Would you ever use a FFL for a local FTF gun sale?

[1911Tuner]

I don't buy too many guns in a FTF scenario. And it's rare that I sell 'em - although I'd have no reservations about it.

And there's the kicker.

The guy that you sell your papered gun to may be a fine fella...and the guy that he sells it to may be likewise...but the guy that the third or fourth or fifth link in the chain sells it to may be the one who walks into that shopping mall and starts shooting before he uses the last round to blow his meager brains out. Guess who's gonna get to talk to all sorts of interesting people before the week is over.

 

[hometheaterman]

Honestly, if I was going to buy a gun in a private sale I'd prefer ftf as it's just not as much of a hassle. However, if the seller was going to pay the FFL fee I'd glady do it at a dealer too if I wanted the gun. If he wasn't going to pay the FFL fee it would have to be a good enough price that once the FFL fee was factored in it still was a good deal. Wouldn't really bother me either way.

When it comes to selling I don't know if I would or not. However, I wouldn't blame anyone that wanted to use a FFL and I'd understand 100% if they wanted to.

 

[MinnMooney]

having both parties sign a bill of sale with words, "Seller warrants he is legally allowed to purchase this weapon under state and federal laws."

This is the way that I'd go if I was selling by doing a FTF. In Minnesota I've purchased firearms FTF with the seller wanting a copy of my driver's license (fine) or just a normal sales reciept saying something like, "I, Joe Seller, am selling one Ruger rifle with serial number 172,xxx to Fred Buyer for $595 total selling price. PdInFull"
He had the original and one copy. I'd sign the original (which he kept) and he signed the copy (which was given to me). I'm fine with either of these types of sales but I'd balk at the FFL transfer. If the firearm was a great deal...... I'd probably do it.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

No FFL for private sale for me. I'm not paying someone else to do unnecessary paperwork. I use a bill of sale,signed by both parties and each gets a copy.

 

[paul]

I'm another one from the MYOB school...

I have declined to complete FTF transactions due to the seller or buyer wanting additional info, beyond that commonly available through our communications (email/phone #).

I do commonly offer to drive away slowly, if they'd like to copy my license plate #.

Keep in mind that this has served me well through dozens of FTF transactions.

p

 

[NMGonzo]

Not in New Mexico I don't

 

[NavyLCDR]

Private Sale and Face to Face Sale mean just that, to me.

Private - between two parties and nobody else's business.

Face to Face - between buyer and seller, otherwise it would be Face to Face to Face.

Seller can require whatever he wants, all he will get from me is to see my state ID card to verify my age and residency, beyond that he is just going to have to trust me for the rest or find someone else to sell to, which is his right to do. I will sign a receipt for his gun, but he won't be writing down any numbers on it like SSN or DL number.

 

[kdave21]

Although I don't think it should be a legal requirement to use an intermediary, I definitely don't think those who choose to sell that way should be criticized. The fact is, there are a LOT of wierdos around, and if a seller feels more comfortable that way, he should be respected, not disparaged. In America, each man or woman is entitled to do with his property as he/she sees fit. The market will determine whether the seller's terms are reasonable. If the terms have been laid out clearly, and the buyer disagrees with the seller's terms, he shouldn't be be a ball baby. That seems childish, and to me looks like the buyer just is mad he can't get what he wants how he wants it. Just go buy from someone who sells the way you want to buy and respect the individuals choice to conduct his own business as he sees fit.

 

[CoRoMo]

The guy that you sell your papered gun to may be a fine fella...and the guy that he sells it to may be likewise...but the guy that the third or fourth or fifth link in the chain sells it to may be the one who walks into that shopping mall and starts shooting before he uses the last round to blow his meager brains out. Guess who's gonna get to talk to all sorts of interesting people before the week is over.

Yeah... I don't think this astronomically remote possibility is going to persuade me into setting up an encumbrance for the fellow who wants to buy my gun. I'm funny that way.

 

[MagnumDweeb]

When I buy no, when I sell yes. Yeah I'm a hypocrit but no one is required to buy from me. I've 'inherited' a lot of guns recently so I use an FFL guy I know well to sell the guns off to my students(NRA pistol instructor). I took the more beat up guns that didn't have any collector value and sold them to students at blue book. I don't like selling privately and looking over my shoulder, plus I know I'm selling to a party able to lawfully own a gun. People may not like it but that's I operate. If people don't they can always try a gunshow.

If someone down the line misuses it, it's off my hands because it went to a legal buyer, if he sells it to a criminal party that wasn't present at the transaction then there's nothing I can really do. And yes I have stopped more than few sales that smelled of straw sales. One guy handling the gun while having another person buying it. They weren't happy and didn't buy at a later date without the other party present and I don't rightly care. I don't like anyone else other than married couples doing that, it seems off and sends up flags. I wouldn't have someone else handle a gun I want to buy to get their opinion. And when the boyfriend is asking all the questions and handling the gun while the girlfriend(buyer) is quiet as a mouse even when I'm asking them questions, it doesn't sit right with me. I tell her to come back in a couple of weeks alone, do some research on what she wants, and the we can talk. And yeah I'm not the FFL guy, but my FFL guy is in his seventies, of poor health, and likes me keeping an eye out for him when dealing with my students.

 

[Legionnaire]

PA is a pretty gun-friendly state ... except on this point. Handgun transfers have to go through an FFL except between immediate family. Long guns are good to go. So in answer to the OP's question, I'd not buy a long gun from a private seller through an FFL.

 

[M2 Carbine]

Would you ever use a FFL for a local FTF gun sale?

No

Would it be a deal killer for anyone else?

Yes.

In a FTF sale I do what is legal. I give no information and want no information.

It makes my day when I can end the paper trail on a gun.

 

[rbernie]

Yeah... I don't think this astronomically remote possibility is going to persuade me into setting up an encumbrance for the fellow who wants to buy my gun. I'm funny that way.

Oh, c'mon. Where's your sense of unfair play? Let's punish EVERYBODY before they do anything wrong, and treat everyone as if they're guilty until they prove themselves worthy. After all, there's always the off chance that MAYBE it will (but most certainly will NOT) have some incremental benefit downstream.

It's for the chill'en.

<sigh>

 

[scythefwd]

Yes, I would. As a matter of fact, I will in future transactions as well. As Wednesday Adams put it "I'm a serial killer, they look just like everybody else". If I don't know you I will use one because like I just said I don't know you.

 

[Mr. Bojangles]

This may seem a little vague, but...

I have no problem with a FTF transaction. I would, however, trust my gut on such events. I realize that my "gut" is not perfect (both my instincts and waistband admittedly could use some improvement), but if I had a bad feeling I would either state a need to see a CCW permit or utilize an FFL for a transaction. While I try not to let paranoia impede lawful transactions, I also don't want to be responsible for a firearm getting into the wrong hands.

 

[rbernie]

I also don't want to be responsible for a firearm getting into the wrong hands.

I have never been, and will never be, RESPONSIBLE for a gun 'getting into the wrong hands'. The 'wrong hands' are solely responsible for that. I have never agreed to accept legal responsibility for somebody else's actions (other than my children) and I don't plan on starting anytime soon.

Let's look at this another way. The last I looked at the DoJ statistics, something close to half of the folk that were in Federal prison for gun-related crimes were legal to buy a gun at the time that they committed the crime. THEY WERE NOT PROHIBITED. No NICS check, no 4473, no anything would have stopped them from legally obtaining a firearm. And so they obtained one and committed a Federal offense.

The very notion of 'preventing the wrong people from getting guns' is backward. On its very face, this idea makes the presumption that you can tell who is 'the wrong hands'. I hate to break it some of y'all, but life is not a Tom Cruise movie. We cannot tell who is going to commit a future crime, no matter how smart we try to be.

Gang - you cannot reliably tell who is gonna Do Bad Things. Some folk are bad seed, and they show that to the world. We avoid selling dangerous articles to these folk out of a basic sense of self-preservation, and that's good. But many others are simply NOT that easy to identify as Folk That Would Do Bad Things, even to the steely gaze of the .gov and their FBI database.

So why are we internalizing responsibility something over which we have but scant control? It's the very definition of irrational.

I ask my local buyers to verify to me that they are not a prohibited person, because that is my legal obligation under federal law. But that's as far as I'm taking it, because anything more than that is intrusive, an utter waste of effort, and most importantly fosters the false notion that somehow the GCA'68 and the Brady Check actually have any merit in reducing the number of firearms in the hands of Folk Who Would Do Bad Things.

 

[sleepyone]

In reference to the following statement being quoted a few times.

Should not the bill of sale read "BUYER warrants he is legally allowed to purchase this weapon under state and federal laws."

There is no way for the seller to know UNLESS he requires the FFL.

 

[sleepyone]

Using my limited math skills and eliminating multiple posts, I have 19 for the FTF and 16 against. I don't know what I would have expected before if you had asked me. Maybe a higher number against.

 

[buck1032]

If I were buying from a private seller I would not have an issue with going through an FFL if the seller paid for it. With that said, I have never sold a firearm, so that isnt an issue for me.

 

[CoRoMo]

If I were buying a gun in a FTF and the seller asked if I was a prohibited person, that's fine, I'd tell him the truth. But if that wasn't good enough for him, and he wanted me to prove it, deals off. No sweat off my back, and I'm sure none of his.

 

[Airman193SOS]

I have used an FFL for a local purchase, but that is because Pennsylvania requires a background check for handgun purchases. We met, he showed me the weapon, I paid for it, we went down the street to the FFL holder, he did the check, and all was good.

I have absolutely zero desire to run afoul of the authorities due to a firearms violation, no matter what I might privately believe.

 

[trickyasafox]

I have used an FFL for a local sale, even though the seller was local. he was in a different county and had a permit from his home county- to make things easier, we just split the 25 dollar fee to use an FFL. if you live on the border of 2 counties in states like NY, an FFL intermediary makes a lot of sense.

 

[thorazine]

I won't involve a FFL unless required to do so by state law.

Bill of sale -- only if basic (non sensitive) information is documented.





Note to sellers:

Please specify in your advertisement(s) that you wish to involve a FFL or require a bill of sale for a FTF transaction.

It is annoying to meet for the deal -- then discover you want documentation.

Waste of time and gasoline.