I live in a state that only allows FFL Holders to run tables at Gun Shows, they changed to that in 1997. Prior to that, anyone could set up a table and sell THEIR private owned firearms. BATF basically laid the law down the state that anyone selling firearms for PROFIT will be considered a DEALER in firearms and will be subject to Federal BATFE rules on licensing. There is a kind of UNWRITEN rule that more than 10 gun sales with-in a certain period (I do not know the time frame) will be considered a dealer as well.
I am not sure what states have the FFL Only rule for gun shows. You can get a list of all State Laws from the BATFE internet or snail mail, they send you a CD.
http://www.atf.gov/
So, prior to 1997 in Ohio, anyone could go into a Gun Show and buy from a NON FFL holder, the smart table dealers to cover their butts would at a minimum take a name, addy and birth date of a gun bought or sold.
There were MANY stings on non licensed dealers in that the Fed LE would sell a documented firearm to a NON dealer and if that same non-dealer then re-sold the firearm for a profit, they would nab that seller for selling w/o a license.
The 5 Gun shows I go to anymore, all tables are FFL holders with only a few BUY only C&R tables.
Just recently there was a new series of stings for C&R firearms at the gun shows. 32 arrests from what I hear, I do not know the outcomes.
The C&R License only allows you to COLLECT and not to sell. It only allows a bypass of a FFL Sellers fee on the incoming firearms aka the transaction fees.
The sting was conducted on people with C&R licenses that were selling firearms at the gun shows w/o a sellers permit. The Gun Shows accepted the C&R as a FFL holder (so they are partly to blame for this.)
So the guy that bought 20 Swiss K-31's for $150 each and then sold them at the table for $300 a piece was nabbed for dealing in firearms w/o a sellers license even though he had a valid C&R license. I do believe there is a disposition (sales) limit on C&R licenses. I am not sure the quantity or time frame.
There is also a specific list of C&R firearms and a way to get a possible C&R added to the list. Here is the list:
http://www.atf.gov/firearms/curios/index.htm
I am sure any TV News show will goto a NON FFL holder state gun show to show how people that should not have guns get them. Total BS set up by them by sending a kid that looks 25, or a person in a suit that is a felon or illegal alien or a nut job ???
The left will stop at NOTHING to curtail our right to own and shoot firearms anytime they can.
If you want a really good read, goto the ATF web site and read all the little innocuos laws and loopholes they can nab you under. It will truly open your eyes to how far some will go.
http://www.atf.gov/
Gringo