How do you buy a gun from someone?

[Parallax]

Can someone explain to me how this works? Does the gun have to be sent to a dealer to do a background check when you pick it up? Or can you just meet the person somewhere, hand them the money, and they hand you the gun?

I noticed that a lot of guns are sold between people living in different states. How do you buy something so expensive while making sure that you're not getting ripped off? I'd be kind of nervous just sending off a check.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

it depends where in the country you are and what kind of gun it is...


http://www.gunbroker.com/User/BuyerTutorial.asp

 

[rms/pa]

when i was ten,

i walked into the hardwarestore. walked up to the counter. said i want that one and pointed. paid my $55.75 and walked home with it. gus threw in 4 boxes of ammo and a good leather sling too.

still have it. shoots good still.

rms/pa

 

[Fly320s]

If you're in one of the free states, there are no hoops to jump through.

1. Find gun you want.
2. Agree on price with seller.
3. Exchange money for gun (or other form of barter).
4. Say, "Thanks. Have a nice day."

That's basically it.

Basic rules... You can only do a face-to-face transfer with another resident of your state. Otherwise you have to go through a dealer.

Read yesterdaysyouth's link for more details.

Have a nice day.

 

[4v50 Gary]

My brother meets the fellow and looks at the gun. If he approves, they shake, he hands over the $, and both parties go away happy. That's the way it is in Nevada and the way it was in CA before our benevolent paternal government decided we had to go through dealers.

 

[Parallax]

Thanks for that link, it came in handy. I live in Florida so it looks like I can do a FTF sale.

A few more questions though. If the gun is sold person to person thru a dealer does the dealer charge a fee? Do you still have to be 21 since it went thru a dealer? Does the dealer do a background check? And is there still a waiting period?

 

[sctman800]

Really need to know the state.

Here in Illinois you don't have to go through a FFL, but you must meet so the seller can check and record your FOID card and save that info for ten years. Then you pay your money. Now you are free to meet again three days later to recieve the gun. Yes, even private sales are restricted to a three day waiting period, and our state police have been known to do sting operations to check this, especially at gun shows. Jim.

 

[Psssniper]

Hope you don't move to California :banghead:

 

[Trebor]

Thanks for that link, it came in handy. I live in Florida so it looks like I can do a FTF sale.

A few more questions though. If the gun is sold person to person thru a dealer does the dealer charge a fee? Do you still have to be 21 since it went thru a dealer? Does the dealer do a background check? And is there still a waiting period?

A gun is sold EITHER person to person OR through a dealer. They are mutually exclusive.

Person-to-person is where the buyer and seller are in the same state and where that state does not require that firearm transactions go through a dealer. The buyer and seller just meet face-to-face and exchange the payment for the firearm. The federal 4473 paperwork is not filled out and no background check is done. A person under 21 can buy a handgun from a private party, even though they can not buy one from a dealer. (State law does apply and some states require all transactions to go through a dealer)

If the firearm is going through a dealer, it's no longer a person-to-person sale. The dealer has to log the firearm into his bound book and then log it out to the buyer. The 4473 needs to be filled out and a background check completed. This is in effect even if the firearm is originally from a private seller but needs to go through a dealer because of either state law or because the buyer and seller are in different states and an intersate transfer is involved. The dealer can not transfer a handgun to anyone under 21. It doesn't matter if the handgun originally came from a private seller. Once it's logged into the dealer's records, he can't log it out to anyone under 21.

Most dealers do charge for this service. Usually the buyer will pay the seller directly though so that the dealer does not have to collect sales tax.

Waiting periods depend on the state. Only those states that ban person-to-person sales can enforce a waiting period. For those states that require a waiting period, it would be in effect any time the firearm is transfered through a dealer.

 

[ruger270man]

here in PA, to buy a used gun from a private owner, here are the steps.

1. Heres the money
2. Heres the gun

 

[whm1974]

Here in Illinois you don't have to go through a FFL, but you must meet so the seller can check and record your FOID card and save that info for ten years. Then you pay your money. Now you are free to meet again three days later to recieve the gun. Yes, even private sales are restricted to a three day waiting period, and our state police have been known to do sting operations to check this, especially at gun shows. Jim.

Right, how many people are going to hand over money for a product they are going to have to wait three days before they can recieve it? Other then running stings at gun shows or responding to newspaper ads I can't see how IL enforces this.

-Bill