Pawn shops are known crime magnets, but in a typical gun store you have staff carrying openly, it is a deterrent, even for psychos.
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Very well played, Jeff. I believe this is another fine example of reponsible gun owners/enthusiasts playing the âwatchman role.â Honestly, when I enter my local gun shop, my situational awarness always goes to High Alert. I have never witnessed anything like you have, in your story. But, I have seen a few ânutbarsâ in my day, which probably have absolutely No business even entering a gun shop. We are all in this together and God bless guys for coming to the counter and watching the managerâs butt. Well done!
There is some good information in this story about Illegal gun purchases. I am sure that there are many more stories like this. Bottom line all the gun grabbing liberals need to realize; MOST of the crimes comitted in the USA with firearms, were comitted by criminals using ILLEGALLY AQUIRED FIREARMS! Only 10% (probably less) of the criminals are actually purchasing a firearm legally.
Article here: https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/new-report-on-where-criminals-get-their-guns/
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Two points. FirstâŠBeing retired LEO and just plain nosy, I believe I would have tried to get a license plate on the guy if possible when he left and pass it along to the PD Intel Detective if they had one. If the fellow was excited and bent on committing mayhem that night, perhaps the PD could have done a field visit to intercede. On the other hand, you have no obligation to place yourself in harms way.
Second, I subscribe to ASP (Active Self Protection) which posts youtube reviews of various violent encounters pretty much on a daily basis. A recent clip was from a gun store and range in Georgia, in which a customer and his girlfriend were apparently paying to use the range. The customer had his semi auto locked open, but uncased/holstered on the counter and was waving the weapon around almost in a dance. He then pulled a loaded magazine from his pocket and the employee told him to wait until he was on the range to load the weapon. Thereafter, on his way to the range, the customer loaded the weapon, released the slide and discharged the weapon into the floorâŠhe was subsequently barred for life.
My range requires weapons to be either holstered or cased until actually on the range. Thursday a couple came in carrying a long gun cased, and two uncased, one an SKS (AK) type with a magazine inserted. The employees, plural, told the customer to stop and wait for them to provide soft cases for the weapon. Thereafter they determined the magazine was loaded. After check in, they proceeded to the rife range without incident.
Just some anecdotal tales for your perusal. Stay safeâŠ
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FFL dealers are not required to sell to anyone. If that was me, I would not be selling him anything, and also ask him to leave the store. I might have even tried to get his id, then contact the police. Nothing probably would happen, but it would let this guy know that the police could be watching him. Let the police decide if he is an actual threat.
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Yes, we probably all understand that the no loaded guns policy at gun shows is not to prevent violent crime, since firearms, mags, and ammunition are all readily available. The only reason for it is to mitigate the possibility of a negligent discharge due to mishandling of a firearm. For that reason, it is a sound policy. We all know at least one person that we do not want to be near in the presence of firearms. Also, we do not know the abilities of strangers and their knowledge of common-sense gun control (pun intended) - the rules of firearm safety.
On that note, I was at a gun show last year and there was a firearm clearing station between the table that was checking unloaded firearms and the line of gun show attendees. The only way to use that station would have been to flag the line of attendees. Thankfully everyone in front of me apparently realized that and opened their chambers in the opposite (safe) direction. If it wasnât for the fact that the person checking the firearms was a police officer, I would have said something. Not knowing the officerâs demeanor nor who placed it there, I decided to keep quiet. I figured that if the officer couldnât tell that was not a safe place for the station, my stating such would not be helpful.
I know a few dealers and attendees at gun shows that do carry CC because they always carry CC, and a few attendees that carry unloaded, but with a loaded mag somewhere on their person, for the same reason, but want to comply on the face by not having a loaded CC. In my state, Virginia, it is legal to carry even with a sign posted stating âno gunsâ. The sign has no weight of law. If caught, you must leave when asked, if you do not, then it is a simple misdemeanor trespassing charge - no firearm-related charges apply.
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Did you report the suspicious incident to law enforcement?
I gather the manager knew you and that you were armed. Otherwise, it would also be odd to ask a customer to become a possible victim of or witness to a crime. As others have stated, it appeared to be a set-up by an anti-rights person. The manager should have called the police before meeting with that person, and he probably should have tried to get his id, so the police could question him afterwards. Let the police decide what type of, if any, threat he was/is.
It is good that this was a safe lesson in situational awareness. I have had more than several incidents while traveling abroad that I believe my awareness kept my wife and child, and me safe. In many countries I have traveled to, firearms are not legal. In one of them even locking blades on pocket knives are illegal in public (U.K.).
I also carry a small tactical flashlight. In a class taught by my county, a police sergeant that taught part of the class called those lights DNA collectors, and recommended we always carry one - that stuck with me. It was also surprising to me how useful having a light readily available can be. People that do not carry small knives and lights donât understand how often they are useful day-to-day.
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Maybe he just had too much coffee.
I hope the store called Police, and make a suspicious person report, and provide a video surveillance photograph. This guy may be known to Police anyway. Some Police intervention certainly seems justified, due to the guyâs agitated state. Definitely needs following up.
Sounds like the guy didnât know much about gun laws and didnât know you canât buy an automatic rifle in the country or that you have a three day waiting period to be checked out to see if you can buy a rifle,pistol,or shotgun.
I would bet that gun store has video of the whole exchange.
John305,
I am also a Vietnam Vet, two years there in the Army from 1968-1970. When I trained in basic with the M-14, clip was the terminology that was used.
Upon arrival in âNam, we were issued M-16âs and the terminology used was magazine. Most of us still used the word clip. When I returned from âNam, I was a Drill Sergeant at Ft. Ord and it was my responsibility to teach all about the M-16 in a classroom setting before the troops went to the beach ranges. I slipped up every once in a while and used the word clip instead of magazine⊠old military training is ingrained and hard to forget.
To this day, if I hear someone using the word clip, I see no reason to correct them in public - or online - and risk humiliating them. If I am instructing a newbie to shooting, Iâll remind them of proper terminology, just so they will learn correctly.
Iâve observed over many years that âPX Soldiersâ and âArmchair Rangersâ are usually the types to get hung up on a word. Youâve probably also run into a few of those types, the ones with the most expensive guns and all the latest technical gear⊠yet who have never fired a round in combat.
As one who has been to war and used weapons against the enemy, and as a former Police Officer who was involved in an OIS during an ambush on a domestic disturbance call, my training and use of weapons has allowed me the luxury of living long enough to enjoy my two grandsons. As an old timer now, I am much more interested in proper firearms training and making sure ALL safety precautions are observed. It gives me great satisfaction to pass on the training Iâve learned over the past half century, both on the range and in situational awareness training. My training has kept me alive, both in âNam and in Law Enforcement⊠I lived, while those trying to kill me did not.
Weâre all in this together and face common enemies these days⊠the anti-gun crowd, and a very biased and hateful media. The last thing we need is division in our ranks.
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Oh yeah⊠Iâm 63, and still have a hard time calling the âthingâ a magazine instead of a âclipâ . That probably would not have been an alarm for me. The automatic âAKâ and the fact that he wanted a hundred round âclipâ certainly would have prompted a call to the authorities had it been me. I hope he did not get what he wanted⊠and kudos to the guy behind the counter⊠and our friendly bystander as well for acting as they did.
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I think the âclipâ thing has been taken a little out of context. Yes, some people get extremely hung up on it, I really donât, despite playful joking amongst friends/instructors. Actually, I never correct the terminology unless Iâm instructing a class and then itâs in a friendly way. But when a dude walks in off the street loudly shouting for a 100 round clip like he did, it did set off alarm bells in my head, wouldnât have mattered if he said magazine or clip with the demeanor he presented.
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Actually the store I was employed at was owned and operated by a detective in the local department. The man I stood shifts with was a retired local county sheriff deputy.
While I agree we had no requirement to sell anyone anything, it didnât change the fact folks like that get the hair on the back of your neck standing.
Because the State of California had a long cooling off period, people like this would generally tend to find they were frustrated with the whole situation after we explained it would take days to complete the transaction. Most would wander off. Those that didnât would get âthe eyeâ until they chose to think more clearly - or at least leave the premises.
Oh, and we had very good closed circuit television cameras in the facilities. Wasnât very difficult to get support from the local PD either.
Thanks for letting me clarify an off the cuff post.
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''true. I believe the âclipâ/âmagazineâ labels are a location thing like alot of other labels⊠I never correct because I know what they are implying. Although, I personally have never seen âclipâ written on any magazine packaging. Just saying
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You are too funny!
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Not only was your story fascinating but you are a talented writer. You should be an author. Any more stories??
I wonât go into a pawn shop or a 7-ElevenâŠhuge crime magnets.
They are sometimes referred to as âStop 'N Robâ