Would you have bought this? Gun show ?

[TriggerMan]

I went to my first gun show last weekend, wasn't really looking to buy anything I just wanted to look, anyway I saw a nice brand new looking Browning Hi-Power MKIII in the box that I really liked, the guy wanted $450 for it but when I asked about the history of the gun he said he had just taken the gun in on a trade and didn't know anything about it, this guy wasn't a dealer and didn't require you to fill out any paperwork, you just needed a valid drivers license to walk off with a gun from him, this got me to thinking what if this gun had been stolen, then traded to him, he didn't do any checks on it so how would I know if it was hot or not? I passed on the deal just because of this.

 

[rbernie]

I probably would not have worried about it, based solely upon the very slim odds of there being any issues with the pistol.

 

[Roadkill]

Welcome to Alabama gun shows. I'm surprised he even asked for a Drivers License. Its not required. I've bought/swapped several guns at the same show just like you were considering. You buy the gun, not the story that goes with it. If you want security then go to a dealer and subject yourself to paperwork, background check, ect. My experience has shown that thieves usually don't sell stolen handguns at a gunshow. I've never had a problem.
90% of these sellers aren't dealers.
rk

 

[trueblue1776]

Sounds like you were looking at the same one I was, at the gulf state fairgrounds. I hate Mobile gunshows, home of the 100% markup for all the guys who have a wad of cash burning a hole in their pocket. (not me) Saw a nice PTR91 with an original HK tele stock I liked, but not for $1400, not on this planet. Also some nice PS90's for well into the $2000 range.

 

[Lupinus]

I have actually never gone to a gun show, mainly because everytime one rolls around I have no money to spend and I am afriad I will find a deal I can't afford and end up crying in public.

But seriously from the "deals" at gun shows latly I am hearing the most I am missing is the jerky.

Another reason is I like to research my gun buys before hand. Get an idea of what I'd like, figure out how much I can spend, ask questions and research, and then finally buy. A gun show doesn't lend itself to this, I just don't know enough about gun prices and esspecialy on used guns to know if it is average overpriced or a good deal unless it is drastically one of the other.

 

[HorseSoldier]

$450 for a Mk III BHP sounds pretty good, price wise. Last gun show I was at in Alabama (last big one in Birmingham) there were not too many Brownings in evidence, and the standard price for one, used, seemed to be more like $600.00.

 

[rangerruck]

it is usually hard to believe , that a very nice or pristine model anything has been shot out, used in a crime or stolen. Usually something in very good shape is someone trying to cull their own collection, for want of money, want less guns, getting old, etc.

 

[jrou111]

I was at that same gun show, and it sucked. The only thing I saw that was a decent deal was a full auto Tommy Gun from Jeff's for $3500

 

[chestnut ridge]

Having spent too much money on too many guns; I have run into
situations similar to yours. If I feel uneasy about the gun or the seller
for any reason, I thank him and just pass on the deal. There is some
sort of sense that warns you about bad deals. Never regret passing up
a "good deal" because there is always another one waiting.

 

[MikeJackmin]

Why would an FFL be any safer?

FFLs buy used guns for resale all the time. Most, so far as I know, do not have the means to research their used gun inventory to see if any of them were stolen.

I'm certain that FFLs would be happy to avoid handling stolen guns if they could, but there just isn't a practical way to find out if a given gun is hot. If I am mistaken, please let me know how they do it - I'd love to apply the same checks myself before purchase.

 

[Father Knows Best]

The only thing I saw that was a decent deal was a full auto Tommy Gun from Jeff's for $3500

That's a SMOKIN' deal if it was transferable. If I was at a show and someone offered me a transferable full-auto Thompson for $3500, I'd be all over it like flies on feces. My father was thinking about buying a Thompson last year, but discovered that even the rewats were selling for $15k+, and uncut originals were more like $25k.

 

[Father Knows Best]

FFLs buy used guns for resale all the time. Most, so far as I know, do not have the means to research their used gun inventory to see if any of them were stolen.

I'm not an FFL holder, but I'm pretty sure that's wrong. I know several dealers, and to my knowledge none of them will take a gun in (whether for trade or in a cash purchase) without running the serial number. I think they do that through state law enforcement agencies with NCIC database access.

My dad works in a gun shop in Georgia. I guess I'll call and ask him. I do know that they are very concerned about the possibility of taking in stolen guns, and work very hard to make sure it doesn't happen. You can lose your business in a hurry if BATFE finds out you were "trafficking" (buying and selling) stolen firearms.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I have sold many guns back to gun dealers in Georgia, and they have never ever run a serial number check on the gun to see if it was stolen.

Now, for all I know, they may run the serial number after the seller leaves with their money, but it would be a little late after the seller leaves.

 

[jackal1209]

thats a chance you take when buying any used gun, and one I would not worry too much about. Just get the same info from the guy you bought the gun from.
Here in Texas, I work part time at a local gun shop, and even though used guns are bought and sold there, and they are sold with the proper paperwork being filled out, and the "Instant background" called in for approval, the gun is never checked for stolen. So......it could possibly have been stolen at one time.
There is no system for gun dealers in Texas to check used weapons, Unless you are a "Pawn broker".

 

[Auslander]

A Thomson for $3500?

jrou111

Unless you left off a zero the price is extremly low for a real Thomson submachinegun.

A Thomson even a West Hearly for $3500 is a steal. Most go for $12,000-$40,000 or more. The one you saw if the price was $3500 was a semi-automantic 'look-a-like'.

Check the prices for some nice Class III toys at Tom Bower's Subguns board

 

[jrou111]

Full auto Class III from Jeff's shooter supply. He had lots of silenced guns there as well as some full autos such as UZI's and the aformentioned TG.

There was also a Calico, but I didn't get to see if it was FA or not.

 

[Father Knows Best]

If it was a full auto Tommy for $3500, it sure as heck wasn't transferable to average joes. My guess is that it's a post-86 "dealer sample" at that price, meaning you need to be a SOT FFL to own it.

 

[VARifleman]

If it was a full auto Tommy for $3500, it sure as heck wasn't transferable to average joes. My guess is that it's a post-86 "dealer sample" at that price, meaning you need to be a SOT FFL to own it.

This is probably correct, a semi-auto Thompson goes for 800-1000.

 

[TriggerMan]

Why did this thread get moved to this forum? I figured it was more of a general gun question, it's not really about the Hi-Power I mentioned above but more about any weapon bought that you don't know the history of. But anyway what do you think would happen if I had bought that gun, and years from now I try to sell it to a place that checked it's serial # and found out it was hot and I had misplaced or lost the receipt for it?

 

[HMMurdock]

If you're like me you'd be grateful to have owned such a fine piece of art and thought of the $450 as a few years rental fee.

When you go through a lot of firearms you win some and you lose some. Play your cards right and you'll break out even after a few years; sooner or later. As long as they don't hold you responsible for the theft I really wouldn't worry about it...

Gun stores, at least around here, don't run the serial numbers taken in on trades, at least not long until the customer leaves and rarely --if ever-- even then.

TRL