How best to sell guns?

The consignment approach that you have been using is one. They don't have to be "cheap", but the FFL dealer does get their fee off the top.

I have done the face to face thing and prefer it for the most part. We all argue about ID and all that kind of detail. I do the best I can and still follow my personal ethics and the law.

As an individual, you can ship guns to a FFL dealer via UPS and FedEx. I believe FedEx insists on next day morning delivery. So, the price is often fairly high depending on where the package is going.

I have gone though a FFL dealer that I use. They log in the gun and ship to the other FFL dealer usually via Insured Priority Mail (USPS). USPS will not knowingly accept a gun for shipment to a dealer from an individual. or that is what I have been told.

Out of state.... I use the dealer shipping choice and pay a little more (usually around $40) for a handgun. Dealer get's their cut. Cost is close to what you would pay to FedEx to ship yourself.

Add shipping costs to the price of the gun. That is an extra add on, but you need to know about what it will cost as you'll have to quote it to the buyer.
 
Besides, if you ask a sketchy person for a driver's license, my experience is that they start to argue with you. Deal's dead, and I just walk on at that point.
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I'm about the least "sketchy" person there is. I'm so unsketchy I'm boring. And there are buys I've turned down over a driver's license.

Everybody always wants to meet a stranger away from home for safety. But when they reach this meeting place, some of these people think nothing of giving a stranger a copy of their DL or let the stranger write down their address for a bill of sale.
 
On FTF I just pre write a bill of sale with serial #, date and name of buyer if known as being of legal age and permitted to own. I have a blank line for me seller ( and fill in later) and two blank lines for buyer print & sign name. That's good enough for me. I may ask for I'd to confirm name. This is just for my records if firearm was purchased through ffl by me.
Purchased a pistol from a guy once and he wanted my DL# and I told him No! Showed him my CCW lic and told him that was good enough. Otherwise I would have walked
 
I guess I am leery of FTF because of the nature of possibly being set up. Once I was at someone's house I talked to 2 or 3 times on the phone when we were thinking of trading. Out of nowhere his son comes from a back room with a .357 to offer. Had that thing been loaded and his intentions bad, I would have had no chance to draw. Bit of a wake up call at the time.
 
Skans, some of us understood precisely what you were saying. If the buyer set off your Spidey-senses, you'd up the ante. No problem. Prudent, in fact, unless you just say, "oops, gotta run, bye!"

baddarryl, sounds like the consignment arrangement works, and as UncleEd noted, it's a hell of a lot less grief.

As to face-to-face, I can't speak as a seller (I never sell), but as a buyer. I've purchased numerous firearms off this very site, as well as one centered on Virginia transactions. I have not had one bad transaction, nor has any seller ever complained about me. In fact, I acquired my preferred carry weapon, a Colt's 1911, in a parking lot in Fairfax, Virginia.

The fear of being set up is understandable, also prudent. All of my face-to-face transactions were conducted in public and well-occupied places, usually shopping center parking lots, and one time, a Toyota dealer's lot. That said, I always had a weapon readily available if the "seller's" intentions were less than honorable. But I've found most of our fellows are honorable people.
 
I've bought and sold guns on the different forums I frequent. I usually with my home state forum, PAFOA and I've had good luck selling there, have yet to have a bad experience selling and actually made some friends in the process. I've just started dabbling with Gunbroker for some that didn't sell on the forums classifieds. I've found it pretty easy to do too. I would personally never sell a gun to a gun shop, they are in the business of making $ and will not offer me what I think is a fair price for my gun. I do use Gunbroker to see what the gun I'm selling goes for so I know what to list my gun for.

I have an FFL that I use to ship when the gun sells to someone not close enough for a face-to-face (FTF) transfer. PA requires handguns be transfered via an FFL, long guns I use a bill of sale and I need to see their license to carry. Know your local states laws concerning sales/transfers of firearms as it varies from state to state. Just sold 2 guns on Gunbroker, one going to MO and the other IL. Both sellers had good communications and sent the payment (postal money order) promptly.

Good luck!
 
I use Armslist almost exclusively.

I've done a fair amount of horse trading since the election and managed to do fairly well for myself.
I list the gun on Armslist.com with good pictures and complete accurate description that also states my price and trade options I'd be interested in. I've also sold two motorcycles in the last year just
Not on armslist. In all these sales I've closed the deal FTF in a public place such as my lgs parking lot.
Twice due to the hour or situation I've met the buyer without benefit of a crowd in which case I've had my little brother with me to watch my back, but everyone I've dealt with has been legit and honest. I agree there is ample cause for concern when your exchanging lethal weapons and many hundreds or a few thousand dollars in cash. Better believe I stack the deck in my favor.

I do "screen" buyers and if somebody seems sketchy or fits my idea of "undesirable" then I have no problem adding a cpl hundred rounds of ammo and holster that goes with the gun, is priced above new and I refuse to come down. I've never had an undesirable agree to my jacked up price but if they did I guess I'd go ahead and do the deed just make darn sure I had every advantage if it turns into a conflict.
 
I sell one now and then on Gunbroker and have been treated fairly. Sometimes I have really been surprised at how much a firearm will bring. We have a local shop here that charges 30% for consignment, so I would figure myself really lucky to find one at only 10%. I only deal with my LGS when I am desperate as they charge over suggested retail for everything and nail you every chance they get.
 
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