize already bokchoi. I didn't know it was your pistol.


As others said,

Spinnng and flicking a revolver can bend/damage the crane/yolk and ruin the timing and/or lockup.

Slamming the slide home on an empty chamber I've heard could ruin a trigger job. Take no chances...ride the slide when it's not yours. If you own it, it's your money....so flick away.

[forquidder]

And you stood there and said nothing.

Too bad so many people today see themselves as victims rather than stepping up and saying or doing something about it.

Better to be mad at oneself for saying nothing rather than spreading the story looking for people to commiserate with. :fire:

[Black Snowman]

I treat others people's stuff like it's there only child, but I'll abuse the hell out of my own stuff.

I see lot's of sweeping and other poor and unsafe gun handling practices in gun stores. Even by the employees. I aways speak up if something that makes me uncomfortable is done. I can always take my business elsewhere and I have.

My all-time favorite gun shop in town got a new employee I don't particularly like and I shop elsewhere now. I've bought 3 guns from them and it only took one bad attitude for me to give another shop a second chance.

[Sean Smith]

Snatching somebody's gun is a good way to geat a beating, or worse. Not that bad manners alone warrant a beating, but people take grabbing their gun kind of personally in most parts.

[dhoomonyou]

a brother in law that I NO longer speak to (for other reasons)
was at the range with me and picked up my Glock 26 and TRIED to bend the polymer frame, when I asked him ***?, he responded "want to see if the plastic will crack" I told him to "put it the F down" and added if it did crack he was going to as well.

[Al Thompson]

When I was about 20 or so, I "flicked" a revolver shut on a fellow's HG at a gunshow. I was royally (but politely) chewed up and spit out. That was about 24 years ago and I remember the color of his table covering, the make of the wheelgun and his face. :)

This BB, and our intent, is to furthur the RKBA and educate new folks. That guy, that day, educated me. :) As he so aptly showed me, you don't have to be rude, but you can educate even the most arrogant of new folks. (that would be me) :D

[Kentucky Rifle]

Your reply reminded me of the movie "Lonesome Dove". The character Tommy Lee Jones was playing had just beat the S@@@ out of a guy and then as he was getting on his horse he said, "I hate rudeness in a man, won't tolerate it".
Cracked me up!

KR

[Mal H]

That's about as rude as picking up a man's hat in TX, NM, OK, etc. and trying it on for size. You'll possibly end up on the floor if you do that to some folks down there. You simply don't mess with a man's hat or his gun without asking permission first.

[Archer]

"Hey, a Sig!" He exclaims, snatching up the pistol right from under my nose.

It is hard to imagine this really happened exactly as described. But not impossible.

Suffice it to say that if it were my gun on the mat, the individual would not have been in a position to "snatch it right up from under my nose".

[chaim]

That's about as rude as picking up a man's hat in TX, NM, OK, etc. and trying it on for size. You'll possibly end up on the floor if you do that to some folks down there. Mal, that reminds me of a Lyle Lovett song where it sounds like he is upset about some guy looking longingly at his girlfriend/wife/significant other/whatever and leads into the chorus which goes something like "you can have my girl, but don't touch my hat". I thought it was a joke until I met a few Texans.:D

[Ankeny]

It suprises me how many folks recognize that "flicking" a cylinder closed is damaging to a revolver, but think it's ok to let a slide slam shut on a semiautomatic, especially a 1911. I guess that's why I don't let just any knucklehead handle my race guns.

[cool45auto]

My mouth probably would have gotten the best of me at that point in time. Now I'm pretty rough with my guns but like the others said: they're my guns. He could have at least asked to see it before grabbing it up.

[Jim K]

I totally agree on the rudeness of someone who would pick up your gun without your permission, even if he did nothing but look at it. And the rudeness is even greater if he chooses to "play" with it.

But it is amusing to see how delicate you folks think those guns are so. Is everything really going to break at the slightest touch? How does anyone expect to actually SHOOT such fragile guns? Horrors! You guys must keep your guns under glass on padded velvet to keep them from just falling to pieces.

Jim

[Moparmike]

but think it's ok to let a slide slam shut on a semiautomatic, especially a 1911.So why is it bad to do this again? Wether the gun in question is a Witness (like mine) or not? That 20lb spring is down right snappy, and I cant always catch it. Done had the crap pinched outta me once tryin that...

[Intune]

The only way I know to say it is steel on steel not steel on brass. Chambering a round directly without using the mag is bad also. Hard on the extractor.

[zpo]

I'm from Oklahoma, and pretty girls tend to get to play with my hat without permission.

[LynnMassGuy]

Hey dhoomonyou. Shoulda' kicked his car and told him you just wanted to see if it would dent.
:evil:

[45R]

Okay dont flame me for this but two questions.

1st

What is so damaging to a wheel gun when you flick the cylinders in "Hollywood" style? I am assuming it screws up the timing or that little bad that holds the cylinders in place.

2nd.

What is so bad about closing a slide on a unloaded semi? I have heard people say that is horrible for 1911 with trigger jobs. Okay maybe I'll buy that but if your going to be shooting the handgun wont there be more force for the hell, spit and fire from a live round discharging multiple times then letting the slide just slide forward on an empty chamber.

Bottomline

I've learned that the above two are not accepted practices due to spending time on this and other forums. So therefore I dont do it to my guns or other peoples guns. Its against the rules and the gentleman that played with your gun should be slapped silly :)

So is 1 and 2 a wifestail? Were do I find documentation about it :)


Thanks for spreading some knowledge.

45R

[VictorLouis]

I bought a revo at a pawn shop. After the deal was struck, while I was filling out the form, the !@#$%^& employee 'bogarted' the cylinder shut. With the upmost of restraint, I grimaced :fire: , and whined, " Oh no, please don't do that, it's bad for the action." The doofus had the nerve to say to me, "It's MY GUN and I'll handle it like I want to....". I assure you, were that revolver to have shown ANY damage from such handling after I RE-INPSECTED it, they wouldn't have seen dime ONE of my money.

[SnWnMe]

The deal would've been off right away Victor. If that was his attitude towards his guns then I am sure that he does those things quite frequently to them. :what:

[Double Naught Spy]

I love it.

Bokchoi posted...
"I was at the shop, putting money down on my new Sig Pro SP2009 with a factory threaded barrel. "

Dude, this statement alone clearly identifies that at the moment, the gun in question was NOT yours. You wanted it to be yours, but it was not. In fact, you were not even taking possession of it because you were not purchasing it. You were just putting money down on it. It becomes your gun when you pay for it. The gun the 'gentleman' messed with belonged to the store.

If you did not like the way the gun was handled, you should have backed out of the sale or asked for a replacement new Sig that had not been handled in the manner you did not like...but you probably went ahead and continued with your deposit and went home mad and posted here about "your" gun.

[BluesBear]

It becomes your gun when you pay for it.
Dude, :rolleyes: do you go through the grocery store taking things out of other peoples carts and putting them in yours? After all, the stuff in their carts isn't theirs, yet, since they haven't paid for them. :scrutiny:



So, while it's true in the eyes of the ATF the gun wasn't his yet, because the total monies hadn't been paid and the paperwork hadn't been completed, it in effect is "his" gun since he has an implied "contract to purchase" with the shop.



Besides that, interrupting people while they are closing a deal is, to put it quite simply, just plain damn RUDE, Dude.

[glockten]

Bokchoi,

Regard it as a learning experience.

Perhaps in the future, a total stranger will not be able to snatch a gun from within your arms' reach. It's all about being aware of what's going on around you.

This is not meant as a flame, but as sincere advice.

[Ankeny]

You guys are kidding right? I have a $2,700.00 Open blaster built on an STI frame with an 18 ounce trigger. You honestly don't know that slamming the slide shut without the resistance of picking up a live round has the potential of screwing the sear up. The rebound after the slide slams shut ain't exactly easy on the pistol either. The same is true of my Limited pistol with a 2 pound trigger. Sure, it won't happen every time, but with guns like mine you never, ever, slam the slide home and you don't run them dry with a deactivated slide stop. Ask any top notch pistol smith and they will tell you the same thing. This is a known fact not the opinion of a keyboard pistolero.

I compare letting the slide slam shut on another guy's pistol to slamming his car doors. How would you like me to slam your car door shut so hard as to knock the glass off of the track and have it slide to the bottom of your door? Won't happen every time but I bet I could really piss you off doing it.:D

[Baba Louie]

In not so ancient Japan, a man could be killed for touching another's Katana without permission... or even stepping over a sword that was lying on the ground/floor. And you'd NEVER EVER touch the steel barehanded.

Works for me.

If it's not mine I always ask permission, hate to touch the steel and cannot imagine dry firing or letting a slide spring forward with no round or snap cap... but that's because my Father taught me manners and was a gunsmith/machinist to boot. When he worked on other peoples firearms they were treated with the respect they were due.

Bokchoi, fast is one thing, and I wasn't there, but I know I would have heard my Father's voice as I told this twit a thing or two about dire consequences when acting thus as I removed it from his hands with all due haste (It was yours right?). But then again, I too would have probably been speechless and frozen as I witnessed a brazen fool in action.

Fools.

Adios

[Zark-9]

Blues Bear said:

"Besides that, interrupting people while they are closing a deal is, to put it quite simply, just plain damn RUDE, Dude."

That's really all that needs to be said.

Ever close a Mortgage? How would you feel if some dumba$$ came in and interupted like.... "What a nice house! I've been lookin at it for years. Can I come visit you when you move in? Can I have a key?"

[SnWnMe]

Amen. It's all about manners regardless of where we are.

[goon]

Good thing it is a SIG. It probably didn't hurt it.
It also pi$$es me off when people handle guns without knowing what they are doing.
Something else that pi$$es me off is when people look guns over on the used rack and let them cocked.
How stupid is that?
It only takes a second to lower the cocking peice on an Enfield, but some people are too stupid to figure that one out.

[Zach S]

If I leave one of mine on the counter in front of me, your gbonna have a hard time grabbig it. It will most likely end up with one hand holding your wrist while the elbow of my other arm heads your way. Almost did it to a cop one day, I know him, and dont have a problem with him picking up my gun, but I didnt realize who he was while he was grabbing. Now he says something before he grabs.

I compare letting the slide slam shut on another guy's pistol to slamming his car doors. How would you like me to slam your car door shut so hard as to knock the glass off of the track and have it slide to the bottom of your door? Won't happen every time but I bet I could really piss you off doing it. You wont knock mine off track, it'll just shatter. I learned the hard way...

[kentucky bucky]

Gun shops are Mecca for those numbnuts that like to proclaim their manhood by racking, slamming, flicking and snaping everything that can be racked, slammed , flicked or snapped. It's like they want the world to know what an "oriental gun master" they are, and probably practice at home on their Lorcins and Ravens. :mad:

[Double Naught Spy]

Bluesbear, if somebody does something to an item in 'my' grocery cart and I don't like it, I don't friggin' buy it. The grocery store can contend with whatever potential damage another shopper may have caused.

[varoadking]

Especially cabbage... ;)

[BluesBear]

00spy,

I didn't say anything about anyone "doing" anything to something in your cart. Please reread it until you get the meaning.
But to make it easier let me express it a different way.

You're in the meat department of your favorite food purchasing establishment. Someone has just picked up, and deposited into "his" shopping cart a fresh cut, extra big, nice thick STEAK. As you're pushing your cart down another aisle, looking for a suitable frozen TV dinner, this person walks by and YOU say, "Ooooh a STEAK, I love steak and proceed to take "his" steak out of "his" cart and put it in "your" cart.

Would you expect to leave the store with the same teeth you entered with? :what: