Am I too paranoid or...

[glocksman]

am I merely being prudent?

At this weekend's gunshow here in town, I was carrying around a Ruger GP100 that I had just bought while I was waiting for a friend to complete the paperwork on his purchase.

This scruffy looking guy with bad breath and dirty K-Mart camo comes up to me and asks "Whatcha selling? How much you want for it?"

Alarm bells immediately go off in my mind as the gun is in a case and you can't tell what it is (other than a Ruger handgun) from the outside. I certainly wouldn't offer to purchase an unknown handgun from a total stranger.

With visions of an ATF or ISP sting in my head, I immediately reply 'It's not for sale' and walk away as fast as I could.

My buddy thinks that I'm paranoid. Perhaps, but better safe than sorry.

 

[BluesBear]

Well, I see the Evansville Show hasn't changed much in the past 20 years.


Funny thing is, back then that would have been considered normal.

 

[bedlamite]

Only one scruffy looking guy asked you what you were selling? Must have been a slow day.

 

[Sisco]

Fairly common occurrence. Try carrying an AK around, scruffy guys will come out of the woodwork.

 

[tiberius]

First gun show? If every scruffy guy that askes about stuff I'm carrying was an BATF plant, then I would KNOW their budget was too high.

 

[Tamara]

I certainly wouldn't offer to purchase an unknown handgun from a total stranger.

How often do you go to gun shows?

If you come in carrying something even remotely tasty looking, the vultures usually start circling in the parking lot. (When I go with a friend, they tend to ask him how much he wants for the gun I'm carrying. I love it when he replies "I dunno, it ain't mine. Why don't you ask her?")

If you feel hinky about somebody, it's your right not to sell to them.

 

[BryanP]

I've only sold one gun at a gun show. I never even made it in the door. A guy standing outside the entrance asked me what was in the box and shortly thereafter how much I wanted for it.

So yeah, you were probably overreacting a little. No big deal.

 

[Sisco]

When my club has their annual show one of the best job assignments to get is safety checking guns at the door. You get to see what's for sale before anyone else does!

 

[Devonai]

Sounds like a good setup for a Mentos commmercial, where the guy tries to buy the gun, realizes he has bad breath, pops a minty Mentos and tries again!

 

[Black Snowman]

When my club has their annual show one of the best job assignments to get is safety checking guns at the door. You get to see what's for sale before anyone else does!

Last show I went to I saw one of the checkers making offers on almost everything that came in. He'd say. "I'll give you $xxx for it. If you don't get a better deal inside I'll buy it on your way out."

He had a box full of empty gun cases to one side and a few full gun cases behind him.

 

[Atticus]

Isn't buying and selling guns to strangers the whole purpose of gunshows? Carry a blue cardboard S&W box in the door (or across the parking lot) and see how many scruffy dudes ask you "what ya got in the box buddy?"

 

[jsalcedo]

I have had scruffy people try to buy guns I carry around at gunshows.

They are always asking: Whats in the case?, what you got there?
How much you want for that.

Here at least its normal and expected.

 

[C.R.Sam]

My gunshow disguise is to make up like a crippled little old man with scraggly beard n a well weatherd stetson. Act deaf and hesitant. Sell high and buy low.

Oh...wait...that's me all the time.

I do get good ID check on buyer or seller.

Sam

 

[MMcCall]

This scruffy looking guy with bad breath and dirty K-Mart camo comes up to me and asks "Whatcha selling? How much you want for it?"

Sure it wasn't WebHobbit?

 

[glocksman]

How often do you go to gun shows?

If you come in carrying something even remotely tasty looking, the vultures usually start circling in the parking lot. (When I go with a friend, they tend to ask him how much he wants for the gun I'm carrying. I love it when he replies "I dunno, it ain't mine. Why don't you ask her?")

If you feel hinky about somebody, it's your right not to sell to them.

Perhaps twice a year, and this is the first time anyone's ever walked up to me like that.

I guess the reason I was a little 'concerned' is that I'm right in the middle of reading Unintended Consequences, and I read the part about Blair and the attempted sting at the gun show earlier last week.

The phrase 'strawman purchase' kept crossing my mind.

Sure it wasn't WebHobbit?

Positive.

 

[Ala Dan]

Too paranoid, here in central DixieLand its not uncommon
for folk's to walk up to you and inquire about buying or
selling firearms during a gun show.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[CGofMP]

Sounds like a good setup for a Mentos commmercial, where the guy tries to buy the gun, realizes he has bad breath, pops a minty Mentos and tries again!

Did someone mention Mentos

Sorry sorry.. I just had ta do it! You may wana have a look at the famous Great Mentos Parody Thread

 

[El Tejon]

Scruffy: "Wha' ya sellin'?"

El Tejon: "My good sir, soap, toothbrushes and razors, I say. Indeed, sir."

 

[son of a gun]

glocksman

This scruffy looking guy with bad breath and dirty K-Mart camo comes up to me and asks "Whatcha selling? How much you want for it?"

You should have said I'm not selling, I'm arresting and sent him on his way.