Private sales at night

I would prefer daylight hours as well if I didn't know the person.

No, if you do not know the person, asking to do business during daylight in a public place is very intelligent, especially when cash is involved. If they refuse, there's probably a reason.

Yep - they might have a reason like they work during the day and can't get over to his place until it is dark........geez, not everyone is looking to rob you
If you don't feel comfortable, then don't do it

I did a gun deal at night, with a stranger, in a not so public carpool parking lot.

I never really thought about the darkness. The lot was well lit. I guess I was just comfortable with the situation.

It was posted here in another thread about gun store employees carrying. One poster said a clerk had told him, "We have two of the three things criminals want." Speaking of course of cash and guns.
That's the case here. Two of the three things they want are coming into play. There have been tons of cases where people listed things on Craigslist and robbed the people responding to it.
I wouldn't take a chance.

Carry a Teddy Bear and a night light with you.

Broad daylight in an appropriate public location only.

I make many cash sales after dark, at the front doors of the buyers. Most of them I do not know. I do it many times, but only on Friday nights. It's called pizza delivery, and yes, I go armed with a broad-spectrum safety strategy that includes situational awareness as well as a weapon (or two.)

Public place with security cameras and you ought to be safe. They'd rob you or kill you in broad daylight too, for that matter, if they are of a mind to try. Take armed relatives with you or mention the fact they are around in another vehicle with a warning, "So don't be stupid and try to rob me, ok?" and you'll be fine. Doing business in the parking lot of a police station is good too.

My last buy was in a Church office. Bought a nice one from the Minister.

The last one I did was at 9:00PM at night.

I answered an add in a newspaper about a 4 1/2" Colt Match Target .22 for sale.

Three things made me feel somewhat at ease.

1. The average gang-banger stick-up artiest doesn't know what a 4 1/2" Colt Match Target is.

2. The seller was in a wheel chair in his own house, and judging by the hording clutter I could see through the front window, had apparently lived there with his dog, forever.

3. And I had a Chiefs Special in my jacket pocket.

But would I answer a Craig's List add to meet a guy to buy a Glock Nine in the back row of the Waly-World parking lot at 9:00PM?

Hell no!!!!

rc

And show up well armed and ready to kill everyone you are meeting with at the slightest hint it is a setup, along with backup. Like a seedy drug deal involving a lot of product.


Lol just kidding.
Of course you should be uncomfortable meeting with people you do not know dealing in high value goods.

If you are uncomfortable then don't do it.
If they want to ease your discomfort and desire the transaction they will probably suggest public places in the daylight themselves in an attempt to still make the purchase/sale. If they insist on the dark alley at night then maybe they have another motivation than doing what it takes to make that buy/sale.

If I refused to sell after dark, I couldn't sell anything from mid-October 'till March.


Yeah, winter in Alaska can be depressing...

At night, heading to my FFL's house, not a problem. A private sale between two individuals at night, particularly if I don't know you, is not going to happen.

I work second shift, so I don't get out of work til well after dark. I go in when most people are at work, so unless I limited all buying and selling to weekends, then I don't have a lot of available time. I won't refuse to do a sale/ purchase based on the time of day, but I will be more cautious than I already am.

I try to go by the "If I think I need a gun to go there, Then I shouldn't go there" philosophy.

I've made plenty of such deals. Most often the hours just worked out better; they were working during the day, or I was in college and had class, or I'm working during the day, etc.
I typically bring along a buddy for FTF deals. More to kill the time on the road than anything else, but it's nice to have backup if you need backup. In reality, though, not being able to get a friend to ride along has never stopped me from completing a FTF sale with a stranger, and that applies to guns as well as any of a number of other things. I'm no less armed doing a private transaction than I am at any other time of day.

To be fair, though, I'm usually buying more collectible stuff. WW2 guns, old colts, stuff like that, so RC may have hit it on the head. Still, a trade for a '44 walther ppk brought me to what would have otherwise appeared to be a shady situation: dark van in an unknown, not particularly nice neighborhood, with not particularly well dressed folks, edging in on "gangsta" duds. We ended up chatting about milsurp guns and the like for the better part of an hour. I walked away more confident in something I've long suspected; gun people are generally pretty civil to each other. An armed society is a polite society, indeed.

they might have a reason like they work during the day and can't get over to his place until it is dark........geez, not everyone is looking to rob you

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This.

I've done tons of transactions in the evening, for guns and many other items. In the middle of winter here, it's dark at 4:30 in the afternoon, and most people are still at work. If it's a weekday transaction, it usually takes place sometime between 6 and 9 PM.

If something feels off about the deal, I won't do it regardless of the time of day.

I prefer during business hours. I would meet afterhours, but would have 3 of my brothers with big 'ol AK47's....lol.

The downside to night is the difficulty to fully inspect what you are buying, but I've done it numerous times in academy or fast food parking lots. I have my phone and conceal carry handy, but every time has gone smooth.

Once sold an SKS in the back row of the Wal-Mart parking lot at night. The most awkward part of it was that a tour bus full of elderly folks pulled up and disembarked as the buyer stood there inspecting the rifle. None of them seeming in the least alarmed as they went to their cars.

Day or night, I've done both. Always in a location with lots of traffic. And always with forum members on various gun boards I frequent. Never had a bad vibe or a bad experience.

Day or night, I've done both. Always in a location with lots of traffic. And always with forum members on various gun boards I frequent. Never had a bad vibe or a bad experience.

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Same here. I work some strange hours, and luckily others that I've dealt with do as well. Pick a good location and be aware of your surroundings.

I wouldn't buy a used car or a used gun at night if I can help it. Defects are rarer and more acceptable in firearms but still I wouldn't want to be surprised when I inspect it later.