Hmmm, apparently it is much easier to spot a bad guy than I realized. . .
Translation: I've never picked up a body language book or been to a psychology class (J/K). In fact it is easy, you just have to know what to look for. Look em in the eye and ask em questions. The eyes are the windows to the soul and tell all if you know what to look for. Just ask a cop, they may have trouble reading addresses sometimes but generally are very good at reading people and asking questions designed to make one uncomfortable. If the response is anything at all but obvious good guy, deal closed.
It is not absolutely infallible, but then again, nothing is. The first rule is do not trust anyone.
Are not there many "felons" who don't "look" like felons? or possibly they are simply persons like Cho. Would you have thought to not sell to him? (i know, it wouldn't have mattered since the system didn't have him in it, but would his being a quiet unassuming person set off your nut detector?)
Of course there are felons who don't look the part, and who even train themselves to lie effectivly. I can't say for sure about cho because I've not been in front of him or looked into his eyes etc. Probably not based on the pic of him I seen. Quiet and unassuming means nothing. In this day & age I do not trust foreigners. Call me a racist if you will but I must call it like I see it.
How about child molesters, rapists, etc. I'd say most of those people are very "normal" looking. Just look at how many ended up in the priesthood. No one suspected them until it had become catastrophic in scope. How about a guy who is everyone's best bud at work, and is the guy to hang out with at a bar, but is a wife abuser at home and gets drunk and violent at home? Are you going to know he's been convicted of something that would prevent his buying your gun?
Your first statement here I agree with. That doesn't mean that they would pass your field interrogation of them. So many pervert priests made it in because people are generally unconscious and take what they hear as fact, or just don't care. I've turned down the cool guy(s) at work for gun purchases several times. Being good or cool at work means nothing to hinkiness perception. I generally leave work at work and do not bring home the bums just because they're good at work.
Using your line of logic, you can not sell off your old silverware set in a yard sale because a buyer might go home and stab his wife with it. You can not give the man walking with a gas can a ride to the gas station for gas because you really don't know that he's not going to go torch a building with it.
What you propose is to defer the decisionmaking of the sale to somene else, instead of thinking for yourself. That is not good. What happens when some felon slips one through the system, you sell based on the approval, and he goes out and murders someone with it anyway? Oh sure, you might not be liable at that point but is that what this is about, liability only? I would hope not.
Either way, you're only going to be able to be sure of your sale 99% at best. There is no absolutes. Given the track record of the system I'd be more inclined to trust my own judgement. Why not put forth the effort and dollars towards cultivating your instinct and understanding human behavior / body language?
Making the sale go through an FFL is no guarentee of anything either. You sound like you're only worried about the potential liability. IMO, that's very wrong sir. Are you just looking for a defense, someone to point at if it goes bad and say HE SAID IT WAS OK?!
Let's not let this thread go downhill, keep it light. I've attacked no one. If I've touched a nerve, then perhaps some more thinking on the subject is in order to understand why it made you uncomfortable or mad. (You asked for my thoughts!)