Gun handling at the store

[Wa shooter]

I'll soon be buying my first semi-auto. I noticed when the clerk hands people semi-autos, they drop the magazine and lock the slide open. Is it okay to rack the slide a few times? What about putting in the magazine and checking out how well it drops with the mag release? What about dry fire?
I'm going after a brand new Kimber 1911. Probably an Ultra Carry. Anything else I should check out? I have rented and fired several 1911's.

Thanks

 

[Drail]

Racking the slide gently shouldn't be a problem, but dropping the slide on an empty gun will probably get you thrown out of the shop. It's like slamming the door on a new car as hard as you can. Dropping the slide on an empty chamber is abusive to the gun. Ask politely if you may dry fire also. Some will, some won't allow it.

 

[DaleA]

Why not? You're the customer.
Make sure you don't point the gun at anyone in the store!!!
As, always, remember the four rules.
You might want to ask the clerk for some snap caps so you can try the trigger pull and cycle the action.

 

[kingpin008]

In my opinion, it's perfectly fine to do all of those things, as long as you ask first. If I were selling an item, I'd expect the customer to check it out - but with certain guns, things like dry-firing without a snap cap can damage the gun, and if a customer just decides to do it without asking, that wouldn't make the clerk too happy. Dropping the slide with the slide lock is another thing you'd want to ask to do - I'm not as convinced that it's that bad for the gun as others are, but it's better to ask than get yelled at.

When the clerk hands it to you, no matter if it's obviously cleared or not, check it for clear anyway and then ask him if it's ok if you field strip it/dry-fire it/whatever. If he balks, let him know that you're really interested in the piece, but if you can't check it out you're not going to buy it from him - would he feel more comfortable if he field-stripped it for you, and let you check it out? Etc, etc.

 

[Thernlund]

For my part, the only thing I ask permission for is to dry fire.

Otherwise, as far as I'm concerned, pretty much everything else is in bounds.

That said, I don't drop the slide on an empty chamber, and I'm careful about my trigger finger and where the muzzel points.


-T.

 

[OOOXOOO]

While I won't dry fire a gun I don't own, I will operate every part of a gun I intend on buying. If that includes takeing it apart so be it. I also do burn outs, drive over speed bumps at high speed, and try to break the tires loose sideways in a vehicle I intend to buy. I find it funny that the guy selling me a $30,000 car never has a problem with this but the guy selling me a $300 gun does. I will say most people that ask to see a particular gun at the store have absolutely no intention of buying. If I ask to see it I am serious, and that is my reason for going to the store in the first place.

 

[mhinagoya]

I'm really focused when looking at a firearm. I won't even pick it up from the counter without asking first.

Except in a gun shop, I do not ask to see someone else's firearm. I was raised that this is very bad manners. When handling a firearm in a gun shop, I treat it as if it were loaded and exercise muzzle and trigger discipline.

After I have been to a shop a couple of times and the folks behind the counter have come to recognize me, I am treated with respect. They remember the good/smart people, just as they remember the bozos.

Irritating anecdote:

In one shop, I asked to look at a 1911. The owner removed the magazine, locked the slide back and laid it on the counter. When I asked if I could pick it up, he looked at me (a little stunned) and said "Sure. That's why I put it on the counter". I informed him that I considered it bad manners to touch someone else's gun without asking and his whole attitude changed. He now calls me by name and offers me coffee when I walk in.

Courtesy and respect are always appreciated.

Bill.

 

[Cougfan2]

I was at a local gun store one time and asked to see a pistol. The clerk checked it and handed it to me with the slide closed. I checked it myself and he said in a rather rude tone "Hey, I already checked it" to which I said "Yes, but you might be an idiot.". Funny, he didn't appreciate the joke!

 

[El Tejon]

Follow the Four Rules. Ask permission to dry fire. You'll be just fine.

 

[Husker1911]

Dropping the slide with the slide lock is another thing you'd want to ask to do - I'm not as convinced that it's that bad for the gun as others are, but it's better to ask than get yelled at.

I guess I don't understand the point of slamming a slide on an empty chamber. What does the exercise of slamming the action on an empty gun indicate or not indicate about the firearm?

 

[General Geoff]

A semi auto pistol is subjected to far greater stresses during the cycling of the action caused by a SINGLE discharge, than if you dropped the slide on an empty chamber all day long.

 

[CountGlockula]

Check the sights by pointing directly at the clerk...J/K.

Just ask the clerk politely how can you handle or fiddle their guns. Hospitality and consideration always wins.

 

[K5mitch]

I guess I don't understand the point of slamming a slide on an empty chamber. What does the exercise of slamming the action on an empty gun indicate or not indicate about the firearm?

Depends on the firearm. My FEG, for instance, locks the slide back on empty. However there is no external slide release. The follower of the empty magazine pushes up on the slide catch (which is held down by a very tiny spring). Thus, removing the mag and slingshotting the slide verifies the function of the spring and slide catch. Likewise, inserting an empty magazine and attempting to slingshot the slide completes the function check for the slide catch.

 

[Eric F]

I guess I don't understand the point of slamming a slide on an empty chamber. What does the exercise of slamming the action on an empty gun indicate or not indicate about the firearm?

Its all part of the function check. How is the customer to know if it is unusually light or heavy with out trying it. As for dry fireing.........IMO you can not hurt a gun with it. Especially a 1911. I constantly dry fire my 1911 for practice with out thinking twice about it. I would not however continue to repeatedly slam the slide closed. I do not think it hurts any thing but its just poor forum.

 

[DoubleTapDrew]

What does the exercise of slamming the action on an empty gun indicate or not indicate about a firearm?

If it breaks you know not to buy it jk.
I don't drop the slide like that but I do like to dry-fire (once) and pull the barrel out and inspect that if it's a used gun. Always exercise the 4 rules, people don't like having guns pointed at them or fingers on the trigger, even if "unloaded".

 

[kingpin008]

I guess I don't understand the point of slamming a slide on an empty chamber. What does the exercise of slamming the action on an empty gun indicate or not indicate about the firearm?

Husker - I never said I thought it was a great idea - what I said, was that I personally don't have a huge issue with it, but a seller very well might, and it's prudent to ask permission before doing so.

But to answer your comment - dropping the slide using the slide lock lever gives the user an opportunity to check the function of said lever, which in my opinion is as important to examine as any other part of the gun. Might not be the best thing for the gun - but if the designers of said firearm didn't want us doing it that way, they wouldn't have kept it as a function of the gun, would they?

 

[Tom Servo]

ASK first.

Be sure the weapon's clear before handling it. Likewise, please hand it back to the clerk with the action open. Just good form.

It's probably not going to hurt most guns to drop the slide on an empty chamber, but you may have an exception. It's a new gun, and excessive handling renders it less so. Ask first.

Whatever you do, never "slap" the cylinder shut on a revolver.

Same goes with dry fire. Most modern guns are OK, but you should ask. A modern centerfire is alright, but a LNIB S&W 41 is not; it could damage the firing pin.

Always make sure the weapon is pointed in a safe direction while dry-firing.

Rules 1 and 2 should be in effect at all times. At this point, I've probably been swept hundreds of times by people who are "pretty sure it's unloaded." That all comes into grim perspective when some yokel actually unknowingly hands you a gun that's loaded.

A friend of mine was present in a shop once when a shotgun was discharged into a magazine rack because somebody assumed it was unloaded. Nobody on site knew how a shell got in there, but it did.

Nobody's going to chew you out for asking questions; in fact, they'll appreciate it.

 

[Drgong]

I never dry fire a gun without the express permission of the clerk. in fact, both times i actually bought a gun the clerk was like "Why don't you dry fire it" or in the CZ case, insisted I try out the set trigger. However I aways check the slide return on semi-autos.

And if a gun magically does become loaded, a wooden case is gonna get it

 

[pendentive]

somebody could easily slip a round into a gun as a joke...or to be malicious



So....even though the local gun guy checks and opens the slide before handing it to me...I visually check the barrel and drop the magazine as well...every time.

They never seem to be upset or bewildered...so, I continue to do it. I want to see it completely empty before I get my hands wrapped around it. No ADs for me.


Dan

 

[ZeSpectre]

For my part, the only thing I ask permission for is to dry fire.

Same here, that includes doing a field strip right there at the counter for some guns. Then again my gun dealers know me fairly well at this point so they don't worry about it.

Four rules DEFINITELY apply!

 

[jackstinson]

It would be more helpful for you to pose your questions to the salesman behind the counter.
I always ask before I do anything with a gun that is not my own. Even when I know the salesman well and have been over it previously, before I do my customary chamber check and magazine drop I still ask if it's okay to check this or that. To me it's just a courtesy. "May I?" is not only polite, it leaves no room for error between us.
Sure you are the customer.....but until you lay your money down, the store owns the gun.

 

[SN13]

Wow.

I bought a CZ last week. I went in, said to the clerk "I'm trying to decide between the P01 and the RAMI"

He picked both out. I locked the slides back on the empty mags, dropped the slide with the levers. Locked em back again, removed the mag (to simulate a full mag) and dropped the slides.

Then I proceeded to test the pull and feel of the DA triggers by, guess what?, Dry-firing. Had he given me grief over it, I'da walked out without a gun, but since they were cool and let me "kick-the-tires" I got a good comparison of what I liked and disliked about each and I made my choice and purchased the P01.

If some guy is worried that 2 or 3 dry-fires and a couple of slide drops is going to damage the gun, then I don't want that gun.

I'll be dropping the slide on empty many many many times and dry-firing many many many times. That's how you practice when you're at home. Empty chambers or Snap Caps.

Practice a reload. Slide is back, load in a mag with one snap cap or with no follower (to eliminate the pressure on the slide release) and drop it.... Hell I did this 100 times already since I bought the gun..... Maybe I have a different view on things.

You guys who are so worried about it, go buy a car without driving it, starting it, accelerating, braking, testing the handling... Will you feel confident in your purchase? I always am, because I test-drive every gun.

There are a million gun stores that all carry the same guns. If one store won't let you test drive, try another.

Just my .02


"OMG you just dry fired that Glock! It's gonna kaboom now! OHNOZ! Don't drop the slide! The gun will never experience a slide drop when it's being fired hundreds or thousands of times.... WATCHOUT!"

LMAO.



Sorry to ramble, I just think this whole worry about slide drops and dry-fires is a bit blown out of proportion.

 

[ProficientRifleman]

Is it okay to rack the slide a few times? What about putting in the magazine and checking out how well it drops with the mag release? What about dry fire?

What about asking the clerk or the owner?

 

[mr.72]

I don't know about you guys, but I find that the slide stop/release can be one of the more tricky ergonomic items on a semi-auto pistol so I always test it to be sure it's something I can intuitively operate under stress if necessary. Ditto the magazine release. Likewise operating the trigger is a key to finding a compatible gun IMHO.

Just the other day I was in a local gun shop comparing a Kahr CW9, Kel-Tec PF9 and P11 and I did all of the above with all of them and the clerk fully expected me to do it... I did ask before dry-firing. What I found is that the PF9 mag release is difficult for me to operate, and the CW9 slide stop is very hard to release for me. Ain't no way to know these things without testing it.

 

[SeanSw]

I greatly appreciate a local dealer that allows me to waste his time looking at guns and 'kicking the tires'. Most firearms are fair game for inspection and function testing. If a gun is unfamiliar I will ask to be shown how it works, and I will ask before dry firing because this is a no-no for certain guns, but I really do not hesitate to pull the trigger on anything if I'm dropping the hammer over my hand. The only harm is to myself and it still says a lot about the trigger. Dropping the slide is a faux pas in my home and I cringe when people do it near me. The gun should not disintegrate if it happens occasionally but the jarring sound of a metal slide battering itself in place tells me it should be avoided.

Sometimes the owner is brisk about my gun inquiries, needing to get back to other business, and I am not offended. It is rarer for me to purchase a firearm than it is for him to sell them. There are no dollar signs in his eyes when I visit.
I still compensate this by picking up occasional high-margin ammo and accessories, as well as sending business his direction.