I found a bill of sale on the ODT posted by Okuma Steve, and I revised it and shortened it to one page. I've attached it, so please let me know what you think and feel free to use it for your sales.
To all the bill of sale haters:
I understand not wanting a bill of sale when you buy a firearm privately. It's legal, so why add unnecessary paperwork? I get it. I also understand not needing a bill of sale when you sell a firearm that you purchased privately. You didn't have a paper trail when you bought it, so why create one when you sell it? I get it.
But if you purchase a firearm from an FFL, and then you sell it privately, how can you justify not having a bill of sale? There are so many hypothetical backfires. It's not that I don't trust you. I get to meet you, shake your hand, and I already saw all of your positive feedback on the ODT. It's the guy who owns it after you I don't trust.
I'm bringing this all up, because I recently tried to sell 2 guns to a guy who lives 10 minutes from me. I had a gun on gunbroker, and he sent me an email saying he lives near me and I should call him. I call, he says, if you end the auction we can meet and I'll buy it for cash. He also mentions that he owns a local well established business that I'm familiar with, so I agree. He also asks if I have any other guns for sale, and I mention a BCM AR I have. I tell him that I will need a bill of sale if he buys the guns, and he says, "no problem". I purchased both guns through FFL's. I remind him in a second phone call about the bill of sale, and that I'd like to glance at his carry permit (but not record any info on it). He says, "no problem". I get there, show him the guns, and we agree on a package deal of 2 guns, a holster, and some ammo for a large sum. He hands me the cash; I hand him the guns. I pull out the bill of sale, and he fills it out, signs it, then stops for a minute and writes "VOID" across it, tears it up, looks at me and says "give me my money back". He starts saying that he's never had to do paperwork when he's bought guns before at gun shows, and I should trust my fellow man. But remember that he agreed to a bill of sale before I ended my auction and drove over to meet. He read and signed the bill of sale before changing his mind. I was furious. I had the cash, he had the guns. We are standing here at his business in a very small town that I live in, and I didn't want to make a big scene, but I shared some words without getting too ugly, gave him his money, took my guns and stormed out. Ridiculous right?
I know I'm paranoid, but I believe a simple bill of sale that doesn't ever get filed with police or an FFL shouldn't be a deal breaker for people buying and selling guns privately. Please share your thoughts.
To all the bill of sale haters:
I understand not wanting a bill of sale when you buy a firearm privately. It's legal, so why add unnecessary paperwork? I get it. I also understand not needing a bill of sale when you sell a firearm that you purchased privately. You didn't have a paper trail when you bought it, so why create one when you sell it? I get it.
But if you purchase a firearm from an FFL, and then you sell it privately, how can you justify not having a bill of sale? There are so many hypothetical backfires. It's not that I don't trust you. I get to meet you, shake your hand, and I already saw all of your positive feedback on the ODT. It's the guy who owns it after you I don't trust.
I'm bringing this all up, because I recently tried to sell 2 guns to a guy who lives 10 minutes from me. I had a gun on gunbroker, and he sent me an email saying he lives near me and I should call him. I call, he says, if you end the auction we can meet and I'll buy it for cash. He also mentions that he owns a local well established business that I'm familiar with, so I agree. He also asks if I have any other guns for sale, and I mention a BCM AR I have. I tell him that I will need a bill of sale if he buys the guns, and he says, "no problem". I purchased both guns through FFL's. I remind him in a second phone call about the bill of sale, and that I'd like to glance at his carry permit (but not record any info on it). He says, "no problem". I get there, show him the guns, and we agree on a package deal of 2 guns, a holster, and some ammo for a large sum. He hands me the cash; I hand him the guns. I pull out the bill of sale, and he fills it out, signs it, then stops for a minute and writes "VOID" across it, tears it up, looks at me and says "give me my money back". He starts saying that he's never had to do paperwork when he's bought guns before at gun shows, and I should trust my fellow man. But remember that he agreed to a bill of sale before I ended my auction and drove over to meet. He read and signed the bill of sale before changing his mind. I was furious. I had the cash, he had the guns. We are standing here at his business in a very small town that I live in, and I didn't want to make a big scene, but I shared some words without getting too ugly, gave him his money, took my guns and stormed out. Ridiculous right?
I know I'm paranoid, but I believe a simple bill of sale that doesn't ever get filed with police or an FFL shouldn't be a deal breaker for people buying and selling guns privately. Please share your thoughts.
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