Thread: Suggestions for decreasing "hunting" related incidents

I certainly agree that some Gun Shops could do a lot more to promote safe handling. In some shops I've seen a rifle taken off a rack behind the counter and passed to a customer without the action being opened and chamber checked. I think it's lazy and dangerous to assume that because it's been in the gun rack behind the counter, it's clear and safe. Making a show of checking it before handing it over would help reinforce that saftey aspect to a buyer and soon the action of checking becomes second nature.

Many years ago, I was in a well known Auckland gun shop showing some interest in a 12Ga mossberg pump action. It had tunnels on each side of the butt which I'd never seen before. I asked the circling salesman, whom shall remain nameless, what they were, and he said "Oh they're speed loaders" and proceded to show me how they worked by grabbing two live rounds out of a box nearby and pressing them into the speedloader on the r/h side, then mounted the gun to his shoulder (this is in the middle of the shop....) smoothly flicked a round out of the speedloader, whisked it into the ejection port and pushed the pump forward... Ok, so I'm thinking, that's a cool feature, but he's just chambered a livey in the middle of the shop... He kind of stalled for a few seconds and then muttered, "Probably shouldn't have done that..." racked it out and put it all away. Yep, I bought the shotty, but that ain't the point.

I think the GS's have a responsibility to always be seen to be upholding the fundamentals of firearms safety.


Ray.