Question about LGS etiquette

[gsc3zny]

Say I'm looking for a handgun and ask the salesman to see one. He drops the magazine and racks it to confirm it's unloaded and hands it to me. Should I do the same once he does it?

[Librarian]

If the gun comes to you with the slide locked back, you should visually inspect to confirm; if it has the slide forward, then yes.

That should be (or become) a habit, and you want to manipulate the gun anyway.

[Renaissance Redneck]

It's a good habit to get into. I always check my chambers, often multiple times.

[Kodemonkey]

If the gun comes to you with the slide locked back, you should visually inspect to confirm; if it has the slide forward, then yes.

That should be (or become) a habit, and you want to manipulate the gun anyway.

That's the gold standard answer for me. I would add that anytime that I hand a gun to someone I mag check, chamber check, and hand the gun to them in a slidelock position. When I hand it to them, I hand it muzzle down to the left away from both of us (because I am right handed).

When handed a gun like above, I will physically stick my pinkie finger in the chamber just to show to anyone who is watching that I am diligent.

[KWalkerM]

Do you trust someone that you presumably have never met, handing you a gun and trusting its safe? Keep in mind the amount of FUD some gun stores spew

[wjc]

Along with what Librarian mentioned, I stick my pinky (fat fingers) in the chamber to physically feel if it is clear.

[Nitro Express!]

Along with what Librarian mentioned, I stick my pinky (fat fingers) in the chamber to physically feel if it is clear.

Same, doing this all the time.

[paul0660]

If the gun comes to you with the slide locked back, you should visually inspect to confirm; if it has the slide forward, then yes.

That should be (or become) a habit, and you want to manipulate the gun anyway.

This is the way to do it. I also do this when I pick up one I put down 30 seconds ago. Takes a second, can save a lifetime..........good odds.

[MiddleKingdom]

All good info. And when I hand it back I have the chamber open for the clerk to verify.

[Gryff]

ALWAYS check it for yourself. Assume that the person handing it to you screwed up. Remember that accidents can only happen when you assume things are okay.

Remember that one of the creators of modern pistolcraft, Bill Jordan, accidentally killed somebody by pulling the trigger on a gun that he didn't check first. Get in the habit of ALWAYS checking a gun that you are going to handle without intending to shoot it. Even if you just put the gun down 10 minutes earlier and you know it was unloaded.

[Merc1138]

I only stick my finger in the chamber if I can't clearly see that there's nothing in it(some rifles are like that). But yes, not checking and relying on someone else to not be hungover, drunk, tired, distracted, etc. is how accidents happen.

If you're talking about some sort of white glove situation with an antique gun that may be worth thousands of dollars(not talking about a C&R like a mosin or even a garand), then the protocol may be a bit different but odds are the dealer is going to be explaining things to you in that scenario.

The other thing to remember is that the gun isn't your property(yet), so don't let the bolt/slide slam shut if you don't have to, don't do that stupid hollywood flipping the cylinder closed thing with revolvers(can screw them up if you do that often enough). I'm not saying you have to treat it like some ancient pottery, but give the property of others some respect.

[westcoast362]

Every time you take a firearm into your hands, check it yourself. Even if you are the last one to have had it in your hands.

[L84CABO]

Yes. Every gun is loaded until you personally verify that it is not. Check the gun when he hands it to you. And when you hand the gun back to him...and whenver you hand a gun to someone...hand it to him with the action open. In this manner, everyone can see that the gun is empty.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Even guns in my safe which I know for a FACT are unloaded, I still carefully inspect them and clear the action immediately when picking them up.

[BucDan]

I check the action so many times after I drop the mag out of my rifles that it's almost OCD literally.