Gun Counter Etiquette

[Flanny]

So I was at the local Canadian Tire yesterday afternoon, and stopped to have a look-see at the selection of long-distance hole punches.

Another guy was at the counter behind me and asked to see an SKS. Fair enough, you should always handle a gun before you buy it (if you can), and maybe cycle it, drop the mag etc.

What was strange about this guy is that he took the entire SKS apart.
Down to individual components. Even took the stock off. Then put it back together and said he didn't like the stock on that one, he wanted to look at another one from the back.
Alright.

CT Employee proceeds to get the manager and get another one from the safe in the back, and the guy does the same thing. Disassembles everything on it.

Here's the kicker: he managed to knock almost all the parts off the counter.

In the end, the guy walks out without buying anything.
I asked my buddy behind the counter if that's ever happened before and he told me that it happens to that store once or twice a week.
Last time some genius managed to knock all the small parts in between boxes of ammunition palletized behind the counter.
I'm told it took over an hour to find all the parts, restack the cases of 7.62 and put the gun back together.

My question is this: Has anyone ever seen this before?
It seems that taking a gun out of it's stock and disassembling the bolt and gas block is crossing the line. I certainly wouldn't want to buy a gun that has been taken apart by joe blow and knocked around and put back together. I can't imagine the rest of you would either.
Good on CT staff for not blowing a gasket, but maybe they should have.

Thoughts?

Flanny

[CaberTosser]

I think the counter staff need to be a bit more assertive in preventing customers with OCD/Aspergers syndrome from stripping the guns down. Disassembly is only for owners.

[dgitz]

Not ok.

They should have politely told him that customers are not allowed to disassemble the firearms. Anyone who isn't ok with that should be directed to a different store and told to try their luck there.

They should have brought him out a nice greasy one fresh from the crate for the second one.

[Flanny]

All the Canadian tire SKSs come in individually sealed cardboard boxes. Weirdest thing.

[rembo]

did he reassemble the "complete" rifle?

Maybe he was missing a couple small parts on his own SKS.....:-)

[twofifty]

Not cool at all and potentially very dangerous to the customer who eventually buys that rifle. Now that this is public knowledge, the liability of the store would be easy to establish.

[fordtruckin]

I've taken several handguns and AR's apart while shopping. Granted this was not done past a regular field stripping. I would always finish by performing a functions check after reassembly. Generally I ended up purchasing the product. I wouldn't consider breaking a frea all the way down just cause I see no call for it. I actually figured out what was wrong with one of my pistols by doing a field strip while browsing another pistol.

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Given the number of stores that give you no 'warranty' on used firearms after you fire it, I can't say that I wouldn't want to strip it down before buying it.

I bought a TT-33 over the internet, the vendor said return for any reason unless you have fired it. After less than 10 shots, the extractor broke; the extractor, extractor pin and half the extractor spring were lost on the ground at the range. The vendor was ZERO help in rectifying the problem.

Ya, I would have preferred to strip it down and have the option to reject buying based on what I saw. Don't forget, it is 'caveat emptor'.

ARG

[colroggal]

Good point 250. Most places will back you up if you need to return a bum purchase - at least they should. Mind you I am a little leary after my recent tinkertoy / mossberg 500 purchase from cabelas. We went through the four they had in stock and found the same flaw in all of them. Keep in mind I like the mossberg 500 and I have fond memories of tinkertoy. And the experience convinced my wife to let me splurge on a wingmaster.
All that being said if I was considering the purchase of a rifle with 50 or more years of uncertain history behind it - not to mention corrupt comrade - generals acting as the Exporters from certain ex communist countries- id be inclined towards a thorough inspection of said rifle. Even if it was just to save me the time and fuel required to return it.

Colin.

[Chewbacca]

Originally Posted by rembo

did he reassemble the "complete" rifle?

Maybe he was missing a couple small parts on his own SKS.....:-)

You read my mail I was thinking a slight of hand doing the ole switcharoo while knocking pieces around.

[michaelmicallef]

It's an SKS what's the big deal? You put the ammo in the mag and spray the lead at the junk pile you brought from home. I can't believe this new SKS culture that these guns have created. Half the guys I see shooting them barely aim the thing and they're being that fussy about a rifle that will be a tomato stake when the supply of cheap ammo runs out. If I was standing behind the guy I would have said something.

[Slash8]

Originally Posted by rembo

did he reassemble the "complete" rifle?

Maybe he was missing a couple small parts on his own SKS.....:-)

X2

[Okotokian]

My thought is I wouldn't allow disassemby that took tools to do, period. You have no indication the guy can get it back together, and it wastes sales staff time doing it, you risk damaging the gun, stripping screws, etc. Does a car dealership let you take the cylinder heads off a new-from-the-factory car to check it out? Plus if I'm the next guy afterwards, I may be buying a gun that has been slightly damaged by the guy before.

Now if it's something like a semi-auto shotgun where you can take it apart with your fingers, fine.

[jackrabbit000]

Originally Posted by rembo

did he reassemble the "complete" rifle?

Maybe he was missing a couple small parts on his own SKS.....:-)

This wouldn't surprise me. Or like another poster, switched out some parts. Most guys behind the counter wouldn't know how to reassemble it or know if a piece was missing.

[lyallpeder]

The salesmen broke down my sks for me because I wanted to see if the numbers all matched. Maybe he was looking for a collecter not a shooter.

[RBI]

Originally Posted by rembo

did he reassemble the "complete" rifle?

Maybe he was missing a couple small parts on his own SKS.....:-)

x2 my first thoughts , then my mind takes it a little further , and I wonder if maybe this guy is just trying to show of his skills ( maybe no friends to show off to ) . In a world where shooting sprees are becoming a day of the week thing , I wonder if a guy like this , is on that path .
Then again , maybe he just wants to be sure he's getting his moneys worth.
My thoughts , maybe not yours

[Leeper]

I spent some time working in gun stores. If any customer did anything I didn't like I simply never dealt with him again. The SKS disassembly guy would have certainly fit into that category but I would have made him re-assemble the rifle before telling him to hit the road. Leeper

[colroggal]

I'd say its either an sks thing or a mall ninja thing. Maybe these freakshows like to demonstrate their "skills". Mind you, if I ever did get the bug to buy an sks - or any other vintage firearm - I'd want to strip it to the guts to be sure of what I was getting into. (Thinking that pair of k98 mausers shooting edge has on their rack right now). But at least those guts would be neatly packed back into the rifle when I was finished my inspection.

Colin.