My job is teaching me to break the Four Rules

[Balog]

Before I started working at a gun store, I had good gun-handling habits. I observed the Four Rules strictly at all times. If anyone even started to cover me with a muzzle I would vigorously point out the error of their ways to them.

However, working as a salesman has turned me rather jaded. Every day I clear guns, hand them to customers, and have them wave the damn things around like it was a water gun with their finger on the trigger. I've lost count of the number of people who've pointed cocked guns at me (or themselves) with their fingers on the trigger. And I can't just slap the barrel out of line and tell them off for pointing a gun at me like I used to.

The environment at the store is no help. The super low wages insure that most of the employees are high-school students. My coworkers tend to not clear the guns before handing them to customers, and are just generally founts of misinformation. I honestly think I'm the only salesman who knows the difference between a magazine and a clip or a bullet and a cartridge. I'm certainly the only one who bothers to distinguish between the terms. Many of our guns have had the finishes scratched by the careless handling. During closing one night, one of our salesmen repeatedly pointed an AR at another salesman. He also banged the muzzle into the ground repeatedly as he used the gun like a walking stick .

I really don't know what to do. Any advice, other than find another job?

 

[Kestrel]

Balog,

Maybe put an empty cartridge in a couple of guns, with a live primer in it. The first time someone pulls the trigger, I bet they won't forget...

 

[Balog]

SteveW13,

That would get me fired, at the least.

Be kinda funny, tho.

 

[WhoKnowsWho]

Don't you have a manager you can talk to about this? All you have to mention is "possible accident" and he will probably have everyone shape up.

 

[Daniel]

Before handing over a firearm, politely say, 'point it in a safe direction, finger off the trigger', if they question you; you can further educate them on safety.

Simple.

 

[Balog]

Before handing over a firearm, politely say, 'point it in a safe direction, finger off the trigger', if they question you; you can further educate them on safety.

Simple.

Not really. A common part of the gun buying process is dry-firing. Rather tough to do without having a finger on the trigger. Yes, I do understand there is a difference, but the sort of person who would act in such an unsafe manner probably wouldn't understand that difference.

And while educating the consumer is a noble goal, most people dislike being told what to do by retail employees. Remember the old admonishment regarding pearls and swine. I'm a salesman, not a teacher. I try to instruct when I can, but most people simply don't want to hear it.

 

[4570Rick]

Balog

The best thing you can do as a salesman in a gun store is wait on one customer at a time, clear the gun (once for your own edification then once so the customer sees the proper method to clear that gun) then, never take your eyes off the gun until it is handed back to you. Then clear it again and put it back on the shelf.

I don't like looking down the pipe of a gun, but it is an inevitability of the trade. To be too demonstrative about "THE 4" could kill a sale.

 

[Treylis]

Many of our guns have had the finishes scratched by the careless handling. During closing one night, one of our salesmen repeatedly pointed an AR at another salesman. He also banged the muzzle into the ground repeatedly as he used the gun like a walking stick .

I read that and my mind just went "BLING BLING BLING! Employee discount plus discount for slightly scratched finish!"

Possible you could take advantage of that? I imagine that'd be one good side of the job.

 

[only1asterisk]

"Never take your eyes off the gun until it is handed back to you."

A rule to live by!

Also this: "All firearms carried into the store must be unloaded with the action open."

Any customer that didn't follow this one is greeted by aggressive customer service. I have removed live ammo from customers "unloaded" guns more than a few times. I don't included holstered handguns, but if they come out of the holster they lose their exemption.



David

 

[TarpleyG]

"All firearms carried into the store must be unloaded with the action open."

I assume you'd take exception to those of us who carry daily, right? Otherwise you'd lose me as a customer. The way I see it, if I don't take it out of the holster and it is concealed, it should not be a problem or concern for you.

edit: just saw your last line...nevermind

GT

 

[cratz2]

During closing one night, one of our salesmen repeatedly pointed an AR at another salesman. He also banged the muzzle into the ground repeatedly as he used the gun like a walking stick

Yeah, he'd be fired!

 

[Kestrel]

During closing one night, one of our salesmen repeatedly pointed an AR at another salesman.

Uh, if I had been that other salesman, the guy doing the pointing would need some dental work...

Balog - you're right about the customers not wanting to be lectured or instructed about safety. I don't work in a gun shop, but have seen plenty of customers in them over the years to know you're right. I can't think of any other type of business that has more know-it-alls posturing in front of the sales people and other customers. Many of them seem to think they have to project a lot of knowledge and manhood (and wrong information). They sound comical sometimes. You probably have a lot of stories.

Steve

 

[MLH]

Balog

Your location is wrong! You are "Directly ABOVE date registered" :

 

[JamisJockey]

I assume you'd take exception to those of us who carry daily, right?

Typically a gunshop means guns brought in to show, trade, sell or have 'smithed need to be unloaded, action open.
The one's around here have signs that say so, and also that carry pieces shouldn't be handled in the store. (or at least that's the gist of the signs)

I think every gunshop should prominitely (sp?) display the four rules on the front door, and on the counter tops. It would, at least in my opinion, be very professional, and I would immediately think "these guys have it together".

 

[MikeB]

Unfortunately at Gunshops and Gunshows, the 4 rules will get bent and broken a little.

It's almost impossible to handle a firearm and check it out without breaking some of the rules. For instance when checking the bore of a firearm you pretty much have to look down the barrel.

I think the important thing is to recognize - hey I'm breaking one of the rules, is there a good reason for it, or is it just poor handling.

If it's poor handling there is no excuse. If the rule is being broken for a good reason then yes sometimes the rules need to be broken.

 

[cracked butt]

I become a little nervous when a sales person hands me a firearm without clearing it first. I've been taught from day one that you always open the action and clear the firearm before handing it to someone. My fear is not necessarily that I'll have a ND but if another customer is handed a gun and decides to try out the trigger without clearing it first. It seems that most chain stores are guilty of this.

 

[dance varmint]

If I designed a gun shop, I wouldn't stand opposite a customer, I'd stand next to the customer. There would be a big sign on a thick brick wall saying "Point guns here ONLY".

 

[Detritus]

I've been taught from day one that you always open the action and clear the firearm before handing it to someone.

same here, don't work in a gunshop though.
I was also taught that no matter WHO hands you the gun, WHERE you are, or if you just saw the godforsaken thing cleared in front of your eyes and handed to you with the action still open, YOU examine the weapon AGAIN and you make POSITIVE that the gun IS clear. because it's YOUR life and responsibility.

 

[Atticus]

I just got back from visiting a shop over my lunch break. I was swept three times in about ten minutes, including one guy who pointed and dry-fired right at me. Watcha gonna do? On the bright side- the clerks do check, and double check, the weapons before handing them to a customer.

 

[TimRB]

"I was swept three times in about ten minutes, including one guy who pointed and dry-fired right at me. "

I'm sorry, but the dry firing incident would push me right over the top. If someone did that to me, I would rip him a new ***hole, unconditionally.

Tim

 

[Third_Rail]

Same here. That's beyond unsafe.

 

[WonderNine]

If it bothers you so much ask your employer to put up a "4 rules of gun safety sign" behind the counter and point it out to anyone before you hand them a gun.

 

[Balog]

Whoa, lots of replies. Lemme try to do this in an orderly manner...

4570Rick: amen to that. Very good advice.

Treylis: Not likely. If it was scractched too badly they might classify it as used, which would mean I have to pay full retail.


SteveW13: I've got a couple. Nothing to compare to Tamara or some others who've done it longer than I have.

MLH: I'm above "Date Registered." The "Location" field is below. I guess it all depends on how you look at it.

MikeB wrote

It's almost impossible to handle a firearm and check it out without breaking some of the rules. For instance when checking the bore of a firearm you pretty much have to look down the barrel.

Deliberate breaking of the Rules (as is called for in Jim March's Revolver Checkout) is one thing. Taking the gun I hand you and pointing it at my head is not necessary or useful.

cracked butt: yeah, that always pisses me off too. For G-d's sake, we work there! We're supposed to know better.

dance varmint: that's a great idea. Let me know when you get the funds to open one.

Detritus: I wish more people had been taught that. I also wish I had a way to teach the people who come into the store. Oh well, I do what I can.

WonderNine: You've never met my managers. Apathy is their middle name.

 

[Dionysusigma]

The super low wages insure that most of the employees are high-school students.

Lucky them.
The gunstores around here won't hire anyone under 21... and today's my 20th birthday. :banghead:

Isn't that age discrimination?

On the topic of gun store safety, maybe a few large posters with the four rules in very conspicuous areas of the store could help.

A common part of the gun buying process is dry-firing.

I did that once and got my behind chewed out... nearly got thrown out of the store. I have to take other's word for trigger pulls now.

 

[cracked butt]

I did that once and got my behind chewed out... nearly got thrown out of the store. I have to take other's word for trigger pulls now.

I always ask first before I try the triggers out, never been told I couldn't, except for when buying milsurps at Dunham's- they don't like taking the trigger locks off the guns in the store. Most places will let you, but I reccommend asking first.