Dry firing at the gun shop counter?

[Indynic]

Here's the situation: I needed a good box to store ammo, so I stopped by my local Gander (I know) to see if they had something that fit my needs. Of course, after I found what I was looking for, I took a walk down the counter to see if anything might catch my eye. Something would really have to be interesting for me to go BMV and pull a number.

As I am making my way, I hear a "click." I look up and there is a customer about 15 feet from me intently focused on his aim on a brand new firearm (which was along the lines of a Sig P226), pointing just off the side of the store clerk's shoulder, towards the wall. I thought to myself, "No way he just dry fired that gun."

Sure enough, as I am walking past behind him and see him squeeze the trigger. I hear another click and see the hammer move forward.

Is this common, acceptable practice? I have never seen this before. I am surprised the clerk didn't seem to have a problem with it. I don't dry fire my own guns, and they are MY GUNS, let alone a brand new gun for sale... Plus the safety concern of the whole situation.

Thoughts/comments???

 

[chezuki]

Here's the situation: I needed a good box to store ammo, so I stopped by my local Gander (I know) to see if they had something that fit my needs. Of course, after I found what I was looking for, I took a walk down the counter to see if anything might catch my eye. Something would really have to be interesting for me to go BMV and pull a number.

As I am making my way, I hear a "click." I look up and there is a customer about 15 feet from me intently focused on his aim on a brand new firearm (which was along the lines of a Sig P226), pointing just off the side of the store clerk's shoulder, towards the wall. I thought to myself, "No way he just dry fired that gun."

Sure enough, as I am walking past behind him and see him squeeze the trigger. I hear another click and see the hammer move forward.

Is this common, acceptable practice? I have never seen this before. I am surprised the clerk didn't seem to have a problem with it. I don't dry fire my own guns, and they are MY GUNS, let alone a brand new gun for sale... Plus the safety concern of the whole situation.

Thoughts/comments???

I would NEVER buy a gun without feeling the trigger. I always double and triple check it's clear and point in a safe direction though.

 

[churchmouse]

As most all of my hand guns have a hammer (1911's) I usually put my thumb under the hammer when I am checking the trigger for take up or creep. Will not drop a hammer on the pin if the gun is not mine.

 

[TheFireArmorer]

I always ask first, but I would never take a gun home with me if I wasn't allowed to feel the trigger. The trigger is one of the most important parts of a firearm and if it doesn't feel good to you, you won't be happy with it. It's like buying a car without taking it for a test drive. The only gun I've ever bought without dry firing was my buckmark. I've only had a salesman deny me once ever. But, yes to answer your question... it is very common.

 

[Que]

I ask and then go for it. Why would I buy a gun without checking the trigger, unless the shop is afraid the pin may be damaged? I would also check to see if the mag freely drops and if the slide is smooth.

If you don't dry fire, what do you do over the winter to maintain your proficiency?

 

[chezuki]

Love the avatar Que!

 

[flashpuppy]

I normally have a snap-cap of most of the common calibers in my glovebox. If I am getting ready to purchase, I generally go grab the corresponding snap-cap and go to town on it. I wouldn't consider buying a pistol without knowing how the trigger feels.

 

[Twangbanger]

Yep, I always ask first...but trigger is essential and I wouldn't buy a centerfire gun if not allowed to check it. Usually nobody at the gun shop cares, though. Triple-checked and aimed at the floor, of course.

It's not harmful on any centerfire gun design I've ever used. I dry fire my guns many multiples of times more than they get live-fired.

 

[flashpuppy]

If you don't dry fire, what do you do over the winter to maintain your proficiency?

Put on a coat.

 

[Que]

Put on a coat.

Yeah, that would work! Problem solved!

 

[loudpedal]

I would NEVER buy a gun without feeling the trigger. I always double and triple check it's clear and point in a safe direction though.

I agree. (unless it is a rimfire gun) I would also want to dry fire it.

But NEVER before I asked first, and checked the chamber while letting the counter person verify that it is clear. At that point I would point the weapon at the floor and concentrate on the feel so that I wouldn't need to do it multiple times. It is only the polite thing to do.

 

[Cameramonkey]

As most all of my hand guns have a hammer (1911's) I usually put my thumb under the hammer when I am checking the trigger for take up or creep. Will not drop a hammer on the pin if the gun is not mine.

And he isnt lying. He was so nice to my Kimber I thought he was gonna give it a hug and a kiss after coonfingering it.

I dont know of any modern firearm that will be damaged by a couple dry fires. I too refuse to buy a gun I cant dry fire a couple (2, maybe 3) times. I have more than once walked out of a store where they refused to remove the trigger guard even for a few minutes to allow me to feel the trigger. Both times they were pretty unapologetic, with the attitude of "If you dont buy it, no skin off my nose. Somebody else will."

ETA: and if its THAT sensitive that a dry fire will harm it, I'm not sure I want it... Kinda like a hammer that you are told that if you accidentally miss and strike the shaft on your nail, etc it will ruin the tool.

 

[Tyler-The-Piker]

As I was walking out of the range a few days ago...a clerk saw the box that my new Baby Eagle II was in and said "whatcha got there?". when I told him a new polymer semi-compact baby eagle II in .40, he said "whoa...lemme see it". when I took it out of the box, safety checked it, and placed it on the counter (slide locked open) he said "may I?". I said sure. He proceeded to point the gun in a safe direction and dry fire in DA and SA mulitple times. didn't bother me a bit. If I wanted to do the same thing to a gun they were selling...the roles would be reversed and it would happen the exact same way that I just described.

 

[Bennettjh]

I dry fire if I'm serious about buying. I ALWAYS ask though and only do it once or twice.

 

[loudpedal]

However, under no circumstances do you want to put it inside the waistband of your pants "the Mexican" unless you want to be the subject of 45 pages of a thread referring to your twig and berries.

I've seen how that can go.

 

[Indynic]

If you don't dry fire, what do you do over the winter to maintain your proficiency?

I use snap caps and an indoor shooting range. I guess I assumed that the gun he was looking at did not have a snap cap.

 

[Indynic]

It seems dry firing at the counter is more common than I thought. Good to know, thanks for the input.

 

[Arthur Dent]

Here's the situation: I needed a good box to store ammo, so I stopped by my local Gander (I know) to see if they had something that fit my needs. Of course, after I found what I was looking for, I took a walk down the counter to see if anything might catch my eye. Something would really have to be interesting for me to go BMV and pull a number.

As I am making my way, I hear a "click." I look up and there is a customer about 15 feet from me intently focused on his aim on a brand new firearm (which was along the lines of a Sig P226), pointing just off the side of the store clerk's shoulder, towards the wall. I thought to myself, "No way he just dry fired that gun."

Sure enough, as I am walking past behind him and see him squeeze the trigger. I hear another click and see the hammer move forward.

Is this common, acceptable practice? I have never seen this before. I am surprised the clerk didn't seem to have a problem with it. I don't dry fire my own guns, and they are MY GUNS, let alone a brand new gun for sale... Plus the safety concern of the whole situation.

Thoughts/comments???

You sit on the sofa before you buy it? Drive the car before signing on the dotted line? Most, if not all, modern firearms can handle being dry-fired.

 

[Tombs]

You sit on the sofa before you buy it? Drive the car before signing on the dotted line? Most, if not all, modern firearms can handle being dry-fired.

The only exceptions are rimfires and some S&W revolvers, especially with an extended firing pin.

I know it's a bad idea on my old USP as well, as the firing pin wasn't designed very strong on that year of the firearm.

I would be careful about your baby eagle as well, Tyler. If you look it up, people have busted their firing pin by dry firing.

 

[LoriW]

We often have customers dry fire handguns. Some ask, a lot don't. I only really care if it's not pointed in a safe direction or if it's a rimfire. I've removed the trigger lock on long guns specifically so someone could feel the trigger on a gun. It makes a difference on buying a gun to some folks