# When buying a gun from a private owner....



## jski711

I just bought a gun from a private owner and was wondering if there was something i had to do to "register" it. I talked to my village and they said that i didn't have to tell them anything. I guess the only reason im asking is cause you always see (this is on t.v. so i might be way off track here) them running a guns serial number and it comes up "registered" to Joe Blow. is there something else i have to do or am i all good? thanks in advance guys.

Jake


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## unpecador

When you say that you talked to your village, what does that mean? Have you contacted any local law enforcement agency? Where are you located?


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## DevilsJohnson

ummmmm Village?:smt102


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## Ram Rod

Depends on where you live I suspect. Most places require you to do nothing. Individual sales are seldom regulated. I would make a record of whom you purchased from, and somehow make sure it's not a stolen gun.


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## DevilsJohnson

Most Police Dept will run a guns serial # if you take the serial down to them. Just tell them you were thinking about buying it and wanted to make sure it wasn't hot.


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## Ram Rod

DevilsJohnson said:


> Most Police Dept will run a guns serial # if you take the serial down to them. Just tell them you were thinking about buying it and wanted to make sure it wasn't hot.


Some may, and some may not. In these parts, it is illegal to use state or federal information/database for personal use. Only guns that have been involved in a crime, or those reported stolen by their owners would be in the database. That's not to say that sometime in the future someone may report a gun stolen. Like I say...make some sort of documentation for yourself as to who sold it to you....it won't keep you from going to jail immediately, but may help get you out sooner. I don't mean to scare you on buying from individuals....it's done all the time. Just be as careful as you can be and cover at least part of your assets. I'm not telling this to argue with you either Johnson.


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## bruce333

jski711 said:


> I guess the only reason im asking is cause you always see (this is on t.v. so i might be way off track here) them running a guns serial number and it comes up "registered" to Joe Blow.


Don't believe everything you hear or see on tv or in the movies. They get stuff wrong all the time, deliberately (and sometimes just 'cause the writers don't know any better), just to advance the plot.


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## Wyatt

I'm not an attorney so I offer no advice, do your own due diligence. Consider this nothing more than a possibly ignorant internet post:

In California, which is one of the more stringent states, there is no requirement to "register" a handgun. Though I'm not quite sure what registration actually means, though I hear it on TV and in the movies all the time.

When buying a gun from a dealer you must fill out an application to purchase a firearm. This initiates the background check. If there is any follow-up on the actual purchase I'm not sure. I don't know that there is a DOJ record of my name attached to serial numbers for my guns. 

When selling/buying a gun via private party in California, it must be done through an FFL and the normal procedures (i.e. background check) apply. Only certain antique/curio firearms are exempt.


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## tony pasley

Your state is not listed so check with local law first. North Carolina "says" you are to have a purchase permit in for private sales, unless you have a CCW, so first check local/state laws, second get reciept with sellers info and price ect., third enjoy shooting your new gun.


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## tekhead1219

Just make sure you get a bill of sale. That way if the thing turns out to be stolen or had been used in the commission of a crime, you have some proof of who you got it from and when.


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## Thallas

Here in Michigan you have to have a permit to purchase unless you have a cpl license like Tony said in his post, and then you have to take the pistol to the county sheriff or the local police department for a "safety inspection". This only applies to pistols, if its a rifle a bill of sale is all thats needed and there is no purchase permit. Either way I would talk to the local or county law enforcement just to cover the backside.


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## 3/325

Washington state requires nothing for a private sale. Most times, however, the seller will ask for ID and possibly a CPL. As a buyer I got lucky: I bought my handgun privately from a local county cop. It was no trouble verifying him or the gun.

There shouldn't be any problem with asking your local PD to run the serial number against any reported stolen firearms. People sometimes do this before buying cars through a private sale. I've done that in Virginia and Florida, and I plan on doing it again if I buy a used car here in WA.

In my *very limited experience*, law enforcement encourages this kind of thing before purchasing because they stand a chance of catching the *seller* with the stolen property instead of the poor suckered buyer.


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## tekhead1219

3/325 said:


> In my *very limited experience*, law enforcement encourages this kind of thing before purchasing because they stand a chance of catching the *seller* with the stolen property instead of the poor suckered buyer.


They also encourage it so they know who and where to get the handgun from should they become illegal.:smt076


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## niadhf

New York does not allow for private sales of handguns. all such transactions are required to go through an ffl. This is to get a reciept to pick up your gun and have it added to your license (yes the list them) and removed from the sellers if they are a NY resident. This does not hold true for long guns.

I am not a lawyer and do not play one on tv. so check my info your own self or you may be in deep doo-doo and it ain't my fault.


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## 3/325

tekhead1219 said:


> They also encourage it so they know who and where to get the handgun from should they become illegal.:smt076


You won't get any argument from me about the evils of gun registry. However, inquiring about a serial number _prior_ to purchase gives them nothing to make a note of other than what you *might* have. True, it's still none of their business, but it doesn't really give them much.


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## Thallas

I remember a few years back there was something on the tax forms asking about how many firearms were in the house. That was a big zero according to that, the only one they know about is the pistol since its required.


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