Gunshop with really odd policy

[Rich]

There is a gunshop in my area that has a pretty good selection of firearms but that has a very unusual policy. If you want to look at a new firearm they gladly hand it to you. But they tell you not to rack it or cock it. Their reason is that it can put wear marks on the gun. I am really put off by this and intend to never go there again. Who would buy a firearm if they cannot cycle the action or test the trigger pull? I have been in dozens of gunshops over the years and never encountered this before. To me an analogy would be if you could not test drive a car before you bought it. Who would do that? I just find this practice really strange yet they seem to do a fairly good business the couple of times I have been in there. Am I overeacting or do you find this odd?

[totes6]

My bigger question, is how do you check the chamber to make sure it is clear without racking the slide? The first thing I do when someone hands me a weapon after pointing it in a safe direction is drop the magazine and rack the slide to check the chamber.

[DaRoller]

My bigger question, is how do you check the chamber to make sure it is clear without racking the slide? The first thing I do when someone hands me a weapon after pointing it in a safe direction is drop the magazine and rack the slide to check the chamber.

I was actually under the impression it was bad form for someone to hand you a weapon before doing that themselves (dropping the mag and locking the slide). I would certainly do it myself if it hadn't been done, and if that was being said to "not do", I wouldn't accept the weapon. Seems like that's easy top 3 of gun safety.
As far as the policy is concerned, yeah, that's weird, and I would probably not do business there. There's a pretty obvious difference between "wear marks" and a used weapon, too, so I wouldn't necessarily say that seeing a weapon that has had it's slide racked a few times would make me not purchase it. A knowledgeable gun shop sales guy should be able to explain to anyone purchasing a new firearm these same things.
Heck, some of the manufacturers are test firing the weapons before they ship it out anyway, so does that policy still apply to weapons where you can literally see the used casing they put in the box?

[GeneFrenkle]

How would doing any of that put wear on a handgun? I can see caution about revolvers and creating a turn ring. A semi - you gotta be kidding me. Idiot marks for field stripping to examine internals, maybe, but racking, safety checking, and dryfiring... no.

[totes6]

My bigger question, is how do you check the chamber to make sure it is clear without racking the slide? The first thing I do when someone hands me a weapon after pointing it in a safe direction is drop the magazine and rack the slide to check the chamber.

I was actually under the impression it was bad form for someone to hand you a weapon before doing that themselves (dropping the mag and locking the slide). I would certainly do it myself if it hadn't been done, and if that was being said to "not do", I wouldn't accept the weapon. Seems like that's easy top 3 of gun safety.
As far as the policy is concerned, yeah, that's weird, and I would probably not do business there. There's a pretty obvious difference between "wear marks" and a used weapon, too, so I wouldn't necessarily say that seeing a weapon that has had it's slide racked a few times would make me not purchase it. A knowledgeable gun shop sales guy should be able to explain to anyone purchasing a new firearm these same things.
Heck, some of the manufacturers are test firing the weapons before they ship it out anyway, so does that policy still apply to weapons where you can literally see the used casing they put in the box?

I was taught that even if you stood there and watched the other person clear the firearm, you still cleared the firearm yourself when it was handed to you, or the employee laid it on the counter for you to pickup. Just a safety thing. If someone told me I couldn't rack the slide, I would bid them a good day and leave. If they don't want slide marks, then that means the weapons are not being cleared. That is just dangerous with even a single firearm, let alone a full room of them. Especially right now where you are having a bunch of new potential firearm purchasers who have not been taught the basic safe handling procedures and go and pull the trigger without looking at where the firearm is pointed.

I agree with you that any gun shop employee should be able to explain even to a brand new gun owner that the slight scuff marks on slide does not mean it is not new, it has been simply racked to check the firearm and the trigger pull.

[Rich]

I have never personally heard of it...but you know at some point a pistol has accidently left the factory with a live test round in it. Only common sense to figure it has to have happened.

[Purdune]

You clear a weapon and show them before you hand it to them. I also clear a weapon that is handed to me if it isn't already locked open. I do this even if I just watched them do it. More of a habit thing but more important a safety and respect thing.

These guys either are not very experienced with weapons or have an owner setting policies that is not experienced. I know you don't want to disparage a gun shop but I'd like to know what to expect when I go there or to avoid.

[ShotgunBlast]

Interesting policy indeed. I wouldn't think anything of racking the slide. I do ask before dry firing. Some people don't mind; others put a snap cap in. After all, you DO want to test the basic functionality of the firearm before putting out the money.

[dorminWS]

Sound like something a fresh-out-of-college insurance loss-control inspector might come up with.

[Nemo24]

- Every gun is loaded, always.
- The gun in my hand is clear ONLY after I've checked it thoroughly.
- The gun becomes "loaded" again if it ever leaves my possession, and I must re-check the gun before I declare it clear.

I want to know the name of the gun shop. OP - Any chance you can post it?

[Mindflayer]

I want to know the name of the gun shop. OP - Any chance you can post it?

Hear, hear. I do as well.

[zerodown1]

Tell them to take it apart so you can inspect it. If they refuse, walk out.

[m4a1mustang]

Odd. I would ask "are you sure this isn't loaded?" If they refuse to let me clear the weapon myself I'd just hand it back and leave.

I have had a shop refuse to field strip a 1911, but that was understandable. They didn't want to risk cosmetic damage during the process. They don't exactly come apart like the polymers.

[sdlrodeo]

Did you bring up the safety issue?

If you did and the store still refused, there are plenty of other stores in the world.