This still bugs me...

[bedbugbilly]

I don't blame you at all for being upset . . . I have a very low tolerance for those that will do something like that and then make excuses like "it's not loaded" or "my finger is off the trigger".

I went on too many ambulance and fire rescue calls for shootings - many of which were the result of "unloaded guns". Sorry . . . . but idiots of any age who do such things need to be called on their behavior. It never ceases to amaze me how may shootings there are with "un-loaded" guns or how someone can shoot themselves while cleaning an "un-loaded gun". People like that have never had the experience of having to work on a shooting victim . . . or worse yet . . . having to tell the victim's loved ones that their loved one didn't make it. Proper gun safety is not intended for "just loaded guns" - every firearm should be treated as "if it were loaded".

Frankly, I admire your patience . . . . I'm a believer in letting an individual who is acting in an unsafe manner with a firearm have one warning . . . after that . . . if it continues . . . well . . . they should be told how a weapon can be quickly made into a "metallic suppository".

[jsizemore]

Gun shops are there to sell guns and don't want to be confrontational with a potential buyer. It's considered poor salesmanship. Most businesses are only concerned with moving product.

[Mr_Sheesh]

Killing potential buyers tends to cut WAY down on the number of firearms they'll buy, though. Same when people swept by a muzzle tell the store people "OK, you aren't fixing this issue, you lose my business" and leaving.

It's good to be firm, but civil, at first at least, when someone "oopses", but it's YOUR life - Don't put up with being endangered by a moron, one way or another remove yourself from the threat if mentioning that it's unacceptable behavior doesn't get the point across.

[dverna]

I avoid public ranges except for shooting trap or sporting clays.

The second project I did when I moved 7 years ago was build a range so I can stay easy from the idiots.

[TCoggins]

I was at the gun counter at Gander Mountain one day. Someone looking for their first handgun is fondling the pistols. Muzzle sweeps me. I politely told him not to do that. Does it again, and I politely called him out. The third time, when I politely called him out, he got snarky and told me it wasn’t loaded and I’m over reacting. I leaned in, and calmly told him that mine was, in fact loaded, and he will stop sweeping me with the muzzle. He turned white and left.

[Shawlerbrook]

You are absolutely right in your feelings and unfortunately one of the negatives of all these new gun owners is that they lack the fundamentals of safe firearms handling.

[Vdubman27]

Hahaha good advice lol

[Win94ae]

Tell them next time, "That's why the father of modern shooting, crafted 4 firearm safety rules; because only 2 weren't sufficient. Familiarize yourself with basic firearm safety!"

[Win94ae]

I was at the gun counter at Gander Mountain one day. Someone looking for their first handgun is fondling the pistols. Muzzle sweeps me. I politely told him not to do that. Does it again, and I politely called him out. The third time, when I politely called him out, he got snarky and told me it wasn’t loaded and I’m over reacting. I leaned in, and calmly told him that mine was, in fact loaded, and he will stop sweeping me with the muzzle. He turned white and left.

Funny, yes. But the newbies get a break; they get to learn something.
I'd ask to check the weapon myself, since I'm on the receiving end; and as I did, I'd tell them about the 4 rules and why they are important.

[Win94ae]

I was helping our setting up for a temporary shooting range at a Boy Scout event, when the man in charge had a Scout help him unload the rifles from his truck. The young Scout asked "Are these loaded?" The man said "Of course they are loaded!" The Scout said "Shouldn't they be unloaded until they are on the firing line?" The man said "Yes-- but almost everyone ever killed in an accidental shooting was killed by a gun someone thought was unloaded. So around here we assume they are loaded!" (actually they were not, of course, but I liked his attitude).

The exact response everyone should have! Great instructor!