Ever been asked to hold a strangers gun?

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

gspn

Member
Joined
Jun 10, 2006
Messages
2,426
Years ago...maybe in the late 80's or early 90's...I was putting myself through school and working at a retail store at the mall. I was running the cash register one day and this older guy came up to the counter and with no real introduction, just told me he was a detective and asked me to hold his gun behind the counter for him while he tried on some clothes in the changing room.

He handed me a holstered .38 and walked off to try on the clothes. At that time I had virtually no experience with guns. We had no place behind the counter to secure anything. I put it on a shelf under the register, let the store manager know, and just made a point to not leave the counter until he got back.

All these years later...I still can't imagine why he'd just hand the gun to someone he doesn't know. For all he knew I might not have had the discipline to not fool with the gun while in my possession. I certainly had no decent way to secure it in his absence...and I frequently left the counter area to do other things. I was just a random check-out clerk at a store...nothing more.

I've never seen or heard of anything like it since...and I can't imagine a single circumstance under which I'd do such a thing.

Have you ever had something like this happen?
 
Really just more evidence of how a lot of cops think of their issue firearm as just a piece of heavy kit they're required to carry around.
Any cop who handed anybody his issue firearm would get into a WORLD of excrement if his higher ups ever found out. Moreso if it was loaded.
 
Nothing close to that.

I have been asked to shoot others firearms at the range and in turn let them fire mine.
 
gspn said:
All these years later...I still can't imagine why he'd just hand the gun to someone he doesn't know.
Click to expand...

He obviously thought you had an honest face and a solid demeanor. And he was right, wasn't he? ;)
 
Did you actually see a badge?

Maybe it was an activist anti-gunner who just assumed you'd immediately shoot up the place as soon as you got your hands on a gun! :)
 
I don't see what the big deal is, in your specific scenario, as described.
It's not like he went into the restroom, asked some guy in there to hold it for him (no pun intended), while he urinated.:p
 
xxjumbojimboxx said:
I wonder why he wouldn't just take it in the changing room with him. That's a private place. Also a vulnerable one at times.
Click to expand...

It sure is. On December 23,1963, while trying on a new pair of pants in a downtown Miami department store, my wallet was stolen out of my old pair, which was resting on a wall hanger.

It was my own stupidity but I never forgot. Not another lost wallet in 52 years. I watch it like a paranoid hawk.
 
Only time a stranger has handed me a gun has been at the range. A couple of times it's just a mutual interest kind of thing, like it's a gun I have never seen before. Other times it's because they're having some problem (like they can't get a decent grouping), and want to see if the problem is with them or the gun. Have never heard of anyone handing their gun to a stranger while they went to try on some clothes. That's just too strange and quite careless on their part.
 
I have never been asked, but I did once in my more impulsive youth impetuously pull a Ruger Single-Six revolver from the hands of a stranger making threats one night. I was 20 and unarmed. The stranger was astonished and soon in the custody of an off-duty policeman moonlighting as security at Jack-in-the-Box that had a history of "incidents".
 
No stranger ever asked me to do that but even after handling a friend's firearm I wink at em and wipe my fingerprints off it.
 
I used to work in Dr's office, one day the Dr. Handed me an LCP and asked me to give it to patient so and so who was coming in to pick it up.

That's about as close as I ever came
 
Interesting, nope, never happened to me. I second the thought of why he wouldn't bring it into the changing room with him, but who knows..
 
A cop handed me his once.

My neighbor and friend was a cop and a patrol car rolled up while he and I were talking. A cop in uniform was visiting just to hang out awhile. I mentioned that I had no experience with Glocks and was totally unfamiliar with them. Next thing I now he has unholstered and handed his over. I gestured a no-that's-all-right but he placed it in my hand.

Tell you the truth I was kinda stunned. He had never met me before. I was just the friend of a friend. Needless to say I was especially careful and handed it back in about 10 seconds. Still can't imagine someone doing that.
 
Never had it happen to me before. I don't necessarily think I'd be comfortable, because I'd almost think they were trying to get my prints on the thing......... But I'm paranoid.

I would have at least asked to see his badge and ID before taking it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

C
  • Locked
Has this ever happened to you?
2
Replies
48
Views
3K
Gouranga
G
B
  • Locked
Handling firearms in the gun store
2 3 4 5
Replies
109
Views
4K
Larry Ashcraft
Larry Ashcraft
G
  • Locked
Gun Store Story
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
Axis II
A
mesinge2
  • Locked
Hardware Store Robbery
2
Replies
37
Views
2K
DoubleTapDrew
D
D
  • Locked
A day in a gun shop.
2
Replies
40
Views
4K
HexHead
H
Back
Top