Many gun shops across the United States aren’t just in the business of selling firearms, but instead consider themselves in the business of giving advice and educating customers on the weapons they purchase and how to operate them safely.
The safe handling of firearms actually begins in the shop, where employees say they see customers doing things frequently that indicate a lack of respect for basic safety considerations.
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Here are a few safety tips for handling guns at gun shops and everywhere:
• Treat every gun like it is loaded. “The clerk should clear the gun and show you that it is completely clear,”
The Shooter’s Log on Cheaper Than Dirt said. “Pay attention to how they hand you the gun. It is good practice to hand the gun back the same way it they handed to you.”
• The gun shop clerk should check the gun to make sure it’s not loaded, as mentioned above, but even if you see them do it, double-check it yourself.
• Don’t clown around when you’re in the gun shop. No joking about shooting the president, The Shooter’s Log pointed out.
Don’t wave the gun around in excitement, said Gundata.org, but instead be respectful and serious during your shopping trip.
• Just as in every other situation when handling a gun, don’t point the muzzle at anyone. Even if you and the clerk have both checked to make sure there’s no ammunition in the firearm, keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Ask the clerk where it’s safe to point the gun; many shops will have targets hung on a wall.
• If you’re unsure of the rules in a particular gun shop or shooting range, leave your firearm in the car and go in to ask before bringing it inside.
As one person on the
Glock forum said about how you hand a gun over to the employees at his range: “There you put the case on the counter. They open the case and safety check. Under no circumstance would it be ok for me to open a gun case and pull out a firearm, even without mags and no ammo in sight,” the person wrote. “Different rules at different places, but making sure a gun is unloaded before handing it to someone is proper etiquette.”
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