A Little Paranoid

[Atomsk]

The other day i was in a large retail sporting goods store and went to buy some 9mm ammo. I got 4 50rd boxes and as i was walking to the front check-out line i saw a nice Baby Eagle 9mm in the case and decided to check it out. While the employee was retriving the gun i set my ammo right by me on the counter (the top of the counter is a hair shorter than armpit high and i'm 5'9) and before he hands me the gun with the trigger lock STILL ATTACHED he grabs my ammo and moves it well out of my reach. I know that my hair is about shoulder lenght and i got several tattoos all over my arms but come on. It's not like i brought my gun lock picking kit with me to get the trigger lock off, grab the ammo from the counter, load the mag, and start bringing the chaos. I thought it was more funny than anything, but still was wondering why. Thanks for reading and let me know if something like this has happened to you or tell me what you think.

 

[kentucky_Dave]

He sounds a little "scared" of guns to me.

 

[TAB]

when I was growing up there was a hardware store that sold guns and ammo.

One day a man walked it, stole 1 44 round from a box they had on the shelf, then asked to see a 44 they had on display. Before anyone knew what had happend he loaded, put the barrel in his mouth and killed himself.

I spent a few years working for a FFL... I can understand the reason why he did what he did. The hard truth is, most people can not be trusted with firearms. I'm not saying people should not own them, just that most people lack training to do so safely.

 

[xring44]

I'd bet its store policy, I know that the local Wal-mart will not allow a firearm and ammo to be on the counter at the same time. I believe if you buy a gun and ammo, they will carry the ammo through the store and hand it to you outside the door.

 

[Atomsk]

TAB

Did the revolver have some kind of lock or safety device on it?

 

[TAB]

What diffrence does that make?

Did the guy know you personally?

Think about it from his side of things... you just handed a gun to some one you do not know, and ammo is with in arms reach. All they need is 1 bullet to give some one a bad day. Would you want to live with that?

I also have no doubt it was company policy.

 

[Buzztail]

That's not paranoid, it is just the way things work in a gunshop. I did the same kind of things when I worked the counter in a gunshop- don't take it personal. Youd've gotten the same from me, and I'm bald and tattooed

 

[Carl N. Brown]

I believe Walmart's policy on gun sales is based on a very sloppy suicide in a sporting goods section.

I was present at a gun shop when a person brought in a Winchester pump-action rifle he had inherited. He had no interest in guns, and thought it would be better if the shop sold it someone who liked old guns. After he walked out, the shop owner inspected the gun in detail. There were about ten rounds of .22 WRF in the tube magazine.

There is a reason why local gun shows post signs "No loaded guns" and have a cop at the door inspecting and cable-tying every gun brought in. Some adult people who handle guns are also dangerous with crayons and coloring books, and you cant tell by looking.

 

[ronwill]

I agree with it being store policy and probably has something to do with insurance. Just think of the possible law suits if someone got hold of ammo and a firearm and started shooting other customers (not saying this is what you had planned). Walmart has to have a manager escort you to the door when you purchase a gun, even if you don't buy ammo at the same time.

 

[TX1911fan]

A weapon with a trigger lock can often still be loaded and fired. That's the stupidity of trigger locks. Unless they are fitted just right, they don't work. I'd say he was being cautious, not paranoid.

 

[Eric F]

UMMM Hey folks think about this.

The trend here is the assumption that a guy will load the gun ans shoot a person or prsons right there in the gun shop............Well how about this which happened locally about 10 years ago in Portsmouth Va at a class 3 dealer.

A guy walkes into the store starts up some small talk and says he wants to but an ammo can with 500 rounds of loose 9mm. Continues to talk with the counter person and in the mean time a few other people come in, guy says hey is that a machine gun? can I see it? Counter person hands gun over like most places do. A few more people come in. Then some one knocks down a display counter person comes over to help set it back up. When the "smoke settles" 1 9mm subgun 500 rounds of 9mm and 1 suspect are gone.

Blame doesnt matter here but what does is that some times if a BG is going to steal a gun why not get some free ammo too?

 

[CaptMac]

Was the counter top glass? Did he move it to a counter that was not glass? Could be he was not confidant about the stregnth of the glass. Just a thought.

 

[TEDDY]

?????

YOUR IN A GUN SHOW suddenly you hear a loud bang.the colt rep was escorted to the door.the 45 went into a show case and stopped.almost stopped my heart from shock.man came into big gun show [1500 tables]asked to look at shotgun slipped shell he had in gun and fired in air.antigun reporter trying to make it appear the gun had been loaded.some one was watching and saw him load the gun.
NOW DO YOU UNDERSTAND..:banghead:

 

[Tribal]

+1 on trigger locks not being 100% reliable

I went into Bass Pro with a 1911 in a case*. The lady up front insisted on putting a trigger lock on it, saying that the gun counter folks could remove it**. She insisted on clearing the weapon herself (which I guess made sense, as they have a bullet trap)...except that I don't think she'd ever held a gun before. She had to ask me how to drop the magazine, and since that took a while I just told her that the gun was now clear, rather than having her try to figure out how to rack the slide***. She then went and put a trigger lock through the trigger guard...but loosely. By pushing back on the lock, you could press the trigger. I showed this to the guys at the gun counter and they just shook their heads...

*The 1911 I've had on my hip at times hasn't seemed to bother them, though
**This turned out not to be true
***Yes, I guess that's a Rule 1 violation. If I hadn't just detail-stripped it and placed it in the case half an hour earlier, I would've had her rack the slide. I was honestly more concerned about her dropping the gun or hurting herself than anything else.

 

[AirForceShooter]

He did the right thing.
In the store, ammo shouldn't be anywhere near a gun.

AFS

 

[JohnL2]

Maybe he watched the movie "The Terminator" one too many times.
Remember that gun shop scene?

 

[TallPine]

The big question to me is what is the point of looking at a gun with a trigger lock installed ?


If I was the clerk, I would have probably done the same thing, and it wouldn't matter about your appearance.

 

[RPCVYemen]

She had to ask me how to drop the magazine, and since that took a while I just told her that the gun was now clear, rather than having her try to figure out how to rack the slide.

I am not judging your actions, but does she now think that dropping the magazine is sufficient to clear an autoloader?

That seems like a bad lesson to teach someone who doesn't know anything about guns. That's sort of a negligent discharge waiting to happen...

I have used a snap cap it illustrate the point to folks - if the rack the slide, and then drop the mag, and then rack the slide again, they are very surprised to see a round pop out. I think the surprise helps them remember the lessson.

Mike

 

[Tribal]

I am not judging your actions, but does she now think that dropping the magazine is sufficient to clear an autoloader?

She probably doesn't. On the other hand, I got the impression that "racking the slide" was about six levels above her knowledge (and perhaps strength), seeing as she was trying to remove the magazine by pulling on it while pointing the muzzle at her chin. Honestly, I wasn't sure I wanted her to even take off the safety, so getting it out of her hands was my first priority. I offered to clear it and show her how, but she declined.

We've got an uphill battle. A lot of people can't even get to "point, click, and shoot" in terms of basic knowledge, while at the same time we're having to be over-cautious about people loading a gun when we're not looking.

That said, if you've ever seen "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," Tuco provides a good example of why not to give a gun and bullets to someone you don't know.

 

[Cougfan2]

One day a man walked it, stole 1 44 round from a box they had on the shelf, then asked to see a 44 they had on display. Before anyone knew what had happend he loaded, put the barrel in his mouth and killed himself.

This also happened at a K-Mart store. I believe in the Kansas City area back in the late 60's/early 70's. They had a fish bowl of loose 7mm Mauser on the counter. A guy walked in asked to see a Mauser Mil Surp and popped a round in and offed himself. I can understand the concern.

 

[Diggers]

I would do the same thing if some one got a bunch of ammo and then wanted to handle a gun of the same cal.

I would say that clerk was being very alert.

Sort of along the same lines think you are taking it personally.

They are just being prudent which is the way they should be with firearms.

at shooting ranges where a person alone can't rent a gun unless they brought their own along. Too many people have gone to ranges to kill them selves.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

Maybe he watched the movie "The Terminator" one too many times.

That's what I was thinking.
"Hey pal, you can't do that"
"WRONG"..BOOM

I'd assume most people would ask for the trigger lock to be removed at some point to try out the trigger. That + ammo nearby might make folks nervous, especially since he doesn't know you from Atom(sk)