It may be time to thin the collection

One of the local city PD's has an area in their parking lot specifically designed for people to meet in order to conduct Craigslist type sales.

I never even knew about it until I went there on other business and saw the signs and cameras.

It's undoubtedly not prostitution/street pharmaceutical friendly, but it looked like a good place to conduct legal FTF firearm sales.

D.B. Cooper said:

This right here. These off-record, face to face sales are getting dangerous. We've had two people murdered in parking lots this year while in the process of buying/selling a gun. In one case, the bad guys posted a bogus gun sale ad online. Met the victim in a parking lot, killed him and took the cash he was going to buy the gun with. In another, it was the opposite. Met the victim to buy a gun, killed him, took the gun. I only shop at reputable, retail, brick and mortar, FFLs now.

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That's a good point. Meeting a stranger in a parking lot that knows you're carrying a large amount of cash or a gun is potentially dangerous. I've done two FTF high traffic parking lot transfers in daylight and they went smoothly. I contact/interact with seller before we meet and if I smell something fishy I nix the deal. Right now is probably not a good time to conduct this type of transfer.

second as these new gun owners learn train and become aware of how gun laws work many will become our allies against future gun control.

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I wouldn't count on that. If, and only anecdotally', the conversation I overheard at the Cabela's gun counter is any indication.The gent only knew that buying a gun was legal with a clean record and he had his credit card in hand. I suspect lot of these guns will sit, and eventually be sold or given to relatives...

D.B. Cooper said:

This right here. These off-record, face to face sales are getting dangerous. We've had two people murdered in parking lots this year while in the process of buying/selling a gun. In one case, the bad guys posted a bogus gun sale ad online. Met the victim in a parking lot, killed him and took the cash he was going to buy the gun with. In another, it was the opposite. Met the victim to buy a gun, killed him, took the gun. I only shop at reputable, retail, brick and mortar, FFLs now.

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I've recently sold some stuff on Craigslist, not guns, and we agree to meet in a busy area. I chose a Lowes parking lot, near a camera and took a buddy along. We were both armed and we agree for one of us to always be freed up. I also arrived early to choose the exact location and really looked over the parked cars. Paranoid? Maybe? I think more like cautious. The deal went off smoothly, but I felt better going in cautious.

For me, the only gun that has gone away has been an AR built on an old bushmaster lower. It went to my daughter who lived by herself near Springfield MO (an oddly high crime area). She is a vet and was an MP in the army, I think she can figure out how to use it.

jonnyc said:

Another thought..............
Some posts above mention purchase difficulties in the future. Honestly, how many of us here really NEED to ever buy another gun?

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NEED is a tough word. All we need is a piece of canvas and a bowl. The canvas to cover one's head in the rain and to wrap with while walking, and a bowl to beg for rice with.

Me, I have seen that and I don't want to live like that.

what is surprising is who the buyers are. It's not us...
I am starting to think that some of us should release some of our less loved guns back to the market,

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How am I supposed to sell something to people that don’t want to buy it?

I wouldn't sell anything unless it was something I truly didn't want anymore, and even then I would likely use the proceeds for a gun I did want or for more ammo. If the election goes the wrong way people may regret selling. Just not worth it in my opinion for the little extra you would get.

I’m selling a few pieces of guns and gear that I simply don’t use anymore. In some cases it’s stuff that’s been sitting for years. Might as well turn that into something that I do use. I’m not rich.

If I’m thinking of selling something I make it a policy to sit on it for around 6 months and make sure it’s not an impulse decision that I’ll regret.

Usually if it’s worn I’ll price it a little less and due to demand right now I won’t be doing that. I’ll just get exactly what I have into it.

However I’m not going to gouge anyone, not my way. The way I think of myself is more important than an extra hundred bucks.

I’d also rather deal with people that I already know. Most of the people I know personally are cops, firemen or paramedics. I don’t have to worry about getting blasted in a Walmart parking lot dealing with them.

I do sometimes miss the days of being able to wheel&deal my way into getting a specific gun I wanted for significantly less than its value. Make a modest profit on something and use said profit toward a gun I desired. Almost felt like a government job, buying stuff with other people's money. Anymore I just buy from the LGS and pay whatever the sticker says, knowing if I get tired of it I'm gonna get hammered on trade in or resale. Guess that's why I only own guns I wanna own now and don't intend to part with any.

If y'alls safes are two heavy i have room in my pistol safe and my milsurp safe hmu...

lightman said:

I've recently sold some stuff on Craigslist, not guns, and we agree to meet in a busy area. I chose a Lowes parking lot, near a camera and took a buddy along. We were both armed and we agree for one of us to always be freed up. I also arrived early to choose the exact location and really looked over the parked cars. Paranoid? Maybe? I think more like cautious. The deal went off smoothly, but I felt better going in cautious.

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I pretty much feel like...if what I'm doing is so inherently dangerous that I need a gun...or, in your case, that I need a friend with a gun in addition to my own gun...I generally avoid those activities.

lightman said:

I've recently sold some stuff on Craigslist, not guns, and we agree to meet in a busy area. I chose a Lowes parking lot, near a camera and took a buddy along. We were both armed and we agree for one of us to always be freed up. I also arrived early to choose the exact location and really looked over the parked cars. Paranoid? Maybe? I think more like cautious. The deal went off smoothly, but I felt better going in cautious.

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On the other hand, if I was meeting someone to make a transaction and two guys showed up I'd be a little wary.

Deleted. Not relevant to original post.

stonebuster said:

On the other hand, if I was meeting someone to make a transaction and two guys showed up I'd be a little wary.

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Wary is good. I am and the other guy should be too.

AlexanderA said:

I went through a cycle of downsizing my gun collection once, and later regretted it. Having learned that lesson, I'm not selling anything. My heirs can deal with it after I'm gone.

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My heirs are going to deal with it by shooting them!