PDA

View Full Version : Customer handed LOADED shotgun at local store



joeyshoe
12-29-2012, 22:14
I was at a store in Colorado Springs the other day just browsing around looking for nothing in particular. I heard the sound of a pump action shotgun being cycled and then something hit the ground. An employee behind the counter says, "what the hell?" and comes around to pick up a shell that was ejected. The CUSTOMER was the one to rack/eject the shell.

Not sure how it happened and didn't much care to stick around after that. I purchased my things and left. Not 100% it wasn't a snap cap, but the way everyone (customer/employee) was freaking out...I don't think it was.

Any thoughts?

clublights
12-29-2012, 22:16
First guess? .. ( not that thi is safe or a good idea.. just a guess) one of the clerks keeps THAT shotgun ( or one in particular) loaded incase of trouble.. and has never told anyone and forgot to unload it for his day off...

thebolt
12-29-2012, 22:17
I think it was great for the employee to follow safe firearm procedure by opening the action.

J
12-29-2012, 22:18
First thought... Thank god that customer was a responsible gun owner who cleared the gun upon it being handed to him. Didn't take the store at its word that the gun was unloaded.

Subsequent thoughts are not as nice.

Diesel24
12-29-2012, 22:22
One of the first things I was taught as a child, the first thing you always do when handed a firearm is clear it to make sure no round is chambered no matter what. Thankful that the situation didn't turn out bad.

blacklabel
12-29-2012, 22:24
One of the first things I was taught as a child, the first thing you always do when handed a firearm is clear it to make sure no round is chambered no matter what. Thankful that the situation didn't turn out bad.

Same here. Every time I'm handed or pick up a firearm, I clear it. Thank god the customer had the same habit.

Lurch
12-29-2012, 22:26
Whatever the circumstances that could of ended very badly and I would of contacted the store manager. Last thing we need is something stupid to happen again.

BPTactical
12-29-2012, 22:36
One of the biggest paranoias we had in a shop environment, some Anti slipping a live round in an item. We always double checked the firearm on the customer returning it.

cysoto
12-29-2012, 23:09
One of the biggest paranoias we had in a shop environment, some Anti slipping a live round in an item. We always double checked the firearm on the customer returning it.
This exact thing happened to a buddy of mine who works at a " big box" sporting goods store. When they reviewed the security cameras, they saw a customer loading a live round into a firearm while the salesperson had his back to him (grabbing another pistol from the display rack). The customer then left the loaded pistol on the counter and walked away. The salesperson cleared the gun before returning it to the showcase and the live round hit the counter.

ray1970
12-29-2012, 23:29
Do me a favor and tell me which shop this was so I can stay away. I value my life. Thanks.

joeyshoe
12-29-2012, 23:58
I'm pretty sure the employee involved was actually the owner. ray, pm sent. good habits are good. :)

SA Friday
12-30-2012, 00:29
Yep. Clear it when it comes off the rack. Clear it before it goes on to the rack. Keep your eyes on the customer as much as possible, and protect yourself at all times while in the ring.

Mazin
12-30-2012, 04:16
#1 A gun is always loaded

A PSA meant for gun store customers.

cysoto
12-30-2012, 08:56
Do me a favor and tell me which shop this was so I can stay away. I value my life. Thanks.

The example I gave just happened to be one that occurred at a "big box" sporting goods store but the truth is that this can happen anywhere. The morale of this story is that there are anti-gun a-holes that could have done this at any store. We are ultimately responsible for inspecting the firearm and making certain that it is unloaded.

This employees' actions (checking the gun's chamber when he took the gun out of the case and again before he put it back) probably saved someone a lot of anguish.

The other big lesson that any sales clerk should learn from this is, never allow ourselves to get distracted while someone is handling a firearm. Like SA said: " protect yourself at all times while in the ring."

cofi
12-30-2012, 09:02
thats why if someone tells me a firearm is clear ill always check myself.....hell if i watch someone clear it ill still clear it myself just to make sure

dwalker460
12-30-2012, 09:14
Weird, back in Tennessee we were learned that all guns are loaded until proven otherwise. So when your handed a gun you check to see if its loaded. If its not loaded well then you better go load it or what good is it?
We were also learned to always keep the muzzle (thats the end the projectiles escape) pointed away from anything we didnt want to shoot. In other words, a safe direction. Even in gun stores, or our living rooms.

Now, if no one else is going to say it, let me be the voice of reason-
Op Shit Happens every day and to leave a gunstoreand/or not do business with them because of such an incident is a bit childish IMHO. For all you know it was a snap cap or dummy round left in the gun by a previous sales person demonstrating the action, the trigger feel, or even a snap cap to another customer, you yourself said you didnt bother to check. MOST if not ALL gun stores will not allow a customer to dry fire a weapon, thats why there are snap caps.
However, even if it were a live round, the person who was handed the gun cleared the weapon and it was then safe. For all we know the salesperson directed the customer to clear the chamber, just like I direct people to do when I hand them a weapon. I dont usually bother to clear it because I KNOW whether the gun in my hand is loaded or not, but they should NOT trust me about this and clear it themselves. Thats how it works. If they do not clear the weapon while handling it, I gently suggest they do so.

Dave
12-30-2012, 09:24
A friend of mine works at a sprting goods store as a 2nd job, mostly for the employee discount and from time to time works the gun area needed. When he hands over a weapon he opens whater action it has whether it's pump, bolt, slide, cylinder, etc., checks the chamber and then hands it over still open. And, as mentioned by others he rechecks before putting it back into the case or rack. He cought someone chambering a round into a bolt action rifle on the rack away from the counter before, so he makes sure with everything.

baglock1
12-30-2012, 09:24
Years ago, I was at the LGS in my home town checking out a brand new Gen2 G17. This was one of maybe 3-4 dedicated gun shops in town and by far the biggest and cleanest. It was a family outfit and had been around for years. I was in there a lot and knew just about all of the guys behind the counter on a first name basis, but the guy helping me was new and I didn't know him.

He clears the pistol and hands it to me and I immediately repeat the procedure. He gives me a little smirk and says, "What, you don't trust me to clear a firearm? I work in a gunshop man." Richard, the owner's son (and who drank lots of my grandparent's pilfered beer with my Dad in high school) walks by at the exact right time and says, "Not anymore you don't."

I guess he'd been there just a few days and had already rubbed everyone the wrong way by being an arrogant bastard. Apparently, he had also tried to tell some of the Vietnam vets who worked there how little they knew about shooting. His little demonstration with me was the proverbial straw I guess.

Anyways, to this day, I still think about that whenever I clear a weapon that's just been handed to me by the counter guy.

waxthis
12-30-2012, 11:02
Guns scare the shit out of me.
[Peep]

Byte Stryke
12-30-2012, 11:04
this one time, at band camp...

joeyshoe
12-31-2012, 18:56
Op Shit Happens every day and to leave a gunstoreand/or not do business with them because of such an incident is a bit childish IMHO.

I never said that I wouldn't do business with them. I made my purchase and left. Also, I'm just not the type of guy to get all up in someone else's business. So yes, I assumed it wasn't a snap cap but that's because everyone was freaking out. Remember, I said that the owner said "what the hell" and "i'll have to review the tapes." probably not a snap cap.

joeyshoe
12-31-2012, 18:59
this one time, at band camp...

you were handed a loaded flute?

brutal
12-31-2012, 19:16
OK, everyone that replied with something to the effect that "the employee" cleared the weapon - RIF

Go back and reread the OP and please make sure you understand the thread topic before replying. [Bang]

th3w01f
12-31-2012, 20:02
Had almost the reverse happen at Firing Line about 10 years ago. We were looking at something at the counter, customer brings in a gun to sell... clerk notices rounds in the mag, when the customer is distracted clerk grabs the shotgun from him. Ends up having one in the chamber too.

Customer was obviously "not well" and I think the clerk did a good job of keeping everything calm until he was able to take the shotgun.

It did take about 5 years until I could get my wife back into a gun store.

Clint45
12-31-2012, 20:10
One of the first things I was taught as a child, the first thing you always do when handed a firearm is clear it to make sure no round is chambered no matter what.

I remember one time I was at a barbeque and a fellow wanted to show off his custom Colt Commander. He dropped the mag, cleared the chamber, pocketed the round, and passed it to a guy who just saw him unload it. That guy also worked the slide to check the chamber . . . so did the next guy, and the next, and the next. Force of habit. Good habit to have.

BigBear
12-31-2012, 20:55
this one time, at band camp...

No, seriously!!.... Twice!!

hollohas
12-31-2012, 21:46
Weird, back in Tennessee we were learned that all guns are loaded until proven otherwise. So when your handed a gun you check to see if its loaded. If its not loaded well then you better go load it or what good is it?
We were also learned to always keep the muzzle (thats the end the projectiles escape) pointed away from anything we didnt want to shoot. In other words, a safe direction. Even in gun stores, or our living rooms.

Now, if no one else is going to say it, let me be the voice of reason-
Op Shit Happens every day and to leave a gunstoreand/or not do business with them because of such an incident is a bit childish IMHO.

You are assuming everyone in gun stores is going to follow good safety rules like you do? Bad assumption IMO. If a sales person hands a loaded gun to a customer who doesn't follow good safety rules, you're looking at trouble. That's a store I wouldn't shop at either. That sales person is responsible for making sure the gun is unloaded rather than assuming the customer is going to be safe.

Years ago, I was at Tanner when there was a negligent discharge inside the show...I haven't been back.

dwalker460
12-31-2012, 22:00
Soooo you can read minds and know who is and is not a good gun handler??? Cool- you should take that act to Vegas.

Just thinking out loud here-

A customer walks into the shop, asks to see a shotty. Salesperson performs his job by taking a shotgun from the rack and handing it to the customer, customer racks slide to check action and a snap cap hits the floor. Someone down the counter says what was that? and picks up the snap cap. Salesman continues to go on about the sale.

Or another course of thought-

Customer walks into a gun shop and says hey, I know jack shit about guns but want something to keep next to the nightstand. Salesguy says here, let me show you this shotgun, and fetches one from the rack. Handing it to the customer he tells the guy to open the action to make sure its unloaded, safety first after all. Shell slipped in by some dumbass hits the ground, gets picked up and put away.

I mean seriously, I could continue this mental masturbation all day, but the fact is that the gun was SAFELY HANDLED. Fuck how the shell got there, if it was even a shell and not a snap cap, I am just glad to see good gun handling and have no idea why you guys have your knickers in a twist.

DSB OUTDOORS
12-31-2012, 22:05
Bottom line is. I'm glad that the customer was responsible enough to check the fire arm 1st. Like most of us were taught by our fathers, and it's just common sense. Everyone's safe and sound. [Beer]

stevelkinevil
12-31-2012, 22:08
as I always tell my boys "I dont care if Jesus Christ hands you a weapon, you always check for yourself"

DSB OUTDOORS
12-31-2012, 22:12
as I always tell my boys "I dont care if Jesus Christ hands you a weapon, you always check for yourself"
You get an Atta Boy Steve!!

joeyshoe
12-31-2012, 22:13
This was just something I had never been witness of so I thought it would be a good little topic to bring up and show my involvement in the forums. Didn't know I was gonna get some much "mental masturbation." They had/have and will continue to receive my business. Like it's been said before, obviously glad that everyone is safe and if anything, this is a good reminder for all to be safe.

crays
12-31-2012, 22:41
Soooo you can read minds and know who is and is not a good gun handler??? Cool- you should take that act to Vegas.

Just thinking out loud here-

A customer walks into the shop, asks to see a shotty. Salesperson performs his job by taking a shotgun from the rack and handing it to the customer, customer racks slide to check action and a snap cap hits the floor. Someone down the counter says what was that? and picks up the snap cap. Salesman continues to go on about the sale.

Or another course of thought-

Customer walks into a gun shop and says hey, I know jack shit about guns but want something to keep next to the nightstand. Salesguy says here, let me show you this shotgun, and fetches one from the rack. Handing it to the customer he tells the guy to open the action to make sure its unloaded, safety first after all. Shell slipped in by some dumbass hits the ground, gets picked up and put away.

I mean seriously, I could continue this mental masturbation all day, but the fact is that the gun was SAFELY HANDLED. Fuck how the shell got there, if it was even a shell and not a snap cap, I am just glad to see good gun handling and have no idea why you guys have your knickers in a twist.

Not trying to bust your balls, dwalker, but shouldn't the "clerk" check the chamber before handing over a firearm to an unknown entity? It's not mindreading, it's common sense.
Don't you, regardless of the situation, and based on your upbringing/training, check every single firearm you handle? I happen to believe from my previouus interactions with you that that you are a pretty savvy and responsible gun guy.
Referencing highlights by color:
Didn't do his job correctly,
Relinquished control of an unchecked firearm to an unknown entity,
and, the firearm was not SAFELY HANDLED, as the clerk handed it over without clearing it.
No pissing contest, no projection of superior gun handling or firearms acumen, not calling anyone out. Just my observation.
I happen to think the clerk was at fault for not clearing the firearm before handing it over. Maybe he was having a bad day. Maybe the neighbor is banging his wife. Maybe he needs to stop on the way home from work and get the brakes done. DOESN"T MATTER. Safety = #1 Priority.

Now, I'm off to unholster, and sip New Year's beers.

Happy New Year to all you trigger-stroking MoFo's on this wonderful forum.
It is a pleasure engaging in intellectual discussion with you all!
crays

dwalker460
12-31-2012, 22:57
I actually do tend to clear a gun before handing it over, but I know people who do not, that whole "ll guns are loaded until proven otherwise thing", so while I personally do things one way, I recognize its not the only way. I have had store clerks hand me guns with and without checking the actions, but I always do, so I dont get hung up on it. I take your point though ;)

crays
12-31-2012, 23:01
But in the back of your mind, aren't you thinking..."That guy is definitely not on the ball"?