Pawn Shop staff playing with Guns

[InkEd]

People will handle and play with guns ala TV.

Just spinning a revolver cylinder (with the crane open) won't hurt anything. Slamming it shut will wear the catch and crane quicker. Doing it with the trigger pulled halfway holding the hammer won't harm it either, if the cylinder catch is COMPLETELY out of the way. I don't recommend doing any of those things BUT it won't ruin a gun done in small amounts.

Dry-firing a centerfire gun (with a very few exceptions) won't cause any damage to the firearm. I wouldn't want somebody playing around with a gun I'm buying BUT the dry-firing isn't the problem. (I would have said, That's not a toy. Please don't play around with it.) Rimfires are a different story in regards to dry-firing.

I am NOT saying in this particular situation BUT it seems people forget what firearms do on routine basis.

EVERYTIME you shoot a round, the gun launches a projectile at speed of at LEAST 500mph while providing a containment area for a small EXPLOSION. They're designed to work under horrible enviroments far worse than 99% of people will ever even try. They are MADE of strong METAL and hardwood/industrial polymer. Guns live for years in deserts, jungles and trenches NOT climate controlled museums/safes.

My point is that even a firearm of mediocre quality can withstand the stupidity of low quality counter clerks.

Take care of your guns BUT don't be OCD about it. They are tools and should be used appropriately as designed.

 

[Texsun]

McClellands gun shop undoubtedly.

 

[kwelz]

InkEd while you are correct about the abuse that a gun takes under firing, that is not the whole story.

Guns are designed to take that particular abuse. That doesn't mean they can handle things they are not meant to do.

Scopes are a good example of this. Take a mid to high end optic. lets say a Leopold Scope. Good quality, well made, reliable and durable. Put this on a large hunting gun, or an M1A or an AR, or even a .22 and it will function great. It can handle the recoil, it can handle being beat around a bit even.

Now take that same scope and put it on an Airgun. It will be destroyed in very short order. Yes the Recoil is a lot less, however the type of recoil is different and this causes the damage.

That same thing applies here. Yes a good revolver can handle firing, but it can't handle something that messes with the internals in a way they were never meant to be messed with.

 

[stonecutter2]

My point is that even a firearm of mediocre quality can withstand the stupidity of low quality counter clerks.

Take care of your guns BUT don't be OCD about it. They are tools and should be used appropriately as designed.

I think the point of this thread is that the shop doesn't take care of their guns, so they lose prospective buyers. This fella wasn't being OCD, the gun genuinely wasn't in the condition it was before the clerk (and whoever else) did something abusive to it.

Yeah, I mean, a gun *should* operate as designed even in harsh conditions, but with weird abuse comes premature wear on parts and functionality. Steel can withstand pressures of explosions, but metal on metal contact will degrade/damage the steel with repeated abuse.

On a recent shop visit, the younger guy behind the counter was racking the slides of some Glocks while he showed me the new 4th Gen, dry firing, but at the end of his little demos, he wiped it down with a cloth and carefully placed it back in the case. In the end, they're merchandise - they're there to make the business money so it can keep paying the employees to work there.

 

[InkEd]

I realize the point was about mishandling the guns. I just think people get a little too worked up about certain things. They're guns they can take the abuse. It is by no means good for them BUT it won't really do too much (if any) serious harm. That's all, I was trying to convey.

 

[sturmgewehr]

Wow, some people... I love the Model 19 and I've been looking for a 19-4, blued with a 4" barrel for some time. I sold one many-many years ago for money to come home on (military). I've missed that gun for a long time now... and to hear this story turns my stomach.

 

[DinosaurJones]

The pawn shops in my town have no interest in selling to informed gun owners... they'd prefer to sell to dummys who don't know that they're paying 25% over new MSRP for a used gun in bad condition. Whatever gun they stand to make the most cash on that day is "the one ya want".

 

[Ledgehammer]

Most of the time at my local gun shop you're not buying the gun in the case. That's the demo gun for people to check out. When I say ok I'll take it they then go in the back and come out with a new gun in a case. I realize that's not what happens when shopping used but I just wanted to throw that out there.

 

[Erik M]

Dont patron pawn shops anymore, When I slowly pulled the slide back to check the chamber the gun was snatched out of my hands and I was informed that I damaged the weapon and the manager would decide if I owed them any money for repairs. Dont shop there anymore. They sell .223 Tula ammo for $15 a box anyway, walmart beats thier prices by $10 easily.

I have to add that I believe that the people that work in this area's pawn shops are not likely educated to a post college level.

 

[lan40583]

McClellands gun shop undoubtedly.

Actually Texsun, it was in a certain pawn shop in Garland just off of I-30 and Belt-Line Road.

 

[o Unforgiven o]

EVERYTIME you shoot a round, the gun launches a projectile at speed of at LEAST 500mph while providing a containment area for a small EXPLOSION. They're designed to work under horrible enviroments far worse than 99% of people will ever even try. They are MADE of strong METAL and hardwood/industrial polymer. Guns live for years in deserts, jungles and trenches NOT climate controlled museums/safes.

My point is that even a firearm of mediocre quality can withstand the stupidity of low quality counter clerks.

Take care of your guns BUT don't be OCD about it. They are tools and should be used appropriately as designed.

I understand where you're coming from, as people (armchair commandos) tend to baby the guns which spend their lives in a dry, sealed safe. BUT, I don't think snap on would be too happy if I used my ratchet as a hammer and made a warranty claim.

I think they should funtion as they were intended to like any other tool, and misuse will ultimately cause it to malfuntion no matter how tough the gun is.

 

[Murphy4570]

I understand where you're coming from, as people (armchair commandos) tend to baby the guns which spend their lives in a dry, sealed safe. BUT, I don't think snap on would be too happy if I used my ratchet as a hammer and made a warranty claim.

I've used my Snap-On ratchet as a hammer before. Not proud of it, but when you're pissed off and the BFH is just out of reach, anything else will do.

My Snappy dealer is pretty lenient with warranty claims, too. Not that I ever break anything though. Them're tough tools.

I do agree with the misuse of tools. Use a tool the wrong way, it'll break.

 

[hardworker]

Used a screwdriver to pry my oil filter off. Now I have two pieces of screwdriver.

There's probably a moral in there somewhere. Anyway, don't abuse your guns.