Gun shop etiquette and handling

[natedog]

Usually at a gun shop when I'm handling a rifle, shotgun, pistol, revolver, etc. I'll ask before doing any mechanical operations, such as

Dry firing

Closing or working the action

Trying safety

Closing slide/chamber

Dropping magazine

Am I going to far or is this appropriate?

 

[P95Carry]

Always depends I'd say - how well you do or do not know the proprietor.

If a stranger in a gun shop then, I'd firstly ask before doing any ''tests'' and also show up front that you care about safety (even if they don't!).

That means once you have asked to ... try mag release .... safety ..... dry fire ... etc ... you first and foremost clear the weapon and show clear to all. Then as a courtesy (and safety angle) dry fire into the safest zone ..... and try and keep discrete from other customers ... who might be phased by this. And after doing all this, lay the piece down clear ... slide open or cylinder open .. bolt open etc.

If you know your FFL, as I do in local shop (damn!, he's had a lot of business from me!!!) .. then he will all but expect me to ''do the drill'' .... going thru all aspects of inspection as per ...... and not bother me until I have finished.

Always tho ... demonstrate your (hoped for) knowledge of basic safety.

 

[capt_happypants]

I expect customers to work the action, especially after I hand over a weapon. It's a good idea to ask if it's okay to dry-fire any weapon; otherwise, I don't mind customers dropping mags, checking safeties, and any other function checks. It's a FUN store - you're supposed to handle guns.

 

[Ryder]

I ask up front "can I check out THAT gun". This covers most of your individual points as far as I'm concerned. I still ask if dry firing is OK though. Not everyone is on the same page with that.

 

[ENC]

I ask before dry-firing everything else I expect. You have to work the action to make sure the weapon is clear.

Addtionally I have turned down fondling a weapon because I thought there were too many people in the small store to maintain safety.

 

[SteelyDan]

Once the gun is handed to me, I feel comfortable doing all of the above, except for dry firing, without asking permission first. I think you have to ask before pulling the trigger, but as for the rest, well, I don't think they just expect you to stare at it for awhile. My two cents.

 

[JOE MACK]

Coon-fingering

What I used to hate watching was people mounting a high-dollar shotgun. Not a bad thing but, they didn't give a thought to their rings, watches, buttons, and belt buckles chewing up the wood even after a gentle reminder. The next customer would come in and want a price reduction as the wood was gouged. Perhaps the two were in cahoots! RKBA!

 

[cracked butt]

Naw, its ok to proceed in showing your field stripping prowess to the shop owner, dropping the slide on the floor and launching another part behind the counter, as long as you say "watch what I learned reading a magazine the other day" first.

 

[only1asterisk]

I will check any gun that is handed to me to insure that it is unloaded. That means opening the cylinder on revolvers and checking the chambers on autos. I trust you, but I'm going to check anyway. I ask before I dry fire and practice good muzzle control. Obviously more expensive guns get special treatment.


David

 

[Citadel99]

I always make sure when handling someone elses firearms whether a friend's or a store owner's to take off my class ring. It bothers me to hear the "clink" when I grab hold of another's weapon.

Mark

 

[OH25shooter]

As stated before, I ALWAYS double check to see that the gun is unloaded. Good habit to start. At a store, range or in the field. That means working the action. And, I cycle it at least three times. Had a friends Winchester 30-30 that he wanted me to sight-in. He said it was unloaded and hadn't be fired for years. I cycled the lever at least 5 times and suddenly out pops a live cartridge. Pays to be safe.

 

[OEF_VET]

I don't ask if it's ok to work the action or safety, I simply figure that permission to do so is implied. However, I don't dry fire without the express permission of the clerk. What I generally do is ask if they have any snap caps. More often than not, they'll tell me to just dry fire it, but it never hurts to ask. I've been in a few places that won't let you dry fire at all, nor do they provide snap caps. Personally, I don't like buying a weapon without getting a feel for the trigger though.

At the Kittery Trading Post, in Kittery, Maine, it's store policy that before you can walk out with a gun, the salesperson has to show you how to work the action and safety, load and unload, and disassemble and reassemble it. That makes sense to me. This way, they know you have a basic familiarity with the weapon and are (hopefully) less likely to negligently hurt yourself or someone else.

Frank

 

[Weimadog]

I think you're doing fine. After all, it's their stuff you're handling.


Weimadog

 

[Kentucky Rifle]

At the Indy Gunshow before last...

..I was looking at .38 Snubs and I watched a woman pick up one, examine it, AND while the dealer's back was turned--she PITCHED (!) it down on another .38! (CLANK!!!) I simply had a difficult time believing how "uncaringly" she treated SOMEONE ELSE'S property. Talk about RUDE!!!!

KR

 

[BigG]

A guy hands me a gun I open it and check clear. I expect all to do the same. What's the problem?

 

[Hatchett]

Watch out how you do it though. The dumbest thing I think I've ever done with a gun was in a gunshop. I was looking at a Beretta 687, and I opened the action to see inside and get a feel of it, and I dropped the muzzle straight through the glass counter, shattering it. That was awkward. I ended up buying the shotgun, though.

 

[Gus Dddysgrl]

Question

I am probably going to go to a gun shop today. This will be my fist time by myself in a gunshop. I am not sure how it will go and to be honest I am quite scared. I want to look at the handguns to see what I like and might possibly buy later. I am glad I read this to help me know how to act, but I will probably walk out feeling like an idiot cause I did something stupid. So my question is as you go to different gunshops more often does it get easier to know how to act? Do you mess up less often? Are you more conifident in handling guns you've never handled before?

Give me some hope that even though I may mess up today I will do better next time.

 

[zahc]

I was looking at a Beretta 687, and I opened the action to see inside and get a feel of it, and I dropped the muzzle straight through the glass counter, shattering it.

That is SO something I would do! LOL

 

[P95Carry]

Gus ..... be positive!!! hey - you've been with us here a while .. you know the safety drill .... all you lack thus far is experience in handling and shooting compared with some.

So ... go into the store with some confidence .. you probably are way ahead of the game compared to total greenhorns!!

Over time yeah ... of course, it gets easier .... the more you handle and shoot firearms the more you build proficiency and confidence ... which is not to say any of us should be over confident and thus careless. That can happen too!

I will assume (and hope) the guys in the gun shop are OK and helpful .. so, ask if you are not sure about something ... they will hopefully want to help. Everyone has to start somewhere.

Good luck .. let us know how it went yeah? Stay cool!

 

[synoptic]

Gus, you'll definitely get more confident and it will be much easier to go in and handle different weapons, etc... If you are just wanting to look at a lot of guns without being bothered try a gun show. It is an opportunity, at least down here, to look at and handle different weapons without a clerk standing over you watching your every move.

 

[Gus Dddysgrl]

Thanks guys. It did go very well. I handled most of the handguns they had. Well most of the revolvers and many of the semi-autos. I kinda sorta felt like an idiot at first cause I opened a Keltec and couldn't get it to shut again since it was brand new. Oh well I just said I couldn't get it to shut and wanted to look at something else.

I will get better and like you all have said several times: Buying guns is addictive!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mod12]

manners

i used to frequent a gunstore that was owned by what can only be described an "old curmudgeon" this guy kept a wad of cotton waste soaked with i believe 90 weight gear lube that he would grab and scrub the gun with if you got a finger print on it, all the time fixing you with a nasty look. i was in the shop one day when a fellow came in and wanted to see a s&w revolver. he promptly opened the cylinder and then , with a flick of his wrist, SLAMMED it shut. the owner went crazy. he grabbed the gun from the guy's hand and dropped it on the floor after batting it around in the air a few times. there were 4 or 5 people in the shop and he threw us all out. the door wasn't completely shut before he had the closed sign on it!

 

[Ryder]

Gus - Ask the salesperson to show you how the gun works before handling it. I've got a long history with guns but I won't hesitiate to ask for that myself with an unfamiliar model. It's no biggie.

it's store policy that before you can walk out with a gun, the salesperson has to show you how to work the action and safety, load and unload, and disassemble and reassemble it

I ask for that when I need it. Setting this up as a policy is fine if the salesperson knows what they are doing but I guarantee you idiot scratches on a brand new 1911 which I just spent several hundred dollars on does not make me a happy camper!

 

[Brian Williams]

Gus got some huge KUDOS from the guy behind the counter when we went back and got her her own gun. She knew what she wanted and sorted thru a few guns correctly before she picked the one she got. A nice ruger Sp101.

Good Kid, Takes after her Mom........

 

[P95Carry]

A nice ruger Sp101

Good news Perfessr ........ Gus .... welcome to the clan of SP-101's ..... good decision.