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Buying Used Firearms

992 views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  Diddle 
#1 ·
I have always been reluctant in buying used firearms other then from people that I know and trust.
I guess my question is how do you know if they are "clean" from any wrong doing? Is there some way to check the serial number before buying them? I always see great deals at Buds or Gunbroker ect. but I am still leary on buying from them. God forbid I ever have to use my weapon, dont want the added grief of finding out it was used to commit a crime. Any info would be great !!

Regards,

TC
 
#2 ·
From what I understand, everything from Buds and Gunbrokers has to go through an FFL. If you were to get a "hot gun" I would think that showing the FFL paperwork saying that you purchased it legally and in good faith that it wasn't stolen you should be fine. Then again you might always get that one crazy ADA.
 
#3 ·
Is there some way to check the serial number before buying them?
In reality, probably not.

Most police agencies do not have the time or the resources to check them out. If you have a friend on the local PD, you might get lucky.

I guess my question is how do you know if they are "clean" from any wrong doing?
You dont.

God forbid I ever have to use my weapon, dont want the added grief of finding out it was used to commit a crime
How would anyone know that if you had the gun? The only crime where a number on a gun would come into play is theft. If it ever came up, you'd just have to tell the police where and who you got the gun from....after they seized it.At most, you'd be without the gun that you payed for.
 
#4 ·
If bought from any place online, they ship to your FFL. When you go to pick it up, they'll find out if it's stolen or has been used in a crime, that law enforcement is aware of, when they key in the serial number. Worst case, it gets confiscated right there at the FFL, and you contact seller for your money back.

If I remember correctly there was a case posted here on the forum a while back where that happened to someone. The gun was stolen and the FFL held it for law enforcement to pick up. They spoke to the buyer, but that is it. They took the gun, and the buyer contacted the seller to get his money back.
 
#5 ·
Yet another reason that copies of transactions can be important.
If you can show when it was purchased (hopefully, after the crime date), you won't have a problem.
 
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#7 ·
I could not get any city, county or state agency to run a check for me. They say they just don't do that. I have a few LEO friends who also say they cannot do it for me because if their bosses found out, they would get in trouble.

For guns that I have bought on gunbroker, I kept a print out of the 'sold' auction page as well as each one had to go through an FFL. I only have two guns that were received FTF and thus 'no papers'; but I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if it were a good deal (as long as I 'feel good' about the seller).
 
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