I was in a gun store yesterday, one that I frequent a lot. While there, as usual, I was checking out pretty much the entire firearms inventory and what I saw, again, I just can NOT believe.

This shop has isles of wooden racks about 4 feet off the ground, where all the long guns are accessable to the public. The only thing separating the long guns from the customer is a small wooden bar that rests in fron of the guns. It is easily lifted to make those guns on that rack easy to pull down and check out. There's a sign that says" Please ask for assistance before removing firearms from rack."

The shop knows me well, and I have been told in the past to just ignore the sign and check out any gun I wish. No permission required. These long guns are standing on their butts, and are lined up REALLY close to one another.

As I reach for a Colt AR and pull it down, I notice all these scuff marks and surface scratches on the receiver and barrel. I look at the label and it's a NEW rifle! I'm thinking "Damn, this one's gonna be a tough sell with all this abuse already on it." As I continue to look, I notice that many of the guns have similar marks on them. It becomes obvious what the problem is. The guns are just to close together and apparently when others remove and replace these rifles they often make contact with one another, resulting all too often in maring of the finish. Obvious maring of the finish.

The rifles included AR's from several makers, HK's , M-14's, some AK's and others. Were talking about at least $25,000.00 worth of "military" style weapons alone.

Why the hell would ANY shop have such little regard for their weapons? I mean really, who wants to buy a rifle that's all scuffed up when a mint version can be had from another shop? It would be fairly simple to prevent this, but the shop doesn't seem to care. Hell, if I noticed in 5 minutes, the shop employees DEFINATELY are aware.

What's up with THIS?!?

I believe some gun shop owners are actual gun lovers, they care for their stock as it were their own. Then there are the gun shop owners who are in it for the buck. Maybe you've stumbled onto how to tell the difference.

Though I agree with that sentiment, the guys in this shop are really in to firearms. They frequently are visited by military personel, especially the local Army Rangers group and the State Patrol Tactical Response team.

The shop has some NICE stuff. Stuff that a lot of shops don't carry. It's not like one of those shops that carries an AR or 2 to just satisfy the "weird-o's", they make a large effort to keep a LOT of great guns around. I just can't believe that they apparently don't regard the mint condition of new weapons better than they do.

I really have no explanation. I guess I could bring it up with them, but for whatever reason, I haven't, yet. Next visit I'll pull someone aside and ask what the deal is, but really, what IS a good answer?

Ouch, handling marks are one thing, but scuffs on the muzzle are another.  You didn't say that specifically, but I can imagine people banging the end of the barrel on a rifle against another when picking-up or sitting-down the rifle.

I saw an employee at one shop I went to in NC pull a metal cable (not coated with plastic!) through the trigger guards of a row of about 60 (wild guess) rifles.  You could SEE on the receivers, triggers, and guards where this cable had worn away the finish.  It made me sick watching the guy do that much damage, over time, to those rifles.  They would have been better off not locking them up at night.  He didn't do it then, but I would imagine it would be easy to knock the rifles down like dominos if the cable kinked and caught on one of the trigger guards.

That's just the long guns.  How many display cases in very poor condition have you seen w/ multiple thousands of dollars worth of handguns in them?  At 3/4 of the stores?  The store I frequent most (due to proximity) keeps their Kimbers on an oil stained plywood shelf that's covered with debris.  Imagine laying your new Kimber down on top of metal grit and oily dirt.

Damn, I don't know what to say.
It's sad that these weapons are being marred, but I gotta love the idea of that kind of customer access.
Where I live, you must first show your FOID card before even touching a gun. And more than one gun on the counter at a time, for comparison, is a rarity.
I would love to be able to handle a gun I was considering buying to my heart's content, without an employee hovering over me ready to snatch the gun away.

I agree that friendly access to a shops weapons is a nice touch. And all they would have to do is redesign the racks so each gun is not as close together as they currently are.

When I take down a long gun to check it out, and try to put it back on the rack when I'm done, I have to be REALLY careful to ensure that it doesn't make contact with other guns. It's a TIGHT fit.

I can't imagine how many sales have been lost due to customers not being happy with heavy scuffs on a brand new rifle.

Man, guys, i wish I could feel your pain, but here in NV, it's like a free for all.  Like 12 gun stores in the area,  I got one two doors down from my work.  I go there at lunch to fool around with all the AK's on consignment, feel various trigger pulls (the Rem 710 is incredible, try it out)  BS about hunting stories, and just have a great time.  Plus when you get all buddy buddy, everything is cheaper, and the work on your gun for free.  Gun stores aren't like Wal-Mart, they really do care at least the good ones.

NSF  

Ive seen stores like this.Not as often as this type though.They let you pick up a fire\arm but wont let you open the boly,cylinder,ect.I can see not wanting this done to excess,but not on a firearm that has been in the publics control.
I could also see if this was a collecter piece you could use one of those nylon ties to keep it from being loaded.Mosst of these guns are new sold as shooters.Any gun I pick up I open,its automatic.Thats the way I want them handed to me too,also the way I hand to other.

I can give you a good example.At the shop i help out at last year.A doctor passed away and his wife and kids brought in all of his firearms.They put them in the back of a hatchback car/station wagon.they drove about 100 miles  to get there.He had bought most in the early eighties when they lived around here.
We are talking about H&K 91,93,MP5 carbine,Sprinfield match,E2the one with the pistol grip?And some common pump shotguns and lever action rifles and a few pistols.Well alot were loaded.They never checked just threw them in the car no cases!We unloaded the all or so we thought.I picked up a Marlin 30/30 about two weeks and the magazine was loaded!I walked to the back and cycled them out.Everyones jaw was on the floor.It was assholes and elbows checkin everything.Funny there were several full and partial boxes of ammo.The partial were filled when we emptied the guns.Nothing to match what was in gun.Two of one brand and three of another.Did we miss it or did someone load it?
We had someone load a mag on a shotgun one time.
It was  right after a guy I know to be big time anti was in.Hmmm.what do you think.