SOP question....lets say you are at the gun counter...

[snocohunter]

I certainly agree with you, and can echo that every time I've been to Norpoint I've always been handed guns mag out and cleared. Very safe and professional.

Probably ten years ago when i was living with a couple buddies in the bachelor pad, I had let my little brother take dad's nylon 66 he'd handed down to me out shooting with his friends. He brought it back in the case and it was out in my garage. One day while i was up in my room with my girl at the time, my two roommates start yelling to get down stairs. Apparently their curiosity led them to take that gun outside and start fondling it. Luckily the muzzle was pointed at the ground. It gave me a good opportunity for an impromptu firearms safety refresher with them. Wish my idiot brother had never gotten that gun when it was back at the folks, it was never to be seen again after his "pawn shop" phase we'll call it.

Then again recently in Troy, MT with a buddy of mine in the good old Booze N Bait, he asked to see a pistol from the case. The lady working handed it to him and being trained he dropped the mag, and cleared a loaded chamber. Needless to say she was shocked/embarrassed. She was actually physically shaking in fear and disbelief. He also took that opportunity to burn that rule into her mind and showed her how to clear every weapon she had in that case. Lucky nobody else got hurt.

[mountainman]

I see too many with a casual attitude for proper gun handling in a gun store. Mostly new folks to firearms needing an education, but all too often, from people who have been around guns a lot....NO EXCUSE! I will never let a customer unload loaded firearm. AHand it to me and I will clear it.

[h20hunter]

I am sure that this was an isolated incident with a single person at the counter and not representative of the business on a whole. Prior to that visit and I had had nothing but good experiences and doubt I will have anything but a good experience the next time I go in. I'm sure the issue has been addressed.

[KNOPHISH]

I agree about clearing all weapons but who's loading these guns inside the store?

[pianoman9701]

I agree about clearing all weapons but who's loading these guns inside the store?

Moot point. All guns are loaded. All of them.

[h20hunter]

Who knows....nobody....somebody....lot of idiots out there. Also, plenty of crazy butt folks that may just slip a round in because they want to cause problems. The fact is...until the gun is cleared....you simply don't know. Not knowing could kill the person behind the counter, you, maybe that child on the other side of the room standing by his dad.

[mountainman]

Who knows....nobody....somebody....lot of idiots out there. Also, plenty of crazy butt folks that may just slip a round in because they want to cause problems. The fact is...until the gun is cleared....you simply don't know. Not knowing could kill the person behind the counter, you, maybe that child on the other side of the room standing by his dad.

[Boss .300 winmag]

complacency is inexcusable.     ALWAYS verify the weapon is unloaded! 

I was taught that when picking up a firearm or if someone hands me a firearm, to check the chamber. ALWAYS! Even if I just watched someone else do it before me. I was also taught to always clear the chamber before handing a firearm to another person, even if handing it right back to the person who handed to me. I had a friend when I was younger that took me shooting occasionally, and he griped at me every time if I didn't clear the chamber both when he handed me a gun, then again before I handed it back to him. It's habit now...and a good one to have in my opinion.

 

In jr high I lost a friend to this not being done! 

[Thefisherman83]

Perfect example of why this NEEDS to be done every time you touch a gun.  I was recently unpacking some of my late fathers belongings and came across a blanket with half a dozen guns wrapped up in it.  Pulled them out one by one and checked the actions, found a Mini 14 with one in the chamber a full mag and safety in the fire position.  The company that packed up the belongings got a royal chewing out, for A not marking them as firearms and B not checking them.  Luckily I was the one that found them not one of my niece's or nephew's. 

[runamuk]

So...here is my question for those of you in the retail or customer service side of firearms sales and or service.

Is it not SOP to visibly remove the magazine if applicable, clear the action, and leave the weapon in "open chamber" condition?

I have had two recent experiences. First...the Cabelas in Marysville. The gentleman behind the counter, Tyrone I believe, was cleary well trained in the handling and use of firearms. Ever time he handled a weapon it was cleared and handled like a professional. Every time he was given a weapon back, it was again cleared, confirmed safe, and put away.

Second experience was at Norpoint in Smokey Point. We handled four diferrent pistols. Each one was taken from the display case, mag in, slide down, and placed on the counter. Each time I picked it up, cleared it, put it in slide lock, and put it back down on the counter prior to my bro in law picking it up and handling it. Not once was the weapon shown or confirmed unloaded prior to be handing over.

Am I overly sensitive or what?

no you are not they did it wrong,
 I was actually standing in a gun shop when an order came in from a manufacturer brand efing new guns in boxes shop owner cleared the chamber and there was a live round in it, everyone there had a shocked look......every gun every time they are all loaded.  I also will not take a gun that isnt offered up action open

[winshooter88]

mountainman, just to be clear, the guy behind the counter was the hunter ed instructor, not the one who lost his finger. That being said there was no excuse for what happened. The guy who lost his finger was a life long shooter and hunter as well as ex-military. At least since it happened he has been using it to drive home the point about treating all guns as though they are loaded, he even goes to hunter ed classes to show the students what can happen.

[Rick]

Tyrone must have received some training. I was in Cabela's a while back and 'ol Tyrone was waving a shotgun around like it a flag in a 4th of July parade.

I don't care if its unloaded or not,pointing a firearm at me pisses me off. I think Tyrone heard my message loud and clear.

[mountainman]

mountainman, just to be clear, the guy behind the counter was the hunter ed instructor, not the one who lost his finger. That being said there was no excuse for what happened. The guy who lost his finger was a life long shooter and hunter as well as ex-military. At least since it happened he has been using it to drive home the point about treating all guns as though they are loaded, he even goes to hunter ed classes to show the students what can happen.

The guy behind the counter was actually the owner of the establishment, and his personal weapon that went off...and the gun(s) fell of the counter, as the customer tried to catch it..Boom, ..that quick.

[MadHatter]

I was at wholesale sports in Silverdale a few years ago and the female firearms manager was helping a customer with a holster and had a glock off their wall. While talking to the customer facing away from me she out the magazine back in it, dropped the slide put it under her arm (pointed at me) and pulled the trigger! I was mortified looking at the barrel of a handgun I had no idea about and then hearing the click of the striker falling...

When I went to talk to the general manager I was completely blown off... When I emailed their corporate I was as again given the "we will look into it" schpiel... Thankfully with the reacquisition by Sportsmans Warehouse she lost her job...

I myself worked at a gun counter for a while and my personal policy was to never had anything directly to a customer... It was always placed on the counter, mag out and slide locked back for them to pick up and check and manipulate as they wanted... I would then have them set it down, drop the mag, lock it open and check again before putting it back together and back in the case. Pointing a firearm at a customer and pulling the trigger would not have worked, no matter how it happened...

Glad you are sticking with this... People who are unsafe have no place in the firearms industry... That is how "accidents" happen and people get hurt or killed... Which gives all of us, firearm owners, retailers or gunsmith a black eye.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

[KelseyH]

This was a private message from one of our Hunt-Wa members, Boss 300 mag;

Kelsey,

I was in Wenatchee conducting business with another HuntWa member so I decided to drop in your store there. Upon entering the store my weapon was checked, I explained I was shopping for a holster for it and continued to that part of the store. I wasn't seeing what I wanted so a different employee came over to help me, checked weapon again as he wasn't the one who originally checked it. He went to the back and brought out a holster that was exactly what I wanted. Continued to shop for a scope rail ( you were out, but Dallas ordered one and will ship it upon receiving it), and I found A set of Burris rings for it. This type of mount system is new to me so I had some extra questions that probably sounded dumb to Dallas, but he was understanding and patient with me.

I will be doing more business with your store in the future when my travels allow me.

I just wish more stores in your business were this professional, knowledgeable, and patient with people who are not always experienced with aspects of different weapon systems.

If you want to post this on the forum that is fine with me, or I can.

Just wanted you to have the decision in that.


Sincerely

Corey

I want to that Corey for his business and the nice words. Dewey