Gun Shop Safety Violations

[jeephistorian]

Well, even though people don't like the discussion, I do find it interesting as it confirms that my experience wasn't unique. I actually saw the owner get over excited with a friend and pointing a revolver at him, pulled the trigger several times. Click, click, click, click....

Scared me cold. I left immediately. Unfortunately, it is the only "gun shop" within 45 minutes of here.

Sheesh.

On a positive note, I visited a gun shop an hour from here that was fully stocked in ammo and had an interesting way to see how much their customers knew (I hope). He was obviously dubious of me when I walked in. I asked to see an over/under. He handed it to me action closed. I immediately opened the action before looking at anything else and from then on, I might as well have been a regular. Perhaps he was embarrassed. Who knows, but I'll return to that one.

 

[conw]

And for the "this has been posted before" crowd- this is a forum, not a library; no situation is unique, everything you say has been said by someone else before you. If we stop posting the forum dies.

Sorry, but that's been posted before too.



The pawn shop thing is def. true! I was in one not too long ago and saw one of those old DAO S&W revolvers, got it out to look at it - didn't even check it because I handed it right back to the clerk...who said "These is good guns" and started - no lie - dry firing into the middle of the crowded pawn shop. I opted not to lecture him because he had already tried to start a P'ing contest telling me that "Kel-tec copied Ruger's LCP" and wouldn't hear otherwise.

 

[denfoote]

Not gunshop...

but the security force at a certain power plant that shall remain nameless.

This force carries the Colt M4.

Over the course of my being there, I had been muzzle swept more times than I can remember.

I found a .223 round on the ground once.

Another round was found, not by me, lodged in the arm of the garbage truck.

Any number of times, I observed rifles carelessly leaning against the wall.

A rifle was found abandoned in a restroom.

This is supposed to be one of the top power plant security forces in the nation!!

 

[ChCx2744]

OP:

You can't "constantly pull the trigger" on a Glock. You pull the trigger once and have to put the slide into battery again before it resets the trigger to SA. Was he racking the slide, pulling the trigger, racking the slide, pulling the trigger? Even so, sweeping the line of customers is a no-no, I agree on that...But again, you can't "constantly pull the trigger on a Glock."

Sorry, I'm a Glock fanboy and the back of my shoulders started to itch with frustration when I read that.

 

[.45Guy]

ChCx2744 seriously? If you had a light primer strike you'd have to rack the slide rather than just give her another squeeze?

 

[jcwit]

Been to a gun show lately with all the crowds, tell me just where is someone supposed to look down the barrel of a pistol or rifle?

Do you feel the same way standing behind someone with a pistol in a sholder holster, or are you safe just not knowing about it?

A lot of shops are small so again you have the crowded situation.

Say I now have the solution, only 1 customer allowed in the store/shop/gun show at a time, problem solved.

 

[ChCx2744]

.45Guy:

I thought he meant he was pulling the trigger all the way back and making the distinct "click" with the strike. If he meant just pulling the already-locked, non-battery trigger then nevermind...When I read it, it seemed as if he was saying that the guy was pulling the trigger constantly, "clicking" it, as if the Glock were a DA/SA. Forget it, I'm veering off the road now and mods are going to go into red mode when it veers off further...lol

 

[Quilbilly]

Guy who works at sportsmans warehouse told me that another employee (from another department) sold a pistol to a guy without ANY paperwork. Just took the cash and let him leave. Long story short, he was fired and the guy who got the gun turned out to be a frequent shopper and came back later and did the paper work.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I appreciate the sentiment the OP is trying to convey here but

You know what it is really not worth my time explaining the reality for all its worth to this lot.

I guess I dont really read too much in this part of the forum and maybe I just need to get a feel for things here. I just know there was a time in my life when being swept by the muzzle of the guys gun who was right next to you was not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. And that muzzle was attached to a loaded gun.

 

[TOTC]

I understand people are reluctant to deal with ignorance. I say take the high road. Should you see someone not following any of the four rules in a gun/pawn/box store shop, then gently ask them if they know the four rules.
Offer to go shooting with them and educate them correctly. Who knows, you might save someone from an AD or worse.

 

[Sir_William1]

Recently I went into a Pawn shop to look for any good deals, as I walked in I see this guy palming a 32 Auto, pointing it arounnd the store with his finger in the trigger, yes it bothered me, but I didn't say anything, after that guy left, I noticed the 32 just laying there on the counter, So I picked it up, First thing I did as anyone should, was check to make sure it was unloaded, and sure enough it had a full mag other then the one in Battery, the cleark looked dumb founded as I poped all the live rounds onto the counter, his only coment was (he those bullets go with that gun), I asked how many others he had here loaded, he says I don't know, I politly walked out, and notifed the Local Police about my Experince, since I have never walked back into that place, but have herd ATF was there, doing a inspection, I'm hoping they have better guide lines for there used guns now. Just thought I would toss that out for anyone looking for used guns in pawn shops.

 

[gunnysmith]

Had a clerk drop a Gold Cup through the top of the glass counter, I bought it in the "scratch and dent" sale for a $100.00 off. LOL

 

[highorder]

I walked into a gunshow here in Cincy a few months back and noticed a J frame on a man's table that appeared to be loaded.

Sure enough, I gingerly turned it over so I could access the latch (without tugging on the cable thru the triggerguard) and opened the cylinder.

The guy behind the table blushed as I dumped 5 JHP's into my palm and quietly handed them to him.

 

[mcdonl]

When I was in a gunshop and some fool was pointing a handgun in my direction, I went over there, looked him right in the eye and said, "Don't point that gun at me again." Probly 99% of decent gun customers would have apologised, but this maroon said, "What's your problem, man? It's not even loaded!"

An IDPA instructor said to our class once... if you point a gun at me, I will assume you wish to engage in a gunfight, and I will respond accordingly....

Good line

 

[Schofield3]

why would it be loaded? guns SHOULD NOT be loaded in gunstores.

 

[loud-mouth shnook]

When I worked at the gun counter at a Gander Mountain, I just followed my usual safety habits, i.e. removing a semi-auto's mag with my back to the customers, locking the slide open, then turning around and handing them the piece, action open with no fingers on any metal, and the muzzle pointed downward. Mag went on the counter next to me. Takes about a second and a half.

I also offered to close the action for them so they can get a better idea of the balance of the gun, if they should like. Doing it this way, a noob doesn't feel stupid because they may not know how to close it themselves, nobody gets swept, and/or a 1911's frame doesn't get battered by someone just hitting the slide release on an empty chamber. (learned that the hard way. Thanks, old timer, wherever you are.)

Revolvers? Easy.
Open the cylinder (again, with my back to the customer), wrap a couple of fingers around the topstrap, turn around and hand it over, grip first, with the muzzle downward.

In the event of a sweep, I know we're all safe because I personally cleared the weapon and the customer already feels respected so it's a positive opportunity to gently remind the customer of The Four Rules without anyone made to feel ignorant or ridiculed. (One of my favorite things about working the gun counter was the opportunity to help folks learn to be safe. With people who were new to the game, oftentimes you had a bit of extra credibility because of your constant working with firearms. Not always, but generally, unless it's, "testosterone time". You folks know what I mean.)

"But it ain't loaded."
You'd be surprised how many people get the, "I've seen the light" look on their faces when it's pointed out to them that, "All guns are loaded."

Of course, there's always the blowhard that unknowingly shows his figurative butt but it seems like guys like that generally take care of themselves anyway, eventually.

Sorry if I've pontificated.
It's just that it's so freakin' simple to NOT be unsafe.

 

[ghoster]

accidental sweeps at a store dont bother me as much as a idot that just points it at me.

a accidental sweep will get the look and useally i know, he knows and nuff said.

a point and i allways tell them to point it in a safe direction.

on occasion i get the --not loaded reply--i tell them, well mine is.

 

[TimM]

It was about 15 years ago and I was visiting my local gun shop. I had became very friendly with the husband and wife owners and stopped by frequently just to chat.

One day I walked in while the husband was on the phone but the wife was very eager for me to see the new ivory grips that she had gave her hubby for his birthday. She lifted his shirt and removed his 1911 from his carry holster all while he is giving her a disgusting look. She then walks to the end of the sales counter where I am sitting on a stool, removes the mag and racks the slide to clear the chamber.

When she released the slide I could see that she had not cleared the live but before I can say anything she drops the hammer. The round slams into the floor (where my feet would have been had they not been on the bottom bar of the stool) and tile goes flying everywhere, like shrapnel, embedding itself in my shins forearms and face.

It took about an hour at the emergency room to have the all of the fragments removed.

I never went back to that shop again.

 

[scythefwd]

loud-mouth,
Why do you insist on clearing a weapon with your back turned? I have always cleared a weapon facing the person I was going to hand it to just so they could see how to do it when they hand it back.

 

[jakemccoy]

I have stories, but my irritation over the unsafe behavior surpasses my desire to rehash the stories in a post.

 

[jim in Anchorage]

Senior Member



Join Date: 05-25-07
Location: Northern California
Posts: 1,914 I have stories, but my irritation over the unsafe behavior surpasses my desire to rehash the stories in a post

I agree 100%. I don't need to raise my blood pressure.

 

[SCKimberFan]

I went into my local gunshop the other day. The salesman showed me the STI I wanted to look at. He checked it, handed it to me with the slide locked back, allowed me to examine it, release the slide, point it in a safe direction, check out the sights and the trigger pull and I locked the slide back, handed it back to him and told him I would take it. He then told me about taking it down for cleaning, and some other things about the gun. They gave me a good deal on the gun and a bonus of 60 days of range time (normally only 30), so I was happy.

I then paid for it, went to my car and drove home. It was a good day a the gun shop.

I know it doesn't have the same impact as some idjit pointing a gun at me, but wanted to let everyone know that sometimes everything works like it is supposed to at your friendly local gun shop.

 

[DAVIDSDIVAD]

What I like to do is make a big scene whenever someone sweeps me at the gun store.

I have, quite literally, ducked and lunged out of the way while yelling "AHHH" when the friendly mouthbreathers sweep me with the deer rifles they're looking at.

 

[herohog]

Been to a gun show lately with all the crowds, tell me just where is someone supposed to look down the barrel of a pistol or rifle?

Most gun shows are in big venues with lots of ceiling to look at. sure, you will sweep SOMEONE in the act of point the gun up there but that can not be avoided. Have your finger off the trigger and don't linger on the way up is the best you can do. Pointing one down isn't all that safe as a concrete floor makes for a dandy ricochet as I noticed at one show as the 9mm round whizzed over my head into the back wall after 2 dealers doing a swap let one fly into the floor at their feet!

 

[jcwit]

sure, you will sweep SOMEONE in the act

My point exactly.

What I like to do is make a big scene whenever someone sweeps me at the gun store

This boarders on paranoia, or just wanting to make a scene, and draw attention to oneself.

accidental sweeps at a store dont bother me as much as a idot that just points it at me

Right on!!