FTF gun sale - they come to you, meet in the middle, or you go there?

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Quoheleth

Quoheleth

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When you list a gun for sale with an FTF transaction, do you assume the buyer will come to you, you'll meet somewhere half-way, or you'll go to him?

I rarely see sale ads that read "You'll come to me" but I have seen a few that say, "I'll meet you up to X-distance."

I guess as a buyer, I've always been willing to drive somewhere to buy. As a seller, I find myself less willing to go too far - especially if I am accepting an offer below my asking price.

Just curious...any thoughts?

Q
 
In my experience, I expect buyers to come to me if they live reasonably close. If its been hard to sell, or if the buyer seems REALLY serious about buying it, I will meet them halfway. I've been burned on too many classified ad sales where buyers totally flaked. In any case, I meet them in a public place.
 
I usually try to meet at my private gunclub. Safe for everyone. Once met at hotel where a Marine Major was vacationing with his wife and kids. The gunclub allows one to see and fire weapon while being in an enviroment where people are not alarmed at the sight of guns.
 
If I'm buying, I'll go to them, or meet somewhere near them. If I'm selling, I expect them to come near me, especially if they offer below my asking price. I won't meet at my house. And I have had someone show up, and try to lowball me about a "mark" that I clearly described after we agreed on a price via e-mail. I promptly put the gun back in the case, in the trunk, and shut it before he decided the mark wasn't that bad and he would pay the original price...
 
Buyers do the traveling, Sellers get to stay home or choose the meeting spot. Ive only gone to the seller twice out of the 70-80 sales i have done. My favorite meeting place is the Cabelas parking lot.... No one really cares.
 
Gas stations and such with good video equipment is nice, in a way your piggy backing their security,

usually in public, somewhere convenient.
 
I'm at kitchen FFL. They have to come here. I've been asked to meet in the middle, but after a little lesson in federal law, they make the trip.
 
Roughly half way. This first deal involved driving about 2 & 1/2 hours, the seller just over one hour. Rear parking lot at McDonald's. The SKS was in near-mint: $200 in April '08.

Two others have been between five and twenty minutes from whichever guy's home, Kroger front lot and by Sam's Club. Such time is not even a factor.

The ammo trade was the best, via THR WTS/WTT forum in '09. We were driving back from San Antonio to Memphis, and the guy was willing to trade 2,000 rds. of Monarch x39 for my 1,900 rds. of Wolf .223.

He just happened to still be at home, near the Dell training plant northeast of Austin (right before his business trip to Dallas). Pure luck.
 
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I've had the buyer come to me, meet me in the middle and I've driven to them. Depends on my mood and the buyers attitude.if its a long gun than somewhere public, handguns at a mutually convenient ffl. Never been burned yet, nothing but positive transactions. Good communication helps a lot.

Met Some good people some of which I still keep in touch with.
 
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I've only bought three guns from people who weren't family or fellow cops. In all three cases I've gone to them. If anything went wrong (gun turned out to be stolen, etc) I knew where to find them. I've never sold a gun.
 
As with so many other things, it probably varies by which state you live in.

Live in a place like Maryland or Delaware, the "halfway" is a bit different from Montana, or my state, Texas.

I've gone three hours' drive (circa 200 miles) to meet a buyer's "halfway." I generally prefer a closer--say, an hour/60-75 miles--halfway. But, this is Texas, too--anything under a three hours' drive is a "day trip."

Some "half ways" would be too far for me--Lubbock, El Paso, Brownsville.
 
If I'm bargaining I'll sort of try and slip in "i'll come to you" along with a lower-end offer.

The Valley of the Sun is a big place though, so more often than not some kind of half-way is the norm.
 
When I bought I went to them, when I sold I met half way. (didn't want strangers at the house, you just never know) I have regretted selling all three weapons, I was young and foolish.
 
If you plan to do the deed at an FFL, check with the license holder. If the transaction is at his location, the local ATF'ers may require that the gun be logged into his bound book, and that a 4473 be filled out, and the call made.
This happened to me when I bought my last gun; we should have just walked off of the property and closed the deal, but newgunitis clouded my thinking.
I'm not sure if that's actual regulation, or a local agent's interpretation of the rules.
 
And I have had someone show up, and try to lowball me about a "mark" that I clearly described after we agreed on a price via e-mail.
Click to expand...

Do you mean the gun had a mark that you disclosed AFTER a price was negotiated? If that's how it was, I don't think I'd be too happy about it either.
 
bottom shelf said:
Do you mean the gun had a mark that you disclosed AFTER a price was negotiated? If that's how it was, I don't think I'd be too happy about it either.
Click to expand...

I think there is a missing comma there some where or something...

IMHO, he was going for something like "I had someone try low ball me on a gun because of a mark I had previously described before we came to a price agreement via email"

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G

Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G
 
I've done all of them.
But, since I'm retired and have time at my disposal usually I go to them.
McDonalds parking lots are great.
Wal=Mart isn't bad either

AFS
 
If I'm the seller, and I don't know the buyer, I prefer for them not to come to my home. I'll meet them somewhere public, that we both agree on. Depending on how bad I want to get rid of the gun and/or whether I'm gettin' my asking price or being lowballed makes a difference on how far I'll travel. Same goes for when buying. If I'm gettin' a gun I really want for a good price, I'll travel further than for an average piece at a average price.
 
Originally Posted by bottom shelf View Post
Do you mean the gun had a mark that you disclosed AFTER a price was negotiated? If that's how it was, I don't think I'd be too happy about it either.
Click to expand...
I think there is a missing comma there some where or something...

IMHO, he was going for something like "I had someone try low ball me on a gun because of a mark I had previously described before we came to a price agreement via email"
Click to expand...
Ahh! Yes, that would explain it. Ok, carry on fellers.
 
I don't want someone I don't know coming to my house around my wife and children. Likewise, I'd prefer not to go to a private location I'm not familiar with with either cash or a firearm. Gun club or shooting range would be best for me, well-travelled parking lot during daylight hours if necessary.
 
I usually meet in the middle. I have a range I'll travel to, if you're in it, you get delivery by me. I won't go to a house, it is always a public place. I've only been the second to show once... I generally try to be the first on site.
 
I generally do my FTFs (buy from and sell to) with fellow CHL holders; this minimizes anxiety for both of us.
http://www.texaschlforum.com/

I try to meet at a neutral location--my favorite is our local range inside the Bass Pro Shop.

I guess I would also be okay with a local gun show, local gun shop, or (in a pinch, if I had some doubts), maybe the parking lot of a local PD. Never actually tried that, but the thought of it might give a BG the willies, and that would be an indication right there...
 
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