Purchase of firearm private party online

[Forester]

What's the most secure way to purchase a firearm from a private party online?

thank you.

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[JohnnyMac]

I'd say that probably the most secure way is for you and the seller to meet at an FFL, you inspect the firearm and if you are happy with it, you hand over the money and the seller gives the firearm to the FFL. You do the required paperwork for a background check and when everything has been approved, you pick up the firearm. The trick is finding an FFL that the seller is willing to drive to, and you are willing to drive to twice.

 

[Forester]

Good thoughts.
thank you

 

[JohnnyMac]

Good thoughts.
thank you

I haven't done much so other's here on the forum probably have better advice. My suggestion really only works when the buyer and seller are relatively close to each other. I suppose if you are looking at purchasing something from across the country, then that changes things. Perhaps if you have a friend that lives anywhere close to the seller, they could inspect the firearm for you, or you might be able to call an FFL in the seller's local area see if you could pay that FFL to inspect the firearm for you so you at least get some sort of report and know it is real. Just a couple thoughts. Good luck!

 

[Pepe-lepew]

I have bought and sold online through forums. I check feedback and sellers history on the forum. I don't buy unless I am confident they are legit. I know every transaction is a risk so I realize it is a gamble with the money.

This month I have bought two firearms on different forums from sellers in Ohio and Washington. I would have been nearly impossible to find those firearms locally for a fair price.

 

[titsonritz]

To not.

 

[Forester]

How do you make payment ?

 

[Ridge Walker]

Back in the day we used to met at the LGS and he would run the SN with LE. We would buy some ammo and shoot it at the range out back. Come inside, get the all clear from LE and paid cash on the barrelhead and buy more ammo for the house.

 

[Fishjager]

You have to be careful on Gun Broker. I recently had an ad on a forum hacked (copy and pasted) from the forum I was on to Gun Broker with a cheap buy it now. The gun sold right a way. Both seller and buyer were (NR). So some poor dude just bought a gun from a guy who did not have it. FRAUD. Be really careful as this guy even asked for a USPS money order? But I guess it is all in enforcement, if anybody does that now days. Always look for ratings, or feedback before doing an online transaction!

 

[Forester]

You have to be careful on Gun Broker. I recently had an ad on a forum hacked (copy and pasted) from the forum I was on to Gun Broker with a cheap buy it now. The gun sold right a way. Both seller and buyer were (NR). So some poor dude just bought a gun from a guy who did not have it. FRAUD. Be really careful as this guy even asked for a USPS money order? But I guess it is all in enforcement, if anybody does that now days. Always look for ratings, or feedback before doing an online transaction!

Good advice. Thanks

 

[daved20319]

I have bought and sold online through forums. I check feedback and sellers history on the forum. I don't buy unless I am confident they are legit. I know every transaction is a risk so I realize it is a gamble with the money.

This month I have bought two firearms on different forums from sellers in Ohio and Washington. I would have been nearly impossible to find those firearms locally for a fair price.

This sums it up pretty well. I live in the boonies, so almost all the guns I've bought and sold over the years have been sight unseen, and from all over the country. Lots of guns have come and gone in that time, to date, I've never been burned.

Payment depends on what I'm selling and to whom, if I've dealt with them before, I'll accept a personal check, otherwise it's a Postal money order for guns. For parts and accessories, I prefer PayPal, and I DON'T use Friends & Family, I figure they provide a service, they deserve to get paid for it, using F&F for a transaction with a stranger is stealing IMO. It also means you have no recourse if you get scammed. Postal MO's are also pretty safe as long as you save the receipt and fill out the address info, then if you get scammed, you have a place for the Fed's to start looking. Another option is exchanging pics of your driver's licenses, pretty unlikely a scammer will agree to that, although even legit buyers/seller might balk. Watch out for PO Box addresses, if that's what they offer, ask for their street address as well.

Another good way to check if someone's for real, and in real time, is Facetime or Skype. Pretty hard to sell something you don't have if someone wants to see it on video. Not fool proof, of course, but it's another way to verify someone's bona fides. I've only done this once, but it's a good option, especially on higher dollar items. It also gives you one more possible line of investigation if the deal still goes sideways.

Bottom line, buying anything online from a private party will always be a risk. Best ways to minimize the risk are A) don't be greedy, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And B), don't be in a hurry, do your due diligence, if a buyer is unwilling to give you the time to verify the deal to your satisfaction, probably better to walk. Hope there's something helpful there, later.

Dave

 

[Forester]

This sums it up pretty well. I live in the boonies, so almost all the guns I've bought and sold over the years have been sight unseen, and from all over the country. Lots of guns have come and gone in that time, to date, I've never been burned.

Payment depends on what I'm selling and to whom, if I've dealt with them before, I'll accept a personal check, otherwise it's a Postal money order for guns. For parts and accessories, I prefer PayPal, and I DON'T use Friends & Family, I figure they provide a service, they deserve to get paid for it, using F&F for a transaction with a stranger is stealing IMO. It also means you have no recourse if you get scammed. Postal MO's are also pretty safe as long as you save the receipt and fill out the address info, then if you get scammed, you have a place for the Fed's to start looking. Another option is exchanging pics of your driver's licenses, pretty unlikely a scammer will agree to that, although even legit buyers/seller might balk. Watch out for PO Box addresses, if that's what they offer, ask for their street address as well.

Another good way to check if someone's for real, and in real time, is Facetime or Skype. Pretty hard to sell something you don't have if someone wants to see it on video. Not fool proof, of course, but it's another way to verify someone's bona fides. I've only done this once, but it's a good option, especially on higher dollar items. It also gives you one more possible line of investigation if the deal still goes sideways.

Bottom line, buying anything online from a private party will always be a risk. Best ways to minimize the risk are A) don't be greedy, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. And B), don't be in a hurry, do your due diligence, if a buyer is unwilling to give you the time to verify the deal to your satisfaction, probably better to walk. Hope there's something helpful there, later.

Dave

Appreciate the input.

 

[Fishjager]

Remember to Google the address of the other person and look at what type home they live in. It is not out of reason to ask for a picture of the item with a card showing the date of the picture, and drivers license as well. Get the serial number of the gun as well. I bet the buyer of the gun in my ad that was hacked wishes he had asked for the above? Never use a PO Box, or Paypal FF.

I googled the address one time and got a picture of a vacant lot! What do you think I did?

 

[Camelfilter]

To not.

This! Given that the OP is asking, not worthwhile currently for sight unseen kinds of transactions given the current market. Too many / too high of an up tick in scammer types around.

For folks familiar with online person to person (via FFL) deals, whom know what to look for as far as scammer activity? Yah, for sure.

As for the OP: Just stick with face to face in person transactions at your local friendly FFL dealer.