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private firearm sales

5K views 26 replies 25 participants last post by  DavidL6 
#1 ·
If you lived in an area that allowed private firearm sales, how would you do it? Say, you saw it on a list but do not know the seller at all. Going to their house with a wad of cash; or the reverse does not seem too cool. Meet at a public place (with cameras)? What place? Gun shop or sporting goods store? Office max or staples so you can copy the bill of sale? I guess you do not want to pull out a gun to look at it in a bank! Right? What would be the coolest?
 
#13 ·
Same here, I use Walmart parking lots mostly.



As for ID, I ask to see a PA LTCF (License to carry a firearm) and that's good enough for me.
We have no registration and besides all of my guns I recently sold to a dealer at a gun show Mr. Police Officer, he paid cash and I didn't catch his name...
 
#6 ·
With firearms since they're portable I've always met in a parking lot somewhere (walturd, Shell, Movies ect...) if you want show up early and park in a location with cameras. (Of course as most can tell you half the cameras or DVR's are broken at any given time)

Now larger items like ATV's, Dirtbike, Kayaks, ect....you'll usually end up at the owners house.
 
#7 ·
I will usually drive 15 to 30 minutes if I am selling and I have several locations that I am comfortable meeting. Usually restaurants, Lowes, Home Depot. I always pick places without video cams.

Before meeting I always get a vehicle description and an attire description and let family and or friends know who and where I am meeting. I always arrive early so that I can watch the buyer or seller arrive. Most of the time you can tell if everything is cool on the phone.

Most of the guys that I have dealt with have remained buddies and often we call each other in search of this or that. Usually we end up talking for another half hour or so after a deal.

The only time I went to a private residence was a widow on a farm. Her husband built custom National Match M1A's. I had enough parts to build about 20 of them and also purchased a fully supplied loading bench and crates of reloading supplies, WW2 German bring back Mausers, P-38 and misc, uniforms as well as some farm implements. This lady was clearing out her husband's entire lifetime collection, gunsmithing workshop and militaria collection ammunition, brass as well as all the heavy equipment.

This lady was so nice that after I made my purchases which totaled about 10,000 dollars she allowed me to help sell her stuff. She did not have any living family and seemed to adopt me. She died about 2 years ago and left me a few nice family heirlooms. She and I shared many cups of coffee and some great conversations and heard about her husbands stories of WW2 and about how it haunted him his whole life.

So needless to say I have had great experiences with like minded people. Just always trust your instinct, thee is always some whacko out there to spoil it for all of us.
 
#8 ·
A well lit area, with cameras, in public. For me that's QT (gas station), Cabelas, etc.
Knock on wood, I've never had anyone try to do something stupid with over 30 transactions this way from Armslist. I think the fact both parties are armed helps things as well.

Oh, and don't be surprised if the other guy is trying to be covert and quiet when the deal happens. A lot of people have a stigma attached to buying/showing a gun in public and outdoors I guess.

Just be polite, honest, situational awareness, and have common sense and you should be fine. If something seems fishy, just back out. It's not worth it.
 
#10 ·
If you're buying, he should provide the bill of sale if he wants to cover his rear (if not, more power to ya). If you are selling, I would definitely have a bill of sale, verify his drivers license or CHL and put the ID number on the bill of sale. Also, in your BoS, have a statement that verifies that the buyer is not a felon or refrained from having a firearm legally. If you don't and they commit a crime, you can get into some serious legal issues if they are a felon. That small section in the BoS could keep you out of jail.

I've done all my private transactions in a parking lot that is public. They always seem to be in hardware/feed store lots (they choose), but that could be coincidence. Maybe they think people that hang out at Tractor Supply Co. are more likely to be gun friendly.
 
#11 ·
If I buying, I get the seller's DL and copy the information off of it. I give them my DL at the same time. If they don't want to do the deal that way, I walk away.

Most of the private sales I've bought from have been friends that I've known for many years or are members of the gun club I belong to.

The last private buy I made was a good friend, a member of this forum.

Jungle Work.
 
#12 ·
Cold buy (from a stranger) do it in public.
Known party, do it wherever it's comfortable to both of you.
The bill of sale is one of the best precautions you can take.
One of my friends sold me a firearm a while back. He and his
wife parted company, and she tried to get that gun back. Brought
a deputy into the deal, made all kinds of threats. Bill of sale got the
deputy out of the picture, along with her two brothers.
 
#14 ·
Hmm, let me think ...

Met at the gun club
Met outside a grocery store
Met outside a motorcycle shop
Met outside a grocery store
Invited seller over (I already knew him)
Met at seller's house (I already knew him)
Met outside a grocery store
Met outside a Home Depot
Met outside a large sporting goods store
Met outside a gas station

Left a few out because they were getting repetitive, but anyway, that's how I do it. I insist on talking on the phone before I will meet, if it's a stranger. I insist on public places, either daylight or well-lit with lots of people coming and going. I make sure to mention that I have a concealed carry permit, for the dual purpose of assuring them I would pass a background check, and more importantly, to imply I'll be carrying when we meet.
 
#15 ·
I generally find my buys using Armslist so I have an e-mail trail of the seller. If I am buying I like to meet at a Wal-Mart parking lot during the day where I always go armed with at least one weapon; I always have the exact amount of cash in a pocket so I do not have to open a wallet which can distract you. I quickly inspect the gun to verify it matches the pictures the seller provided; if it is good to go I ask to see his CHL or driver's license and show mine to the seller to verify that the sale will be legal. If everything looks good I give him the money after I have the gun in my hand; get in my truck while watching him get into his car, and drive off.

I don't ask for any paperwork nor do I give any paperwork but I generally will provide written info if the seller insists.

The last three private sales I made were all from cops and a police academy students The cops didn't want anything in writing but the student did.
 
#17 ·
I can no longer do private sales as I use to, because our law precludes gun deals without background checks...I tell them I want to deal with only someone with a CWP, Military ID or commission card and I have that luxury because there are a lot of people in those categories here, and my prices are beyond fair so I can pick buyers. Site selection is critical.

Here's the method:

Get a burn phone, for several reasons, some obvious, some very practical, so I don't get a call from some eager idiot late at night days after the ad comes out and the firearm is sold off. I email those phone numbers, names and vehicle descriptions to someone else, who has another phone to call 911 if needed. I will be on the phone with him when I am doing the deal and obviously be on the phone. I pass that info on what that person is wearing, license plate, vehicle, etc.

I set up the meeting at a local mall parking lot in a spot that's overlooked by a business with a lot of windows, on two cameras, and near a road but not near the mall itself. It is also not far from a place where security likes to loiter and where state troopers swing by coming off the freeway but not very close.

I set up meetings back to back, that way, there's a good chance of the next person being there soon.

I have a few other steps I don't share.

I have the person meet me, so they're on the other side of the vehicle, with the doors open so they can look at the firearm and not expose the firearm to the public. I explain this to the person and tell them it's for safety for both of us.

I show the gun if they show the cash. Any hedging, hesitation, I say adios, no deal.

Only one time did I get thrown...a guy came early. He parked away while I completed that deal and rode up, and I noted he observed what my percautions were.

He asked what I did for use to do for a living because he was both pleased and surprised with my set up...he was operating at a few steps beyond me!
 
#21 ·
I agree. I might buy a gun without paperwork (the legal risk is on the seller) but sure wouldn't sell one that way, I would use an FFL. If the weapon is used in a crime they trace it to the last owner on RECORD and I wouldn't want to worry about keeping a copy of the buyers info for 20 years.

Meeting at a firing range would be another good option if paperwork wasn't an issue, it provides plenty of time to inspect the weapon in a safe environment.
 
#22 ·
About 15 years ago I was contacted by the state police regarding a rifle I had bought some 5 or so years earlier.
They asked if I still owned XXXX, I said no, I had sold it to a dealer at a gun show in Greensburg a few years back.
They asked if I had a record of the sale or could remember the dealers name, I told them no, and he paid cash so I don't even have a way to see if the bank has a cancelled check record.

OK, thanks, and that's the last I ever heard.
They didn't arrest me and throw me in a cell since I was the last person to have owned the rifle that they could find.
They didn't ask where I was on the night of June 6th at 10:07PM.

I'm sure other have their reasons for not selling without using a dealer or getting information, but I live in a state with no registration and the only legal criteria we have is that when selling a long gun is that we have no knowledge that the buyer is a prohibited person.
This is why I simply ask for a LTCF but don't keep any info.
We can also directly ship long guns to another PA resident right to their door, in this case I ask for a copy of their LCTF to be sent along with payment.
Handguns in our state must go through a FFL.

The best thing is to learn and be aware of the requirements in your particular state.
 
#23 ·
I usually am buying from a member of a local shooter's forum, so it's not quite as anonymous as the local paper. Either way, I do it at a convenient parking lot for both. Cash versus firearm.

I never do a bill of sale. I'm against firearm registration by the government or the gun shop, and they are more likely to store that private information in a secure place than the private citizen. There is no more reason to do a bill of sale for a firearm than a power tool or computer. There is no reason to suspect the firearm of being stolen anymore than the power tool or computer. There is a serial number on the power tool and computer, too. With any of those items, if he is selling something stolen, that is on his conscience. If I suspect it is stolen, I don't buy, whether it is a firearm, a power tool, or a computer; and a computer is far more likely to have been involved in a crime than a firearm.

As mentioned, there is no need for a bill of sale in case the cops call. If you are the kind of person that talks to the police, you still aren't required to have the information they could use. Lack of proof of dispensation can't be used against you. Some of you, however, live in states that are unamerican and may need to fortify your defenses accordingly.
 
#24 ·
I carry and usually have someone else do the actual buying/transaction that is legally able to. That way I can pay attention if something goes sideways (never even got the feeling). Usually the other person brings another friend too. Everyone kinda knows the score on private sales as far as carrying guns and not being an idiot. The ones that I have bought only required a flash of an ID and PTC. The first one I took down his info but have not done that since because as others have said the seller is the one at fault.

I've had nothing but good experiences even with sketchy websites like Armslist. Like others have said I make sure to get them on the phone and get at least a vehicle description. Most people that own firearms are responsible and want to do things legally and safe for everyone.
 
#26 ·
^^ Reminds of a recent listing I had on Armslist for a firearm. Buyer contacted me, we setup a time, he asked if I required a bill of sale or cc license to which I replied no as long as you are a Ks resident and I don't suspect you can't legally own firearms., I don't care.

At this point, things got screwy. He said he had a cc lic. (why didn't he mention this instead of asking if I needed one?) and also stated he lived in Ks

He then stated he lived in Mn but his dad, who lived in Ks, would perform the transaction. I then get call after call from his "father" and a text stating he wanted to do "some good ol' fashioned business."

Way too many red flags so I opted out, obviously. It almost seemed too perfect like a setup...Which wouldn't surprise me, anymore.
 
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