Do you need a PAL to handle firearms in a gun store?

[Label]

Yes but a PAL holder can actually buy the gun... like was said before... Try test driving a car without a license...

But we non-PAL holders are not testing the gun (ie firing it), we are merely holding the gun, see if we like the feel of the gun, and see if we can carry it and not get tired.

Since you are using car as an analogy, the policy of not allowing non-Pal holder handle guns would be like a person without a license (ex: someone studying for their written test) going to a car showroom and the sales person is like, "sorry sir/ ma'am, since you don't have a licence, I will not allow you to go into the car or touch the car. However, if you will stand two feet back, I will show you all the features of this vehicle and describe how it feels to sit in the vehicle."

[dkf]

Based on the posts here, Cabela's seems to be pretty inconsistent. While my PAL application was being processed I wanted to do some tire-kicking to figure out what I wanted. I was looking to pick up a bolt action rifle and a pump action shotgun but I wasn't sure exactly what manufacturer/model I wanted. The guys at Cabela's in Calgary didn't have any issue with letting me handle firearms or work the action to see what I liked, even after I explicitly told them I didn't have my PAL. Same experience at the Shooting Edge (although I was doing my PAL course there at the time so they knew I wasn't some random yahoo off the street).

[eaglesnester]

If the vendor showing you the firearms has a pal and it is not against store policy yur good to go. However if ya cant buy it why hold it?