My first experience with CC at Bucks County courthouse

[bac0nfat]

I went to the Bucks County courthouse about a week ago to take care of some business, and checked my firearm. I walked up to the guy at the metal detectors and the convo went like this:

Me: I need to check a firearm.
Guy: Are you a cop?
Me: No, but I have a LTCF
Guy: Okay, hold on one sec.

(Motions over to officer, pointing to his belt and mouthing "gun". The officer looks confused so he said out loud "He needs to check a gun!")

Officer walks over, convo goes like this:

LEO: Walk over here please
Me: Sure
LEO: Can I see your license please?
Me: (hands him LTCF)
LEO: Okay, I also need your drivers license
Me: No problem (hands over DL)
LEO: Okay I need to see the gun now
Me: (Remove holster with gun still in it, hand it to LEO)

Then the LEO removes the gun from the holster and proceeds to write down the serial number, while holding it with the muzzle pointed TOWARD the main entrance of the courthouse

Me: Just so you know, there is a round in the chamber, its ready to fire
LEO: Yea thats fine

Then he clears the gun, puts it in a locker, and hands back both of my licenses.

LEO: Just come back here when you are ready to pick it up
Me: Okay thanks

So I take care of business, and go to get my gun back. Its the same officer there when I go to pick it up. He locked open the gun, inserted the magazine, and handed it to me in that state. Then he handed me the chamber round. It threw me off a little because this was out of sequence from how I normally load my gun! So stupidly, I go to put the chamber round in the chamber, and release the slide without first removing the magazine. It just got locked up, because it was trying to double feed.

LEO: Oh sorry, you have to remove the magazine first.
Me: (slightly embarrassed) Oh yea whoops, hahah.

I fixed it (yes in a safe manner, pointing in a safe direction the entire time) and went on my merry way.

Then later that night it dawned on me, those fools never made me go through the metal detector! I went around the metal detector to go to the lockers, and from there they let me go right to where I neede to go!

[gnbrotz]

Then later that night it dawned on me, those fools never made me go through the metal detector! I went around the metal detector to go to the lockers, and from there they let me go right to where I neede to go!

Same thing happened to me at the State Capitol! I'd bet that it happens quite often all over the state.

[ungawa]

So I take care of business, and go to get my gun back. Its the same officer there when I go to pick it up. He locked open the gun, inserted the magazine, and handed it to me in that state. Then he handed me the chamber round. It threw me off a little because this was out of sequence from how I normally load my gun! So stupidly, I go to put the chamber round in the chamber, and release the slide without first removing the magazine. It just got locked up, because it was trying to double feed.

I really don't think it is a good idea to do that with a handgun under any circumstances except for out of ammo during a fight. Simply charge the firearm and you can replace the mag or pull it and top it off if you want.

Same thing happened to me at the State Capitol! I'd bet that it happens quite often all over the state.

I had to tell them at least once that I was going back to go through the metal detector. A few people told me they never went through that day.

[bac0nfat]

I really don't think it is a good idea to do that with a handgun under any circumstances except for out of ammo during a fight. Simply charge the firearm and you can replace the mag or pull it and top it off if you want.

You mean put a round directly in the chamber? Because of strain on the extractor? I always load my gun this way now. But I keep it loaded for weeks without messing with it. I used to unload it every night but now I just leave it loaded in the holster, on a high shelf (I have a 1 year old baby, and the safe is downstairs).

[ungawa]

You mean put a round directly in the chamber? Because of strain on the extractor? I always load my gun this way now. But I keep it loaded for weeks without messing with it. I used to unload it every night but now I just leave it loaded in the holster, on a high shelf (I have a 1 year old baby, and the safe is downstairs).

I'm not worried about the extractor. I'm worried about reliable operation. And avoiding messups like yours.

If you're good with it, cool. Just stating my opinion. Can't see any reason to do that.

[GregorOneEye]

Motioning and mouthing "gun" to another officer is a fucking terrible idea.

[bortle]

So you hand him a gun and you get to skip the metal detector? What if you had 2 guns?

[knight0334]

I really don't think it is a good idea to do that with a handgun under any circumstances except for out of ammo during a fight. Simply charge the firearm and you can replace the mag or pull it and top it off if you want.



I had to tell them at least once that I was going back to go through the metal detector. A few people told me they never went through that day.

Most guns built today can handle that procedure.


My only beef with this situation is the unnecessary clearing of the handgun when all is needed is to lock the thing up. Clearing the gun just creates two opportunities for a negligent discharge, once at unloading, once at reloading.

[zackattack784]

Wow, that is a HORRIBLE procedure.
1). Why do they need a driver's license? Were you driving at the time you were trying to check your firearm?

2). Why the hell would they remove the gun from the holster?

3). Why do they need to clear said firearm?

4). Why do they need the serial number?

5). Where's the receipt that is mandated by law?

I give bucks a D-. Only thing preventing them from getting an F is that they actually allowed you to check your firearm.

[knight0334]

Wow, that is a HORRIBLE procedure.
1). Why do they need a driver's license? Were you driving at the time you were trying to check your firearm?

2). Why the hell would they remove the gun from the holster?

3). Why do they need to clear said firearm?

4). Why do they need the serial number?

5). Where's the receipt that is mandated by law?

I give bucks a D-. Only thing preventing them from getting an F is that they actually allowed you to check your firearm.

Number 4 is easy, so to record your firearm properly for the mandated receipt.