Gun pointing at shops

[Guest burninbarns]

How do you all feel about the rules of firearms safety being followed inside a store were you "know" there are no loaded guns on display?I for one ALWAYS respect the gun, but nearly every time I go to a shop or walmart,Academy, etc I see some knucklehead checking out a gun pointing it,like we all do,but either in the general direction or directly at someone.That, and the whole finger in the trigger guard thing.Does anyone have any good stories of "corrections" or other confrontations with situations like this. One time at the Franklin Walmart my family and I (Fiance and two-year old daughter) we're coming up from the toys toward the back.We took the right turn at the tools toward the electronics and stopped to look in a bin.I glance over at the sporting goods section and notice how clean the bore on the 12ga fifteen feet or so in front of my family was, and I have to admit, I almost lost it.And the fact that said pointee was the familiar clerk and not the seemingly thuggish type he was teaching such poor safety practices to pissed me off that much more.I told the old lady to speed along ahead of me and she was like,"What are you doing?" "Go! I'll catch up to you."Now, I'm all for politeness,I was born in music city,and had I been carrying,no one would have ever known, I "knew" it wasn't loaded and he was just showing the gun to a customer,but this wasn't even at the gun counter , they were a good ten feet "south" of it.Needless to say this guy got an earful,and not of the "I want to speak to your manager" ilk.I simply asked," do you know what that gun was just pointing at?" "What?" "I asked you, do you know what you were just pointing that shotgun at!?"

"Nothing, just showing it to this gentleman,can I help you buddy?" Now I'll be the first to admit I was obviously pissed,and when I had to repeat myself, I did get a little louder,but when he called me buddy in that way I had had it."First of all,your not my buddy and let me tell you something, the NEXT time you point a gun at my family your gonna wish it was loaded, cause I am gonna knock your ass in the dirt!" the customer kinda stepped back and actually started to laugh, and I immediately felt embarrassed.I had just lost my cool.I tried to ease off,"You know better, and you'd better start being a little more safe with these guns."He apologized and I walked off still mad and feeling stupid myself.I caught back up with the family and we finished up and left.The old lady told me I overreacted, and I had to admit I think I did a bit...... I overlook getting lazered in the shops when they had me a gun to look over,or a customer is admiring some rifle, but this was different.I guess that's what having a family will do to you.Whats your guys take,and I'd like to hear any other stories to see how other people have handled these common situations.

[ftncityfatboy]

when taking my hcp class, rule #1: ALL guns are loaded. Period. The first time I went shooting with my xd, i was with a buddy who knew me but didn't really know me. after we finished shooting, i was putting the gun into my computer case and stopped to chat with my buddy. unbeknownst to me, i was talking with the pistol pointed right at him. i noticed he did the "bob & weave" thingy and put his hands up and i realized what i was doing. being new to guns / shooting, although I knew it was unloaded, he didn't. SOOOO, my take is: if someone points a gun at you, GET PISSED!!! Do some ass chewing, get pissed again, and then do some more ass chewing. even though you were at a big box store, remember rule #1. seem's like rule #2 was never point it at anything you were not willing to destroy. need i say more.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

I'd ask how you feel about paragraphs, but I think I already know the answer.

[Punisher84]

Not the way I would have handled, but I see your point. Working in a gun shop I get alot of guns pointed at me. I have done everything from politely reminded the person, to moving or taking the gun away, and at one point drawing halfway out of my holster on someone.

Let it be noted at that last incident the person walked directly into the store, drew his gun, and advanced to the counter. Had he not cleared the gun immediately, this would be a longer story.

[Guest burninbarns]

paragraphs, we don't need no stinkin paragraphs!!

[Guest jdavis]

i dont care who has the gun or if they think it loaded or unloaded,or under what circumstances it happens in , i get pissed when i look up into a gun barrel and it would be much worse if i had the family with me. i dont really feel that you over reactted you just reacted and everyone does that in different ways.,

[et45]

I find that a simple "Hey Man,watch that muzzle" along with a stern look goes a long way.I have had numerous guns pointed at me in stores and gun shows and while making me a little uneasy that is nothing like ROing some newbie at a match and having them sweep you with a loaded gun or have an AD right next to you.

[analog_kidd]

At one of our local gun shops (Frontier Firearms) they always check for one in the chamber before handing a gun to a customer, AND upon the customer handing it back. Even if they have been watching the customer like a hawk. They do this every time, without fail. I really respect that.

I went to them when I was looking for my first gun. The first time they handed me a pistol, I stupidly grabed it and put my finger on the trigger and started talking to the clerk. He very politely mentioned that I may want to hold it with my finger off the trigger, just to get in the habit. I'll never forget that, and that first experience with the gun is now burned into my brain and my finger never goes to the trigger unless I'm ready to pull it.

Like others have said, I consider every gun loaded, and just out of principal I would never point it at someone while shopping.

[Mike.357]

The old lady told me I overreacted,

sounds like she has good sense. You knew the gun was unloaded, the clerk knew it was unloaded, he was not taking a bead on you.

There is too much freakin drama in the world already.

PS: I voted for reminding about the 4 rules

Edited January 8, 2009 by Mike.357

[Guest clownsdd]

ya'll all remember what "thought" did...little boy thought he had to poot and **** all up and down his leg.

Never "thought a gun was unloaded".

Good job of educating a salesperson

[Smith]

Yeah, I'm gonna go with over reacted. I remember the last time it happened to me and I simply said hey, watch that thing with a "stern" smile. Most folks just aren't thinking or didn't realize what they were doing. Either way not good, but I wouldn't make a big scene over it.

[Guest slothful1]

As far as 'finger inside the trigger guard' goes, isn't it reasonable to do that (while pointed in a safe direction) as part of evaluating how well the gun fits your hand?

[G27]

I'm typically more laid back, I suppose, but in that situation I probably would have given a quick "watch your muzzle!" and moved on.

[DRM]

I always wondered why gun shops don't have a sign up above the racks and clear of people that has a small target and a "point unloaded guns here if you want to point it somewhere" text as a reminder. the counter person could then just point to the sign when a customer starts pointing elsewhere, with minimal confrontation or embarassment on the part of the customer.

Sounds like a win/win to me.

[memphismason]

Not the way I would have handled, but I see your point. Working in a gun shop I get alot of guns pointed at me. I have done everything from politely reminded the person, to moving or taking the gun away, and at one point drawing halfway out of my holster on someone.

You mean a range who sometimes sells guns. Sorry, I could not resist. LOL

when taking my hcp class, rule #1: ALL guns are loaded. Period.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe a little bit over reacted, but I think I probably would have to. Looking down a barrel of a gun in any setting is not kosher.

[Guest canynracer]

At one of our local gun shops (Frontier Firearms) they always check for one in the chamber before handing a gun to a customer, AND upon the customer handing it back. Even if they have been watching the customer like a hawk. They do this every time, without fail. I really respect that.

I went to them when I was looking for my first gun. The first time they handed me a pistol, I stupidly grabed it and put my finger on the trigger and started talking to the clerk. He very politely mentioned that I may want to hold it with my finger off the trigger, just to get in the habit. I'll never forget that, and that first experience with the gun is now burned into my brain and my finger never goes to the trigger unless I'm ready to pull it.

Like others have said, I consider every gun loaded, and just out of principal I would never point it at someone while shopping.

+1...my local range does this too... they also stick a cleaning rod through the barrel with the slide locked back when getting rentals back.

They get guns pointed at them all the time, they are always polite and remind the customer what they are doing. and they have a strick rule about handling your firearm in the showroom.

sometimes people just dont realize what they are doing. They way you handle that situation goes a long way as to how they hold the information learned.

Edited January 8, 2009 by canynracer

[DRM]

when taking my hcp class, rule #1: ALL guns are loaded. Period.

That sounds like a cute little saying, but is it practical?

Fred, Joe, and Mark are in a room with a shotgun. All 3 of them assume your rule, and then check the weapon to make sure it's clear and unloaded.

Sam walks into the room.

Is the gun now loaded? Sam might assume so, but is it Fred, Joe, and Mark's responsibility to revert back to assuming it is loaded simply because Sam walked into the room?

If so - how do you even walk into or around a large gun shop with multi-wall displays, when there are - according to the rule above - literally thousands of loaded weapons pointing in all manner of directions?

I think aside from simply asking that a person not point a gun at you personally, it's silly to try to take it any further than that, and definately not your place to volunteer to become their personal firearms instructor.

[Guest SUNTZU]

when taking my hcp class, rule #1: ALL guns are loaded. Period. The first time I went shooting with my xd, i was with a buddy who knew me but didn't really know me. after we finished shooting, i was putting the gun into my computer case and stopped to chat with my buddy. unbeknownst to me, i was talking with the pistol pointed right at him. i noticed he did the "bob & weave" thingy and put his hands up and i realized what i was doing. being new to guns / shooting, although I knew it was unloaded, he didn't. SOOOO, my take is: if someone points a gun at you, GET PISSED!!! Do some ass chewing, get pissed again, and then do some more ass chewing. even though you were at a big box store, remember rule #1. seem's like rule #2 was never point it at anything you were not willing to destroy. need i say more.

[Guest db99wj]

Should have shot him. JUST KIDDING!!!!!!!

I think for the average person who is not around other people with guns all the time, (most of us on here that don't work at gun shops or ranges), would or could have a reaction like that. Especially if you are the type that is here, that seems to be more knowledable, more concerned, about gun issues, that is why we are here, right? The guys on here that work at ranges, or in gun shops, are a little more use to that scenario and take a more calmer approach.

In general terms, I think the reaction to this situation is your experience level of being around other people with guns...if that makes sense. Also, being that your family was right there too, reactions seem to get amplified. In other words, if it is just me, I would react calmer, if my wife and kids, I would not be as calm.

Edited January 8, 2009 by db99wj

[Guest GLOCK2340]

Ok so you may have over reacted a bit, so what....I bet it'll be a long time before that clerk or customer points a gun at someone else's family. They'll have your scolding to remind 'em that its not a very safe idea.

[memphismason]

That sounds like a cute little saying, but is it practical?

Fred, Joe, and Mark are in a room with a shotgun. All 3 of them assume your rule, and then check the weapon to make sure it's clear and unloaded.

Sam walks into the room.

Is the gun now loaded? Sam might assume so, but is it Fred, Joe, and Mark's responsibility to revert back to assuming it is loaded simply because Sam walked into the room?

If so - how do you even walk into or around a large gun shop with multi-wall displays, when there are - according to the rule above - literally thousands of loaded weapons pointing in all manner of directions?

I think aside from simply asking that a person not point a gun at you personally, it's silly to try to take it any further than that, and definately not your place to volunteer to become their personal firearms instructor.

Yes it is very practical.

If you and I are sitting in a room together, and I decide I want to show you my new pistol, I will clear it and double check to make sure it is unloaded. I will then hand it to you, and if you don't check it, then that is on you, and you ideals, but when you hand it back to me, I will check it to see if it is clear.

It doesn't matter, if you never even racked the slide, I will still check it.

It is not the point of "thinking it is loaded"....It is treating every firearm as if it was loaded.

Safety is first.

Now if Sam doesn't follow the same rule that I do, then that is fine. I will not mind him handling the gun, because I know it is unloaded, but if Sam decides to point it at me, then I will tell, not ask, tell Sam to point that thing in a safe direction. It is never a good practice to point a firearm at a person you don't intend to shoot, and a habit that does not need to be formed.

Edited January 8, 2009 by memphismason

[Guest I_AM_WOOD]

my thought on this is, what if that person that is 10 feet away from the counter has other intentions than just looking at a new gun. How hard is it to carry a pocket full of 00 buck into the wally world, ask to look at a shot gun, and then go off the deep end. Is this likely to happen no, but it can.

[The Average Joe]

This whole situation (I think) can be lumped into category I see more commonly everyday.

It's just plain old being naive and self involved, or in other words, "I'm the only one on the planet" syndrome. People seem to zone out everywhere, with blatant disregard for those around them.

Teenagers are really bad about doing this...pretty much a given, it's their age.

But recently, I've noticed it's become rampant in all ages.

It's a shame that most of the time, after making mention of it and bringing their feet back to planet Earth, their only reply, to avoid total embarrassment, is something to the effect of "what are you going to do about it?"

[Guest Astra900]

People just plain scare me. I still go to gun shops, and gun shows, but I limit it to as few as possible. I'm not really worried about getting shot in a gun shop, but the collective stupidity of the masses churns my stomach. If muzzle discipline is this poor when everyone is watching, what will they do when fewer people are around, and the range for instance. I exclude you guys from my comment about the "masses". I don't want to believe anyone here would EVER sweep a muzzle across flesh and bone. It really sends a chill up my spine when I go into a gun shop, though. Some of the dumbest heehaw morons this state has to offer, have money and a clean record (and that's all it takes). Stupid people and guns:panic:

[memphismason]

I have been in a gun shop here in Memphis, (actually last week) and was drooling at some 1911s, and happened to see a red dot sweep across my chest. I though my heart was about to jump out of my throat.