Scary Experience While Shopping

[Mr. Waverly]

I was shopping today for a new 1911 (not that I really need one, and I can stop whenever I want) when a customer came up to the counter, holding a holster he wanted to purchase. He asked one clerk if it would fit his gun, so naturally, the clerk asked what gun he had. Here's where it got interesting - the customer proceeded to pull his Taurus out of his front pocket and was going to show everybody at the counter what he had, including me, and I was about 20 feet away processing my sale with two other clerks.

Fortunately, everybody kept their cool, and the clerk quietly but sternly asked (more like, told) him to put the gun away before the muzzle cleared the pocket. I really believe he was ready to pounce over the counter and tackle the customer. Thankfully, the incident ended quickly and safely, and the customer was sent on his way.

This gave me pause to wonder how many times incidents like this come up, and what can, or should, we, especially as a customer, do in these situations?

[JohnJak]

I've seen this happen before. People are just plain stupid at times. Whipping it out like that makes me very nervous.

Should have pistol whipped him. I'm kidding of course.

[JohnS624]

It happens all the time. I can't remember all the times that I've had to physically grab a customer by the wrist to keep them from drawing even after I've said "Don't pull it out, just tell me what you have" and they still try to pull it.

[partdeux]

I was OC in one store, looking at CC holsters. Clerk came over and offered to clear my firearm if I wanted to try any. Nice heads up from someone that has probably dealt with your guy before.

[DLL9MM]

It happens very often in gun shops.

[Ol` Joe]

It happens very often in gun shops.

This!

[DrScaryGuy]

I've seen in a good few different shops.
a couple weeks ago some lady was looking at holsters, then started to reach into the neck of her shirt. the clerk immediately and sternly said DON'T DO THAT MA'AM. I wasn't even purposely paying any attention, but as soon as I heard "DON'T", my brain rewound, played back the scene, and caught me up to speed, and gave her my full attention before he finished saying "MA'AM". She tried explaining she needed to see if the holster worked for her pistols and tried AGAIN, before he even more politely and forcefully told her to stop, asked her which gun it was for, and offered her the hundreds of guns they had on display to try with her holster...

And just today, I was walking into a store with my phone in my hand along with some papers. So yes, maybe it looked a little like a gun - enough for the clerk to tell me to stop show him my hand more clearly. After he realized what it was, I asked "really?". But of course, they wouldn't have the rule if they hadn't had problems before implementing the rule.
Apparently their insurance also doesn't allow them to have a bathroom in the store due to the liability of people trying guns/holsters/etc in the john and shooting themselves.

Some people are just very dumb.

[buckey]

As I'm reading the above threads I'm thinking that I'd have a sigh in the front entrance that said if you pull your gun out for any reason we're all going to pull ours out and point them at YOU, Think before YOU pull your weapon out!

[DrScaryGuy]

most stores actually have some kind of sign warning people not to do it.
people don't read signs.

[jeff s]

At my LGS when the owner opens a package and pulls out a gun shipped for a transfer. Pulls the slide back and out pops a round, asked him to drop the mag and rack it again just in case. Yup, the private seller shipped a fully loaded and chambered firearm. Good thing the owner and myself all practice good firearms safety.