VA: Buy and sell handguns private party?

[NavyLCDR]

Sadly, you may be...sumpin' 'bout teaching an old dog new tricks...
(and I ain't that much younger than yourself).

After having too much fun reading some of the replies in here, I must confess I'm having a change of heart!
I've never had a fire or natural disaster at my home or on the road-tomorrow I start:
1. Ripping out those irritating smoke alarms
2. Throwing away all my fire extinguishers
3. Removing the door/window locks in the house
4. Cancelling all my homeowner and auto policies
Heck...I'm seriously thinking 'bout selling all my SD guns as I've never had to pull one to protect myself.

There...I feel MUCH better!
I mean, iff'n it's never happened to me before, that obviously means it CAN'T happen to me now!

If I wanted to provide someone with a copy of my Driver's License in order to purchase a gun, I would just buy the dang thing from an FFL. How do I know YOU didn't steal the gun? How do I know YOU didn't murder someone with the gun and now you are trying to get rid of it? How do I know YOU aren't going to take the copy of my driver's license and use it for nefarious purposes? YOU are just as worthy of distrust as the person BUYING the gun is.

Don't get me wrong, please, I don't care if you want to copy someone's birth certificate with their thumbprint on it to CYA. That's completely your business and your choice. And it's my choice to reply, "No thank you." Although, I would be very happy to sign a bill of sale for you with my name, address and phone number on it.

 

[basicblur]

How do I know YOU didn't steal the gun? How do I know YOU didn't murder someone with the gun and now you are trying to get rid of it?

You don't-which is why I have no problem providing the buyer with a copy of the bill of sale.

If I was such a nefarious person, would I want a bill of sale?
If you as a buyer don't have a copy of the bill of sale, watcha gonna tell Mr. LEO when somehow, someway my bad deeds with said gun come back to you since I stole the gun, etc?

LE: Mr LT, you're under arrest for possession of stolen property, suspicion of murder, assault, yadda yadda yadda.
You: Wait...I didn't steal this gun, I bought it, and I never comitted any of those acts with this gun while it was in MY possesion!
LE: Where did you get the gun?
You: I bought it from some guy outta the back of his car in a parking lot.
LE: Got any proof?
Insert Murphy's law here...

 

[David007]

You don't-which is why I have no problem providing the buyer with a copy of the bill of sale.

If I was such a nefarious person, would I want a bill of sale?
If you as a buyer don't have a copy of the bill of sale, watcha gonna tell Mr. LEO when somehow, someway my bad deeds with said gun come back to you since I stole the gun, etc?

LE: Mr LT, you're under arrest for possession of stolen property, suspicion of murder, assault, yadda yadda yadda.
You: Wait...I didn't steal this gun, I bought it, and I never comitted any of those acts with this gun while it was in MY possesion!
LE: Where did you get the gun?
You: I bought it from some guy outta the back of his car in a parking lot.
LE: Got any proof?
Insert Murphy's law here...

ahh.. so if i'm the buyer then i should get a bill of sale from the seller for CYA.

but if the seller is selling a stolen gun, or is connected w/a murder then whats to prevent the seller from giving you a bill of sale with his fake info on it?

 

[basicblur]

but if the seller is selling a stolen gun, or is connected w/a murder then whats to prevent the seller from giving you a bill of sale with his fake info on it?

Here we go...we can play the 'what if' game ad infinitum. :banghead:

Iff'n the seller is selling a stolen gun, we can assume he's a thief-what's to stop him from robbing you?
Iff'n the seller is a murderer, what's to stop him from killing you (after he robs you)?
Anything's possible-methinks we're overthinking this thing or mebbe we just like to argue?

You always hear folks talk about layering when it comes to SD-consider a bill of sale etc as layering AFA covering one's behind.

You've been offered a bit of advice (which is used by many) to mull over-it's up to you to decide how far you want to carry it.

 

[hometheaterman]

I was at a fund raiser today for a cancer survivor (still going through surguries) They raffled off a 10/22 ruger and a semi-auto shotgun (forget the brand) Well, the prospective winners were handed there winnings, and I start hearing people whisper (they can't do that! those have to be registered!) I spent a few minutes explaining to some people that they do not have to register a firearm in Iowa. And yes they can just take a rifle or shotgun right home with them. Handguns require a background check, but do not require registration. Talk about a dear in the headlights look! Some said "but on TV" That is on TV, not real life.

I have no idea about a raffle, but with a private sale you don't have to do a background check or anything like that with handguns in a ftf sale in VA either. As long as the buyer is 18 or older, not a prohibited person, and a resident of the same state you can sell it to them.


All of this being said, I think a bill of sale is a great idea to cover yourself and don't mind one with my name, address, phone number, and signing it to say I'm not prohibited, but I'm not willing to let people copy my drivers license. Some people may be willing to do that, but I know lots that aren't. If you are that paranoid, I'd just do FFL transfers instead.

 

[CajunBass]

If the gun should ever turn up somewhere it shouldn't be, and it's traced back to me, I'll at least have a record of when/to whom I sold it.

If the cops tace a gun to you and you say you sold it, the trail ends there, unless they have more evidence to connect you to the crime. If they do, a copy of somebody's drivers liscense or some handwritten "bill of sale" isn't going to change their minds. I can write one of them for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Doesn't mean I actually sold it. Or that I bought it.

If a private seller asks for my drivers license, the get told to keep the gun. I don't need it that bad.

 

[henschman]

I agree... I won't buy from a private seller who insists on seeing my license or any other info (unless he's selling it for substantially less than what it's worth and I know I can make a lot of money on it), and I won't require such information from anybody I sell to; partly because I'm worried about them having the same reaction as I would in their situation, and partly because that's how I think cash transactions should go in a free country. Cash and carry.

 

[swinokur]

If a signature is not notarized, how can anyone prove who signed it?

 

[JohnBT]

Is it too late for me? Am I doomed? - me

Sadly, you may be... - you


Hogwash, you have zero evidence that the lack of a receipt has ever been a problem for anyone.

I'm more concerned that some crook would claim he bought a gun or guns from me when he didn't. Just to try to get me in trouble.

 

[brickeyee]

It's not unusual to see LE at the shop checking records as they track the trail of a firearm-make take an extra step or two, but the trail is out there.

And the trail will end at the point of first retail sale.

Why is this so hard to understand?

Or you can pull out that pole of sales receipts and be asked if you are "engaging in the businesses?"