Home Forums Gear Free Classifieds Bill of sale for Gun off Internet

I have never done it but My FFL on my last purchase asked me if I got a Bill of sale on the gun.
I have never thought of it but I think it is a good idea.
What are your thoughts?

Never could see the need, or that it would make any difference.

Dennis.

It may be useful more for the transferring dealer proving that he/she wasn't the actual Seller and have the need to collect taxes on the saleable amount where applicable.

To be on the safe side if the gun is coming from a "private" person I always get a photocopy onf their valid State Drivers License with the correct address listed on it. Ownership of the gun itself is tranfer through the 4473 process.

I don't have a problem writing one upon request.

To easy to do. My ffl requires one and I've never had a problem getting one............gl

Could not hurt. If something were up, providing a "bill of sale" to the inquiring department of law, might prevent you from being charged with receiving stolen merchandise.

What do you mean by "bill of sale" and how is that different from the written PM exchange that normally occurs on line between a seller and buyer?

Yep.

Waste of time.


Travis

Maybe ask your Hill county attorney, local PD, or Sheriff department...WHAT holds's weight in court....some internet PM or Email????....or a bill of sale signed and dated by the seller?

useless unless notorized

Not true.

A few years back I got a phone call from a local police department. They said "we have a Glock Model 22 which was recovered from some guys who were burglarizing houses, and you were the last registered owner. Is this your gun?"

I had a bill of sale which showed that I had sold it a few years previously. It had the buyers name, address, and drivers license number on it. I never heard from the police on the matter again.

The police could just as easily have said "we have a gun that was recovered in a homicide case, and you were the last registered owner. Is this your gun?"

In such a case, not having a bill of sale could be a huge problem.

Notarized or not notarized has nothing to do with it. Making up a simple bill of sale is simple to do, and worthwhile. Protects both the buyer and the seller.

The 4473 sort of covers the change of ownership.

Dennis.

Still - a bill of sale is easy to do, and it provides a document showing transfer of ownership. And without them having to trace the paperwork through the dealers records, etc.
You get a bill of sale for a car or boat you buy don't you? Even though it's brought to the Motor Vehicle Dept for registration. Exactly the same thing. And - by the way - that is not notarized either!
No need for it to be notarized!
Do they notarize it when you buy a gun at your FFL dealer? NO! DUH!

I just got a bill of sale for a partial box of Barnes 180gr TTSX's.

I have NEVER received a bill of sale for a vehicle. DMV always asks me for one when I do the transfer of ownership, I tell them my bill of sale is the signed portion of the pink slip. It has sale price, last owners information typed on it, and his or her signature. I have never had them deny processing the transfer , a bill of sale is a sign of an old timer's old ways.


What would be on a vehicle bill of sale that is not on the pink slip?

If I am doing an out of state purchase shipped to my FFL, all of the information he needs to put on the form 4473 is needed, a bill of sale is, IMHO, just a feel good thing for buyers who believe they need it.

Allen

I have bought and sold LONG guns at yard sales. and never had a clue who I was dealing with. most guns sold at yard sales were in the families so long they were never registered. and the ones I sold were never registered to me so impossible to trace. that is life and it goes on.

i will not supply personal infortmation other than contact info to a private individual for a gun transaction.

i have no problem going through an FFL at the other guy's expense if he feels the need to have a "paper trail" or if i'm sending/recieving a gun from out of state (i pay for the FFL at my end)

A vehicle bought is usually a FTF deal where both parties are present to sign. We�re talking about internet sales here where both signatures are not possible. A bill of sale without both signatures is just a personal record of a sale, could be made up anytime, would be of little use and would be no different than a verbal accounting of the sale. BTW, I don�t really care about �them having to trace the paperwork through the dealers records�.

JMO, Dennis.

I have an FFL but no storefront and luckily I can still do that here in Montana. I really like the fact that some transfers include a Bill of Sale. First of all, it has the seller�s information, for the ATF�s requirement of logging in the weapon into my books (as does the DL, I know). But it also lists the extras included and shipped, i.e. scope, scope covers, brass, dies etc. Having that information or record assists me when looking through all that damn packing confetti for an extra barrel, scope or accessories. It also keeps both FFL�s (if two are used) clean; from swapping, stealing or altering any extras that may have shipped with the rifle. Most buyers know what they bought but the dealer really has no idea and the receipt does help. Lastly, it has the buyer�s contact information (name, address and phone number). Probably the most important information on a Bill of Sale, as I�m then not relying on memory or half ass notes to find the buyer. Many of my clients have PDF�s or copies of my FFL, so they can complete a transfer on their own and then just wait for it to get shipped to me.

I also have this information added to the bottom of my FFL and it will sometimes be followed by the seller�s.

Please include with this transfer:
� A signed copy of your FFL if you are a dealer
� A legible photo copy of your state drivers license if you are NOT a dealer
� A receipt of purchase (copy OK) with buyers name, address, phone number, weapon description and exactly what is being shipped to include accessories

So I understand why some dealer�s might require one.

My 2cents, BT100

In states which allow unregulated private sales, there won't be a 4473 for that transaction.

There are states that regulate private sales? I must have lead a sheltered life. Also whats this about registered owner?

Bill