You sit on the sofa before you buy it? Drive the car before signing on the dotted line? Most, if not all, modern firearms can handle being dry-fired.
Since I started this thread and it is still alive, I will relay my experience today. I was in a gun shop that I have never been in before. I was OCing.
A 1911 caught my eye, Colt Gold Cup. I asked to see it. The guy behind the counter was more than willing to bring it out of the case. He places it on the counter and does not check the barrel. I momentarily pause, thinking he may just pick it back up and check the chamber. He says "you can pick that up if you like!"
Well, okay. So I pick it up and lock the slide back to check the chamber. I drop the mag and rack the slide, reset the mag. Guy behind the counter says "now don't dry fire it!!!!" I responded "I didn't and wasn't intending to, just checking the chamber and slide function." His response "well, I just know what comes next...."
Even if I were to intend on dry firing it, I would have asked permission based on my education here on INGO....
Just kind of ironic that this happened the way it did, after I posted wanting to know how common a practice dry firing at the counter is...sounds like this is kind of a "to each their own" kind of thing.
I think the next gun I purchase I will want to dry fire beforehand, but their is enough info out there nowadays about what the trigger is like on a given gun, I don't think that I am too concerned if I wasn't able to dry fire. I have bought many firearms now without ever dry firing them and based my purchases off of my research of those said guns. I got exactly what I expected out of each gun.
Asking first is key, but seems like it would be a better idea for shops to have a few snapcaps available and offer the opportunity.
I won't buy a gun if I can't dry fire it first. If I'm in a shop and I don't already know it's okay, I will ask before I do it. On the rare occasion permission was denied, the sale was lost immediately. I started a topic about my experience at the local Dunham's store. I was going with the intent of buying a .308 bolt action they advertised, not just look it over. When they would not allow me to dry fire, they lost the sale.
I think because Dunhams is a chain store they are required to have trigger locks on the guns at all times (store rule) It does seem a little ridiculous that they have to have them. Cant get a good feel for the gun with the trigger locks on there. My buddies and I always give them some crap for it when we go there to look at guns.
This^^^!You should never practice live-fire malfunction clearances in a gun shop.
I think because Dunhams is a chain store they are required to have trigger locks on the guns at all times (store rule) It does seem a little ridiculous that they have to have them. Cant get a good feel for the gun with the trigger locks on there. My buddies and I always give them some crap for it when we go there to look at guns.
We have to have trigger locks on all our long guns (and handguns in locked cases) but I'll take the trigger lock off for anyone who asks (and I've even taken it off and asked a customer to feel the trigger on a gun)
Do you work at a Dunhams?
The store here has locks on the actions of the rifles. If you want to inspect the chamber or whatever, the "compromise" is that they will remove that lock and put a trigger lock on he rifle before letting you handle it. No way to dry fire and they don't seem to care that it costs them sales. Not maybe was going to buy, but changed the mind of someone who went there with the intent to buy a specific rifle.
Would you buy a fire arm without dry firing first???
nope, sure don't. We keep all handguns in locked cases and long guns with trigger locks behind the counter. But we can take the trigger lock off for a customer to look at the gun properly if they want. Most don't ask. I can think of 1 gentleman that asked while looking at a CZ shotgun and then there was the customer I volunteered to remove the trigger lock for. Handguns seem to be more commonly dry fired