Loaded Rifle At A Gun Show

gunman42782 said:

Worked in a gun shop for 7 years. Can't tell you how many times a customer handed me a gun and told me it wasn't loaded, when it was loaded. I ALWAYS checked. Whenever I showed them a brand new gun straight from the box, I ALWAYS checked. The boss one time took in a gun, put it in the books, and when I went to put it in the cabinet I checked it, and it was loaded! We used to rent guns, and when I took a .270 rifle off the rack and worked the bolt out came a live round! (This one really bothered me, as this gun was in a lazy Susan type display with a cord through the trigger guard. If the safety had been off, or if anyone would have pulled that trigger, even with the cord, there would have been a very load bang and a hole in the ceiling, not to mention some stained underwear! The only way this could have happend is if a customer actually put a live shell in it, or someone rented it, left the shell in it, and one of our guys didn't check it.) Always assume ALL guns are ALWAYS loaded until YOU proove otherwise. Never take anyones, and I mean anyones, word for it.

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Years ago, security job, was the inside armed night guard at a small local gunshow. When they opened up, i was front table, checked the incoming guns for oopsies. Dident find any, got to fiddle with an eclectic mix of shootin arns, from webley auto to wheeler-topping. Was told, afterwards, i wasent supposed to touch them, they were to display to me how empty they were. THAT woulda made me consider walking out, and i told the boss that, he laughed and said thats why they assigned ME that job.

Rum River said:

A buddy and I were at a gun show in Duluth MN. I picked up a 10/22 Sporter (with permission) and did the check-the-chamber-thing and a live round popped out onto the floor. Full magazine too. The two older gentlemen watching the half-dozen tables with 50+ guns were very surprised and apologetic.

I'm certain many here have had the same experience in one way or another, this is just my latest one.

You never know.........

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Ignorance at a gun show
I have been at 2 different gun shows, where someone picked up a gun (pistol or revolver) and did not check the gun & pulled the trigger, both of the guns fired. One round went in the ceiling the other went into the table. Luckly no one was injured!

hittman said:

Gun store owners been known to get loaded guns in the mail too.

Twice while I was in our local "mom and pop" I watched the owner open the mail and pull out a loaded weapon. Once it was a 44 Carbine …. Another time it was a 1911 that was cocked and locked!

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I beleive handguns can only be sent in the mail to an FFL by another FFL. Says alot about the FFL who sent the pistol.

I was taught to always open the botl or action on a auto. On a double action open the cylinder an leave everything open. On a single action barrel up use the extractor countt all six while unloading or showing the gun . Rule 1 every gun is loaded . Do all this before you hand someone a firearm.

While this thread is a few months old,, it's still very important.

Always, always, always assume a gun is loaded until you personally inspect it.

My son, a LEO,, & I were somewhere several years ago. A guy handed me a gun, and I checked it. It was clear. When I handed it to my son,, the guy said; "You just saw him check it for clear!" To which my son replied; "That's my Dad,, and he taught me to always check every firearm, no matter who just checked it. And he'd whip my butt if I DIDN'T check it myself!" I was a proud papa that day.

To clarify something. There is no such thing as an AD (accidental discharge.) It's a ND or negligent discharge. Why the difference? Because someone was negligent in leaving a gun loaded. Someone was negligent in not checking a gun.

In USPSA competition, as a Range Officer running a competitor we have very specific range commands. Once a shooter has finished a stage,, the RO says; "If you are finished,, unload & show clear." The word "if" puts the responsibility on the shooter to make sure they are finished that stage. Once they unload it, and show you it's clear, the command is; "If clear, hammer down, holster." Again,,,, this puts the responsibility BACK on the shooter to assure the gun is unloaded. It's the shooters responsibility to be the last person to verify the gun is empty.
Safety first.

And sadly,, I too have had the occasional situation where a person handed me a gun that they claimed was unloaded,, when it wasn't.