Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Armslist - is it a site for non-compliant transactions?

The local fishwrap, Star Tribune, today has a headline story about the increase in "straw purchases" in Minnesota. Mentioned in the article is Armslist as a hotbed of illegal gun sales. I am soliciting opinions from those more familiar with it than me as to the accuracy of that claim.

Scammer's paradise.

Anyone that thinks ATF doesn't watch Armslist like a hawk ain't thinking clearly.

Dont use it, or even know if it is up in Colorado. I do believe the scammer part. but if I contemplated selling without complying to the ( Colorado ) law on private sales, it sure wouldn't be to someone I just met over the phone.
There may be a criminal network for fencing guns, but none of us will find it

Lot of scams to be ignored on Armslist lot of fishy crap too . Ive bought and sold a few things on there. If it doesn't seem right just trust your instincts and don't deal. Did pick up a nice Winchester model 12 in 12 gauge off there a couple weeks back.

I only use it for face to face transactions.

I've used armslist to buy sell and trade guns, ammo, other stuff. Know what you're dealing with and know what's it's worth, inspect it when you meet, shouldn't have a problem. I strongly prefer a buyer have an AZ CCW, but can work around that if I feel like it. You can get a decent feel for someone and the proposed deal just communicating by email, and also test them a little before you meet (ask if they're willing to do a bill of sale even if you have no intention of doing so). I will say I have turned down deals for people proven to be sketchy via an simple internet search, but on the other hand the great state of Arizona has absolutely no interest in helping you figure out if someone is a prohibited possessor or not.

I have used it but only buying from established sellers that are also dealers. No issues.

Face to face on an armslist transaction or forget it. No wiggle room.

I've never used Armslist but I religiously follow every law concerning gun transactions that was in place when our Constitution was ratified.

I've done face-to-face and guns shipped to FFL's. No issues. Like others have said, if something doesn't seem right, don't continue. Last one I was selling. Buyer wanted to send "certified check". The FFL appeared to check out on the ATF website and addresses matched. He wouldn't do a postal money order. So, told him I would accept a certified check on either Bank of America or Wells Fargo since both are here and I could cash it. Never heard from the guy again. I figure I don't need to get in trouble for a few hundred dollars. Besides, here is SC you can do face-to-face with other residents at gun shows.

Only face to face transactions, always in a public place. I always take a second man with me for "just in case".

I disagree. They ain't thinking at all.

That's right.

I use four email addresses for many scam avoidance reasons... When I post on Armslist I use email address #4... if the seller "seems" legit by email, he get a phone number... if he still "seems" legit on the phone, I set up a meet that is convenient to me (i.e. "We are shooting Sporting Clays at XYZ on Saturday at 9AM... meet me there).

Basic questions:

- Resident of Virginia? Military with orders
- Prohibited person?
- So on and so forth...

Making a sale more difficult than the law requires feeds "The Libs"...

Making an unlawful sale feeds "The Man".

If even a whiff of scam or BS... deal is off... next buyer.

Had a bunch of standard capacity Glock mags for sale once at a gun show... 100% legal to sell to anyone IN VIRGINIA... buyers said they were from Maryland, I declined the sale.

Some would have done the same... some wouldn't.

My stuff... my rules

Forgot to mention I was getting a slew of out of state scam messages for a while when I had a number of guns listed. They were very interested in my "firearm" (too f-ing lazy to even personalize the message to the ad) assured me they would pay for shipping, and had an FFL I could send the "firearm" to. Then for some reason they always asked about the condition (clearly described in the ad) and what my lowest price was. One of them had even co-opted the FFL of a pawn shop in TN or KY, can't remember which. But the messages had too much "Nigerian Prince" stink on them to be believable and I wasn't interested in shipping anyway.

I have encounter people on Armlist that wanted to buy a firearm without going through an FFL, the scam thing is as much as people make it out to be, there are so many nice people there too. honest buyers and seller. armslist is the black market of firearms buy/sell.

Bingo!!!!!

State resident to resident.

Do you see that as a problem? Or illegal?

I would expect if ATF was serious, they would find sellers who were willing to circumvent transaction rules and bust a few. The hype it as an ongoing long-range investigation and you would have lawbreakers leave the site.