When buying private party...

[tigerfan00]

Do yall think it's unreasonable to ask for the complete serial number?

It seems to me that it shouldn't be a problem or a big deal for the seller to provide it...all I want to be able to do is verify that it is not a stolen gun

Thoughts?

 

[HHB Guns]

Most people now a days do not give out serial numbers at all. I know I dont until I have cash in hand saying they are the new owner. ATF warned us dealers about this 2 years ago. Too many online NCIC scams where people will purposely look for guns in their state with shown serial numbers on gunbroker and then call the police and report that exact gun stolen. Then they wait sometimes years for that gun to come across a cop who runs the numbers and realizes its stolen. Then its a back trace which most of the time deadends and the original seller and often times has no paper work any more because he sold it and then he has to to prove he did legally own the gun to start with. ATF said it usually works out in the wash as they said but I dont want to be the guy on the side of the street with that cop who gets arrested because he has stolen property. This happens all the time according to ATF. I will never buy a gun online that has a shown serial #. Just my two cents. Criminals are always two steps ahead of Law enforcement.

 

[tigerfan00]

That makes sense I suppose, but being in law enforcement myself, I know how many stolen guns are sold and how easy it would be to pass off a stolen gun as legit in a FTF transaction and I won't open myself up to that...

If I were buying from, for example, your store...I see no need for a sn beforehand

 

[fordnut]

I buy and sel and trade gun all the time on line....I have never ask for a serial number before...but... 90% of my deals run thru FFL's...Just ask Henery....LOL.

I really figure that most people would not be willing to ship a gun thru the FFL system if they had any ideas that the gun were stolen....

Also, I don't even know I would be able to check serial numbers for a stolen gun...

I look very closly at the feedback from people that I am thinking about dealing with...If it is possible. That tells me a lot...

And, I am a trusting soul...

Steve

 

[armedpig]

Feedback can tell you alot. I have passed on good deals on guns I have been looking for at the time because the seller had little to no feedback. I don't have alot of feedback on one particular board, but have alot on different boards that I frequent.

 

[tigerfan00]

Totally understandable and i suppose it wouldve been possible to run the deal thru an ffl but that seemed a bit overkill for this purchase as it's my brother buying the gun...I had just located it for him on armslist nearby

I don't have a lot of experience buying guns online (meaning none haha)

I've always done ftf with either people I know or friend of a friend

I turned to armslist bc it's apparently pretty difficult to locate a reasonably priced 3rd gen Glock 23 used




I kind of figured I was the one being unreasonable and I'm ok with that because I just inherently don't trust anyone

Thanks guys!

 

[Frost]

We call it prepared not paranoid.

 

[SuperChuck]

Anytime I've purchased Face to face I've asked for a bill of sale... handwritten or computer generated document listing seller(check their DL# etc for identification, and serial number of the gun... doesn't help me in the long run I suppose, but puts the person on notice I'm not going to buy it and forget if it comes back to bite me in the butt years later.

If something happens later that casts a cloud on the item, I'm sure I'll forfeit the property/gun, but hopefully the paper trail can at least prove I was acting in good faith, and the seller was the one pulling the shenanigans.

Plus, I have a civil means to recoup my loss.. as if I'd be able to track them down and sue them...

Charles