Firearm Safety Question

[MikeBjerum]

Here is a situation for you to comment on:

You are in a crowded gun store.  The gun department is located in a corner with long guns along two walls.  The counter follows the two walls, plus comes out into the room where knives are displayed.  This creates a u shaped area for employees only, a square area for gun shoppers, and on the outside of the one side is where knife shoppers are. 

As you are shopping knives with a new gun owner you look up, and Mr. Tacticool salesman is waving a handgun around showing his best mall ninja moves to a young couple.  Mr. Tacticool could turn his back to the customers and to the south, and in both moves he would be pointing at walls.  However, he chooses to muzzle the couple, everyone at the counters on his side, and those of us at the knife counter ... But, he sure looked cool.

As someone helps you at the knife counter, and after they help the person you are with with a couple knives to look at, you ask him to ask Mr. Tacticool to quit pointing his gun at us.  Mr. Professional looks over his shoulder and cooly states "It is hard to avoid in a gun shop."

I will answer general questions you may have, but I will reserve more details for as long as I can bare it.

What would your response be?

[PegLeg45]

To leave.

[fightingquaker13]

Most gun shops I've known keep a few loaded in event of robbery, the employees know which ones. Given that, I don't appreciate being muzzle swept. I'd complain to the manager. Even if it was an obviously empty weapon, its no excuse. Not to sound holier than thou, as I did once myself at Gander while fondling a P-90. I inadvertantly swept a guy, and he gave me a totally withering glare and I felt about six inches tall as I knew better. I shrugged and lowered it and he nodded. Point made and received. That guy needs to get the same kick in the ass.

[tombogan03884]

IIRC m58 is a certified safety instructor.
That being the case in his shoes I would have called the clerk on his unsafe habits .

[Magoo541]

I would address Mr. Tactifool directly or I would assume he's following the 4 safety rules and is preparing to engage and respond accordingly 

[Sponsor]

[MikeBjerum]

As I said, I am going to try to let this work its course for awhile, but to FQ - The only place for a loaded handgun in a gun store is in a holster on staff's hip!*  Any place else is a bad situation.  This is just like the zero ammunition in the cleaning or repair area.

* With the exception of firearms being carried by customers.

[fightingquaker13]

As I said, I am going to try to let this work its course for awhile, but to FQ - The only place for a loaded handgun in a gun store is in a holster on staff's hip!*  Any place else is a bad situation.  This is just like the zero ammunition in the cleaning or repair area.

* With the exception of firearms being carried by customers.

I'm just reporting what I've been told by guys I knew at a couple of gun shops. The idea was that in the event of a robbery, they would be disarmed. While handing the guns over, they would have access to some that were "hot". Whether this is a good or bad idea I have no opinion. I don't work there. I'm just reporting the news.

[Timothy]

I'd leave and probably find another retailer.  It's happened too many times!

[crusader rabbit]

One of the "Rules for Managers" I learned when I was a young buck in charge of people was: Praise publicly.  Criticize privately.

That said, if I had the time, I would wait out Mr. Tacticool's customer experience and then, as discretely as possible, without raising my voice, explain to him that if he should ever point a gun at me in the future, said gun would require surgical removal from his rectal area.  I would explain this to him in such a way that would leave no doubt about my intent or ability to follow through.

If I got any sass-back from the idjit, I would then quietly explain the same thing to the store owner/manager.

That should do it, but sometimes store owners/managers are idjits, too. 

In that case, said gun shop would be on my "Do Not Go" list.

FWIW,

Crusader

[Solus]

Loudly start teaching your friend the 4 rules of gun safety.