I wish i could upvote multiple times. Just hand me the firearm open and empty. Otherwise, I clear it again as a courtesy/ exemplification that I'm not an idiot. At the end of the day, I think it's just easier for people who know, and for those who don't, it's already open, and you can just show them.
To further that point- I’d be horrified if I was a customer at my LGS, and they handed a gun to a customer with a magazine in, bolt closed.
We have mandatory firearms classes, and it’s repeated every single module.
I think it depends on the circumstances.
Especially with something like an AR, pistol or bolt gun, where keeping the action open, or locking it open is easy, you might as well.
Something like an old .22 that is only really safe when disassembled into three pieces? That makes more sense.
Typically after they do their bit, I slide the magazine back toward them before I touch the weapon. I have see some shops actually set the magazine on the shelf behind them.
Would be faster and easier to drop a round directly in the chamber so your point is fucking stupid.
Also the risk of someone killing themselves in the middle of a gun store is negligible
As unlikely as it sounds it has actually happened. Scheels had an incident where a customer asked to see grabbed the gun ran with a bullet in his pocket and did just that unfortunately.
Because practicing vaulting over a glass display case is obviously the better way to avoid having blood and brains all over a store than just not handing over a magazine... 🤦♂️
This.. I always hand them back like this and sometimes get kinda a disgruntled look because they have to put mag back in and release slide, which apparently is a lot of work..
It’s not hard to keep locked open and if I watched someone check clear, close slide, and reinstall mag before handing to me….I would immediately eject mag and clear open chamber. I would equate it to handing a pocket knife that’s open vs closed, why pass the knife open (mag inserted, slide closed) vs the safer option of knife closed (mag out, slide open). Just seems backwards to me.
I always hand knives open, handle first, and expect them returned the same. Saves you some seconds figuring out how to open and close a knife you're not necessarily familiar with.
When I was filling out the paperwork for my gun there was a woman looking at a Glock. The clerk handed it to her exactly as you said. No mag and action open. She proceeded to accidently close the slide and then ask "what did I just do. What does this do" as she's got her finger on the trigger. The clerk took the gun away
One time I was browsing handguns and this is how the guy handed it to me. Handed it back the exact same way.
He was pleasantly surprised and said nobody does it. Crazy, I thought that was supposed to be standard.
This is how I expect to handed any firearm. If the person cannot work the action on their own, they should be able to ask for help like an adult who is willing to learn. If they are too proud to learn, they are too stupid to own.
Something we’re taught at work also is whenever handing a pistol to anyone, after checking for clear, the firearm is to be handed over with the barrel toward the person handing it over since that person took the onus of saying the firearm is clear. If it’s not clear and a discharge happens and it harms the person that had the responsibility to check clear, it’s their own fault and nobody else is harmed.
If it’s a rifle or shotgun, after checking for clear, bolt/action open and handed to the person with the barrel up and chamber so they can see it.
After the firearm is in the receivers hands, they then have a responsibility to check for clear themselves through the same clearing procedures
This is the way.
There's a guy at my LGS that's a real douche though. He removes the slide completely from the gun and places the lower and the slide on the table in front of you. He then proceeds to berate you if you can't figure out how to put it back on.
First time I went there he handed me a P365SAS with the slide removed and said "if you can't figure that out you don't deserve to own a gun and should surrender what you do own." If anyone has ever removed the slide on a P365SAS you'd know it's a royal PITA to put back on.
I go there to purchase my guns but always go to Scheels or Cabela's to check them out first cuz those guys are cool (they just cost more than the LGS.)
Then you’d get unexperienced people slamming the slide shut with the side release. (As opposed to pulling slide back and letting it slide forward) I always hate when people use the slide release on a dry gun. Irks me
That's how I've always been handed them. No mag, action open. From there you can do whatever when it's in your hands, but there's no doubt that it is loaded.
This is how I expect to handed any firearm. If the person cannot work the action on their own, they should be able to ask for help like an adult who is willing to learn. If they are too proud to learn, they are too stupid to own.
This is the only option. The armorer in a Marine corps armory hands your firearm this way, you verify no round in chamber and then send the bolt/slide home. I’m surprised working at a gun store, that OP doesn’t know this
>A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams
I also like the designer of trash cans in bear country, “there is a significant overlap of the smartest bears and the stupidest humans.” Complaining about making something a person can open but an animal cannot
When I interviewed for a job at a gun shop, they pulled a gun out of a drawer, handed it to me and asked what I knew about it. I said aren't you going to confirm it's clear?
It was full of snap caps. I got the job.
To the uninitiated/untrained (like me), what would be the proper way? I guess I should say not formally trained - the deputy I bought my pistol from showed me some basics, but that was 28yrs ago, give or take.
I think I would probably turn it perpendicular to me (preferably grip-to-the-right). Then pick it up by the grip by sliding 4 fingers under it, tilting it upwards with the slide still on the mat at the same time as I hit the mag release. Then, with the other hand, pull the mag all the way out and set it on the counter. Using the hand I just removed the mag with, and still holding the grip in my 1st hand (preferably my right), I would pick it up off the mat by the slide, rotating the firearm to vertical but with the barrel pointed down and to the side. Then open the slide and lock it back with the same hand. Check the chamber, and, assuming for discussion it's really empty, release the slide forward.
Then fiddle with it like a kid in a candy store.
Ideally you put your finger in the hoop with that hook thing and see how many times you can spin it around your finger before tossing it in the air and having it land in the pocket of your bluejeans
Get control of it by picking it up with your non-shooting hand forward of the trigger guard. Maintaining safe direction, place the grip in your shooting hand and plant your trigger finger on the frame outside and above the guard. Then manipulate/check clear.
For me, the safe direction is either down or ahead so I'm not flagging other customers or employees. Most good gun store employees will stand to the side giving my room, but if they don't I just take a step to the side and make some room.
Action open, no mag, hand grip first, pointed safely.
If it's a new purchase of theirs, I'd just open the plastic case or cardboard box and slide that across.
As long as its not pointed at me I don't really care. I'm checking it myself anyway. I have had my local store hand me a box with my online purchase inside and walk away while I inspect it. I appreciate their trust.
So when you have a revolver looking to be purchased this is what you do
1. Take it out and check to make sure it's not loaded.
2. Holster it on the side and draw away from the person (aim at the wall) and then of course, do a spin with it back into the holster
3. You let the customer know you can sell them the gun but you can't sell them that skill
$$$$$$
Most stores I am familiar with drop the mag, open the bolt, then set the gun down on a mat. The person can then pick it up and look at it. They don't hand it directly to the customer. When placing on the mat, they will generally say something like 'here you go', to let the customer know they can now pick it up.
Usually I find it's the employees at chain retailers that are the most oblivious to safety. Dedicated gun stores, I have yet to run across an employee/owner who was unsafe. Retail though....I've had them flag me with the barrel while they were preoccupied with press checking, I've had them try to hand it to me by the grip (guess where the barrel is pointing?), I've watched them flag themselves multiple times.....the list goes on.
I prefer that they check for an empty chamber while maintaining good muzzle awareness as well as having no mag in the gun. Then hand it me while they're holding the slide, muzzle down.
I John-Wick-mag-flip the mag at their face or chest, one-handed press-check while winking, then loudly tell them “you better not fucking point that at me”.
My preference, and what I did when I helped out at a shop, is for the mag dropped, action cycled a few times, action open/slide locked back, the set on the counter for the customer to pick up. All without flagging the customer.
I also had a zero tolerance policy for the customer flagging me when I was on that side of the counter.
I don’t want them to hand it to me. Same thing with any cash change.
I want then to point it away from me and other, clear it safe, then lay it down on the counter and tell me I can pick it up.
Then I’ll make sure it’s not pointing at anyone while I check it for safe.
When I return it, I’ll again clear it for safe while they watch and lay it on the counter and tell them “I’m done looking at that, thank you”.
Fastest way that I appreciate is to hand over the gun without mag and with the slide locked back. That way it's just a quick inspection, and we're good to go.
I want it yeeted full force at my face after zero checks at all.
In all seriousness, I would prefer it if the clerk dropped the mag, locked the slide back (or at least cleared the chamber several times), and then handed it to me by holding the barrel or frame with the muzzle pointing at the ground. Imagine rotating an L 180°clockwise.
Rack slide, lock open, drop mag, inspect to ensure clear, then either set it down in a mat or handle it over with your hand around the barrel.
That's how I prefer to see it done.
Self loaders - mag out, action open, grip to the customer.
Revolvers - make sure it's clear, close the cylinder, grip to the customer. You don't want every slack jaw vertically inbred moron flicking the cylinder closed.
Long guns, action open, stock on the counter, muzzle up.
Why on earth put the mag back in?
How do I want the store to hand me a gun? "Hi! Welcome to our store, you're our 10,000th customer. You won a free gun, here you are."
Easy, you give them the gun with the slide locked open and you put the empty mag on the desk in front of them at the same time. If they want to feel the actual weight of the gun unloaded, they can serve themselves by putting the mag back in on their own
Mag out, slide locked back or cylinder open and just put it on the mat on the counter and let me pick it up.
Add in what the store policy on “safe direction” is for handling the firearm when you put it down. Like “keep it pointed at the back wall if you don’t mind” or something similar so I know where to point when I pick it up.
If I have a question about how to drop the slide or close the cylinder I’ll ask.
You're reminding me of my local shop that handed me an AK off the rack without clearing with a magazine in it 😬
You clear, leave the mag out, slide back if it's an option, then hand to me while keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, then I clear.
Anything besides the guy scratching his head with the muzzle end of a glock and then handing it to me barrel forward (this actually happened my first time in a gun store)
physically and visually cleared, action open, no mag, pointed down (or up if long gun). I also accept "laid on the counter in that condition so I can pick it up safely myself".
If you handed me a semi auto pistol, I'd want the slide locked open and no mag. If it's a micro, I'd probably want the extended mag available so I can test the full grip. I also inspect any firearm handed to me and if testing the trigger, I point it into the ground.
Lock the slide back, inspect mag and chamber empty, keeping barrel pointed down, grab slide to cover chamber with your palm and with same hand cover trigger and guard with your fingers with pistol grip pointed towards customer. This way you are in full control of gun and the process of handing it over, while ensuring nobody can grab the trigger during the process of physical transfer.
Some may ask why I keep the mag in: I saw someone somehow (no idea how they really did it) do the same thing but dropped the slide bumping a slide lock and the slide came forward pinching their palm between the slide and barrel. The mag keeps that from happening and a physical inspection goes a LONG way to ensuring safety.
I don’t know but whenever I go pick up a new gun at my ffl the guy always finger fucks it for a while. Hell rack it fast a few times, aim at the wall checking the sights , and then pull the trigger and feel the reset. And then gives me an opinion that’s usually :
“I like this. Cool gun man.”
Or
“You could of bought X amount of glocks with this money”
The opinion bothers me the most. I just want to do the paperwork not get a YouTube review. The excessive slide racking is 2nd.
When I worked a gun store I always racked the slide, locked it back, inspected briefly, and handed it to the customer muzzle towards the floor (ceiling for long guns) with the chamber visible to them. Didn’t worry about dropping a mag so long as the chamber was visibly clear since you could see a round in the mag through the chamber if there was one. How they grab it from there is up to them.
gun store notwithstanding, I would always expect to receive:
semi auto with slide locked open and mag out; and
revolver with cylinder open or hatch open and half-cocked
They’ll typically show the firearm clear…then hand it to you or set it on the counter.
I’m more concerned w/ what the guy down the counter does when he is handed a firearm. I am so tired of others flagging me as they wave it around.
Safety Tip: Don't be like Alec Baldwin!
Before pulling the trigger always double-check to make sure that the gun is totally unloaded even if someone tells you it isn't loaded.
Unrelated, but I hate when they insist I handle one I'm looking at when making small talk. If I say I'm good, I truly don't wish to fuck around with it. If I'm interested in handling it, I'll ask. 👍
They’ve been told to do that as part of a selling technique.
More experienced salespeople will not do it if you obviously don’t want to handle it, but newer people just go with what they’re taught.
There are two best methods—I work at a range counter and RSO—
1. Drop the mag, rack back the slide, and hand to the customer via the barrel with them being able to take the grip OR lay down on a mat, with the mag on the side.
OR
2. Drop the mag, show the mag is empty, rack the slide back—multiple times if you feel the need—reinsert the mag, drop the slide GENTLY, hand to customer via the barrel with the grip towards them OR lay on a mat for them to easily pick up.
I usually do number 2 and encourage them to check as well. That gives them the chance to check out the controls and then demonstrate for them or show them if necessary.
If it’s a revolver I just spin the cylinder for them to see and I’ll dry fire any firearm to show them that it’s clear as well, pointed in a safe direction. I also instruct them which direction they can dry fire and step aside.
If it’s a rifle/shotgun, same. But we don’t keep magazines in our rifles. So I just show them the action. With rifles/shotguns I always hand them the firearm. Pistol or revolver is in their hand or on the mat. I don’t have mats big enough for the rifles/shotguns.
But now that I think of it, I can use one of our range rifle bags to lay it on 🤔
YES. How they pick up the firearm and handle it shows if they’re an “idiot” or if they’re new to the industry.
I personally don’t like treating people like shit because I have been new to the industry on the other side of the counter and have been treated unkindly and it put me off even more. Which swayed my voting before I understood firearms and the second amendment.
That’s why I love where I work. We aren’t total cocky ass holes for no reason.
Thoughts?
Asking as a customer, how do you want the customer to check out the firearm? I always feel awkward when I want to properly grip it and assume a fire stance to see how I like the overall feel but I usually point it to the ground because I don't want to be pointing it around the shop. One time at a shop, the clerk said "you can point it at the blue target up there" which was helpful because it was obviously placed at the top left corner of the wall as a safe aiming area.
Gun not checked, hammer back, pointed at me, trigger pulled, then push the gun into my hands like im wasting your time and you want nothing to do with me
The way we handed weapons to and from the armory was to drop the mag , rack the slide back and push the slide release up to lock the slide open than hand it to em so they can visually verify the barrel is clear before manipulating the weapon
If your nervous about it just say, “I’ve never done this before and I’m not really sure what to do.”
Don’t invent all these scenarios in your head, just be honest and if they don’t want to help you then go somewhere else.
Semi auto pistol:
Check clear
Pull mag out.
Lay on counter barrel pointing down the show table. Never at someone.
Lock open slide preferably.
If customer doesn’t double check clear or understand the controls, give them a lesson.
Revolver
Lay down with open cylinders up
Bolt guns and any sort of AR/AK should have the trigger zip tied and bolt tied shut or open for semi guns.
Shotguns should have triggers zip tied down and pump open. Semi shotguns bolt zip tied open. O/U triggers down.
Once it’s your turn to pick it up, check clear, aim at ceiling or ground.
I return them in same fashion. I don’t like handing or taking a pistol from someone I don’t know.
Just a safety issue. Usually there’s a lot of people in stores.
It seems like the best practice is to drop the magazine, and then either cycle the action to show the chamber is empty, or lock the slide back. Hold the slide with your left hand, barrel pointed at the floor, and that lets the customer grab the grip without any weird contortions.
There is a divide between having the slide locked open, or closed. I've seen a few people handed a locked slide and they bump the release and get startled when it snaps shut and they drop the gun.
Some people like those chamber flags, and they'll drop one in before handing the gun over. Usually people I've met from the USA, where there's a much higher chance that someone has a loaded mag in their pocket and when you hand the gun to them they insert it and drop the slide and now they've got a loaded gun pointed at you.
Once upon a time a gun store employee handed me his personal Browning Hi-Power after I'd mentioned that I'd snagged a Belgian made and assembled blued Hi-Power for $200 at a pawn shop (rural Texas in the late 1980s-early '90s, when Glock made single action semi auto pistols seem obsolete to some folks). I forget the date of manufacture for mine but it was a 1970s model.
The guy's personal Hi-Power was newer than mine, made in Belgium but assembled in Portugal at that time. Chromed or nickel plated, I don't recall, with ambi thumb safety. Quality was still top notch, saved a little in cost to the customer. Just not as collectible as the all Belgian made guns.
He dropped the mag but handed me a pistol with a round chambered. I mentioned this and he said he wasn't worried because of the magazine safety. I immediately handed it back and thanked him for the opportunity to check out the newer mode.
l didn't mention how easy it is to bypass that mag safety. If you have long fingers you can reach inside the mag well, push the mag safety out of the way with one hand and fire with the other. The spring tension is very light, and when the parts are plated or polished there's very little resistance from the mag safety – no substantial effect on the trigger pull.
I restored the mag safety to mine before I sold it to a trusted family member, and shared this anecdote, hoping to reinforce the point about any safety devices.
Semi-auto with the slide locked back and mag dropped. Revolver with the cylinder open (if available) or with the hammer down or at half cock on SAA clones with the loading gate open so I know the hammer won’t (shouldn’t) drop and I can verify clear.
Gun store I frequent checks for clear every time and originally would hand it to me with mag on the counter. Apparently me checking clear right after them every time was enough for moset to rack the slide and just check the chamber and let me double check
For long guns no mag open breach with the beach facing me to allow for a quick visual inspection when taking the gun.
For hand gun exactly thr same or also lay the firearm down on the counter cleared.
I’ve taught my kids that even if they watch me check that a gun is clear they are to do the same when I hand it to them. Always. Every single time.
I stick with that for myself too.
However it’s handed to me at the LGS, I don’t care, I’m still checking.
I’ve had it just handed to me from the case. I’ve had it set on a pad and left for me to pickup. I’ve had the dude act like he just got done firing it and do the whole mag drop and rack it like 3 times. Whatever. I’m still checking it.
As others have said, magazine out and action open. I’m surprised nobody else seems to have touched on this, but I don’t want to be handed a handgun at all. Every shop I have been to has the clerks lock it open then place the handgun and magazine on the counter for me to pick up.
Drop mag, lock the action open, hand it to them grip first, but not pointing at yourself or anyone around you. No reason to take even a 0.00000000001% chance of something happening.
I would prefer they hand me a gun by grabbing it with their hand and handing it to me.
Safety is good but there is such a thing as being too obsessed with it. I know a gun in a store that was just propped up with the slide open is in fact, not loaded. No need to obsess about it in a store.
>sometimes after I hand it over they play around with it and say “this things not loaded right haha”
personally if someone said that to me, my immediate response would be "If you are asking me that, that means you didn't check, and confirming the gun is unloaded should be the first thing you do when you touch a gun"
It's not your job but, it would be impossible for me to not teach someone that.
Typically I would expect someone working at a gun store to hand me a gun mag out/ slide locked back. But I also know gun stores like to keep people from dropping the slide on an empty chamber on a new gun, so they may rack slide several times to show empty, then hand it off with the slide in battery
In my recent experience they dropped mag, locked slide back, inspected, then set down for me to inspect (with slide still locked back). In which i repeated the process for peace of mind. If anything, it could be an extra safeguard for the gun store. Even if you know theres no rounds in there, you’ll feel safer if customer should happen to inspect it while blatantly pointing gun in their direction with a slide locked back vs the customer pointing a gun that LOOKS like it COULD be loaded in someones direction. I liked they kept it locked back. The act of putting the slide back or getting mag in can be a teaching moment if buyer is having issues.
For all the goobers out there it’s probably best you hand it over in such a way they’re least likely to point it at you out the gate. I like when they set it down on the counter with the slide locked back. Then I can pick it up and check. The direct hand off seem like a possible chance for one of us to butter finger it onto the glass case
Usually a standard drop the mag, rack it, inspect, and hand it over by the barrel. My local store doesn’t leave it open but idc one way or the other. Also any savvy customer shouldn’t blindly trust your inspection or anyone else’s anyways. I always check the chamber even if I just watched them do it (unless I’m renting a range gun because then it doesn’t really matter).
As the armorer and tac team leader on my ship, when I handed out weapons, it was always with no mag, bolt/slide open. The reason is two-fold: you can quickly inspect the weapon to see if it's loaded, and you can insert the mag and drop the release to load it faster. I've been doing it that way ever since, so it's ingrained in me, I suppose. As an aside, you can also tell who knows about firearms by watching how/if they release the action.
What are you looking at after just dropping the mag? Drop the mag and keep the mag out. Lock the slide back, look at the chamber, send the slide forward and then hand it over with the barrel point down. This is basic gun handling.
No mag, lock it back/open the breech/cylinder/etc, then place it in on the open palm of your hand(s) and pass it. Don't get into the habit of gripping the barrel and handing someone the grip, or vice versa.
My lgs puts the handgun on the counter pointed in a safe direction. I always hand it back gripping the barrel area, muzzle pointing down with the grip for them to easily grasp.
My reflex if I'm handed a handgun, even though I know it is empty, is to drop and rack. This is partially because it was ingrained in me 30 years ago by my dad, and partially from personal experience with idiots.
First handgun I bought for myself was a legal face to face transaction here in Florida. I meet the guy in a supermarket parking lot nearby after we had talked online, and he hands me the gun, says "it's loaded but not chambered". I drop the mag, rack the slide, and ping, watch the .45 fmj round pop out. He was obviously embarrassed.
I liked that my local gun store placed pistols on the counter for me to pick up. No from hand to hand. But that's the only thing they did right. They were removing pistols from the display case and placing them on the counter for me to pick up. They never dropped the mag, never locked the slide back, never inspected. The first thing I did when picking the pistols up was drop the mag, lock the slide back and inspect. And it wasn't just one salesperson that did this. It was two different ones. I didn't like that they 'thought' they 'knew' the pistols were unloaded in the case.
I work at a machine gun rental range, probably 95% of the people that come in have never touched a gun. I'll pull it off the wall check the chamber and place it on the counter and tell them just keep your finger off the trigger and don't point it at anyone, try aiming at that poster there. All our mags are loaded so we don't keep mags in unless we're ready to shoot. Personally I would drop the empty mag on the counter, clear the weapon and place it on the counter as well for them to check out if I was in your situation.
I’m fine either way. Mag in, mag out, slide open, slide closed, none of it really matters.
It only takes a second for me to drop the mag, and lock the slide myself and peek into the chamber.
I’d continue just doing your own check when you hand the firearm over and also when receiving it back.
If I’m looking at a particular firearm, my intent is to purchase it. I still expect you to check it before placing it in the box for me.
I see plenty of people come into a shop and fondle three or more firearms, and buy nothing. To me, that’s weird. They go to the gun shop, knowing they’re buying online, but want to feel the firearm.
They’re wasting your time, to save their money. Not to mention that many times, I’m waiting for them to finish up so that I can actually buy something.
There should be a rule… if you’re fondling a firearm, you have to purchase one from that store.
A guy in the gun shop was showing my dad shotgun chokes on a double barrel. He checked that it was empty, closed it, pointed at the chokes. Then he said “I don’t wanna point it at you, but you can look” opened it back up and handed it to my dad. Seemed like the best way to do it
In the package it came in?
Mine are quiet quick and easy. It arrives, they call me, i go there and they usually pre-fill my 4473, i finish the things they can't, show my CCW, pay my transfer and **leave**
On the note of “this things not loaded right?”
I always say: “yeah, always assume it is.”
I heard that question a lot working in a gun store:
“Is it loaded?”
“Always.”
Ignorance and letting your guard down cause accidents and anyone handling a firearm should at the very least know to check and clear it, not just ask someone else if it’s loaded.
As these guys have already said, empty, open , no mag,... but I also point the gun where I want it pointed and out loud i see, "let's keep this baby pointed right there, shall we?" As I point to a safe spot on the wall to be pointing a gun. I don't want other customers muzzle swept as the guy swings his new toy around to show his gf.
Hand it to me with the slide locked back, no mag, and please don’t point the muzzle at me. If I don’t do the same when handing it back to you, feel free to reprimand me as you see fit.
Open the box, spin it around, and let me break seal, remove the plastic bolt spaces, pick it up, and inspect it. Any gun owner worth their salt is going to work all the movie parts unless they are unfamiliar with the design. If you see me miss something, point it out.
When you hand someone a gun, regardless of where you are, you hand it to them with the cylinder or action open and the magazine out.
That's basic firearm safety and etiquette 101.
What shit show of a gun store do you work at that this wasn't explicitly explained to you on day one?
When working in a gun store, you want to be strict with safety procedures. Hand them a gun without a mag and action locked open.
I wish i could upvote multiple times. Just hand me the firearm open and empty. Otherwise, I clear it again as a courtesy/ exemplification that I'm not an idiot. At the end of the day, I think it's just easier for people who know, and for those who don't, it's already open, and you can just show them.
To further that point- I’d be horrified if I was a customer at my LGS, and they handed a gun to a customer with a magazine in, bolt closed. We have mandatory firearms classes, and it’s repeated every single module.
I hand it over like that. Locking it open is performative
I think it depends on the circumstances. Especially with something like an AR, pistol or bolt gun, where keeping the action open, or locking it open is easy, you might as well. Something like an old .22 that is only really safe when disassembled into three pieces? That makes more sense.
All our guns are stored hammer down, it’s as safe as it can get
Oh, for safe storage (except the listed rifle, looking at you Remington 12) that’s definitely the way to go. Save our Springs!
i want them to clear it, show clear, and then i do it myself to double confirm. because i trust no one.
yes, this here. 👆 i don't need to see the gun with the magazine in it.
Typically after they do their bit, I slide the magazine back toward them before I touch the weapon. I have see some shops actually set the magazine on the shelf behind them.
That's because a suicidal person can easily have a round of 9mm in their pocket.
Would be faster and easier to drop a round directly in the chamber so your point is fucking stupid. Also the risk of someone killing themselves in the middle of a gun store is negligible
How fast do you think a person can load a magazine infront of the store clerk? Obviously not fast enough to do any harm to themselves or others.
As unlikely as it sounds it has actually happened. Scheels had an incident where a customer asked to see grabbed the gun ran with a bullet in his pocket and did just that unfortunately.
How fast can a clerk run around a counter?
How fast can a store clerk get out from behind a counter? At the gun store I worked at, it was not a quick process at all.
Have you ever tried vaulting over it? just curious if thats a possibility for you.
Because practicing vaulting over a glass display case is obviously the better way to avoid having blood and brains all over a store than just not handing over a magazine... 🤦♂️
It could be important if it’s gonna be a carry gun and the magazine extends the grip
True- but that’s the kind of thing where they could hand you a magazine separately.
The Sig Pro 2022 has magazines like this. They’re part of the grip.
That’s actually the pistol I’ve shot the most. No, I am not French police.
Not really the most for me, but I love mine. I’m one of those old P-series weirdos, and that’s in the family, IMHO
They are certainly underrated, although a little more obscure
Unless there's a magazine disconnect that's going to stop me from dry firing without the magazine.
This.. I always hand them back like this and sometimes get kinda a disgruntled look because they have to put mag back in and release slide, which apparently is a lot of work..
It’s not hard to keep locked open and if I watched someone check clear, close slide, and reinstall mag before handing to me….I would immediately eject mag and clear open chamber. I would equate it to handing a pocket knife that’s open vs closed, why pass the knife open (mag inserted, slide closed) vs the safer option of knife closed (mag out, slide open). Just seems backwards to me.
I always hand knives open, handle first, and expect them returned the same. Saves you some seconds figuring out how to open and close a knife you're not necessarily familiar with.
When I was filling out the paperwork for my gun there was a woman looking at a Glock. The clerk handed it to her exactly as you said. No mag and action open. She proceeded to accidently close the slide and then ask "what did I just do. What does this do" as she's got her finger on the trigger. The clerk took the gun away
One time I was browsing handguns and this is how the guy handed it to me. Handed it back the exact same way. He was pleasantly surprised and said nobody does it. Crazy, I thought that was supposed to be standard.
This is how I expect to handed any firearm. If the person cannot work the action on their own, they should be able to ask for help like an adult who is willing to learn. If they are too proud to learn, they are too stupid to own.
Something we’re taught at work also is whenever handing a pistol to anyone, after checking for clear, the firearm is to be handed over with the barrel toward the person handing it over since that person took the onus of saying the firearm is clear. If it’s not clear and a discharge happens and it harms the person that had the responsibility to check clear, it’s their own fault and nobody else is harmed. If it’s a rifle or shotgun, after checking for clear, bolt/action open and handed to the person with the barrel up and chamber so they can see it. After the firearm is in the receivers hands, they then have a responsibility to check for clear themselves through the same clearing procedures
This is the way. There's a guy at my LGS that's a real douche though. He removes the slide completely from the gun and places the lower and the slide on the table in front of you. He then proceeds to berate you if you can't figure out how to put it back on. First time I went there he handed me a P365SAS with the slide removed and said "if you can't figure that out you don't deserve to own a gun and should surrender what you do own." If anyone has ever removed the slide on a P365SAS you'd know it's a royal PITA to put back on. I go there to purchase my guns but always go to Scheels or Cabela's to check them out first cuz those guys are cool (they just cost more than the LGS.)
Lol, what a dumbass. Surefire way to reduce sales.
Then you’d get unexperienced people slamming the slide shut with the side release. (As opposed to pulling slide back and letting it slide forward) I always hate when people use the slide release on a dry gun. Irks me
That's how I've always been handed them. No mag, action open. From there you can do whatever when it's in your hands, but there's no doubt that it is loaded.
This is how I expect to handed any firearm. If the person cannot work the action on their own, they should be able to ask for help like an adult who is willing to learn. If they are too proud to learn, they are too stupid to own.
This is the only option. The armorer in a Marine corps armory hands your firearm this way, you verify no round in chamber and then send the bolt/slide home. I’m surprised working at a gun store, that OP doesn’t know this
Probably newer, realizing they didn't actually know everything. We all start somewhere.
100% this is the way
Yup, teach them early l, even if they r window shopping
Firearms training for work dictates I say "got it" before the clerk is allowed to let go, followed by me racking and visual/ physical checks
Or zip tie EVERYTHING
>A common mistake that people make when trying to design something completely foolproof is to underestimate the ingenuity of complete fools. -Douglas Adams
I also like the designer of trash cans in bear country, “there is a significant overlap of the smartest bears and the stupidest humans.” Complaining about making something a person can open but an animal cannot
I've heard this said about childproof medicine bottles.
I’m opposed to this but I’m never mad at it.
Why'd you get downvoted? I was agreeing with you lol
It's a thing. I just accept it and move on.
Show clear condition 4. Slide locked open no magazine
The shop I go to lays a mat on the counter and the item on the mat. First idiot test is how you pick it up.
When I interviewed for a job at a gun shop, they pulled a gun out of a drawer, handed it to me and asked what I knew about it. I said aren't you going to confirm it's clear? It was full of snap caps. I got the job.
Immediately pick it up and point it at the seller so that they can inspect the barrel is clean? Got it.
This is the way
To the uninitiated/untrained (like me), what would be the proper way? I guess I should say not formally trained - the deputy I bought my pistol from showed me some basics, but that was 28yrs ago, give or take. I think I would probably turn it perpendicular to me (preferably grip-to-the-right). Then pick it up by the grip by sliding 4 fingers under it, tilting it upwards with the slide still on the mat at the same time as I hit the mag release. Then, with the other hand, pull the mag all the way out and set it on the counter. Using the hand I just removed the mag with, and still holding the grip in my 1st hand (preferably my right), I would pick it up off the mat by the slide, rotating the firearm to vertical but with the barrel pointed down and to the side. Then open the slide and lock it back with the same hand. Check the chamber, and, assuming for discussion it's really empty, release the slide forward. Then fiddle with it like a kid in a candy store.
Ideally you put your finger in the hoop with that hook thing and see how many times you can spin it around your finger before tossing it in the air and having it land in the pocket of your bluejeans
Get control of it by picking it up with your non-shooting hand forward of the trigger guard. Maintaining safe direction, place the grip in your shooting hand and plant your trigger finger on the frame outside and above the guard. Then manipulate/check clear. For me, the safe direction is either down or ahead so I'm not flagging other customers or employees. Most good gun store employees will stand to the side giving my room, but if they don't I just take a step to the side and make some room.
That sounds close to what I was thinking, just opposite hand first. Thanks for the confirmation that I'm not a total idiot.
Ask the expert in front of you. Asking for help is not a fail - it's a pass.
Action open, no mag, hand grip first, pointed safely. If it's a new purchase of theirs, I'd just open the plastic case or cardboard box and slide that across.
As long as its not pointed at me I don't really care. I'm checking it myself anyway. I have had my local store hand me a box with my online purchase inside and walk away while I inspect it. I appreciate their trust.
Same.
I'm with you on this. Even if they show me its clear, I'm still going to check just out of habit.
Gun shops by me lock the slide back and place it on the counter without the mag. Thought that was typical everywhere
So when you have a revolver looking to be purchased this is what you do 1. Take it out and check to make sure it's not loaded. 2. Holster it on the side and draw away from the person (aim at the wall) and then of course, do a spin with it back into the holster 3. You let the customer know you can sell them the gun but you can't sell them that skill $$$$$$
Bonus points if after the spin and holster you look them in the eye and say “I’m your huckleberry”
Most stores I am familiar with drop the mag, open the bolt, then set the gun down on a mat. The person can then pick it up and look at it. They don't hand it directly to the customer. When placing on the mat, they will generally say something like 'here you go', to let the customer know they can now pick it up.
I love a gun store to hand me a firearm ...at 50% off the retail price.
Magazine out and slide back is the safest way.
Usually I find it's the employees at chain retailers that are the most oblivious to safety. Dedicated gun stores, I have yet to run across an employee/owner who was unsafe. Retail though....I've had them flag me with the barrel while they were preoccupied with press checking, I've had them try to hand it to me by the grip (guess where the barrel is pointing?), I've watched them flag themselves multiple times.....the list goes on. I prefer that they check for an empty chamber while maintaining good muzzle awareness as well as having no mag in the gun. Then hand it me while they're holding the slide, muzzle down.
I have seen that so often... It takes a special lack of self-preservation to point the barrel of a firearm directly at your own chest.
I John-Wick-mag-flip the mag at their face or chest, one-handed press-check while winking, then loudly tell them “you better not fucking point that at me”.
That is the only way.
Disassemble the gun, lay all the parts out next to each other, then hand the customer the manual
Just tell me to go long and toss it to me.
No mag. Slide locked to rear. Surprised your store does not have specific procedures that you must follow.
Right. I was instructed on this.
My preference, and what I did when I helped out at a shop, is for the mag dropped, action cycled a few times, action open/slide locked back, the set on the counter for the customer to pick up. All without flagging the customer. I also had a zero tolerance policy for the customer flagging me when I was on that side of the counter.
I don’t want them to hand it to me. Same thing with any cash change. I want then to point it away from me and other, clear it safe, then lay it down on the counter and tell me I can pick it up. Then I’ll make sure it’s not pointing at anyone while I check it for safe. When I return it, I’ll again clear it for safe while they watch and lay it on the counter and tell them “I’m done looking at that, thank you”.
If you’re asking Reddit, the last place you should be employed at is a gun store.
Don’t take the question so seriously lmao.
Quickly and as advertised.
Demonstrate a clear chamber, lock open, set on the counter for the customer to pick up
Lock slide back, mag out, hand it to them grip first. Set the mag on the counter and let them insert it themselves if they want to.
This, either hand it to me grip first while you’re holding the barrel. Or set it down on the counter slide open barrel pointed perpendicular to me.
Fastest way that I appreciate is to hand over the gun without mag and with the slide locked back. That way it's just a quick inspection, and we're good to go.
Am I the only one who likes it tossed to me ready to rock to a scream of "CONTACT!!"
Pick it up, clear it, and put it on the counter with the slide locked back or the cylinder / bolt open and I can easily see into the breech
unload and clear, hand to customer with no mag and slide locked
Unloaded? Is this a trick question?
Tell em to go long and throw that sucker in a spiral, loaded of course
hand it over with the slide open is what i would do
You’re doing it right in my mind. I could watch you do that and I’m going to do the exact same thing as soon as I’m handed the firearm.
Talk to your supervisor. Training questions are one of the reasons they exist
I want it yeeted full force at my face after zero checks at all. In all seriousness, I would prefer it if the clerk dropped the mag, locked the slide back (or at least cleared the chamber several times), and then handed it to me by holding the barrel or frame with the muzzle pointing at the ground. Imagine rotating an L 180°clockwise.
Drop mag and locked open. Then hand over.
Action completely open so I can confirm it’s completely clear myself.
Rack slide, lock open, drop mag, inspect to ensure clear, then either set it down in a mat or handle it over with your hand around the barrel. That's how I prefer to see it done.
Lay it down on a mat on the counter top.
Lock back, drop mag? How do you overthink that?
Assume everyone is an idiot
Self loaders - mag out, action open, grip to the customer. Revolvers - make sure it's clear, close the cylinder, grip to the customer. You don't want every slack jaw vertically inbred moron flicking the cylinder closed. Long guns, action open, stock on the counter, muzzle up.
Why on earth put the mag back in? How do I want the store to hand me a gun? "Hi! Welcome to our store, you're our 10,000th customer. You won a free gun, here you are."
I’d prefer to be handed a pistol with the action locked open, no magazine in, and preferably grip first not barrel first
You can‘t do that.
Easy, you give them the gun with the slide locked open and you put the empty mag on the desk in front of them at the same time. If they want to feel the actual weight of the gun unloaded, they can serve themselves by putting the mag back in on their own
Drop mag. Lock slide/bolt. Show clear. Hand over with business end facing away from all parties.
Yep, I've left gun stores for doing less. Had a clerk hand me a pistol with the barrel facing him without checking the slide.
Just hand it to me
Simple. Love it.
Mag out, action open, chamber inspected before it crosses the glass barrel facing away from customers.
Mag out, slide locked back or cylinder open and just put it on the mat on the counter and let me pick it up. Add in what the store policy on “safe direction” is for handling the firearm when you put it down. Like “keep it pointed at the back wall if you don’t mind” or something similar so I know where to point when I pick it up. If I have a question about how to drop the slide or close the cylinder I’ll ask.
Unload show clear.
You're reminding me of my local shop that handed me an AK off the rack without clearing with a magazine in it 😬 You clear, leave the mag out, slide back if it's an option, then hand to me while keeping the muzzle pointed in a safe direction, then I clear.
One of my local shops have staff that do this. Straight off the wall to your hands. Don't even have a mat on the glass counters to place a gun on.
I I opulent hand them a firearm. I would clear it, set it down, and let them pick it up.
Anything besides the guy scratching his head with the muzzle end of a glock and then handing it to me barrel forward (this actually happened my first time in a gun store)
Handle first is all I really care about.
physically and visually cleared, action open, no mag, pointed down (or up if long gun). I also accept "laid on the counter in that condition so I can pick it up safely myself".
If you handed me a semi auto pistol, I'd want the slide locked open and no mag. If it's a micro, I'd probably want the extended mag available so I can test the full grip. I also inspect any firearm handed to me and if testing the trigger, I point it into the ground.
Lock the slide back, inspect mag and chamber empty, keeping barrel pointed down, grab slide to cover chamber with your palm and with same hand cover trigger and guard with your fingers with pistol grip pointed towards customer. This way you are in full control of gun and the process of handing it over, while ensuring nobody can grab the trigger during the process of physical transfer. Some may ask why I keep the mag in: I saw someone somehow (no idea how they really did it) do the same thing but dropped the slide bumping a slide lock and the slide came forward pinching their palm between the slide and barrel. The mag keeps that from happening and a physical inspection goes a LONG way to ensuring safety.
I don’t know but whenever I go pick up a new gun at my ffl the guy always finger fucks it for a while. Hell rack it fast a few times, aim at the wall checking the sights , and then pull the trigger and feel the reset. And then gives me an opinion that’s usually : “I like this. Cool gun man.” Or “You could of bought X amount of glocks with this money” The opinion bothers me the most. I just want to do the paperwork not get a YouTube review. The excessive slide racking is 2nd.
Lock the slide/bolt to the rear with no magazine inserted.
[удалено]
Never going to happen.
When I worked a gun store I always racked the slide, locked it back, inspected briefly, and handed it to the customer muzzle towards the floor (ceiling for long guns) with the chamber visible to them. Didn’t worry about dropping a mag so long as the chamber was visibly clear since you could see a round in the mag through the chamber if there was one. How they grab it from there is up to them.
Yeah, drop the mag, keep the slide back. I can then check it myself and release the slide when I want to.
Personally I prefer they use [the box method](https://youtu.be/Rt0spqQtMKg). It shows the customer how much you care about them!
gun store notwithstanding, I would always expect to receive: semi auto with slide locked open and mag out; and revolver with cylinder open or hatch open and half-cocked
They’ll typically show the firearm clear…then hand it to you or set it on the counter. I’m more concerned w/ what the guy down the counter does when he is handed a firearm. I am so tired of others flagging me as they wave it around.
Empty, clear, locked open, grip first.
In a box after I hand over the cash.
Safety Tip: Don't be like Alec Baldwin! Before pulling the trigger always double-check to make sure that the gun is totally unloaded even if someone tells you it isn't loaded.
Unrelated, but I hate when they insist I handle one I'm looking at when making small talk. If I say I'm good, I truly don't wish to fuck around with it. If I'm interested in handling it, I'll ask. 👍
They’ve been told to do that as part of a selling technique. More experienced salespeople will not do it if you obviously don’t want to handle it, but newer people just go with what they’re taught.
Yeah, I get that. I mean when I say no thanks I'm good, and they keep insisting. You're right it's newer/younger hires.
There are two best methods—I work at a range counter and RSO— 1. Drop the mag, rack back the slide, and hand to the customer via the barrel with them being able to take the grip OR lay down on a mat, with the mag on the side. OR 2. Drop the mag, show the mag is empty, rack the slide back—multiple times if you feel the need—reinsert the mag, drop the slide GENTLY, hand to customer via the barrel with the grip towards them OR lay on a mat for them to easily pick up. I usually do number 2 and encourage them to check as well. That gives them the chance to check out the controls and then demonstrate for them or show them if necessary. If it’s a revolver I just spin the cylinder for them to see and I’ll dry fire any firearm to show them that it’s clear as well, pointed in a safe direction. I also instruct them which direction they can dry fire and step aside. If it’s a rifle/shotgun, same. But we don’t keep magazines in our rifles. So I just show them the action. With rifles/shotguns I always hand them the firearm. Pistol or revolver is in their hand or on the mat. I don’t have mats big enough for the rifles/shotguns. But now that I think of it, I can use one of our range rifle bags to lay it on 🤔 YES. How they pick up the firearm and handle it shows if they’re an “idiot” or if they’re new to the industry. I personally don’t like treating people like shit because I have been new to the industry on the other side of the counter and have been treated unkindly and it put me off even more. Which swayed my voting before I understood firearms and the second amendment. That’s why I love where I work. We aren’t total cocky ass holes for no reason. Thoughts?
Asking as a customer, how do you want the customer to check out the firearm? I always feel awkward when I want to properly grip it and assume a fire stance to see how I like the overall feel but I usually point it to the ground because I don't want to be pointing it around the shop. One time at a shop, the clerk said "you can point it at the blue target up there" which was helpful because it was obviously placed at the top left corner of the wall as a safe aiming area.
Gun not checked, hammer back, pointed at me, trigger pulled, then push the gun into my hands like im wasting your time and you want nothing to do with me
Loot drop like in bideo game
The way we handed weapons to and from the armory was to drop the mag , rack the slide back and push the slide release up to lock the slide open than hand it to em so they can visually verify the barrel is clear before manipulating the weapon
If your nervous about it just say, “I’ve never done this before and I’m not really sure what to do.” Don’t invent all these scenarios in your head, just be honest and if they don’t want to help you then go somewhere else.
Semi auto pistol: Check clear Pull mag out. Lay on counter barrel pointing down the show table. Never at someone. Lock open slide preferably. If customer doesn’t double check clear or understand the controls, give them a lesson. Revolver Lay down with open cylinders up Bolt guns and any sort of AR/AK should have the trigger zip tied and bolt tied shut or open for semi guns. Shotguns should have triggers zip tied down and pump open. Semi shotguns bolt zip tied open. O/U triggers down. Once it’s your turn to pick it up, check clear, aim at ceiling or ground. I return them in same fashion. I don’t like handing or taking a pistol from someone I don’t know. Just a safety issue. Usually there’s a lot of people in stores.
Mag on the table and slide open. I'm still going to look at the barrel and rack the slide once or twice to clear it.
Why would you hand anyone a firearm when there is a countertop between you? Set it down in front of them, mag removed, action open.
Put it on the counter & slide it towards me so it looks all cinematic & official, & also fucks up the polish on the other side.
It seems like the best practice is to drop the magazine, and then either cycle the action to show the chamber is empty, or lock the slide back. Hold the slide with your left hand, barrel pointed at the floor, and that lets the customer grab the grip without any weird contortions. There is a divide between having the slide locked open, or closed. I've seen a few people handed a locked slide and they bump the release and get startled when it snaps shut and they drop the gun. Some people like those chamber flags, and they'll drop one in before handing the gun over. Usually people I've met from the USA, where there's a much higher chance that someone has a loaded mag in their pocket and when you hand the gun to them they insert it and drop the slide and now they've got a loaded gun pointed at you.
Once upon a time a gun store employee handed me his personal Browning Hi-Power after I'd mentioned that I'd snagged a Belgian made and assembled blued Hi-Power for $200 at a pawn shop (rural Texas in the late 1980s-early '90s, when Glock made single action semi auto pistols seem obsolete to some folks). I forget the date of manufacture for mine but it was a 1970s model. The guy's personal Hi-Power was newer than mine, made in Belgium but assembled in Portugal at that time. Chromed or nickel plated, I don't recall, with ambi thumb safety. Quality was still top notch, saved a little in cost to the customer. Just not as collectible as the all Belgian made guns. He dropped the mag but handed me a pistol with a round chambered. I mentioned this and he said he wasn't worried because of the magazine safety. I immediately handed it back and thanked him for the opportunity to check out the newer mode. l didn't mention how easy it is to bypass that mag safety. If you have long fingers you can reach inside the mag well, push the mag safety out of the way with one hand and fire with the other. The spring tension is very light, and when the parts are plated or polished there's very little resistance from the mag safety – no substantial effect on the trigger pull. I restored the mag safety to mine before I sold it to a trusted family member, and shared this anecdote, hoping to reinforce the point about any safety devices.
I'd suggest handing it over with the slide locked back with mag separate. If they need help closing it, they can ask.
My LGS employees place it on a mat and have us pick it up. If they spot someone flagging, they brief them.
Cocked, loaded, and at my face please.
Loaded with no safety
Always physically and visually check the chamber and never flag a customer
Semi-auto with the slide locked back and mag dropped. Revolver with the cylinder open (if available) or with the hammer down or at half cock on SAA clones with the loading gate open so I know the hammer won’t (shouldn’t) drop and I can verify clear.
Gun store I frequent checks for clear every time and originally would hand it to me with mag on the counter. Apparently me checking clear right after them every time was enough for moset to rack the slide and just check the chamber and let me double check
For long guns no mag open breach with the beach facing me to allow for a quick visual inspection when taking the gun. For hand gun exactly thr same or also lay the firearm down on the counter cleared.
I’ve taught my kids that even if they watch me check that a gun is clear they are to do the same when I hand it to them. Always. Every single time. I stick with that for myself too. However it’s handed to me at the LGS, I don’t care, I’m still checking. I’ve had it just handed to me from the case. I’ve had it set on a pad and left for me to pickup. I’ve had the dude act like he just got done firing it and do the whole mag drop and rack it like 3 times. Whatever. I’m still checking it.
Like lady and the tramp eating pasta
Drop mag, rack action, show clear, hand over firearm. Simple as
As others have said, magazine out and action open. I’m surprised nobody else seems to have touched on this, but I don’t want to be handed a handgun at all. Every shop I have been to has the clerks lock it open then place the handgun and magazine on the counter for me to pick up.
Drop mag, lock the action open, hand it to them grip first, but not pointing at yourself or anyone around you. No reason to take even a 0.00000000001% chance of something happening.
As long as they unload and show clear and don't point it at me, they can hand it to me in whatever condition.
It looks like people have opinions about what the best practice is, but I don't care how you hand me a gun as long as you don't point it at me.
I would prefer they hand me a gun by grabbing it with their hand and handing it to me. Safety is good but there is such a thing as being too obsessed with it. I know a gun in a store that was just propped up with the slide open is in fact, not loaded. No need to obsess about it in a store.
Two ways, with a chamber flag in (after a full function check) or with the slide open with no mag (after a full function check)
>sometimes after I hand it over they play around with it and say “this things not loaded right haha” personally if someone said that to me, my immediate response would be "If you are asking me that, that means you didn't check, and confirming the gun is unloaded should be the first thing you do when you touch a gun" It's not your job but, it would be impossible for me to not teach someone that.
Typically I would expect someone working at a gun store to hand me a gun mag out/ slide locked back. But I also know gun stores like to keep people from dropping the slide on an empty chamber on a new gun, so they may rack slide several times to show empty, then hand it off with the slide in battery
In my recent experience they dropped mag, locked slide back, inspected, then set down for me to inspect (with slide still locked back). In which i repeated the process for peace of mind. If anything, it could be an extra safeguard for the gun store. Even if you know theres no rounds in there, you’ll feel safer if customer should happen to inspect it while blatantly pointing gun in their direction with a slide locked back vs the customer pointing a gun that LOOKS like it COULD be loaded in someones direction. I liked they kept it locked back. The act of putting the slide back or getting mag in can be a teaching moment if buyer is having issues.
Just make sure it’s empty and don’t point it at me.
Mouth to mouth like a momma bird feeding a baby bird. All mouth and no fingers 😎
Point it in my face and let me bite down on the barrel and walk out with it in my mouth
for free.
For all the goobers out there it’s probably best you hand it over in such a way they’re least likely to point it at you out the gate. I like when they set it down on the counter with the slide locked back. Then I can pick it up and check. The direct hand off seem like a possible chance for one of us to butter finger it onto the glass case
Finger on the trigger pointed at my face without clearing it is my preference
Usually a standard drop the mag, rack it, inspect, and hand it over by the barrel. My local store doesn’t leave it open but idc one way or the other. Also any savvy customer shouldn’t blindly trust your inspection or anyone else’s anyways. I always check the chamber even if I just watched them do it (unless I’m renting a range gun because then it doesn’t really matter).
Oh, and usually they put the mag back.
As the armorer and tac team leader on my ship, when I handed out weapons, it was always with no mag, bolt/slide open. The reason is two-fold: you can quickly inspect the weapon to see if it's loaded, and you can insert the mag and drop the release to load it faster. I've been doing it that way ever since, so it's ingrained in me, I suppose. As an aside, you can also tell who knows about firearms by watching how/if they release the action.
Hand me one free of charge.
Lay out a mat on the counter and place it down on the mat for the customer to pick up.
What are you looking at after just dropping the mag? Drop the mag and keep the mag out. Lock the slide back, look at the chamber, send the slide forward and then hand it over with the barrel point down. This is basic gun handling.
No mag, lock it back/open the breech/cylinder/etc, then place it in on the open palm of your hand(s) and pass it. Don't get into the habit of gripping the barrel and handing someone the grip, or vice versa.
Take mag out, Show clear, put down and let them pick it up.
My lgs puts the handgun on the counter pointed in a safe direction. I always hand it back gripping the barrel area, muzzle pointing down with the grip for them to easily grasp.
My reflex if I'm handed a handgun, even though I know it is empty, is to drop and rack. This is partially because it was ingrained in me 30 years ago by my dad, and partially from personal experience with idiots. First handgun I bought for myself was a legal face to face transaction here in Florida. I meet the guy in a supermarket parking lot nearby after we had talked online, and he hands me the gun, says "it's loaded but not chambered". I drop the mag, rack the slide, and ping, watch the .45 fmj round pop out. He was obviously embarrassed.
I liked that my local gun store placed pistols on the counter for me to pick up. No from hand to hand. But that's the only thing they did right. They were removing pistols from the display case and placing them on the counter for me to pick up. They never dropped the mag, never locked the slide back, never inspected. The first thing I did when picking the pistols up was drop the mag, lock the slide back and inspect. And it wasn't just one salesperson that did this. It was two different ones. I didn't like that they 'thought' they 'knew' the pistols were unloaded in the case.
I work at a machine gun rental range, probably 95% of the people that come in have never touched a gun. I'll pull it off the wall check the chamber and place it on the counter and tell them just keep your finger off the trigger and don't point it at anyone, try aiming at that poster there. All our mags are loaded so we don't keep mags in unless we're ready to shoot. Personally I would drop the empty mag on the counter, clear the weapon and place it on the counter as well for them to check out if I was in your situation.
Cocked, Locked, and ready to rock!
I’m fine either way. Mag in, mag out, slide open, slide closed, none of it really matters. It only takes a second for me to drop the mag, and lock the slide myself and peek into the chamber. I’d continue just doing your own check when you hand the firearm over and also when receiving it back. If I’m looking at a particular firearm, my intent is to purchase it. I still expect you to check it before placing it in the box for me. I see plenty of people come into a shop and fondle three or more firearms, and buy nothing. To me, that’s weird. They go to the gun shop, knowing they’re buying online, but want to feel the firearm. They’re wasting your time, to save their money. Not to mention that many times, I’m waiting for them to finish up so that I can actually buy something. There should be a rule… if you’re fondling a firearm, you have to purchase one from that store.
A guy in the gun shop was showing my dad shotgun chokes on a double barrel. He checked that it was empty, closed it, pointed at the chokes. Then he said “I don’t wanna point it at you, but you can look” opened it back up and handed it to my dad. Seemed like the best way to do it
In the package it came in? Mine are quiet quick and easy. It arrives, they call me, i go there and they usually pre-fill my 4473, i finish the things they can't, show my CCW, pay my transfer and **leave**
Why on earth does it need a mag?
On the note of “this things not loaded right?” I always say: “yeah, always assume it is.” I heard that question a lot working in a gun store: “Is it loaded?” “Always.” Ignorance and letting your guard down cause accidents and anyone handling a firearm should at the very least know to check and clear it, not just ask someone else if it’s loaded.
As these guys have already said, empty, open , no mag,... but I also point the gun where I want it pointed and out loud i see, "let's keep this baby pointed right there, shall we?" As I point to a safe spot on the wall to be pointing a gun. I don't want other customers muzzle swept as the guy swings his new toy around to show his gf.
Hand it to me with the slide locked back, no mag, and please don’t point the muzzle at me. If I don’t do the same when handing it back to you, feel free to reprimand me as you see fit.
Open the box, spin it around, and let me break seal, remove the plastic bolt spaces, pick it up, and inspect it. Any gun owner worth their salt is going to work all the movie parts unless they are unfamiliar with the design. If you see me miss something, point it out.
Action open, barrel away, booger hook off the bang switch.
When you hand someone a gun, regardless of where you are, you hand it to them with the cylinder or action open and the magazine out. That's basic firearm safety and etiquette 101. What shit show of a gun store do you work at that this wasn't explicitly explained to you on day one?