# The worst place I know for safe-gun handling: SOME local gun shops



## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

Let me preface this by saying that there are many, many gun shops that do an outstanding job of gun safety and gun handling. I am not talking about any specific gun shops (although I will mention one specific experience from this weekend), but I there is a large percentage of shops that fall into the 'unsafe' category in my experience.

My premise: Many local gun shops and gun retailers do a horrible job at safe gun handling.

I love shopping for guns, but there are things about the experience that sometimes both drives me crazy and scares the crap out of me, because they ignore the four rules of gun safety (there are more rules and more safety needs, but these are the universal starters).

1. Treat every firearm as if it's loaded.

2. Never point a firearm at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Always be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

4. Keep your finger off the trigger until you are on target and ready to fire.

Let me us what happened this weekend as an example of what I mean.

Spice and I stopped by a LGS, I was actually shopping for a particular gun. They had one in stock, in the glass case, and I asked the person behind the counter to see it. He reached in, grabbed the gun and as he pulled it out, he grabbed the grip and pointed the barrel of the gun right at my nuts. I moved quickly to the side, and the guy pulled set on the counter pointed directly at Spices abdomen. As she was quickly leaving the line of fire I spun it sideways (without lazing anybody) and mentioned it was in an unsafe position to the clerk, who said "It's OK, it's empty." He proclaimed this without even checking the chamber.

Rather than arguing with the guy I picked the gun up, press checked it, dropped the mag, opened the chamber and once I was secure in the fact that it was indeed unloaded I proceeded to look at the firearm (in a safe manner). The guy stepped off to help another customer with me still holding the gun. I placed the magazine back into the gun, closed the action and placed it back on the counter facing in a safe direction. The clerk came back, grabbed the gun without checking it to see if I had loaded a round into it, and moved on. I had seen Spice dancing around, and asked her what's up... she informed me that she had been lazed several times and was not happy about it.

I know the store owner and I am going to have a talk with him about fixing this situation (somebody's going to get hurt one of these days if they keep this up), but the unfortunate truth is that MANY gun sellers have employees that do this stuff. They don't check to insure a gun is unloaded before handing it to a customer, nor do they check it when they get it back. They laze people when they pull guns out and set them down.

I am planning on becoming pro-active about this and talking to the owner/manager every time I see this kind of behavior. If nothing else, it sets a horrible example for those in the store just buying their first firearm ever.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Your right. The clerk is a dip***t! I once had the pleasure of checking an m-1 carbine at a friends gun shop. He said, "Its not loaded" as I cleared the action and ejected a live round. Spice and you have every reason to be upset at the careless and shabby nature in which you have been treated.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Salty,

You worry wart you! Don't you know the phrase..."It's OK its not loaded"...Is ALWAYS TRUE! 
(Disclaimer; I was being a smart ass to prove Salty's point;
RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED

RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET

Please watch this video, I am on HIGH alert when I go to a gun store and so should you;








Salt-N-Pepper said:


> Let me preface this by saying that there are many, many gun shops that do an outstanding job of gun safety and gun handling. I am not talking about any specific gun shops (although I will mention one specific experience from this weekend), but I there is a large percentage of shops that fall into the 'unsafe' category in my experience.
> 
> My premise: Many local gun shops and gun retailers do a horrible job at safe gun handling.
> 
> ...


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

As a cop he should know better. I get your point about gun safety, just saying in this case he blew his finger off because he too is an idiot. 

Guns scare the s*** out of me..especially handguns.. They should be treated with fear and respect at all times.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

OctopusPrime said:


> As a cop he should know better. I get your point about gun safety, just saying in this case he blew his finger off because he too is an idiot.
> 
> Guns scare the s*** out of me..especially handguns.. They should be treated with fear and respect at all times.


Rephrase that Octupus;

STUPID IRRESPONSIBLE UNDISCIPLINED IGNORANT PEOPLE with guns scares the shat out of me. I never met a gun that scared me, until it gets in the hands of STUPID IRRESPONSIBLE UNDISCIPLINED IGNORANT PEOPLE.

Matter of fact there are at least 3 of them loaded within 1-5 paces from where I sit. At the moment, I am scared of nothing.

Thanks

:encouragement:


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## Salt-N-Pepper (Aug 18, 2014)

OctopusPrime said:


> Guns scare the s*** out of me..especially handguns.. They should be treated with fear and respect at all times.


Guns do not scare me, and I don't treat them with fear. Having said that, I sure as heck treat them with respect. If mishandled they are exceedingly dangerous. If properly handled, they are entirely safe.


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## OctopusPrime (Dec 2, 2014)

^^, It's a like a venomous snake in a cage. I still fear/respect the snake even though there is glass in between us. I own guns but I fear and respect them.

Let me explain the fear part for me. I have never had to use a gun in self defense or war. I am not a cop or a soldier. I fear the memories a gun can give you. Does this make sense?


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## Stick (Sep 29, 2014)

I may have related this before...if so, forgive me. It may bear repeating. 
I was in a fairly large gun shop, with all the handguns down at one end of the counter. I was perusing them (had my eye on a 1917 S&W .45ACP) when I felt a tingle on the side of my neck. Looked left and there was this nitwit about twenty feet away looking at me through a scope, on a rifle. I said, "Don't point that thing at me". Of course, he grinned and said, "It's not loaded". I squared off and said, "Mine is most definitely loaded. You better think about that in the next couple seconds". The clerk was just watching. He tells me that that guy never returned to the store.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

OctopusPrime said:


> ^^, It's a like a venomous snake in a cage. I still fear/respect the snake even though there is glass in between us. I own guns but I fear and respect them.
> 
> Let me explain the fear part for me. I have never had to use a gun in self defense or war. I am not a cop or a soldier. I fear the memories a gun can give you. Does this make sense?


Guns are absolutely nothing like a venomous snake in a cage. I pray that through training and education you get over this irrational fear of an inanimate object. I'm being serious and not poking fun at you Octopus, please work on that.


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## SDF880 (Mar 28, 2013)

I was at a range / store last year and a guy my age (older) walks in with a Glock26 open carry in a nice looking holster. This guy proceeds to take out the gun
and is showing the clerk the gun and he drops the mag and I see it is loaded and I assume there is one in the pipe too! This guy kept handling the gun but it was pointed right at me about 10 feet down the counter.
I over heard him talking about his trigger job and just how light it is, nice! The guy then walks over to me and asks if I'd like to look at his prize pistol! I said no thanks I don't like handing weapons like this and I left after
that! The clerk could have cared less and the guy gave me funny looks but I didn't care I didn't get zapped with a ND and I think that is one of many ways they happen!


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## Spice (Dec 21, 2014)

I often get patronizing smiles when I check the chamber of an 'unloaded' gun I was just handed. --> This is my Don't Care face <--

To me it's just like handling nasty toxins at work or scuba diving in caves. Guns can kill you if you're not careful. So .... be careful. No worries, just Care.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

FYI


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