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I am new to the ‘world of guns’, and have jumped in head-first.

After taking a shooting lesson (with access to six of the instructors pistols), I purchased a Glock G17 3G (first and only pistol in the arsenal at this time) in December.

Took my CHL exam two weeks ago, and mailed the paperwork to DPS the next business day.

I been to the range a handful of times, and those +/- 800 rounds through the G17 have been flawless.

On to the subject at hand……

While my daughter was at cheer practice, I made a quick stop at the range to look at the candy. I come to the realization that the G17 is too large to conceal on a daily basis, so I wanted to see how the G19 and G26 felt in my hands (not enough time to shoot either).

The attendant did not have a G19 on the shelf, but had a G26. He ejected the empty magazine and racked the slide to confirm the pistol was not loaded, then laid it on the counter. I picked up the pistol and double-verified it was not loaded . While admiring the G26, I did my best to not point the pistol his way, but he nervously bounced around like a jackrabbit.

What is the proper etiquette while at the counter?

Good question! I was in the same position years ago and didn't know what to do.

Same rules apply about muzzle flash, and I usually just point the towards the ceiling. It could be the attendant was just a twitchy guy to begin with, so I wouldn't let that bother you.

Whenever they check the weapon to ensure it is unloaded, I do the same exact thing when they hand it to me. If I am trying to get a feel for a weapon, I will leave the slide / bolt open. I only check it with the slide closed when I'm nearly finished.

And I usually make small talk with the employee...just to lighten it up a bit. Ping them on their knowledge and even if it is fluff, I'll nod and smile.

I don't think there is really any documented 'etiquette', but I watched a few people before I went up to the counter, to get a feel for it.

YMMV, but this has worked well for me.

Edited to fix a misplaced modifier...

Just do not yell.. "This is a stick up"


And you will be fine

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I see more gun store clerks having bad manners than customers.

Most clerks "assume" a gun is safe when they pull it out of the case and they don't clear it at all.

I point it straight down through their case, eject the mag, rack and lock the slide, then look in the chamber to double check.

I've seen a thing called an "academy pad", it's a small piece of body armor kevlar about the size of a sheet of paper (half inch or so thick). I heard then ame comes from police academies, they use them when clearing guns, muzzle has to be in contact at all times. If I was a dealer I would have them on all the counters.

pbwalker wrote:Edited to fix a misplaced modifier...

I hate it when I misplace my modifiers, especially when I need one right away. They are so expensive to replace too. Then when i find the one I lost after buying a new one, I then have two. I rarely have a use for two modifiers, so one just ends up sitting around on a shelf getting dust in all of its nooks and crannies. Then when I misplace the modifier I've been using, I have to clean the one that has been sitting on a shelf for who knows how long. Have you ever tried to clean a modifier? That is some seriaous hard work there.

Anyway, about gun counter etiquette:
1 - Never point a firearm at another person. While both of you know it is unloaded, pointing it at another individual exponentially increases the level of awkwardness. Additionally, other patrons of the establishment may see you as a threat to the salesperson and open fire on you.
2 - Making no conversation while mumbling to yourself incoherently and exhibiting random outbursts of laughter could possibly be quite disconcerting to a salesperson. Instead, you may try to make casual conversation about the firearm being examined.
3 - Show interest in possibly purchasing the firearm. Salespeople dislike standing there waiting for a "customer" to dote on the store owned firearm knowing that there will be no profit involved, especially when other customers are waiting to be served.
4 - Resist the urge to quickly leave the premises while still in possession of the firearm. Doing so may be misconstrued by the salesperson as an attempt to steal the firearm.
5 - DO NOT load the firearm while trying to negotiate a 100% discount. Doing so may cause the salesperson to become very uncomfortable. Also, as in point four, the salesperson may misconstrue this as an attempt to steal the firearm.

Well, that's about all the etiquette tips that I can think of.

I walked into Champion's Firearms in College Station the other day and some yay-hoo was checking out a scope on a rifle by glassing the front door. I walked in and he had a dead bead on the front door, and thus me - I moved aside and told him people had been shot for less than that. I know all the staff so I wasn't too worried about hurting any feelings. If I need a sight picture I either aim up, down, or stand in a corner.

There was string of robberies where the BG would walk into a gun store with a loaded G17 mag (or 22 or whatever) in his back pocket. He would ask to see the corresponding weapon, and then load it, and have the drop on the staff. Until you have some rapport built up with the staff keep things like this in mind - they are looking for weird circumstances.

gigag04 wrote:I walked into Champion's Firearms in College Station the other day and some yay-hoo was checking out a scope on a rifle by glassing the front door. I walked in and he had a dead bead on the front door, and thus me - I moved aside and told him people had been shot for less than that. I know all the staff so I wasn't too worried about hurting any feelings. If I need a sight picture I either aim up, down, or stand in a corner.

There was string of robberies where the BG would walk into a gun store with a loaded G17 mag (or 22 or whatever) in his back pocket. He would ask to see the corresponding weapon, and then load it, and have the drop on the staff. Until you have some rapport built up with the staff keep things like this in mind - they are looking for weird circumstances.

Gigag, I am sure you know that a BG once walked into Champions and did not walk out.

I share the dismay of the others here about customers not learning on their first visit to a gun shop that they do not just "check it to ensure it is unloaded," but rather until they satisfy themselves to the contrary "they assume the weapon is loaded," a subtle but meaningful difference. This is still the case even if they have seen the clerk clear it, and even then they keep it pointed in a safe direction. I have also too often seen those clerks themselves ignore these basic rules of safety, and I am sure it just reinforces lifetime bad practices by their customers. I have no hesitation in telling a clerk to please not point a weapon at me when demoing it. Do they get upset? Sometimes. But the next time I am in they clear the weapon and hand it to me grip first. If an SA I expect the slide to be back.

Elmo

gigag04 wrote:I walked into Champion's Firearms in College Station the other day and some yay-hoo was checking out a scope on a rifle by glassing the front door. I walked in and he had a dead bead on the front door, and thus me - I moved aside and told him people had been shot for less than that. I know all the staff so I wasn't too worried about hurting any feelings. If I need a sight picture I either aim up, down, or stand in a corner.

There was string of robberies where the BG would walk into a gun store with a loaded G17 mag (or 22 or whatever) in his back pocket. He would ask to see the corresponding weapon, and then load it, and have the drop on the staff. Until you have some rapport built up with the staff keep things like this in mind - they are looking for weird circumstances.

Is there a video for the Champion's Firearms Robbery?

I always verify for myself that the gun is unloaded before doing anything else with it. When checking the sights on a pistol, I always point it at the floor somewhere out in front of my feet, in a direction where nobody is standing. When I sight a rifle, I aim it upwards at the juncture of the ceiling and the far wall, being careful not to sweep anyone in the process. If I can't safely do either of those things, then I don't need to sight the weapon that badly.

AJ80 wrote:

pbwalker wrote:Edited to fix a misplaced modifier...

... That is some seriaous hard work there.

You need to edit to fix mis-spelling.

LR95S97 wrote:I am new to the ‘world of guns’, and have jumped in head-first.

After taking a shooting lesson (with access to six of the instructors pistols), I purchased a Glock G17 3G (first and only pistol in the arsenal at this time) in December.

Took my CHL exam two weeks ago, and mailed the paperwork to DPS the next business day.

I been to the range a handful of times, and those +/- 800 rounds through the G17 have been flawless.

On to the subject at hand……

While my daughter was at cheer practice, I made a quick stop at the range to look at the candy. I come to the realization that the G17 is too large to conceal on a daily basis, so I wanted to see how the G19 and G26 felt in my hands (not enough time to shoot either).

The attendant did not have a G19 on the shelf, but had a G26. He ejected the empty magazine and racked the slide to confirm the pistol was not loaded, then laid it on the counter. I picked up the pistol and double-verified it was not loaded . While admiring the G26, I did my best to not point the pistol his way, but he nervously bounced around like a jackrabbit.

What is the proper etiquette while at the counter?

I carry a G22 everyday...they can be concealed fairly easily...of course if you using that as an excuse to buy a new toy then I with you.

gigag04 wrote:I walked into Champion's Firearms in College Station the other day and some yay-hoo was checking out a scope on a rifle by glassing the front door.

You beat me to it. I have seen people do this quite often.

By my reckoning, one would receive a handgun from a salesman completely unloaded with the action open, check once again that it is indeed unloaded, and refrain from closing the action until the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction. My first choice in a safe direction is straight down at the ground, despite whatever ricochet hazard it may present, partly because I consider this is the lowest signature and least threatening manner of handling the weapon. Furthermore, I will not try dry firing it unless the salesman or vendor agrees.

Too many people have been injured or killed with "unloaded" firearms, and I will take every precaution I can to avoid adding myself or anyone else to their number.

I guess the best to hand over a pistol with a trigger lock all the time. Why, handing over a handgun to a thief who will just stick a mag, load and start firing is not kosher to me.
I know people would love to try the trigger before they buy, ask a friend or go to the range.