sorry if this is coved somewere else but if I buy a gun from a non dealer how can I make sure its legal. I would hate to get stopped and have a stolen gun and not know it.
I HATE gun laws BUT this is one area where the civilian should have access to the info. If they did there would be less of a market for stolen weapons/less firearms taken.
I bought a Ruger Super Blackhawk .44 mag from a guy for $100 one time. I was working at the guys house, and we started talking about guns, and he say's he has a revolver he's looking to sell. He showed it to me, and when he told me what he wanted for it, I immediately called my then father in law, who was a cop, to run the serial numbers on it. It came back clean, and I nearly killed my self driving to the nearest ATM to get the dude his money. So, if somebody said they have a Ruger .44 with a scope, for $50, I'll at least do a little leg work.Lets just say if a guy in a bar offers to sell you a Ruger .44 with a Scope for $50 ... Just Say NO
(note sig below)
Buy guns from FFLs and from reputable INGO members. Do this and you're likely to never have a problem.
Buy from Craigslist, friend of a friend, and shady characters in an alley and you're asking for trouble!
A little more on my question, my best friend bought a gun from a friend of his (an upstanding member of society) but he did not buy it new so no way to tell how many hands it has been in. I would like to take the gun out of the house but would hate more than anything to find out it was stolen and possibly loss my permit. I thank everyone for there input.
Even good, honest people could come into possession of a stolen gun. Unlikely yes, but it does happen. I have had a LEO buddy of mine run serial numbers for me in the past. Never had a problem. Don't know what he would be obligated to do if the gun turned up as stolen. I suppose I would turn it over to him.