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playing if safe when buying a gun

VaGunTrader

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
215
Location
Dinwiddie, Virginia, USA
imported post

I'd like to start a section in the new VaGunTrader forum to give people ideas on how to protect themselves when making a person-to-person firearms purchase with a stranger.

Things like : Not inviting strangers to your home tomake the purchase, and getting the seller/buyer to swap names, addresses, phone numbers when making the transaction incase something go wrong later.

What other ideas do you all have?
 

Neplusultra

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2007
Messages
2,224
Location
Christiansburg, Virginia, USA
imported post

CC or OC a sidearm. There was a post not long ago about someone who arranged a meet with people who were thieves wanting an easy score. Not very likely but it could happen. I would assume you would want to write down their phone number or other information to do some sort of background check.

Can a private citizen do a NICS check? You wouldn't have to keep any records but it would be good IMO to do one if you could or if you had any doubts.
 

bayboy42

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2006
Messages
897
Location
Gloucester Point, Virginia, USA
imported post

trx680 wrote:
I'd like to start a section in the new VaGunTrader forum to give people ideas on how to protect themselves when making a person-to-person firearms purchase with a stranger.

Things like : Not inviting strangers to your home tomake the purchase, and getting the seller/buyer to swap names, addresses, phone numbers when making the transaction incase something go wrong later.

What other ideas do you all have?
Is this really necessary?
 

Thundar

Regular Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2007
Messages
4,946
Location
Newport News, Virginia, USA
imported post

Conduct the transaction inside city hall or on the courthouse steps. Places where you are relatively safe, and can make an OC statement at the same time.
 

DrMark

Lone Star Veteran
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
1,559
Location
Hampton Roads, Virginia, USA
imported post

bayboy42 wrote:
trx680 wrote:
I'd like to start a section in the new VaGunTrader forum to give people ideas on how to protect themselves when making a person-to-person firearms purchase with a stranger.

Things like : Not inviting strangers to your home tomake the purchase, and getting the seller/buyer to swap names, addresses, phone numbers when making the transaction incase something go wrong later.

What other ideas do you all have?
Is this really necessary?

Of course not.

I have no interest in giving my personal information to a stranger from whom I'm buying. I'll typcally show my VA driver's lic. and CHL to verify residency and reassure the seller that I'm eligible to buy, but I've never had anyone want to copy info down.

Things I like to do: meet somewhere public, and if if you ever have less than a solid feeling then walk away.
 

Loneviking

Regular Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2008
Messages
344
Location
Carson City, Nevada, USA
imported post

Think Wal-Mart parking lot or the local 'Stop and Rob'. I just sold a CZ 82 at the local 7-11 parking lot yesterday. My ad said that the buyer would need to show valid drivers license for (in my case) Nevada. I wrote out both a sales receipt saying that I had sold the gun with serial number to him, and my license number was xxx. He signed another receipt for me that said he had purchased my weapon, serial number xxx and I wrote out his drivers license number. We had both shown each other our DL's and I was carrying my S&W 65-6 concealed. The deal went down without a hitch.
 

nova

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Messages
3,149
Location
US
imported post

Biggest thing is if you get a bad feeling just walk away...doesn't matter if you're buying or selling the same applies to both.
 

T Dubya

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
914
Location
Richmond, Va, ,
imported post

I wouldn't sell to anyone that didn't have a valid concealed handgun permit and a Virginia Driver's License.
 

T Dubya

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Feb 11, 2008
Messages
914
Location
Richmond, Va, ,
imported post

CRF250rider1000 wrote:
Why, just because I'm not 21 I'm not special enough to buy a firearm privately?:lol:
Maybe if you had a military I.D. and I didn't think you were nuts.
 

nova

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2007
Messages
3,149
Location
US
imported post

That's why I have two concealed carry permits from other states...it shows I've passed the same background check multiple times...that is, if the other person asks.
 

rod

New member
Joined
Oct 31, 2008
Messages
6
Location
Crozet, VA, ,
imported post

How about some kind of rating system that is viewable on our profile. I understand it won't help much now, but as people buy, sell, trade, they can go back and rate the experience and help build good reputations.

Another idea is let's get to know each other. Maybe a Shoot-n-Q. We could get together somewhere, BBQ some animals, shoot some guns, and bring the family. VA covers a large area so maybe we could have several Shoot-n-Q'sin different areas. Anyway, I think buying and selling among friends is easier than meeting a stranger in a parking lot.
 

Dutch Uncle

Campaign Veteran
Joined
May 11, 2006
Messages
1,715
Location
Virginia, USA
imported post

When I've sold firearms, it has either been at a gun show (where punks are very unlikely to pull any smart moves) or at the gun club when the range is open. A trouble-maker would have to be suicidal to get all husky with me if there's a dozen fellow-bubbas right down the line from me.

:uhoh:
 

Glock27Bill

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
821
Location
Louisa County, Virginia, USA
imported post

bayboy42 wrote:
trx680 wrote:
I'd like to start a section in the new VaGunTrader forum to give people ideas on how to protect themselves when making a person-to-person firearms purchase with a stranger.

Things like : Not inviting strangers to your home tomake the purchase, and getting the seller/buyer to swap names, addresses, phone numbers when making the transaction incase something go wrong later.

What other ideas do you all have?
Is this really necessary?

Sure it is.

How else will I do a reverse lookup to find out where you might have other guns I might want?;)
 

2a4all

Regular Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2008
Messages
1,846
Location
Newport News, Virginia, USA
imported post

Loneviking wrote:
Think Wal-Mart parking lot or the local 'Stop and Rob'. I just sold a CZ 82 at the local 7-11 parking lot yesterday. My ad said that the buyer would need to show valid drivers license for (in my case) Nevada. I wrote out both a sales receipt saying that I had sold the gun with serial number to him, and my license number was xxx. He signed another receipt for me that said he had purchased my weapon, serial number xxx and I wrote out his drivers license number. We had both shown each other our DL's and I was carrying my S&W 65-6 concealed. The deal went down without a hitch.
I served on a Federal Grand Jury some years ago, and the testimony given by about-to-be-indicted (wholesale) drug dealers sounded a lot like this. They went to some trouble to check each other out prior to making a deal, and came armed to the meeting.
 
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