Ever had one of those sick to your stomach feelings?

[ccw9mm]

Should a gun store be able to refuse to sell you a gun based on what transpired?

For any reason whatsoever, as is their prerogative. Absolutely. Of course, such folks (as this ill-motivated purchaser) would claim infringement of a "right" to purchase a firearm, or some drivel.

Agreed that she's likely to be dead or have killed someone within the year. A ticking bomb, that one. The sort that gives gun carriers all the bad names that exist.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[randytulsa2]

Heck yeah, a gun store can refuse to sell to her under those circumstances...or any others, including that they just don't want to.

[Dakotaranger]

I'll get hit for saying this, but here's an example where a waiting period would be helpful. If she isn't licensed, she might just go away and never come back. If she is licensed, there is a provision in Texas for reporting someone who should not be keeping their license.

No one wants the store keeper to be a policeman, but this purchaser
clearly should have been sent home without the weapon.

The OP didn't say what he meant by elderly, but even folks who aren't that old sometimes suffer from senility and dementia.

Years ago we had a man at my work place who died from Alzheimers at about 52 years of age. A few years before he was diagnosed and hospitalized, he was stopped by local police on our premises (we are Federal) for carrying and discharging a firearm. Fortunately for him, the officer just asked him to put the gun away. At the time we were technically in City limits besides being a Federal facility, but the overall setting was rural. So his excuse that he was putting down a sick animal was believable, notwithstanding his poor judgment.

I think in this case if I were the salesmen I would have "invented" the waiting period "Law" and a requirement for training for this type occurance.

[lowflyer]

Selling the gun to her seems irresponsible in retrospect. I have never worked behind a gun counter so I don't know how common that might be, but believe I would have asked her to leave immediately after she pointed the gun at me and pulled the trigger.

[cagueits]

She is quite annoyed and then tells him to just give her some ammo. Luckily, they were out of ammo for a .38. She gets upset and then takes her new pistol and leaves.

You guys are lucky she didn't break out some .38s out of her purse while grinning and saying "5 rounds will do just fine." That sounds like a good tactical scenario right there.

FFL holders in the forum - can you call the BATFE and report this behavior or do you have to file a complaint with the police/sheriff/court? She definetly sounds like she shouldn't have a firearm.

[Tangle]

Some times we just have to say "No." and stick by it - this should have been a "No" sale time.

[purple88yj]

I have refused sales in the past, and would have refused that sale. As mentioned in a previous post, it is hard sometimes to know what is happening, but when you have a person who won't answer a question (even if it is by a different person), or looks at someone in disgust for providing information, there is some bad juju there.

[SIXTO]

Another factor in all this, the gun community needs to police itself in order to keep lawmakers away. This was a pefect missed chance to keep a gun out of the wrong hands.

Lets say the old lady is a nut, and heads off to the bingo hall and shoots it up... The headline will read, Old Bag Shoots Up Bingo Hall;
second line will read, Gun Bought At Local Gun Shop.
Doesn't exactly help our cause now, does it?

Now the more likely scenario, she wants the gun to off herself. Who do you think her family is going after first?

The orginal poster's story has all the classic signs of someone purchasing a gun for suicide.... I hope I'm wrong.

[Nate]

Personally, I would have refused to sell her the gun. The part where she pointed it at me and pulled the trigger three times would have done it for me. If she wants to shoot herself or somebody else I can't stop her, but not in my store with my merchandise. Let the gun store down the street deal with her.

I agree wholeheartedly. +1

[havegunjoe]

Absolutely I would have refused to sell to her. What I might have suggested to her was to take the NRA's First Steps course, show me proof of completion then I would sell her the gun. She showed such total lack of even basic knowledge of firearms I would be more afraid she would shoot someone or herself accidently. While education is not a requirment of the Second Amendment she was downright scary.

[Softballguy]

It always makes me cringe to read about poor gun handling. Sounds like that woman was a real piece of work.

[rodc13]

Agree wholeheartedly that this is a case where the sale should have been refused. On the up side, they did just "happen" to be out of .38s. Pretty unusual ammo for a gun store to have in stock, anyway . . .

[seattlekos]

I agree with what others have said: Once she aimed the presumably unloaded gun at me and pulled the trigger three times, I would've taken the gun and politely asked her to take her business elsewhere. And I'd make sure there was a sign, clearly displayed, "We reserve the right to refuse service and sales to anyone."