Gun dealer (courtesy firearmslicensetips.com)
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As we’ve reported, Black Friday broke the FBI’s one-day NICS processing record. I’m sure Cyber Monday saw a similar surge, as Americans swooped down on discounts and bought a whole bunch o’ ammo, guns and gun gear. No doubt TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia had their finger on the trigger, ready for the sales. So what did you end-up adding to your “arsenal”?

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91 COMMENTS

      • I think with all the manufacturer discounts and rebates, the sales weren’t as low below the going rate. But honestly I didn’t pay a lot of attention either way. And then again, the non-sale “going rate” is generally lower than it’s been in the past. (Thanks Hillary!)

        • Yeah that would make sense. After a year of incredibly low prices, a 10% off or free shipping code doesn’t motivate me to open the wallet for anything I didn’t already plan to buy.

          I did get a laugh seeing the “Up to 75% Off” cyber-monday sales and the only thing with that steep a discount is a pair of socks or something equally inane.

      • 4 Rules.

        They only work if/when you work ’em. ; )

        He does look really happy though. : )

        Let him go with it for a little while.

        • ? Ok, then I need the 4 rules explained to me.

          Doesn’t he have his booger hook on the kill switch? One would note the sympathetic-positioning of his (left) support-hand.

        • Joe R, Colonel Cooper’s four rules, when taken out of context, are completely worthless.

          RULE I: ALL GUNS ARE ALWAYS LOADED

          No. They aren’t. That’s asinine. If they were you would never be able to break down and clean your firearm, all service of the firearm would be impossible, and you would never be able to dry fire any firearm. No firearm would ever be able to be shipped anywhere for repair.

          RULE II: NEVER LET THE MUZZLE COVER ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY

          Again, that’s ridiculous. Are you willing to destroy your gun case? What about your safe, your ceiling, your floor, your car door, your car’s roof, etc. etc. etc. No one would ever be able to appendix carry, or shoulder carry. We safely carry store guns all the time, with their muzzle pointed at something we don’t want to destroy.

          RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

          Taken by itself, that’s pure stupidity. No Glock owner would ever be able to field strip their pistol. Every AR and AK owner would have to live with their firearms in a perpetual “fire” state, as they would never be able to clear their firearm, as they would never be able to pull the trigger afterwards. (see explanation in my comment below).

          RULE IV: BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET
          reasonable enough

          The problem is that most people read the 4 rules, but don’t actually read Cooper’s writings, where he makes it clear that reasonable precautions can be made to be able to safely service, display, and train with a firearm.

        • Ok, noted, just safer to not. The guy is posing, not aiming/stripping a weapon.

          Everyone wants to be like the cool dude. I just don’t think it’s great (too safe) to call that cool, if it was you and me in the store with me holding the rifle like that you’d check me on it and I’d say thank you.

          I would still buy weapons from him. He looks like he enjoys them.

        • Joe R, completely agree, it’s not really what we want people to see. I get that we want to show photos of people with their finger off the trigger to drive home the safety point.
          But not everyone is a spokesperson, and I’d like to see folks give the random people they see enjoying firearms in photos the benefit of the doubt, at least when they aren’t doing something obviously unsafe.

        • JW,

          RULE III: KEEP YOUR FINGER OFF THE TRIGGER UNTIL YOUR SIGHTS ARE ON THE TARGET

          Taken by itself, that’s pure stupidity. No Glock owner would ever be able to field strip their pistol. Every AR and AK owner would have to live with their firearms in a perpetual “fire” state, as they would never be able to clear their firearm, as they would never be able to pull the trigger afterwards. (see explanation in my comment below).

          The whole point is – weapons are to be assumed loaded, and your finger is to be kept off of them. He isn’t field stripping anything in this photo. I agree, the rules have to be taken into context, but in my opinion, context applies in this scenario, and I certainly wouldn’t be doing what this guy is doing.

          For example, I routinely put my eyeball over the muzzle of a firearm, to inspect bore and cleanliness. Obviously I am breaking rule # 2, but I have already checked if it was loaded, disassembled the firearm, with bolt removed and possibly other parts, rendering it inoperable.

          In the photo above, for what reason, does he have to put his finger on the trigger? None at all. Is he field stripping it? Nope. No reason at all. The reason I take rule #1 to heart (always assume a firearm is loaded) is because when we get old and dementia comes in, this policy protects us. You may not remember if it is loaded or not. You may have checked that it’s loaded and loaded it and then your brain told you it is unloaded. The reliability of our memory directly influences future consequences. However, if we always adhere to the policy to keep them pointed in a safe direction and fingers off the trigger, this adds an additional level of protection from our own memory. Then we rely on our cognitive ability as well to perform the policy of muzzle safety and finger off the trigger. And this is better than memory alone. In doing so, we put two more safe guards in series with another (memory of checking if loaded). The entire purpose of all, is to assure against a negligent discharge. And the rules are excellent rules, crafted by someone with wisdom. Real wisdom.

          Now. Back to the goof ball with his finger on the trigger. Did he check the chamber before he put his finger on the trigger? Maybe. Maybe not. Is he pointing it at something he shouldn’t shoot? Maybe, maybe not. Does he have his finger on the trigger? Definitely, and unnecessarily. He is not practicing a routine with dry fire. He is not dismantling his firearm. He is not cleaning it. In fact, there is no reasonable explanation to put his finger on the trigger. And this is precisely what the rules are to address. To practice safe guards in common handling, and with reasonable exceptions (such as dismantling, practice, etc.)

        • You are right in that the rules are not absolute…. the problem is that the guy in the picture has a crap eating grin on his face and doesn’t look like he has any notion that he’s doing something fundamentally unsafe.

          Pressing the trigger on a glock to disassemble it is a deliberate act. You still point the weapon in a safe direction, knowing what you’re pointing it at and what lies beyond it, fully assuming its loaded when you deliberately press that trigger….. the guy in the picture doesn’t have a clue and thats why hes unsafe.

  1. Remington r1 enhanced threaded barrel. Their 1911s are about the only thing they havent screwed up. The $100 rebate puts it below $600.

    • I like the factory stuff but (if you already have an R1, and you want to get an inexpensive threaded barrel for it) you might try a Swenson from Midway USA https://www.midwayusa.com/barrels-government/br?cid=16007

      I tried on in a Taurus PT1911 (had to fit a barrel link by myself but that wasn’t too bad). Thing locks up better than factory and you gain accuracy. Threads proved to be concentric with the bore. That (and a Huntertown Guardian 45 can) makes for some real nice 1911 shooting.

  2. Nothing from the fellow in the picture … If the counter guys don’t care enough to handle guns properly, I don’t buy from the store.

    • Employee picks up an AR, locks the bolt back, inspects for amunition, verifying none, hands it to the customer for review.
      Customer hands it back after review.
      Employee locks the bolt back again, verifies no rounds in the gun or magazine, allows the bolt to go forward, points the gun in a safe direction, pulls the trigger, then puts the gun back on the shelf.
      Nothing unsafe there and it was all propper handling. If he poses for a photo after he pulls the trigger, he is still handling the firearm safely.
      Guns aren’t magic.

      • No, they’re not magic … And that’s not a movie, it’s a still picture, so we (TTAG readership) can’t tell what happened just prior.

        I’d love it if all gun store counter guys went through that routine … But they don’t, and you’re making assumptions unless you, JWT, were there when that picture was taken.

        What we can all see is that the bolt is forward, a magazine is inserted and his finger’s hooked into the trigger guard. Anything else is speculation, and if I have to guess about the condition of such a weapon, I’ll guess towards caution.

        • You are looking at the same photo I am and stating that the guy doesn’t know how to handle a firearm. There is no evidence to support that claim. I am not making an assumption about him at all, just showing you that your assumption may be completely false, and you are maligning him for no good reason.

        • In fact you’re making an assumption too … specifically that he went through that safety check. You don’t know that he did, any more than I know that he didn’t; all we have to work from is that photo. And I didn’t say he didn’t know how to handle a firearm properly, I said that he’s not taking care to do so. Big difference.

          Your assumption is more likely to be correct. But if it’s not, your assumption also has a higher probability of you being around a negligent discharge.

          I base my statement on what I can see … Simply that if I see a gun store clerk handling a gun like that, I’ll leave the store.

        • You are looking at the same photo I am and stating that the guy doesn’t know how to handle a firearm. There is no evidence to support that claim. I am not making an assumption about him at all, just showing you that your assumption may be completely false, and you are maligning him for no good reason.

          When I pull the trigger, I like to point it as the floor or the ceiling. Not across the room. Just my opinion there.

      • Employee locks the bolt back again, verifies no rounds in the gun or magazine, allows the bolt to go forward, points the gun in a safe direction, pulls the trigger, then puts the gun back on the shelf.

        And if that’s the case I would partially agree with that. I wouldn’t point the gun int he location he is pointing it when pulling the trigger, however. Further, that doesn’t look to be the case here. It looks like he is posing with the gun. And if that is the case, then I disagree. There is no reasonable explanation to put your finger on the trigger in that case. The rules are for common handling, with some exceptions, and posing, in my opinion, isn’t an exception. I certainly wouldn’t boycott his business on these grounds, but I would avoid his area of the store, especially if I saw him handling them with his finger constantly on the trigger.

      • If he poses for a photo after he pulls the trigger, he is still handling the firearm safely.

        If I spotted him posing with his finger on the trigger I would avoid him around firearms. It’s as simple as that. The rules aren’t just for him. They are for everyone else too. Furthermore, the rules are for common handling, and walking around in the store with your finger on a trigger because you “know” that you just checked it and discharged the spring, isn’t in following the spirit of the rules.

        You break the rules when necessary (practicing, clearing, cleaning, etc.) Not when unnecessary. (Walking around the store, posing with firearms, etc).

        The rules are designed to protect you from yourself, and a failing memory, by putting your cognitive abilities in series with your memory in regards to risks involved.

  3. I think Counter Guy is confused, almost looks like he wants to index his foregrip index finger while maintaining snug grip on trigger finger.

    But…it looks like he has a Cali-Compliant 2 1/2 round mag, so in all fairness, this may be the first time he’s even been allowed to touch an evil fully auto assault weaponized rifle.

  4. Trigger, pieced together LPK, mags and barrel for my AR-10. Regrettably I think it all got lost in a boating accident on the way to my house. Also got some main springs for my Savage 1907s.

  5. His and hers complete plate carrier sets from AR500 Armor – included plates, mag pouches, and pistol holsters. Less than I expected to pay for one set. Probably not the most durable but its just for around our property not Afghanistan!

  6. I sent another 1K to my gunsmith to complete my dream gun. At about 4k now, and well under budget.
    Of course, since the project is almost done, he shows me his 1/2 MOA 300 Norma Magnum Overwatch models, and now I need to find another 5k with a quickness.

    • I know what you mean JTW. I saw a gorgeous Blaser R8 over the weekend.
      I was ready to go home and get a dozen trade ins.

  7. Paid off a layaway I had on a S&W M1917. Fixed Harrison rear sight for my Range officer, threaded barrel for my M&P Shield, complete 8.5 inch 300blk upper, fixed suppressor mount from Dead Air for the 300blk upper and my Ghost 45m, along with some Dead Air Swag. Tons more I would have liked, but already spent more than I should have. And I dont know about the rest of the population, but “rebates” ignore the cap out of me. I wish theyd just discount the price instead of making you jump through hoops. Still waiting on two gear rebats for M&P pistols that I submitted over three months ago!

  8. Bought a CA-compliant 2-stage trigger: first click runs a background check, second fires a shot upon approval.

  9. Wasn’t gonna buy anything, but PSA was selling a Savage Axis II with a Weaver Kaspa scope for $199 after rebate. Couldn’t pass that up.

  10. A good friend of mine picked up a Ruger AR15 and a Ruger takedown 10/22 for under $700, including taxes and fees, at the Theisen’s Black Friday sale. I think the 10/22 was priced at $250. I had just handled the exact same Ruger takedown at a store across town: they wanted $370 for theirs.

  11. Just some mags, a bipod, and a few boxes of ammo just to replace what I shot last Saturday at the range.
    (BTW, isn’t it funny how the anti-gun media calls anything more than one box of 20 a “huge stockpile of ammunition!” when it’s really just enough for a couple hours at the range? LOL)

    I’d actually ordered the mags earlier, but they arrived on Cyber Monday. I could’ve really used them last Saturday, as my one and only mag for my brand-new Ruger American Rifle Ranch 7.62×39 was having feeding problems. Hopefully the new mags will solve that problem, as I hate sending a new rifle back for warranty repair. Anyone else have mag feeding problems with their RAR Ranch 7.62×39?

    And although I ordered the ammo on Cyber Monday, it’s on backorder, out of stock until late December or January.

    • “Anyone else have mag feeding problems with their RAR Ranch 7.62×39?”
      I have not heard that but please keep us informed.

  12. Had planned on buying that Beretta Cheetah I’ve wanted for oh so long. Then my dentist informed me I need two crowns.

    So yeah, no Black Friday buying for me.

  13. The G43 that was on sale at Cabela’s with the night sights, a TLR6, and a new Stealthgear holster and mag carriers to match! 😎 I wanted something that can safely sit in the waist band of my jogging clothes unlike my P320 which would fully remove my pants mid jog.

    • Looking forward to my G43 with night sights as well. I’m also getting a Henry .22 pump, Ruger Mark IV Champion, Smith 4006 TSW, Smith M&P .40, ammo, mags, Vortex Red dot, and hard body armor. I’m selling my Smith 340 PD. Also two classes good for about 1100 rounds. I’ve been working a lot of OT with recent events. At some point I’ll start downsizing gun stuff. Probably.

  14. RIA 1911 GI version and a Savage Rascal for my middle son so he don’t have to share the lever action with his older brother anymore. If it goes well I might get his older brother a Rascal too and retire the Mossberg 464.

    • “Why its gotta bes black Friday? Thas jus raciss!”

      That’s because ‘White Friday would be ‘White Supremacist’.

      Just wait until Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ is considered racist, and playing it on the radio is a hate crime…

  15. Placed an advance order for an AR Lower being manufactured for a local gun shop with their logo as a roll mark. Good price and I thought it would be cool to have something with a hometown connection. No specific plans for a build yet, maybe something in 300 BLK for a hog hunter.

  16. I ordered two bolt actions and two lowers. The funny thing is that they didn’t even count towards the 200,000+ guns sold that day because they haven’t come in yet. I am guessing that is the case more often than not.

  17. Winchester SXP Trap.
    Broke 23 with the first box though the gun. I just need to work on my handicap shots with it before league starts, if I end up with the same team as last season I know I’ll be way back at the 25 yard line.

  18. Boo-lits. Just boo-lits. I did pay on a layaway last week…and paid more today. Honestly wasn’t a lot I wanted.

  19. Ammo, mags, scope, scope mount, shooting rest, back-up sights, and some other stuff.

    Generally, I think the deals weren’t quite as good this year as last, specifically on guns. I’m not sure if retailers were hedging their bets after Vegas and went a bit more conservative on the ads in case prices spiked after the ad was finalized or what.

  20. A slightly used Springfield Armory TRP Operator 1911. It came with a Surefire X300 Ultra and a Bravo Concealment lightbearing holster. Couldn’t pass it up.

  21. Nada.

    I can’t decide what should be next on the gun front and I really can’t justify any accessories or ammo at this point. So I figure I’ll just build up the fund until something really grabs my attention.

  22. A Bushnell 3-9x AR Rifle scope (actually practical), and a single box of M856 incendiary/tracer ammo just because this is America and I can.

  23. Weird, looks like something ate my post. I bought a Ruger American Predator in 6mm Creedmoor. I also bought a Modular Drive Technologies chassis for it as they were on sale also. I’ll see what this thing can do. It’s almost a copy of my Savage Stealth in 6.5 Creedmoor.

  24. I purchased:

    — Savage Axis bolt-action rifle, with bore-sighted scope*, chambered in .243 Winchester for $207 after factory rebate.

    — Remington 9mm brass cased, 115 grain full metal jacket for 11.5 cents per round

    — Steel gong target, 8 inch diameter, AR500 steel

    — Nikon 3-9x40mm rifle scope with BDC reticle

    * I expected the scope to be garbage. It actually appears to be pretty nice. Images are sharp to the edges, bright/crisp, and have decent contrast even when looking at a dark object next to a light source. The only remaining question is whether the reticle stays aligned.

    • I put a cheap Redfield scope on my cheap Ruger American rifle in .243. I have no delusions about my abilities. I wanted a 300 yard yote and deer combo.

      It works. It’s all I need.

  25. Speed sights for my new used G23, XS Big Dot sights for my wife’s XD sub, and a sight pusher tool to get them changed.

  26. Ordered Pelican 2 rifle case from Cabela’s.
    Cast and powder coated couple hundreds of boolits.
    Reloaded couple hundred .44 mag, and couple hundred .223 over the long weekend.

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