I'd like some advise on selling a pistol. For those of you who do this on occasion, how do you recommend doing it? Ad in the newspaper? Walk around with a sign at a gunshow? Other?

This is in Texas, so there aren't too many legal concerns.

Thank you in advance,

-Blast

Bad idea to put an add in a newspaper, you are basically telling people you have guns in your home and with a reverse look up of your phone number your address can be found out by anyone.


Call all the local gun shops and find one that will sell it on consignment ( The fee is normally 10% of the sale price) for you. This way you don’t have to worry about any legal issues, the gun shop does all that for you.

A gun shop also get more traffic looking for a gun then any other place so it should sell better there then anyplace else.



A few things to check on is to see if you will have to go through a new background check to get your own gun back from the gun shop if it doesn’t sell. Or what fees there may be to get it back.

Yup. Plan B could be to sell to a friend or co-worker, someone you know not to be a wanted felon...

When the firearm is sold private party-to-private party there is no requirement for a background check (At least last time I did it). However, if do sell a forearm to a private party make sure you draw up a very specific bill of sale. On all of my privates I have included that normal make/model/serial number stuff. I also included a statement along the lines of: "As of (DATE), I, SELLER'SNAME, am not liable for any acts related to the above listed firearm. BUYER'S NAME, intends to use this firearm only for lawful purposes." Or some such drivel. Then I sign it, the buyer signs and an independent third party (witness) signs it. If the buyer doesn't want to sign then he/she is not worthy of owning a firearm. I have never had a problem with the buyer's when it came to this. Make sure that everyone has a copy.

A background check to retrieve the firearm from consignment should not be necessary because ownership was never transferred. Positive verification that you are the person who put it in for consignment will be required. The shop does have some Federal requirements for the purposes of inventory in order to keep his/her FFL. There is probably a notation for consignment.

Bobs wrote:
> Bad idea to put an add in a newspaper, you are basically telling people you have guns in your home and with a reverse look up of your phone number your address can be found out by anyone.

Being in the legal gunless UK I don't understand this. Shouldn't having guns in the house make you less likely to be burgled?
The Sock

That might be the case while you were home. But I'm assuming thieves rarely (knowingly) break into an occupied residence for many obvious reasons. Just like survival preparedness, bugging out during a crisis, etc, its probably best not to be too conspicuous. Advertising a firearm in the house might be the one little thing that makes your place more attractive than the neighbors'.

+1 to what MoBOB and BobS suggest....
TheSock, the problem is most "smart" thieves will stake it out and wait until nobody is home. Then you get to lose the firearm AND a whole lot more. Once you get past the criminal kicking in the door of other criminals to rob them of drugs/money, "hot home invasions/burglaries", those that happen when the occupant is home, vastly decline because of the number of guns here in the US. Unlike other places where the criminal is actually protected by the "enlightend" thinking that "personal life/health" is more valued than "personal belongings". Even when said belongings aren't theirs. In these area a theif can kick open the door and rob you blind, because if you defend your property, you commit the more violent crime of assault and are the one going to jail for a longer time, after all the career criminal knows the system and will be out long before you are. And able to rob your now ungarded house and pawn your every possesion.

-Bill Liptak

Blast,

PM sent.

Stargazer

That kinda depends on where you live. Can't do it in CA, gotta go thru a licensed dealer, the buyer has to have proof of a certified firearms class, being a LEO, current military, or a DD214...

+1 on consignment, that's how I've done stuff. Or straight sale/trade to the shop.

Sell guns? I've never considered that... What a concept!

Here in Colorado, unless the laws have changed, they simply have to be a resident over 21.

On the rare occasions that I part with a gun, I prefer to sell to a friend or relative that I know well. Otherwise, I let it be known in one of the groups I belong to (church, shooting range, club, etc.) what I have for sale and ask around about anyone that expresses an interest before I sell it to them.

Firearm's Transfer Laws and Regs

This should give you some idea what to expect, depending on where the transaction occurs. As you can see, it is still relatively easy in this country to buy and sell firearms through non-commercial means.

I've always preferred to sell through a legitimate retailer via consignment. You have a captive market, and your privacy is preserved. You also stand a far better chance of keeping the firearm out of the hands of malfeasants.

I'd go for having any sale recorded through a licensed dealer. Much less likely o ever have anyone come back and ask you where the gun is located. If someone asked, the record is an answer that stops further questions. I would not want to have anything happen with the new owner. However, with criminal liability now existing for having a gun stolen from you, I'd sell it with the best records I could establish.

The one concern with selling to a private individual is that if they do something unfortunate with it, you might get a visit. Personally, I like to sell either to someone I know or back to a dealer. Problem with selling to a dealer is that you'll almost definitely get less than you want for it.

Just carrying anything through a gun show has always gotten me a lot of inquiries, from dealers and individuals alike.