FFL DEALERS: Check your chambers!!

[freakshow10mm]

I received a SIG 225/P6 pistol today from a dealer to transfer to a customer of mine. I was having a good old time talking with a business associate in CA on the phone while logging the gun in. I took the gun out of the case, dropped the mag, and opened the action to lock it back which is my safety procedure all the time. Guess what happened?

Live round of 9mm +P ejected from the chamber.

Nice. Not only did the dealer who sent it to me break federal law and postal code by shipping a loaded gun, but it also endangered the lives of those handling the package throughout it's journey.

I called the dealer and gave them a thorough *** reaming from hell.

Please, please, please check your chambers thoroughly to make sure they are empty before packing a firearm for shipment. Also that is the very first thing you should do when you remove a weapon from the packaging. Complacency kills. Safety is a mindset.

That's it. Carry on.

Adam

[Theseus]

I wasn't the dealer. . . it was the evil gun planing its breakout for a night on the town as it murdered innocent people!!!

[tenpercentfirearms]

Thanks Adam. I already had my wake up call. Sealed M1A SOCOM from Jerry's I believe. I took the magazine out of the chamber to discover it had two live rounds in it. The chamber was clear, but two live rounds in the magazine nonetheless.

Everyone needs to check the chamber on all guns at all times. Always.

I also had an M1 Carbine sized whole in the front windown of my house when I was 21 that helped me learn that one.

[Salty]

On that note, when at a dealers taking a look at a gun you might like to buy, why does no one check the chamber after the guy behind the counter does?

When it comes to something as deadly as a gun, can you trust anyone?

I've seen clerks pull out say a .380 from the case, then grab a box of .380 ammo and tell the customer "see, this is what it takes...". If the clerk turns his head all it takes is a second for a curious customer to load in a round or two. Later in the day with tired eyes that nickel plated ammo can sure look like a steel follower or chrome lined barrel.

Been in other stores where the long guns were out in the open as well as ammo, %99 of the guns are zip tied, but 1 or 2 are missing zip ties (most likely a curious customer cut it off to cycle action). The same kind of curious customer might try to load a few rounds into one of those guns to prove the action or see how hard it is to load.

Check, and double check!

As I was told in hunters safety "pretend all guns load them selves the second you take your eyes off of them".

[tenpercentfirearms]

I never let a customer handle a gun and ammo at the same time. That is always in my head. I will put the gun back on the rack behind me then pull out the ammo.

[CHS]

The worst part is, this is EXACTLY why a magazine disconnect is the law for CA on any new guns to make it on the roster.

Why in the world do people still think that dropping the mag from a gun automatically makes it unloaded?

Why on earth can't people just check their damn chambers?! This is ALWAYS my first and immediate instinct when picking up ANY firearm, including and especially my own. I know that I don't keep any loaded firearms in my house, but it doesn't matter, I check anyways.

People are stupid. plain and simple.

[freakshow10mm]

The only loaded gun in my house is the weapon I have on me when I'm carrying (I carry 100% of the time unless I'm drinking). I still check chambers. I know a former FFL dealer (due to health/age) that kept a demo gun for everything he had in stock on the shelf. When he got the gun in he sealed the chamber off with cerrosafe so you couldn't chamber a round without melting the alloy away. Bit drastic but it worked for him. Still checked his chambers.

[tenpercentfirearms]

The worst part is, this is EXACTLY why a magazine disconnect is the law for CA on any new guns to make it on the roster.

Why in the world do people still think that dropping the mag from a gun automatically makes it unloaded?

Why on earth can't people just check their damn chambers?! This is ALWAYS my first and immediate instinct when picking up ANY firearm, including and especially my own. I know that I don't keep any loaded firearms in my house, but it doesn't matter, I check anyways.

People are stupid. plain and simple.

Don't assume stupidity caused this. Maybe the guy had it out for Adam and did it on purpose. Maybe the guy wanted to see if anyone was smart enough to check. There is no telling what happened.

The gun might have even loaded itself! They do that you know.

[Salty]

Why in the world do people still think that dropping the mag from a gun automatically makes it unloaded?

I think some folks might tend to think that the round fires from the magazine. They might think that racking the slide simply serves to cock the gun. I dunno... I've asked myself this questions as well.

Also, sometimes in movies / tv shows they imply that dropping a mag unloads the gun, and you know how some people are with movies / tv shows.

[Salty]

I never let a customer handle a gun and ammo at the same time. That is always in my head. I will put the gun back on the rack behind me then pull out the ammo.

That's good, I've seen gun & ammo on the counter at the same time in more than one shop. Always makes me cringe a bit.

The other one is gun shop employees or customers dry firing w/o pointing it in a safe direction. That one reallllly makes me cringe. We all know the story, "but it's unloaded".
Just last week a clerk was showing me a .380. Grabs it from the case, does the quickest chamber check I've ever seen, then points it at the open front door and says "check out the trigger" *click* *click*.

[Casual Observer]

Good safety reminder. Thanks Freakshow.

[adamsreeftank]

Reminds me of a shotgun I bought that was a police trade-in. The FFL told me he was having a good time looking over the gun after the previous (LEO) owner left until he realized the mag tube was full of slugs.

[damndave]

thats nutz

[Rumpled]

Even if I just watched you clear a weapon, I'm gonna clear as soon as you hand it to me. It's just my nature - pick it up, clear it.

[ocabj]

I really wish people would ship guns with empty chamber indicators inserted. Springfield Armory Inc does. At least, the XD I bought awhile back had one from the factory.