Muzzle sweeps

[Johnny C]

I know that guns dont go off by themselves, but who else tries to stay away from the muzzle end even if the gun is sitting on the table?

It erks me when the guy behind the counter lays the pistol on the counter pointing at me, even after I see him clear it.

Here is what usually happens:

I ask to look at a pistol.
Salesman gets it out, maybe clears it, maybe not.
lays it on the counter, sometimes even pointing at me.
I pick it up, making sure not to sweep anyone in the shop
I drop the mag, clear the piece and check the mag
I look the piece over
I never insert the mag while I am looking the piece over.
I lock the pistol open and lay it back on the counter making sure not to muzzle sweep anyone in the place.

I use the same procedure for long arms.

I have had salesmen give me the "look" while doing this, but I dont feel like I am going overboard.

Just thought I'd rant after an issue earlier this week.

 

[Indy Wing Chun]

I've never been handed a gun at a shop with the mag in and not locked open. That seem bizarre to me to know a clerk would do it otherwise. And after I have handled it (without muzzle flashing any living thing), I return it to the clerk in the same way I got it, no mag and locked open.

 

[jason765]

I try to stay away from the muzzle of any gun, even my son's nerf guns, which have come a long way BTW. Im not some formally trained weapons expert or anything but I was raised with guns and gun safety and took every shooting related program that 4H had to offer as a kid. I think being muzzle wary is more subconcious for me. I was at a Call of Duty midnight release and they (National Guard) had a table full of guns set up for people to "check out". I lost count of how many times those stupid kids swept me with the Barrett .50. It made me want to throw up. I was also surprised by how many parents took their kids to a midnight video game release on a school night.

 

[wildcatfan.62]

Johhny C, I follow pretty much the same process you outlined. I don't think I've every had a mag to insert when a gun comes out behind the counter.

I did see a guy looking for a holster one day that pulled his pistol out of his pocket, didn't remove the mag or clear the chamber until the clerk "reminded" him. I moved to the other side of the store....

 

[RabbleRouser]

thats one of my pet peeves, I go to a local gun shop and am looking around and out of the corner of my eye I see some (insert derogatory word here) pointing a gun at me while "trying it out"

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I know that guns dont go off by themselves

Errrr, yeah, they do, especially if you are walking in front of black powder guns.

I think you are wise not to walk in front of muzzles.

 

[Dead Duck]

Understand what your saying but when was the last time you were at a Gun Show and DIDN'T get a table full of rifles aimed at your Nards.
Always wear your Kevlar Cup-O-Noodle.

 

[concrete dog]

I know that guns dont go off by themselves, but who else tries to stay away from the muzzle end even if the gun is sitting on the table?

It erks me when the guy behind the counter lays the pistol on the counter pointing at me, even after I see him clear it.

Here is what usually happens:

I ask to look at a pistol.
Salesman gets it out, maybe clears it, maybe not.
lays it on the counter, sometimes even pointing at me.
I pick it up, making sure not to sweep anyone in the shop
I drop the mag, clear the piece and check the mag
I look the piece over
I never insert the mag while I am looking the piece over.
I lock the pistol open and lay it back on the counter making sure not to muzzle sweep anyone in the place.

I use the same procedure for long arms.

I have had salesmen give me the "look" while doing this, but I dont feel like I am going overboard.

Just thought I'd rant after an issue earlier this week.

You are doing what you feel is safe. At least you are thinking safely. On a side note: Some of these new Nerf darts can really pack a punch

 

[Booshie]

I agree, I have a friend who is notorious for muzzle sweeping me 2 or 3 times every time he picks up a gun. Any gun is always treated as if it was loaded, even if it's unloaded.

 

[youngda9]

Better safe than shot.

 

[TLHelmer]

The phrase familiarity breeds contempt comes to mind.

 

[45fan]

I cant recall ever being swept in a gun store. It has happened while at the range before, but evidently my warning that the verbal would be swiftly followed by the butt of my rifle the next time was taken seriously.
I take gun safety very seriously, and if someone else refuses to follow the safety rules that have kept lead out of my person thus far, they either will not handle guns in my presence, or have lumps on their heads.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I accept the basic rule. No question. Even when test the sight line of a piece, one must aim at a safe object—jihadist photo on the wall, or target appropriately ousted on the ceiling by a wise and humorous gun shop employee. However, I find it very, very difficult examine a weapon in a gun show or in a busy gun shop without sweeping someone. In some situations, one can only point the weapon up if one is not to sweep someone—and even when I do that I have learned to expect someone to complain about sweeping the folks upstairs.

I appeal for a bit of reasonableness in the application of the basic rules. In most gun shows, the pistols are string tied to the box on the table. The customer has, perhaps, three feet of line with which to work. There are tables facing both ways down every aisle. People standing about at 360 degrees. It is impossible to fondle that weapon without sweeping someone. Walk down the aisle and you get swept by the weapons on the table. The only way to avoid it is to stay our of the exhibition hall. Similar things happen in a crowded shop.

LEO station. Officer take the weapon off the belt, leaving it in the holster, and places it on a desk or in a drawer. Everyone who walks by gets swept.

Some of you are beginning to sound like anti-gun liberals who think the evil weapon will leap going off the table, throw down on all the innocents about and leave a bloody trail all the way to the next gun show. Some of the arguments and comments advanced on "The fool swept me!" threads are strong arguments why all weapons must be unloaded before one enters the gun show exhibition hall, or enters a military base. One could even make a case that guns should be turned in when one enters Gander Mountain, Bass Pro, Dick's, 21st Century, Tomlinsons, Freedom Arms and Sniperco.

Take every precaution. Obey the basic rule. Understand, though, you will get swept.

 

[actaeon277]

At Fetlas (years ago) I saw salesmen give dirty looks to customers that DIDN'T check the gun and rack it back on their own.
I teach the scouts to check the weapon, even if someone else has. Maybe they looked, but had their mind on something else.

 

[fire259]

I agree with not pointing a firearm at anyone. But how far do you want to take it? You can't have a handgun in a display case without it pointing at someone sometime. What about when it's in a carry case or range bag, are you always aware of the direction of the muzzle? When I go to the range I usually have 4 or 5 handguns in a double layered Plano case. To fit them all in there, they are pointed multiple directions. I've got my firesuit, bring the flame.

 

[DRob]

Sweeps

Unavoidable muzzle sweeps are one reason I don't like gun shows and every time I hear about a discharge at a show those feelings are reinforced. Has there been a 1500 lately without a discharge of some kind? (OK, I'm talking firearms here ) Seems like we hear about it every show. It's only a matter of time until one of those "accidents" kills somebody.

I'm generally more worried about customers than I am the employees in gun shops. I'm worried about everybody at gun shows!

 

[sepe]

I've never been handed a gun at a shop with the mag in and not locked open. That seem bizarre to me to know a clerk would do it otherwise. And after I have handled it (without muzzle flashing any living thing), I return it to the clerk in the same way I got it, no mag and locked open.

I don't think I've ever been to a gun shop that I haven't been swept by someone behind the counter. I couldn't even tell you the number of times I saw people getting swept by someone behind the counter just the last time I went to a gun shop. One of the guys even kept racking the slide so he could dry fire into a random place in the shop (which just happened to be either directly at another counter or at one of the used long gun racks). I always drop the mag, rack the slide several times to check it, and test the trigger before putting the mag back all while pointed at the floor a few inches in front of my feet.

At Fetlas (years ago) I saw salesmen give dirty looks to customers that DIDN'T check the gun and rack it back on their own.
I teach the scouts to check the weapon, even if someone else has. Maybe they looked, but had their mind on something else.

I miss that place, well, other than their shady practices at gun shows that gave them some issues. Fetlas was the place I bought my first Mauser, for $45. Should have bought the entire crate.

 

[RabbleRouser]

I had a buddy I used to hang out with, every time his gun was in his hand he would muzzle sweep me at least once. One day we were out on the back porch getting ready to shoot at the target range he had set up on the back of his property. He handed me his gun and assured me it was unloaded (it had no mag in it). I took it and just for the hell of it pointed it into the ground squeezed the trigger and low and behold "BANG!" he jumped almost out of his shoes and said "i thought it wasn't loaded." he never swept me again and always checked his chambers.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

It's always the one that isn't loaded, isn't it?

 

[TheFireArmorer]

I have bought a few guns from the MC Sports in bloomington and 1 salesmen in particular is just plain horrible about gun safety. I guess he just lets his assumptions take hold. On more than one occasion he has taken a gun from the display and just handed it to me. No safety check at all! Of course i go through the whole deal of make sure the gun is safe in a very obvious way hoping he might get the point. It bothers me enough to see dumbasses pointing the empty guns at their friends and holding it cocked to the side "gangster" style but when a sales person is just as careless about gun safety that really worries me.