Where to FTF?

Cars that are listed for sale get stolen all the time. The thief comes to look at the car, asks for a test ride and drives off with the car. It is a pretty old trick really.

Lawnmowers are not often sought after by most violent criminals.

The used steak knife market is pretty thin. I imagine that most of the serious collectors all know each other by now.

Different stuff require different security measures.
Click to expand...

Well, I have only been buying and selling guns for 35 years, so I am by no means a long-term expert - but I have bought and sold guns at garage sales, through the paper, online, FTF, shipped to various parts of the country, had folks to my house, went to others, met at McD's, and on and on. never ONCE has there ever been an issue.

Personally, i think way too many gamers and folks thinking the zombies are coming are more worried about things that don't seem to be happening. You have better odds of being in an accident or hit by lightning
 
oneounceload, it hasn't happened to you, which is nice. Google "craigslist murders," though, and you will find at least three killers - the med student who was robbing erotic masseuses, and finally killed one; the guy who was advertising for a nanny, and murdered a young woman who responded to the ad; and just last month, a teenager and a 51yo man were arrested in connection with robbing and murdering men who had answered their ad offering ranch jobs.

And those are just off the top of my head.

There have been multiple armed robberies by people who have answered jewelry for sale ads.

So you can pooh-pooh caution, if you wish. Personally, I recommend meeting in public places and not inviting total strangers into the home.

Note also that a buddy of mine had an offer for a gun trade via armslist.com a few months ago. When my buddy said he wanted to meet in a parking lot outside a nearby gun shop, where there would be people around (but they would be gun people), the other guy bailed on the trade. Makes one wonder...
 
There are different ways and degrees of verifying and then feeling comfortable about the other party. For instance, after work and/or home phone numbers and calls are exchanged or if the other party has many posts on a forum, then I believe that a person starts off with a higher level of trust.
I've met both buyers and sellers in various places including empty and busy parking lots that were either conveniently located adjacent to a highway exit ramp, near a gun club or at a large sporting goods store where guns and ammo are bought and sold.
I have also met at MacDonalds and then proceeded to a gun club.
I have answered classified ads and then went right to the seller's houses after they returned my call and gave me directions.
I've also taken a son or friend with me to a FTF meet and so has the other party, but that's not always the case.
It's sometimes important to meet in areas where a gun being inspected won't be in direct view of the public because doing that can create a disturbance which should be avoided.
In some places the law doesn't look kindly on exposing uncased guns to the general public. So sometimes it's better to be discreet, especially when both parties are meeting away from home or where personal private property simply isn't available to provide some legal protection from complaints.
Every situation is unique. :)
 
Last edited:
oneounceload, it hasn't happened to you, which is nice. Google "craigslist murders," though, and you will find at least three killers - the med student who was robbing erotic masseuses, and finally killed one; the guy who was advertising for a nanny, and murdered a young woman who responded to the ad; and just last month, a teenager and a 51yo man were arrested in connection with robbing and murdering men who had answered their ad offering ranch jobs.

And those are just off the top of my head.

There have been multiple armed robberies by people who have answered jewelry for sale ads.

So you can pooh-pooh caution, if you wish. Personally, I recommend meeting in public places and not inviting total strangers into the home.

Note also that a buddy of mine had an offer for a gun trade via armslist.com a few months ago. When my buddy said he wanted to meet in a parking lot outside a nearby gun shop, where there would be people around (but they would be gun people), the other guy bailed on the trade. Makes one wonder...
Click to expand...

and none of those involved guns, so moot. Besides, nowadays, folks like to talk and communicate more - if you aren't talking to the buyer/seller prior to meeting to get a better feel for the gun or that person, then you aren't doing your due diligence. If you get a bad feeling, don't do the deal
 
So even though there have been crimes set up over property transactions, or crimes set up through bogus job offers, the concept is moot because none of the specific cases cited involved firearms?

Let's just say we very strongly disagree on applicability.

As far as long conversations, and due diligence go, I personally only sell to friends, or friends of friends, or in a couple cases (one from TFL and one from gunbroker) to people I've interacted with electronically. In the cases of "friends of friends," I transferred one gun via his local FFL, and in the other case, the guy was not only a friend of a friend, but he worked where I did at the time, and had a TS/SCI clearance so I wasn't overly worried about his eligibility. My online guys were dealt with via FFL - FFL transfer. With the FFL transfers, the due diligence becomes the problem of the FFL doing the ultimate transfer.

However, I've bought goods over the years, including a GP100, from people who did not know me and who had no idea who I was, and I suspect that is more the norm when it comes to online sales.
 
artcicap - +1

oneounceload - As long as one knows the potential risks involved, he/she should do whatever seems sensible. Based on the majority of comments here, I sense that many would suggest that I am trusting to the point of being foolish. On at least one occasion, I have had a buyer come to my house. I don't remember the particulars, but at the time, I felt that I had spoken with him enough on the phone to know it was acceptable. The only way I got "robbed" that evening was letting him get away with my like new Remington 700 VS (22-250) with a Leupold Vari-X III Scope (6.5-20X with target turrets) and Redfield mounts for $800. Note to Readers - Please don't feel that you have to agree, but was I ever a dope for letting that rifle go!
 
I don't think you are trusting to the point of being foolish I think way too many are overly paranoid. You talked to the person, you had no bad vibes, the deal went as arranged - not a big deal. I suspect too many here are new to guns and selling - I still see way too many talking about registering guns, references to video games and ridiculous liberal newspaper dogma - unfortunately, that just plays into the plans of others and groups who would want ALL sales to go through FFLs from whence they can control or eliminate them.

If anyone feels that uncomfortable about selling a gun FTF, then do not do it, just sell it on consignment at your local shop - then you won't have to "worry" about registration, illegal zombies buying it bent on overtaking the earth or any other sinister scenario - in short, life really isn't that bad out there
 
I used to meet in the local gun shop parking lot, until I heard through the grapevine they were talking about banning people who were doing this, through some paranoia the Feds might see this as a violation of the store's license.

No big deal, I then suggested the strip mall parking lot across the street from the gun store (one of the few in the area, and most gun people know how to find it without directions). That works fine, otherwise restaurant lots, grocery store lots, wherever convenient.

I've been to people's homes with their toddlers playing on the floor, climbed into guys trucks in a Home Depot parking lot, or stood in the rain in a Target parking lot, leaning under my lift gate.

Lots of times, the buyers and sellers on my local board do so frequently, and get good reps. I might think twice about selling or buying with someone with only a couple of posts, unless another member vouched for them, but I've never really felt nervous about doing a deal. If I did, I'd just leave.

It's nice not to have to go through an FFL, you save money and it's more convenient.
 
I have not sold any guns yet, just been buying. If the gun is from out of state it is easy, it gets shipped to my FFL. I haven't had any trouble yet with buying guns via Gun Broker, this site, or the S&W forum. I check on the feedback, check the sellers posts, see if they have been buying/selling for awhile. If they have few posts (like me) I won't risk it.

The only FTF transactions I have done (as a buyer) were people within my state, known members of a small gun forum. They (the sellers) were taking the risk, but I was not exactly a "newbie" there. Two I met at their homes, two I met at a rest stop on a major highway.
 
I tend to go for the parking lots of major retail or sporting goods stores. Particularly ones who sell guns so that (as the OP said) don't feel it unusual to see a gun there. Of course I generally also try to be discreet about it for the same reason.

Don't wanna freak out Suzy Soccermom............
 
I really am a firm believer in FTF sales at a local at gun show- for a number of reasons. Gun shows usually have lots of people around; something you generally want. Most gun shows are also heavily patrolled by local law enforcement. I just started a brand new website where users can post and preview items being sold at gun shows across the country. Please see my signature line and check it out. My site is BRAND new and doesn't have many posts on it yet, but feel free to post because it is highly ranked by google and has a TON of traffic.
 
This is super easy. I always meet across the street from a police station and try to schedule it during a shift change. My logic is that very few criminals are going to try to start something violent in front of a police station. If they do, response times should be pretty good, but that has yet to be a problem.
Click to expand...

What make you think the BG is going to have enough sense to realize he's across the street from the MAN. Criminals have been known NOT to be the sharpest pencil in the box.
As far as response time, thats up in the air!
 
Gas station, walmart, sporting goods store, etc.

I am not overly concerned about it. My usual thought is a public place during the day.
 
I go for Wal-mart for FTF transactions. Lots of cameras, traffic, and not someplace people would freak out on seeing a gun
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top