Selling a gun for the first time...

[DawnPatrol]

I've never sold a gun...I've only purchased from guns stores. I saw a thread on sales tips for posting your gun on this website, but what about meeting the potential buyer?

Do you have any suggestions on where to meet a potential buyer and do the exchange?

Do you normally fill out a form to get that gun's serial number out of your name? Check their ID?

Are there any scams I need to be on the look out for?

Do you usually have someone tag along with you?

If there is a thread that addresses this stuff, please let me know.

Thanks!
Dawn

[00tec]

Public place, but not so public to alarm the sheeple that you are showing a gun in a parking lot. I've done park & rides, restaurant parking lots, etc. A sporting good store is a good choice since the audience there is usually 2A friendly.

No form. Just ensure it's a Colorado ID since you cannot sell to a non resident.

Watch out for baiting by the feds. Sometimes they try to talk you into illegal stuff (shipping out of state, straw purchases, etc.)

You can take someone, but remember, the buyer may have the same concerns you do about getting ripped off, so don't show up with a giant posse and scare em off. If you do take someone, try to take someone who has done this kind of thing before.

Check feedback for members here. Definitely helps, but keep in mind that even if they don't have feedback, they have to start somewhere. I always end up with phone numbers of the people I deal with as well.

[Rooskibar03]

Selling a gun can be a terrifying experience, you should just give it to me.


Ok honestly I'm no expert but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Where to meet: I've done deals in the parking lot of Walmart, Kmart, McDonald's, and a movie theater.

A Bill of Sale is not required by law and if you require one you will likely limit the number of people willing to buy. You do reserve the right to check for Colorado ID.

The people here are a good group and will rat out someone who is shady pretty quick.

Bringing someone with you is totally up to you and your comfort level, if you are the Dawn I'm thinking of from BC I know you have no problems taking care of yourself should the need arrise.

I will say even though I've done several transactions with people here and all went down smoothly it still feels shady swapping guns and cash in a parking lot, even though there is nothing illegal about it.


I've never sold a gun...I've only purchased from guns stores. I saw a thread on sales tips for posting your gun on this website, but what about meeting the potential buyer?

Do you have any suggestions on where to meet a potential buyer and do the exchange?

Do you normally fill out a form to get that gun's serial number out of your name? Check their ID?

Are there any scams I need to be on the look out for?

Do you usually have someone tag along with you?

If there is a thread that addresses this stuff, please let me know.

Thanks!
Dawn

[cstone]

Word of mouth sales.

Who do you shoot with? Have you talked to your friends about the firear, you would like to sell? Family members? Selling to people you know makes things much simpler all around.

Find someone on this board who you trust based on their location and their posts. Someone who you believe could help you through your first transaction. Do most of your talking face to face, over the phone, via email, or PM. What you post here in this thread is public information.

If nothing else, talk to one of your local gun shops.

Do you know what your firearm is worth today. Correct pricing is the key to a quick sale.

Be safe.

[alan0269]

As the others have said:

- Meet at a somewhat public place like a parking lot at a store, gas station, ???
- If you are meeting someone from a site like this one that has a feedback section, check there first - as it was also stated, this is a pretty tightly knit group that will rat out a bad egg pretty quickly.
- It's never a bad idea to have someone with you to help keep an eye out for anything that doesn't look quite right about the situation.
- There's nothing requiring a bill of sale by law, but if you decide that you will require one for your records, make sure you make it very clear before a meeting is set up as with some people it will be a deal breaker. If I'm dealing with someone that I haven't met previously, I will ask to see their ID to verify residency, and in some cases to make sure they are of legal age to purchase.

Word of mouth sales to people you know are always a good idea as well. Good luck!

[DawnPatrol]

Selling a gun can be a terrifying experience, you should just give it to me.

That's a good one! Made me laugh. [Beer]

Thanks to you all for the good advice. It does seem a little weird exchanging guns for cash in a parking lot, but I guess that's how it goes. I may check around a little more with friends and family first and then decide. Thanks again!

[J]

If you sell here, the Police will ask for/subpoena the records of PMs and Posts for the transaction. We will oblige and provide your proof of innocence.

If you sell on gunbroker, you have proof via their records.

If you sell via Email, save the emails.

Having another person there will add a good witness if it ever comes to that.

It is a good Idea to keep a piece of paper, with the serial number, model and the sale date, even if it isn't a BoS signed by other party. Then you can tell police "Yep, I sold that one on date XX-XX-XXXX."

They may come knocking on the door, and even if you don't have records or witnesses of any sort, they need a lot more proof that you did the crime than the fact that you once owned the gun. Our wonderful legal system requires them to prove you DIDN'T sell the gun, not the other way around.

To the original question:

Many of us like selling here, because of the feedback system. You can check out the feedback left for any potential purchasers, and their post history. You can even say "No buyers without feedback on the site" in the ad if you wish.
Depending on how many people I have met and trust before have vouched for the buyer, I may or may not bring along a friend to "help"
I always CCW at any transaction, even people I've dealt with before and trust.

Scams: If someone wants you to send a firearm to them, send it to an FFL. One that you pick out of the listings in their area, not that they provide. Watch out for the standard fake money orders, etc. Work only in cash if you haven't dealt with the person before, no matter what the circumstances.

I have met at sporting goods stores or shooting range parking lots most of the time. People less likely to freak out if they see a gun around there. Plus to the shooting range for the buyer, if anything looks fishy/questionable in quality you can go in, pay your range fees, and test it out before committing.

Hope these help.

[DawnPatrol]

Thanks, Jayock! That makes sense and makes me feel better. (I was editing my previous response and deleted that question about getting the gun out of my name...thanks for responding.)

Very helpful info!!!

[J]

Glad I could help. [Beer]

[Ashton]

Selling a gun does make you feel a little weird the first time. With that being said my first time was at Mercedes Benz of Denver and I knew him from a car forum I was on.

[BPTactical]

Basics have been covered pretty well.
Do not sell the party ammo for the weapon at the same time unless they are known to you!
You need to do a bit of CYA Dawn, especially given the atmosphere these days.
Take a couple of reasonable measures to ensure that the buyer is on the up and up.
As far as taking reasonable means to ensure you are not selling to a "Prohibited Person", this is where a bill of sale comes into play. A simple statement on it such as "I hereby certify that ________________ is lawfully qualified to purchase and posess a firearm and does not meet ANY of the criteria of a "Prohibited Person" as defined by BATF regulations.
Have them sign and date this statement. If it goes to court you have taken "Reasonable Means" to ensure that the purchaser is lawfully able to purchase/possess said firearm. If they balk at it, no sale.
Cover Your Azz.

[DawnPatrol]

Thanks for the input, Bert!

BTW, I'm still loving the trigger job you did on my XDm. It's awesome! I'm not selling that gun...it's my 'go to' gun. [UZI]

[BPTactical]

Thanks for the input, Bert!

BTW, I'm still loving the trigger job you did on my XDm. It's awesome! I'm not selling that gun...it's my 'go to' gun. [UZI]

Good deal[Beer]

If Mama aint happy, nobodies happy.........

[mevshooter]

Make sure one of your dang headlights isn't out.

The guy who I was buying a gun from once walked up to me as a cop pulled up behind and started flashing his lights.

It was a really awkward first few minutes explaining what had happened...

[Dr_Fwd]

If I remember right, having more than two people present during the FTF sale makes it gunshow = Background check required.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

[Great-Kazoo]

If I remember right, having more than two people present during the FTF sale makes it gunshow = Background check required.
Correct me if I'm wrong.

Correct[ish] 3 or more people in one place is considered a gun show.
Thank you sensible gun owners, for that one.

[anomad]

You can also check feedback/history from multiple forums. I use the same username on many forums and have a long history, as do others. Although my feedback got wiped out here, I have had many positive transactions.

[Dr_Fwd]

Correct[ish] 3 or more people in one place is considered a gun show.
Thank you sensible gun owners, for that one.

I know it's one of those "doesn't make any sense" laws - just wanted to make sure the OP knows about it.

[Scanker19]

Don't drive far for a sale if you decide to use armslist.

[ray1970]

Don't drive far for a sale if you decide to use armslist.

If it's your first sale, I wouldn't even deal with armslist. Too many weirdos out there. At least here you can do a little research on the seller. You can look at their posts and see if they seem normal as well as seeing what others have sid about them in the feedback section. You really have no idea who you're dealing with on armslist.

If anything seems fishy at all, call the deal off. Not worth the risk. I once backed out of a deal because the guy didn't have a local phone number and even though he said he lived in Golden he wasn't familiar with some of the major roads when I suggested a place to meet. It just didn't feel right so I called the deal off.

[DawnPatrol]

Make sure one of your dang headlights isn't out.
The guy who I was buying a gun from once walked up to me as a cop pulled up behind and started flashing his lights. It was a really awkward first few minutes explaining what had happened...

Yikes! I might have a code brown if that happened to me!



Correct[ish] 3 or more people in one place is considered a gun show.

Good to know! I had no idea. Thanks for the heads up.

[tmjohnson]

What about a soldier that has out of state residency, but stationed in CO?

[yankeefan98121]

just my .02 I've met guys off this board with my kids in tow before, would NEVER do that dealing with an Armslist contact.
Gunbroker is ok, but I perosnally prefer FTF local. Plus more times than not, when meeting guys from here (coar), you'll meet & greet, do the "transaction" then chat and that's what I like most about dealing with locally. Seems like it's a great thing to know there are others out there with your same intertests views etc and you're able to discuss without ever meeting before.

[TFOGGER]

What about a soldier that has out of state residency, but stationed in CO?

I would ask to see .mil ID and current orders. That satisfies the residency requirements. Of course, I would ask for him/her to bring this stuff with them when setting up the meeting, not spring it on them when they arrived. The key to a good FTF transaction is clear communication from both sides. This hasn't been an issue for me with folks on this site. I always let the other party know where and when I'll be meeting them, and what I'm driving/riding, and ask for their vehicle info as well. I'll ask to see a valid ID or better yet, a Colorado CHP. I'm happy to show mine as well.

[SideShow Bob]

One of the previous posts mentioned meeting at a movie theater parking lot, Not a Good idea as of the Aurora shooting. Unless you just like being frisked and hassled by the police.
But otherwise most all of the advice here is all very good for a firearms sale.

[CO Hugh]

I have not sold only bought, but the hints are good. We met at REI. I also think that the level of skepticism or causation varies with the weapon being sold. For instance a bolt action 7-08, is not likely to wind up being used in a crime. Whereas a tactical or defensive arm probably warrants a bit more diligence.

I never look at armslist except for the posts here, I have trolled cologunmarket and have had good luck with people there.