Young Gun Salesman had no idea about a Double Action Revolver

Mustangs Rule

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I walked into a gun store today to check on powder availability. Not much! I looked at the rifle rack most all high capacity autoloaders. A few bolt action hunting rifles, near all with plastic stocks.

I looked at the handguns, nearly all semi autos. Lots of them. In one corner of the display case there were a few double action revolvers, 7 shot Smith and Wesson Double action .357's.

I asked to see one. I opened the cylinder, empty, asked if I could dry fire it once. The you fellow behind the counter said okay.

I pointed at the floor and dryfired once double action. Heavy trigger. The young man behind the counter dropped his jaw.

He asked what I did. I said I just wanted to feel how smooth the double action pull was.

"What did you just do" he asked. I told him. "Double Action, what's that"

All he knew about was shooting single action.

I showed him again he was amazed.
 
I walked into a gun store today to check on powder availability. Not much! I looked at the rifle rack most all high capacity autoloaders. A few bolt action hunting rifles, near all with plastic stocks.

I looked at the handguns, nearly all semi autos. Lots of them. In one corner of the display case there were a few double action revolvers, 7 shot Smith and Wesson Double action .357's.

I asked to see one. I opened the cylinder, empty, asked if I could dry fire it once. The you fellow behind the counter said okay.

I pointed at the floor and dryfired once double action. Heavy trigger. The young man behind the counter dropped his jaw.

He asked what I did. I said I just wanted to feel how smooth the double action pull was.

"What did you just do" he asked. I told him. "Double Action, what's that"

All he knew about was shooting single action.

I showed him again he was amazed.
I wonder what a de-cocker on a DA/SA Sig would do for him ;)
 
I went into a KMart in Brighton, Colorado years ago and spotted a harrington- Richardson Ultra 300 on the rack. Asked the kid behind the counter to see it and he tried to talk me into a Mod 94 Win. Got my hands on the H&R anf=d it was a special run rifle built on a sako L61 action in 270. Kid still standing there assuring me the Mod 94 was the better rifle! Told him I was taking the H&R and he simply shook his head and let me know I was making a mistake! I don't know where they find some of these people in sporting goods!
 
Many, many years ago when Sears or some other large department store had a sporting goods department with a gun counter, I was killing time there while the wife Christmas was shopping.

While I was at the rifle counter another customer was there looking at a Win Model 94. I overheard him ask the kid behind the counter "Is this a full or semi-automatic?"

The kid behind the counter replied "I don't know, I'll have to ask my boss."
 
Everyone has to learn sometime. i never grew up around Semi Auto pistols, so I was in my 30's before I ever fired one. This is the reason you have to have a structured training program for EVERYONE you onboard. We have been told "Fake it till you make it" so long that people just assume things in sales especially.
 
I walked into a gun store today to check on powder availability. Not much! I looked at the rifle rack most all high capacity autoloaders. A few bolt action hunting rifles, near all with plastic stocks.

I looked at the handguns, nearly all semi autos. Lots of them. In one corner of the display case there were a few double action revolvers, 7 shot Smith and Wesson Double action .357's.

I asked to see one. I opened the cylinder, empty, asked if I could dry fire it once. The you fellow behind the counter said okay.

I pointed at the floor and dryfired once double action. Heavy trigger. The young man behind the counter dropped his jaw.

He asked what I did. I said I just wanted to feel how smooth the double action pull was.

"What did you just do" he asked. I told him. "Double Action, what's that"

All he knew about was shooting single action.

I showed him again he was amazed.
Unfortunately, the sporting goods stores don't pay for experience. They only pay a couple of dollars above minimum wage. The new generation of kids you'll see behind the counter have been raised on the semi-auto polymer pistol.
 
I was at the store the other day and some old man on the opposite side of the counter as the young man in your story didn’t know how to use the tap to pay feature with his credit card. Geez, old people these days. Kidding.
Back to your story. The American workforce is definitely struggling these days to employee competent employees, and I’m not sure what the answer looks like.
 
I was at the store the other day and some old man on the opposite side of the counter as the young man in your story didn’t know how to use the tap to pay feature with his credit card. Geez, old people these days. Kidding.
Back to your story. The American workforce is definitely struggling these days to employee competent employees, and I’m not sure what the answer looks like.
At least he didn't try and pay with a check...
 
Many, many years ago when Sears or some other large department store had a sporting goods department with a gun counter, I was killing time there while the wife Christmas was shopping.

While I was at the rifle counter another customer was there looking at a Win Model 94. I overheard him ask the kid behind the counter "Is this a full or semi-automatic?"

The kid behind the counter replied "I don't know, I'll have to ask my boss."
Three years ago I bought a Kimber Hunter in 28AI, It has a 3 round removable magazine. I was talking with my nephew, who is 34. He had just bought some 223 AR style rifle with a bunch of 30 round mags for $499.

The first question he asked me when I began telling him I bought a new rifle rmyself was; "How many rounds does it hold"?
I said 3. Silence on the phone, then he says "Did you mean 30?"

No I replied, 3.

More silence then "Why did you ever buy it"? and when I told him i paid under $800, he visibly winched in discomfort.

I explained, the caliber is great, it weighs only 5.75 pounds, it has a pre-64 steamlined action, a match grade 24" barrel
and it will "clover-leaf for the first three shots.

He had no idea what "cloverleaf meant" I explained. He responded by saying how many, many, mamy times he could hit a beer can.

We had simliar coversation the year before. He was buying his first defense handgun.

He wanted to know what I had.

I showed him my pinned barrel vintage Model 60 Smith and Wesson 38 special. I had the double action professionally worked, smooth as glass.

He looked at it and asked how many rounds. When I said 5, he said. "Not even 6? He showed no interested in even looking at it. He too had no idea what a double action revolver was about.
 
In my local gun store last week picking up another 92fs for the boy. Asked him what caliber the M1A on the rack was chambered in, (had to point out to him which rifle was an M1A), then he confidentially told me "those rifles are only made in .308"

This is the same fella that told me the Italian made 92fs requires special magazines.

Lmfao, most gun counter guys are an endless source of entertainment
 
What is a decocker anyway? Is it similar to a knife used for castrating?

I always thought the decocker was actually called a "trigger", but what do I know? :)
I'm not sure I'm right about this but if not someone will correct me. I've used mostly revolver's and They don't seem to have one normally. The decocker on them is the user that holds the hammer back, pulls the trigger and let's the hammer down with his thumb. So much for that!:) Got into auto loaders for carry guns. My P-89 Rueger has an exposed hammer. Charge it with a round and the hammer locks back and pull the trigger and it will fire. But charge it with a round and put the safety on and it will let the hammer fall without firing but then it can be fires in double action with the safety taken off. My S&W MP Shield is hammerless and if it de-cocks, I've no idea how. It does have a safety and as I understand it with the gun off safe it still will not fire without pulling the trigger but it does not de-@#)(#. I've read what it's called but don't remember. All hammer type handguns I don't think have a de-cocker though. My 1911 Savage doesn't, charge it and put the safety on, hammer falls it fires! As I recall the 1911 45 auto doesn't have it either. But it has as best I recall three safety's and generally they were cocked when carried. The fire it required releasing the safety's one of which wrapped around the front of the handle. guys i kenw that carried them cocked dod so with the strap holding it in the holster going across between the gun and the hammer. Then to get it to fire the safety's had to be released. That included wrapping you hand around the handle and squeezing it! I did carry one a bit in the service but I de-cocked with my thumb on the hammer and carried with the hammer down. Didn't trust it!
 
I'm not sure I'm right about this but if not someone will correct me. I've used mostly revolver's and They don't seem to have one normally. The decocker on them is the user that holds the hammer back, pulls the trigger and let's the hammer down with his thumb. So much for that!:) Got into auto loaders for carry guns. My P-89 Rueger has an exposed hammer. Charge it with a round and the hammer locks back and pull the trigger and it will fire. But charge it with a round and put the safety on and it will let the hammer fall without firing but then it can be fires in double action with the safety taken off. My S&W MP Shield is hammerless and if it de-cocks, I've no idea how. It does have a safety and as I understand it with the gun off safe it still will not fire without pulling the trigger but it does not de-@#)(#. I've read what it's called but don't remember. All hammer type handguns I don't think have a de-cocker though. My 1911 Savage doesn't, charge it and put the safety on, hammer falls it fires! As I recall the 1911 45 auto doesn't have it either. But it has as best I recall three safety's and generally they were cocked when carried. The fire it required releasing the safety's one of which wrapped around the front of the handle. guys i kenw that carried them cocked dod so with the strap holding it in the holster going across between the gun and the hammer. Then to get it to fire the safety's had to be released. That included wrapping you hand around the handle and squeezing it! I did carry one a bit in the service but I de-cocked with my thumb on the hammer and carried with the hammer down. Didn't trust it!
I'm a huge fan of "decock" only vs (decock&safety) since i prefer hammer fired autos. Most major manufacturers offer kits to convert them. And btw, that P89 you have is like the AK47 of handguns, they just do not stop working no matter what you do to them or how you treat them.
 
Just the other week I was in a large outdoor box store. I was looking to buy a T3X in .308, sadly they had none. Asked to look at the 243 since it was a short action to check on fit. The young lad behind the counter corrected me confidently that it was a 243 Win mag.
I didn't bother, I'm sure he'll run into surlier guys in his time at the gun counter.
 
I went into a KMart in Brighton, Colorado years ago and spotted a harrington- Richardson Ultra 300 on the rack. Asked the kid behind the counter to see it and he tried to talk me into a Mod 94 Win. Got my hands on the H&R anf=d it was a special run rifle built on a sako L61 action in 270. Kid still standing there assuring me the Mod 94 was the better rifle! Told him I was taking the H&R and he simply shook his head and let me know I was making a mistake! I don't know where they find some of these people in sporting goods!
What's K-Mart?🤣🤣🤣🤣 I'm kidding.
 

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