When you trade a firearm...

[57Coastie]

Always having a bill of sale will show that it is no longer yours and who it went to. Other than that they aren't worth much.

Very true, and that is the point.

Jim

[chartreuse]

Always having a bill of sale will show that it is no longer yours and who it went to. Other than that they aren't worth much.

I dunno about that. I think that, sometimes, we all get tunnel vision on guns as guns and forget that guns are also property. Typically, we insure our property. Most of us wouldn't buy or sell a TV or a car without getting or giving some sort of bill or receipt, so why don't we do that with guns? It's just a piece of paper, between two private individuals, not a record on a giant government database.

[chabouk]

As far as how the Law works, If you steal a Car, sell it to a dealership, I then go to that dealership and buy it "In Good Faith" the Car is mine.
The Orignal owner of the Car may collect the amount of the Car from the Dealership. I cannot be sued (more or less)
Isnt the Law fun?

Are you sure about that?

It's been a long time since I studied business law, but it was a basic tenet that you can't pass bad title. If the title is bad, it reverts all the way back up the line to the rightful owner, and each person in the chain has to seek remuneration from the party they dealt with.

If I write a bad check to you, and you sign it over to a third party, who then deposits it to their bank and take out the cash, when the check bounces they're not coming after me, nor you: they're going after their customer who deposited it. His recourse then is to collect the money from you, and yours is to collect it from me.

[chabouk]

Oh, and not to hijack the thread too much, but the idea of a gun being "in your name" is one of the most widely believed Hollywood falsehood there is. All those TV crime dramas taking about guns being registered? They're fiction!

Hawaii is the only state with total gun registration. Chicago, NYC, and DC also have total gun registration. A half dozen or so states have handgun registration, and a couple have "assault weapon" registration. That's about it.

Here's a good map.

http://www.opencarry.org/register.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[03Lightningrocks]

Always having a bill of sale will show that it is no longer yours and who it went to. Other than that they aren't worth much.

I dunno about that. I think that, sometimes, we all get tunnel vision on guns as guns and forget that guns are also property. Typically, we insure our property. Most of us wouldn't buy or sell a TV or a car without getting or giving some sort of bill or receipt, so why don't we do that with guns? It's just a piece of paper, between two private individuals, not a record on a giant government database.

I have sold personal items used many times and never asked for a receipt. I have bought many used items over my life and again...Never gave a receipt. Why is it that a used gun requires a receipt? Would you ask for a receipt if you sold someone a pocket knife? Pocket knives have been used to commit crimes too.

[chartreuse]

Always having a bill of sale will show that it is no longer yours and who it went to. Other than that they aren't worth much.

I dunno about that. I think that, sometimes, we all get tunnel vision on guns as guns and forget that guns are also property. Typically, we insure our property. Most of us wouldn't buy or sell a TV or a car without getting or giving some sort of bill or receipt, so why don't we do that with guns? It's just a piece of paper, between two private individuals, not a record on a giant government database.

I have sold personal items used many times and never asked for a receipt. I have bought many used items over my life and again...Never gave a receipt. Why is it that a used gun requires a receipt? Would you ask for a receipt if you sold someone a pocket knife? Pocket knives have been used to commit crimes too.

You see, this is exactly what I was talking about. With respect, you seem to be fixated on the fact that it's a weapon, hence your reference to knives and crime. It's nothing to do with the nature of the item, rather it's the value. Like I said earlier, for a $200 beater, I'm not likely to bother, but for a $1000+ item, I'd be happier with a receipt in case I needed to claim on my insurance, if it was stolen, for example.

[03Lightningrocks]

Always having a bill of sale will show that it is no longer yours and who it went to. Other than that they aren't worth much.

I dunno about that. I think that, sometimes, we all get tunnel vision on guns as guns and forget that guns are also property. Typically, we insure our property. Most of us wouldn't buy or sell a TV or a car without getting or giving some sort of bill or receipt, so why don't we do that with guns? It's just a piece of paper, between two private individuals, not a record on a giant government database.

I have sold personal items used many times and never asked for a receipt. I have bought many used items over my life and again...Never gave a receipt. Why is it that a used gun requires a receipt? Would you ask for a receipt if you sold someone a pocket knife? Pocket knives have been used to commit crimes too.

You see, this is exactly what I was talking about. With respect, you seem to be fixated on the fact that it's a weapon, hence your reference to knives and crime. It's nothing to do with the nature of the item, rather it's the value. Like I said earlier, for a $200 beater, I'm not likely to bother, but for a $1000+ item, I'd be happier with a receipt in case I needed to claim on my insurance, if it was stolen, for example.

Aside form the pocket knife reference, I have never requested a receipt for any item I have ever purchased used and have never given a receipt for the same either. The truth is, folks who are requesting a receipt for a used gun purchase are doing it for the sole reason that it is a gun. Most of them would never request a receipt when they buy a used fridge out of the newspaper.

[chartreuse]

Always having a bill of sale will show that it is no longer yours and who it went to. Other than that they aren't worth much.

I dunno about that. I think that, sometimes, we all get tunnel vision on guns as guns and forget that guns are also property. Typically, we insure our property. Most of us wouldn't buy or sell a TV or a car without getting or giving some sort of bill or receipt, so why don't we do that with guns? It's just a piece of paper, between two private individuals, not a record on a giant government database.

I have sold personal items used many times and never asked for a receipt. I have bought many used items over my life and again...Never gave a receipt. Why is it that a used gun requires a receipt? Would you ask for a receipt if you sold someone a pocket knife? Pocket knives have been used to commit crimes too.

You see, this is exactly what I was talking about. With respect, you seem to be fixated on the fact that it's a weapon, hence your reference to knives and crime. It's nothing to do with the nature of the item, rather it's the value. Like I said earlier, for a $200 beater, I'm not likely to bother, but for a $1000+ item, I'd be happier with a receipt in case I needed to claim on my insurance, if it was stolen, for example.

Aside form the pocket knife reference, I have never requested a receipt for any item I have ever purchased used and have never given a receipt for the same either. The truth is, folks who are requesting a receipt for a used gun purchase are doing it for the sole reason that it is a gun. Most of them would never request a receipt when they buy a used fridge out of the newspaper.

Do you not think it's a bit presumptuous of you to claim to know what everybody is thinking? (incidentally, used fridges don't typically cost over $1000). I explained my reasoning, so am I included in this "truth" of yours?

[O6nop]

Always having a bill of sale will show that it is no longer yours and who it went to. Other than that they aren't worth much.

I dunno about that. I think that, sometimes, we all get tunnel vision on guns as guns and forget that guns are also property. Typically, we insure our property. Most of us wouldn't buy or sell a TV or a car without getting or giving some sort of bill or receipt, so why don't we do that with guns? It's just a piece of paper, between two private individuals, not a record on a giant government database.

I have sold personal items used many times and never asked for a receipt. I have bought many used items over my life and again...Never gave a receipt. Why is it that a used gun requires a receipt? Would you ask for a receipt if you sold someone a pocket knife? Pocket knives have been used to commit crimes too.

You see, this is exactly what I was talking about. With respect, you seem to be fixated on the fact that it's a weapon, hence your reference to knives and crime. It's nothing to do with the nature of the item, rather it's the value. Like I said earlier, for a $200 beater, I'm not likely to bother, but for a $1000+ item, I'd be happier with a receipt in case I needed to claim on my insurance, if it was stolen, for example.

Aside form the pocket knife reference, I have never requested a receipt for any item I have ever purchased used and have never given a receipt for the same either. The truth is, folks who are requesting a receipt for a used gun purchase are doing it for the sole reason that it is a gun. Most of them would never request a receipt when they buy a used fridge out of the newspaper.

There also isn't a federal agency breathing down your neck if a refrigerator you once owned is used in a crime...

I would suggest getting a receipt or at least knowing who had possesion of a gun immediately after your own ownership. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I even get a receipt from a self serve gas pump in case the attendant thinks or wants to claim that I'm leaving without paying.

[MojoTexas]

Aside form the pocket knife reference, I have never requested a receipt for any item I have ever purchased used and have never given a receipt for the same either. The truth is, folks who are requesting a receipt for a used gun purchase are doing it for the sole reason that it is a gun. Most of them would never request a receipt when they buy a used fridge out of the newspaper.

LOL...Ironically I asked for a bill of sale last September when my wife and I bought a used refrigerator for $500 from Craigslist. I did so in case the fridge turned was stolen or if I discovered something wrong with it. (The guy I was buying from had it in a storage unit, and it seemed a little sketchy.)

Can't you just call your local PD and ask them to run the serial number if you're interested in buying a used firearm? I would think the police wouldn't mind doing this...since if it IS stolen, they would know where to recover it, and if it isn't, you have some peace of mind that it's a clean sale.

[chartreuse]

Can't you just call your local PD and ask them to run the serial number if you're interested in buying a used firearm? I would think the police wouldn't mind doing this...since if it IS stolen, they would know where to recover it, and if it isn't, you have some peace of mind that it's a clean sale.

I've been told that the PD round here will run the serial # for you, but only if you go in person. I've never asked the Sheriff's Dept whether they'd do it over the phone - perhaps I should.

[Mike from Texas]

Call me naive, but I have only asked for 1 bill of sale for a face to face firearm transaction on my life, and that's when I knew a lot less than I know now.

IF something were to happen with a firearm that you legally purchased at some point and could be traced back to you, the burden of proof is on them to prove or disprove whether or not that you had possession of the weapon when the crime was committed. I would imagine that the incident rate for that type of crime is minuscule. Criminal don't usually buy their guns in methods that we would deem traditional.

All of my face to face transactions have always ended with a handshake and a thank you and nothing more. YMMV, IANAL, etc, etc......

[03Lightningrocks]

Do you not think it's a bit presumptuous of you to claim to know what everybody is thinking? (incidentally, used fridges don't typically cost over $1000). I explained my reasoning, so am I included in this "truth" of yours?

Wow guy... so far every single accusation you have directed towards me is being done by you as you make the accusation. You are boardering on being insultiing. Please stop now.

[03Lightningrocks]

Call me naive, but I have only asked for 1 bill of sale for a face to face firearm transaction on my life, and that's when I knew a lot less than I know now.

IF something were to happen with a firearm that you legally purchased at some point and could be traced back to you, the burden of proof is on them to prove or disprove whether or not that you had possession of the weapon when the crime was committed. I would imagine that the incident rate for that type of crime is minuscule. Criminal don't usually buy their guns in methods that we would deem traditional.

All of my face to face transactions have always ended with a handshake and a thank you and nothing more. YMMV, IANAL, etc, etc......

That would be the same experiences I have had with the one exception that I have never asked even once.

[chartreuse]

Do you not think it's a bit presumptuous of you to claim to know what everybody is thinking? (incidentally, used fridges don't typically cost over $1000). I explained my reasoning, so am I included in this "truth" of yours?

Wow guy... so far every single accusation you have directed towards me is being done by you as you make the accusation. You are boardering on being insultiing. Please stop now.

I think that's a very unfair accusation to level at me. I'm not aware of having accused you of anything. Rather, you have consistently ignored the point I'm making, instead coming out with the blanket statement "The truth is, folks who are requesting a receipt for a used gun purchase are doing it for the sole reason that it is a gun." All I did was ask you to clarify that.