Pay more for private no paperwork sale?

[Isaac-1]

Assuming it is legal in your state, would you pay more for a gun from a private party sale than buying through an FFL dealer with all the paperwork? I ask because I was at a gun show yesterday and ended up buying a gun after about 3 hours of looking and not finding anything I wanted to spend money on (or at least not spend that much money), and ended up buying a gun from a private seller at the show, cash on the barrel head, no paperwork, no sales tax, etc. (this is legal in my state) just as the show was closing. In my case the price was comparable, maybe a bit less for a lightly used less than 2 year old gun, the FFL dealers only had new ones of this model, so hard to compare price (XDM).

 

[buck460XVR]

For comparable firearms .......no.

 

[shotgunjoel]

no sales tax

That would make it worth it right there. I'd pay 5% more to not have to pay 8% sales tax. Plus with a private sale you are helping a fellow gun owner get more money for his sale compared to him selling to a dealer.

 

[joeq]

For the same gun, I would just assume fill out the paperwork and pay a little less. It's not like the paperwork is hard and in Texas if you have a CHL they don't run a background check when you purchase a firearm. I'm sure it's the same way in some other states.

 

[GLOOB]

If it's a used gun, sure. On a like new gun versus a NIB, I'd have to at least save the tax plus a few bucks.

 

[AlexanderA]

I would pay less to a private seller than to an FFL.

 

[suemarkp]

Maybe its just me, but I do value having no paper trail. To me it is worth it if the final cost is the same for private sale -vs- FFL (assuming the private sale person will net more because of no sales tax, no background check, no paperwork).

I'd even consider paying more because I always get a 3 day delay via NICS. Our concealed pistol licenses don't allow us to skate the federal NICS check (state rules are less restrictive than federal), so really the only way I can buy at a gun show is via a no NICS method. If I try to buy from a FFL, I'd have to come to the show again next week, or visit them at their sales premises.

 

[NavyLCDR]

Nope. Wherever the bottom line out-the-door price is the cheapest is who I will buy it from.

BTW, every state that has a sales tax law also has a comparable use tax law. If you buy something for use in that state, you are required to pay tax on it...if the seller collects the tax it's called sales tax. If the buyer pays the tax. it's called use tax. Is use tax enforced on non-title bearing items? Usually not. Washington state recently starting enforcing use tax on firearms bought from out-of-state by requiring FFLs to collect it.

 

[dawico]

I wouldn't pay more for no paperwork. If I can get the same gun new from a dealer for the same as used privately, I go new. I prefer used just because of the savings.

 

[MedWheeler]

Like others here, I'd pay (for the same gun) the lesser final cost to me, provided it meant immediate delivery. If the dealer had to order it and it was going to take several days to get it, and another seller had it ready to go, but was asking a little more, I'd reconsider (depending on how much more he was asking.)
Oh, and JoeQ, I think you meant "I would just as soon.."

 

[Rail Driver]

Not a chance.

 

[leadcounsel]

Complicated question.

Some guns are either rare, hard to find, etc. So even though you know the price of X gun, you never see them. So in that case paying a higher price is worth it.

Sales tax in Tennessee is 10%. So factor that in.

I place value on the no paperwork. It takes time and I disagree with it on a principle standpoint and only do the paperwork if I must. Why should I have to ask permission from the Government to own a gun? Particularly considering I already have them... But I do jump through the hoops when necessary.

Now - I'll temper this by saying that you should avoid the suspicious deals of course. You don't want to buy a gun either way above or below market value because that could result in evidence of receiving stolen property that you should have known about.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Assuming it is legal in your state, would you pay more for a gun from a private party sale than buying through an FFL dealer with all the paperwork?

For two identical guns, friends and I definitely place a higher value on a gun with no paper trail. We will end the paper trail whenever possible, even it costs a little more..

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Pay more to avoid a "paper trail"? Heckkkkkkk NO! I trade or buy from/with individuals to get a gun that I want not to remain anonymous. If it costs as much or more than retail plus sales tax....no deal.

 

[Deltaboy1984]

NO face to face private sales should always cost less.

 

[buckeye8]

Don't forget: Depending on the gun and its manufacturer, you may be sacrificing warranty services by not being the original owner, especially if the original owner filled out the warranty card and sent it in. Some manufacturers are great about providing warranty service to anyone, but some are sticklers about time frames and original ownership. Just something else to consider.

 

[basicblur]

I would NOT pay more as buying from an individual comes with its own set of potential problems (is the gun stolen, etc).

In order to truly have no paper trail, you'd have to buy the gun without filling out a (private) bill of sale, etc so the person you're buying from has no idea who you are...but then, you may have no idea who they are.

'Spose the law somehow runs a check on your 'new' gun and finds it was stolen, used in a crime, etc-what proof do you have that you bought it or that it was not in your possession at the time of the crime?

You could be opening yourself up to a lot of heartache (guilty 'til proven innocent).

 

[AlexanderA]

For two identical guns, friends and I definitely place a higher value on a gun with no paper trail. We will end the paper trail whenever possible, even it costs a little more..

Why??? This sounds like paranoia to me... the reality is, that the government is "just not that into you" unless you've done something wrong.

I'm old enough to remember clearly the aftermath of the Gun Control Act of '68. As part of that Act, a machine gun amnesty was offered, a month during which people could register their full automatics with no questions asked. Well, quite a few people didn't want a "paper trail," and passd up the opportunity. They now have contraband that can send them to prison for years, instead of transferable items that are worth fortunes.

Just for argument's sake -- if a new MG amnesty was offered this year, and you happened to have an unregistered one, would you still insist you didn't want a "paper trail"? (Sometimes these "paper trails" work to our advantage.)

BTW, if you're worried about confiscation at some point down the road, you can always assess the situation then. I'll bet you wouldn't be alone if you decided to practice civil disobedience. Anyway, gun confiscation in the U.S. is highly unrealistic and far-fetched, especially now that we have constitutional precedent that gun possession is a fundamental right.

 

[basicblur]

We will end the paper trail whenever possible, even it costs a little more..

While it sounds nice, folks tend to put a little too much faith in 'ending the paper trail'.

The only way you can really end it is for both parties to be complete strangers.
If you sell to someone you know or who knows you, should the law ever come looking for the gun, they're going to start with the last person for which they have a paper trail, and you can bet if he sold it to you, he's gonna squeal like a pig in order to get the law off his back and on yours.

'Course, if you're both complete strangers...well, buying from a complete stranger with no record of purchase etc opens up a whole 'nother can o' worms for both parties.

 

[Ohio Gun Guy]

Alaxender A- Dont be so sure.... Not saying its going to happen here, but history is full of examples to the contrary.


The Constitution is twisted and bent by our government more than i like. We have a bad habit of making un-constitutional laws and taking way to long to sort it out. Ask the folks after Katrina what "Temporarily" happened to their 2nd Amendment Rights.... Just my .02

Hasn't the BATF been introuble for not destroying the "Temporary" Records? I'm going from memory, but there is reason to be concerned about guns bought through the system.

 

[JTHunter]

This reminds me about the old poster from the 70's with a "Kilroy" type of drawing saying "Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!"

 

[Isaac-1]

In the case of the gun I bought at the gun show Saturday, it was from a seller with a table that had a couple of dozen guns total, mostly hunting style long guns on a rack and about half a dozen assorted hand guns, the XDM-9 was probably the newest gun on the table. They have no idea who I am, I have little idea who they are other than knowing they are somewhat regulars at area gun shows, I had never seen them before, but other people shopping seemed to know them. I handed them cash, they handed me a gun, end of deal.

Now I do kind of wish I had contact information from them as once I made it home I found one of the spare backstraps was damaged, as well as the bottom of the case. Not a big deal replacement backstraps are only about $10, and the case damage is mostly cosmetic. One of those buyer beware situations, I was in a rush and did not look close enough.

 

[bracer]

I get a Bill Of Sale on any used firearm I purchase wnen makeing a privet purchase. The price paid is what ever is agreed upon. Used firearms prices vary due to condition and collector value so how con make a five or 10 % comparson ?

 

[danprkr]

I have never had to. I might have to wait longer for what I want to come around, but I've usually been able to find it at the same price.

 

[TX1911fan]

I would. I'm far more worried about the government coming to collect my guns than I am that a gun I purchase may have been used in a crime for which I have no alibi.