how do i sell a firearm...

[WillDe83]

in Texas? Are any special rules, like having to go thru an FFL or anything?

I was thinking of selling to one of my friends, what would we have to do?

thank you
Will

 

[Ruodo]

Well I don't know about texas but most normal states (and I am pretty much going to guess that Texas of all places is one of them) do not require any kind of special things for a private sale. You can just give him the gun for the money.

 

[Mags]

Man I don't know if I want to touch this with a 10ft stick...
But make sure you CYA with a bill of sale including the firearm S/N and both of your signatures.

 

[Hickwithstick]

CYA

I'd pay an FFL to transfer it, peace of mind for $20 or so

 

[DaBull]

It is only a legal private sale if it is one TX resident to another. Recommend you do a bill of sale with serial number, buyer's name and TX driver's license number.

 

[smoke63b]

Right. In Texas the only thing required for a FTF is that both people are of age and meet the requirements for ownership of whatever the gun is. So if it's a handgun, he has to be 21 etc...
The best practice is a signed bill of sale with serial numbers to make sure you are covered in case something happens. You should really educate yourself on the laws in Texas before you do this anyway. It's good to know what COULD happen if you sell a gun to someone who isn't legally allowed to own it :/

 

[nalioth]

Right. In Texas the only thing required for a FTF is that both people are of age and meet the requirements for ownership of whatever the gun is. So if it's a handgun, he has to be 21 etc...

This is incorrect.

You have to be 21 to purchase a handgun/other from an FFL dealer, but only 18 to purchase the same from a private individual.


At a minimum, you can't sell to someone you are aware is restricted from ownership. This means that if it's your step-sisters friend's ex-con cousin Larry, and you sold him a gun, you'd get in trouble (cuz you knew he was an ex-con). This doesn't mean you have to do an intensive background check (the term is "reasonably sure the buyer isn't restricted"). If you ask "Are you prohibited from owning guns?" and they respond with "No.", you've covered yourself.

At a minimum, it's cash and carry between to state residents here. No legal requirement for a receipt, FFL transfer (let's leave that crap out in California TYVM) or DNA swab or any of the other stuff being flung about this thread.

 

[smoke63b]

I had a conversation with someone at work today about face to face transfers of handguns and was talking about someone's grandfather giving him a handgun when he was 19 and just had that on the brain about being 21.
I was thinking that it had to be a relative like your father if you were under 21.

 

[benderx4]

1. Buyer has to be 21.
2. Buyer needs to be TX resident.

Both of these items can be found on driver's license. Make a copy and a simple bill of sale and you're good to go. (I always do face to face transfers in a fairly public area, like the parking lot of a Gander Mountain/Bass Pro Shop, cause you just never know .......)

 

[nalioth]

1. Buyer has to be 21.

No, the buyer does not.

An FFL holder cannot sell a handgun/other (PGO shotgun/stripped receiver) to anyone under 21 by Federal law.

Texas law says that anyone 18 and up can own any legal firearm (including NFA items). If 18-year-old-Timmy-the-next-door-neighbor wants to buy from a private individual, the seller can legally sell it to Timmy (provided Timmy isn't a felon, etc).

 

[smoke63b]

Hahah. Well, luckily I don't sell to 18 year old persons anyway Better safe than sorry on my end since I apparently didn't know that.