Sold/Traded your gun...now what?

[edg]

Would like to hear from you what you do after you have sold your gun privately or traded/sold at a gun shop. Here is why I ask. Last week I stopped into my favorite gun shop and the owner says, "Hey the BATF called today and said that an AK47 was used in a shooting. I went through my paperwork and your name popped up." He continued, "You traded it in, I sold it, and was subsequently stolen two weeks ago. The robbery was reported...etc."

So I of course was surprised but in our discussion he said you should keep your receipts and keep track of when you sell or trade your guns. Personally I did not know. The few times I have traded or sold privately I have shredded my receipt and never thought about it again. (ok maybe I regretted doing so)

I will probably get a "you are a dumb a$$" remark and such but what do you do? Do you keep your receipts and where and when you sold/traded? How long do you keep your reciepts?

thanks,
edg

 

[techres]

Different people, different approaches. Some get and keep bills of sale. Some keep the PM's and emails. Some do neither and take a "prove I did something wrong" approach.

The funny thing is this, tracking back a private sale firearm is not the same as a dealer firearm. The fact that there is no paper trail makes the tracking difficult at best. You are more concerned that your fingerprint was on the gun and they haul you in as a suspect for murder than as a bad sale problem.

Personally, I do keep a bill of sale and keep it safe, in a safe.

Sorry to hear your firearm was used in a crime. Hope they got the guy!

 

[Biohazard]

I keep records of sale indefinitely. It takes little room. Even less if you scan it.

 

[edg]

It did take me back a bit. I knew I was ok, but did not know that I should keep track of or save receipts.

Young kid, 18 I think, shot 2 or 3 people and they did get him.

 

[JKH46]

Just sold my .380 to a neighbor last night... maybe I should hit him up today and have him sign a receipt.

 

[Mgderf]

Yes, CYOA!

 

[Dyerbill]

Indiana does not require any paperwork between private individules on any gun transaction of Hoosier to Hoosier. I do it that way.

 

[JKH46]

Indiana does not require any paperwork between private individules on any gun transaction of Hoosier to Hoosier. I do it that way.

Thank you!

 

[MoparMan]

I always get a bill of sale from a private sale for that instance you described that happened to you. Now mabe all the people on here that wont buy/sell with a bill of sale will take notice.

 

[Scutter01]

I get a bill of sale on anything over $100 that I sell. Firearms are no different. If you don't want a paper trail, that's perfectly fine. There are other people willing to buy my item. I'm always up front on my requirement, though. It's not a surprise when you show up.

 

[edg]

I knew there was no requirement for a bill of sale between individuals. I think I will put this in the lesson learned category and thanks for the input INGO!

 

[VN Vet]

How long ago did you trade the firearm to the Gun Shop?

I don't remember the length of time, but after a given amount of time, sales information is supposed to be destroyed by the powers to be. However, I have never believed that that was true.

 

[IndyGunworks]

How long ago did you trade the firearm to the Gun Shop?

I don't remember the length of time, but after a given amount of time, sales information is supposed to be destroyed by the powers to be. However, I have never believed that that was true.

Incorrect.... all firearm transfer paperwork must be get infinatly by an FFL... when the FFL folds you must turn in all the paper work to the atf...

me i dont take any information at all.... its a free state and i am doing nothing wrong... could it burn me.... yes.... but that doesnt matter i am enjoying my 2a right while i still have one to enjoy.

 

[clt46910]

In the last 40 years of buying, selling and trading guns. I only had one gun I sold used in a crime that I know of. That was a gun I had sold over five years before. I was asked who I sold it to, I told them I did not remember and that was that. Never asked me again.

I do not keep records very long. I might for a while, but not for long.

 

[shooter@5(4)life]

.........

 

[chasekerion4]

I certainly wouldn't say you're a dumbass.... If not required to fill out a bill of sale, you did nothing wrong.

Sure, going forward you probably will - but again, you did nothing wrong.

 

[Indy317]

I have every bill of sale from every firearm I have purchased. While I have sold and purchased rifles private party, I have never requested a bill of sale. The only reason is because I remember who I sold it the firearm too. I need to go through my receipts because I need to make sure I have everything written down on who it got sold to. Basically, I can remember every transaction, and every sell transaction has been a co-worker except in one case, it was a friend of a co-worker.

Going forward, I am thinking of doing the following if I sell any firearms: Copy my original store receipt, blacking out my address, phone, and credit card info. Keep the date, make, model, and serial # visible (might black out the price as well). This way if something ever happens, the new owner has a copy which can help show that the gun was at so and so gun shop, sold to me, then re-sold to the current owner. I might also black out my last name as well, not sure if I want someone being able to Google my address via my full name. On the flip side, getting all the info from somebody can protect you as a purchaser/seller. You really should have a contract bill of sale/purchase, which states the purchase is as is and only factory, if any, warranties apply. Could help you if someone breaks a gun and then wants to sue you.

 

[concrete dog]

bill of sale

Indiana does not require any paperwork between private individules on any gun transaction of Hoosier to Hoosier. I do it that way.

i only do a bill of sale if the other party asks for said paper other wise do the transaction shake hands and go home

 

[shooter521]

I always insist on a bill of sale when buying from or selling to an individual, and always make that condition known from the outset. I have yet to have anyone turn down a transaction because of that.

 

[Chefcook]

Incorrect.... all firearm transfer paperwork must be get infinatly by an FFL... when the FFL folds you must turn in all the paper work to the atf...

me i don't take any information at all.... its a free state and i am doing nothing wrong... could it burn me.... yes.... but that doesn't matter i am enjoying my 2a right while i still have one to enjoy.

When guys start asking for more than is required by law in the form of an LTCH and paperwork in private sales and others conform to this action, before too long people start to feel that its the status quo and not a big deal. The next thing you know there is legislation cropping up to make it a law and because folks are used to it they let it go and it gets passed. Further withering our rights. Then before long we have mandatory registration of all firearms and more restriction on how you can purchase them. IMHO, asking for more than is required by law is to take the first step down a very slippery slope. That is how we have lost all the rights we have up to this point, it happens slowly a little bit at a time till one day when you wake up and realize you have no rights left and sit there wondering WTF happened. For me that day was a few years ago...

A perfect example of this sort of action is what is going on right now in this state with smoking bans. They make it Illegal to smoke in a private clubs, in your car or any other public place. How is a private club a public place??? And did it ever occur to you that if I make a private club that caters to smokers that you as a non smoker are not welcome there??? But no that's tuff tittie, as a non smoker you are going to force your way in and make smokers conform to your wishes. The smoking issue is just an example to show how at every turn we lose our right to choose. There are other examples like the seat belt law. Maybe if we all wear helmets and fire suits while driving we can save more lives or better yet maybe driving is just too dangerous all together and should be banned unless you have some extensive training and certification more restrictive than our current CDL.
Before long you may be ticketed for going out in the rain without your yellow rain suit and goulashes like a scolding from your mother in kindergarten. Oh I know, I know, maybe we should have an obesity tax on fatty foods. Or outlaw public displays of affection if your not married or have licensing or permits to have children. We all know there are people out there that ruin children's lives because they are ****** parents. Why do we allow them to have kids??? Maybe when kids are born they should all be shipped off to some government institution where they can be raised properly... Or maybe those people that are deemed to possibly be bad parents should just be sterilized so the can not reproduce..

I know that sounds ridiculous right, like it could never happen right??? Or maybe your saying what does this Rant have to do with the OP. Its about CHOICE having the right to CHOOSE. It's about losing your RIGHTS to FREEDOM and CHOICE... Everyday they chip away at our rights little by little. And we allow them to do it, because most are guided by fear and justify it with rationalizations in ********...I wonder how ridiculous our current laws and issues would seem to any one of our founding fathers. I am sure they are rolling over in their graves disgusted at what we have allowed there sacrifice to become... I know, I am utterly disgusted at how stupid and naive people have become... Whats worse is that we have slid so far down the slope there is no hope for recovery, no chance at redemption. America is lost her people have become self absorbed materialistic frighted robots.

As Bill of Rights said in another thread " I fear it will take a devastating event to wake people up, like multiple nuclear detonations within our borders." In that it is too late...