At the gun store last weekend

[retsupt99]

Bad habits help make bad situations and accidents...that guy pulling his carry piece is the reason that some gun shops have no gun signs.
Fortunately, the gun shops I frequent don't mind CCW, just don't be pulling out the SD pistol.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[michart]

I'm thinking I may have commented on that to them.....

[Spec]

Thats why a lot of gun shops have signs posted now. People need to get there heads out of there a$$ and use some common sense.

yes yes^^

[hudsonvalley]

Pointing a gun, empty or loaded, at a person (other than for self defense of course) is completely out of line....PERIOD!!!

+1......

[fastk9dad]

Gun store employees also have a tendency to put firearms on the counter with the grip towards you then continue to to stay in front of you so not sweeping them with the muzzle is almost impossible.

Its not always the customer.

When they do this, while I am picking it up I'm rotating it until the muzzle is pointing down (especially if they didn't lock the slide back). I check the mag and then the chamber. I then will point the gun in a direction behind the counter at least 45* away from the clerk. If it's an empty store maybe as much as 90* (I never turn my back to the clerk). If it's a shared wall with another business I'll point down at the ground.

[nochknstrps]

every range, gun store I've been in have signs at the door "CC weapons permitted but must always remain holstered."

[Richiehd]

Don't ever forget rule #1 and rule #2. I never hesitate to remind people of that. One time you forget that, is all that is needed.
Our local gunstore had an incident a week or so ago where a customer went out to his car with his new gun and promptly shot himself in the leg

[chiefjason]

I've seen some gun shop employees pretty lax about muzzle pointing. Mainly towards themselves and not customers. I made a point to clear a gun they handed me and the employee commented on it. She also said she needed to do that more often.

As far as my carry gun. I have taken it out in several shops after asking permission. Usually looking at holsters. I always clear it as soon as it comes out of the holster and offer to let them see that it's clear. The usual response I get when I ask is, "Take it out and clear it, it IS a gun shop." If I saw someone take out a carry gun and NOT clear it, they would have my undivided attention.

[BugDude]

Any one else notice that common sense isn't very common anymore?

I know I would have been packing up and moving on if I had been anywhere near them!

It should be called "Uncommon sense"

Anytime I am around someone (in a gunshop or anywhere else) and they do not exercise the rule about muzzle direction (whether I know it is unloaded or not) I do the "whoa, hey, watch out" maneuver and explain the "never point a gun at anything you wouldn't want to shoot" rule. All the guys at my local gun shop do the same thing with customers. They are cool about carrying, but I have learned some valuable gun shop etiquite that earns respect with the shop guys.

#1) Always exercise all gun safety rules (treat them all as if they are loaded, safe muzzle direction, double check weapon is cleared when handed to you and hand it back in a manner ready to be checked)
#2) Ask permission to dry fire a weapon or ask if they have snap caps. They find it irritating when people come in and just start dry firing the crap out of weapons.
#3) Never pull your loaded CC weapon out in the store unless it is pertinent to your discussion and you ask first. Once given permission, follow safe gun handling practices and unload the weapon. Double check the weapon and ask the shop guy to check behind you and separate the rounds from the weapon for your question or whatever you are showing them. When you lay it down, make sure it is pointed in a safe direction.

So many people that know these things and practice them on a regular basis seem to totally forget these things when they walk in a gun shop (based on my personal observations and discussions with my local gun shop employees). You can also spot from a mile away the people that go into a gun shop and have no clue about safe gun handling (sweeping the entire store with the muzzle, repeated dry firing, pointing the weapon right at someone looking down the sights, etc.). My gun shop gurus say those types of folks scare the bejeezees out of them...oblivious.

[ExHippie]

[QUOTE=BlueNinjaGo;1501118]Hmmm... that'd be a concern for sure, but we shouldn't be too quick to judge. Does the store have a "no loaded firearms" sign? Perhaps the gentleman had it unloaded while in the store, and knew it wouldn't be a safety issue? The gun being loaded is a logical conclusion, but we shouldn't assume/QUOTE]

Actually, the assumption should always be that it IS loaded. And from the way the OP reads, she didn't bother to rack the slide or check the wheel before she started waving it around.

[das38spl]

I've seen some gun shop employees pretty lax about muzzle pointing. Mainly towards themselves and not customers. I made a point to clear a gun they handed me and the employee commented on it. She also said she needed to do that more often.

As far as my carry gun. I have taken it out in several shops after asking permission. Usually looking at holsters. I always clear it as soon as it comes out of the holster and offer to let them see that it's clear. The usual response I get when I ask is, "Take it out and clear it, it IS a gun shop." If I saw someone take out a carry gun and NOT clear it, they would have my undivided attention.

Last Monday, I was in my local "emporium", picking up a layaway item......the clerk opened the box, racked the slide...and proceeded to "sweep" 2 employees as he laid the G35 down on the counter....with the barrel POINTED at my stomach!!
I immediately picked up the weapon and turned the muzzle toward the wall!! When the paperwork was finished, the clerk hit the slide release, closing the action...and proceeded to CLOSE UP THE BOX!!!
I STRONGLY SUGGESTED he re-open the box and CLEAR the action - that the trigger was SET...and he'd NEVER CHECKED THE CHAMBER FOR A LIVE ROUND!!
It all made me wonder if HE should get some gun safety instruction...and maybe I should have his job!!!
It saddens me to say...this guy's NOT the only one at the place who does this kind of thing....The owner is VERY savvy, and would NEVER tolerate such errant behavior..... BUT....the owner, unfortunately, is OUT more than he's IN.....so he doesn't see (or hear about...) this stuff.....When he does, though...it'll be "Taps" for whoever gets caught!!!
Some will say....."Tell the boss about it!" I've thought about doing it....but it would just come down to a "he said....she said" scenario....and, truth be known...I'd really rather the guilty party(ies) get caught "in the act"......no need for "tattle-tales"..

[Rugergirl]

I have a real issue with stupid people doing stupid stuff, and when I see it, I call it. And I'm not exactly quiet about it.
My local gun shop has good safety rules in place in the store and on the range, they also know me well and they don't object if I am the first person to see a safety infraction and speak up about it.
A few weeks ago on the range the RSO was helping a guy clear a jam when the guy four lanes down starts wandering around with his gun in his hand pointing it everywhere except downrange. I spotted it before the RSO and walked over and firmly but nicely reminded the guy that all firearms were to be pointed downrange at all time. I got a "Huh"? I explained that I didn't know him any more than he knew me and I was pretty sure he wouldn't be happy if I pointed mine at him. That he understood. The RSO heard my conversation and told the guy that if he did that again he would be shown the door, permanently. After we finished on the range we were talking with the RSO and the owner, and they both thanked me and told me anytime I saw something going on that shouldn't be it would be fine with them if I called a Cease Fire and gave everyone a reminder if they weren't on the line at the moment.

[TedBeau]

Gun store employees also have a tendency to put firearms on the counter with the grip towards you then continue to to stay in front of you so not sweeping them with the muzzle is almost impossible.

Its not always the customer.

Yes that is the common proceedure in this store, but I always make sure to turn the barrel to the side as I pick up the gun I am looking at.

The gun the other guy offered to her was a revolver, and I am almost 100% certain it was loaded.

[utf59]

The gun being loaded is a logical conclusion, but we shouldn't assume.

Yes, we should.

1. All guns are always loaded.

2. Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.

3. Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target (and you have made the decision to shoot).

4. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it.

[Munch]

I always remember to point my firearm in a safe direction, like towards a hippy or a liberal.