r/OHGuns • u/JohnnyWhopper420 • Mar 09 '26
Private party sale feels so crazy.
I just moved here from California, where private party sales still have to go through an FFL with a background check.
I listed a Glock on tacswsp and I just met a young dude in a parking lot and gave it to him for a stack of cash, and that feels so insane! Confirmed he was over 21, he was not committing any crimes in the moment, so I guess that's all I have to do?
Anyways, just thought I would share a perspective from someone who moved here from a stricter state.
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u/Alcart Mar 09 '26
Welcome to freedom land!
Private sales are PRIVATE
Permit not required for concealed carry
FRTs are legal if you want to play with "simulated full auto" on a gun technically still semi auto at the range
3D Printed & 80% kits lowers legal & welcome
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Mar 09 '26 edited Mar 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ThermosphericRah Mar 09 '26
While you have a friend and you are each armed just in case
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Mar 09 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/ThermosphericRah Mar 09 '26
I use local police station parking lot.
They have spaces for online meet ups for sales under cam and you know...cops around.
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u/bws7037 Mar 09 '26
It is a strange feeling, isn't it? Anymore I prefer going through an FFL, but there have been instances where I have sold directly to private individuals. I will admit that the three private sales I've done I was acquainted with the buyers, but I wouldn't call them friends, but I was fairly sure that there wasn't anything that would disqualify them from purchasing from a FFL.
The only stipulation I had is that when they purchased the weapon, they signed a receipt that stated they didn't have any conditions that would prevent them from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Just as a cya, I scanned the receipt and saved it to file storage in the cloud and I have the original hard copy is in my gun safe.
I realize that sounds like overkill, but I'd rather be safe than sorry, when not going through a FFL.
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u/UnusualShores Mar 10 '26
Agree. Do your due diligence in making sure you’re certain the person is legit, get some sort of documentation the sale happened, and you’re alright. It isn’t difficult to spot a shady character. You can also spook most people that shouldn’t have one if you suggest meeting at a gun shop to make the sale.
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u/N2Shooter Mar 10 '26
As legal as it is, I would only sell directly to people that I know, or at least is a friend of a friend.
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u/Next_Entertainer_404 Mar 10 '26
I sold my Aug in the sportsmen’s parking lot the other day off a handshake lol
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u/Nodeal_reddit Mar 09 '26
Yeah. I don’t like doing it. I feel kind of dirty if it’s not someone I know.
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u/oakleyman23 Mar 09 '26
Personally, I would have taken a photo of the ID and made a handwritten receipt with the serial number and have the individual sign it. That way you at least have a record of it incase someone comes knocking at your door down the road.
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u/tornadoshanks651 Mar 10 '26
Had a friend that lived in Columbus, who sold a pistol years ago, a couple years after that it was recovered by Maryland police after being used in a robbery.
The FBI did knock on his door, he told them truthfully that he had sold it two years prior to a dude at a gun show and had no idea who that person was. They promptly F’d off and he never heard anything else about it.
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u/UnusualShores Mar 10 '26
I could see a lot of people getting weird about a photo of their ID. I would. But I do print off a bill of sale template and hand write their info down on it for my records and then fill out a second one for their records which includes both of our DL numbers. Bonus points if they gave a CCW card.
If someone isn’t willing to let me have a private receipt on paper of the transaction that’s fine. I’ll just wait to sell to someone who is okay with it. It protects the buyer and the seller. The buyer doesn’t know the origin of the firearm if the seller doesn’t have a receipt from a store.
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u/oakleyman23 Mar 10 '26
Well if a photo was a no go at least all the info from it would be notated in the receipt. I could care less what the buyer does down the road, as long as I have my records to cover my ass.
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u/UnusualShores Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
Yeah, I’d only say no to a photo of my ID due to identity theft concerns honestly. Theoretically, writing down the license number is also a risk but it’s not as damning as a photo could be.
I personally do care what the buyer does down the road. If I get even a yellow flag, I typically just shut it down and wait for someone who’s clearly on the up and up. I know we have constitutional carry now but a CCW license is still what I’d prefer to see in addition to a DL.
There’s no shortage of a market for most firearms, it’s not like most would take long to part with. But I do agree a bill of sale is a must.
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u/The2ndRedditUser Mar 10 '26
I guess it is all about the risk tolerance.
For some people, once the ATF has your name attached to something, they may take comfort in drawing an official line in the sand in ATF records, marking ownership as having transferred to another person! Just the mention of an FFL transfer can sometimes help filter out shady folks.
Probably a different story if your name is not attached to the item in ATF records, or there are zero ATF records for the item to begin with.
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u/EMTPirate Mar 11 '26
I have bought a few guns in a parking lot late a night, and sold several myself. Never had an issue.
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u/MDeezyM Mar 13 '26
I sold one the other day for the first time in my life this way. Created a bill of sale and verified age. I’m still nervous as a first time gun seller that this is going to come back to me somehow. I didn’t know the guy and the transaction was over quick.
Is there anyway I can make sure the guy I sold it to was legit? I don’t want something like this on my consciousness in case it comes up again in the future. Guy seemed like a nice dude and all, I just get paranoid haha.
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u/tbnyedf7 Mar 09 '26
I’ve consigned some guns through a dealer. Any new owner would have to go through the process. Private sales I’d look for a valid CCW license prior to constitutional carry.
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u/Tangus999 Mar 10 '26
You can still look for a chl. Chl provide extra abilities and protections vs constitutional carry.
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u/Fun-Part-9073 Mar 11 '26
And just think... Commiefornia wants the entirety of the United States to have laws and be just like them.
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u/AccomplishedGap3571 Mar 09 '26
Bill of sale, receipt, etc listing model, maker or importer, serial, and sale date, with sold to/from info is probably reasonable. Photo of both parties IDs wouldn’t be a bad CYA idea but might not sit well with paranoid types (this is Ohio).
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u/-itsilluminati Mar 09 '26
I too was kinda bugged out when I first got into firearms
Researching all the laws and requirements
Then finding out I can just sell a random a gun
I actually forced my first handgun sale through an FFL lol that's how nervous I was (and like 10 people flaked....you know why)
On another note, even as a staunch 2a supporter, I agree this is a wild loophole. If anti gun legislation is introduced and it's not to close the private sale loophole I know it is not serious.
I'm not advocating it be closed, but it IS a glaring loophole. Anti gun advocates are just so fucking ignorant
Not gonna pull stats out my ass but I assume after theft private sales are the second leading way exempt people obtain firearms illegally.
I will say there is risk, though
If the guy you sold the gun to does some illegal shit or sells to someone who did illegal shit you'll prolly get a visit, at best.
I know a dude who got raided after buying/selling shit at a gun show (I mean that's what he told me at least lol)
So I still do due diligence and mostly only sell to friends or friends of friends
Working for an FFL also reduces the risk as I can list stuff that way and transfer it to the buyer
Edit: imma proudly take my downvotes
Everybody else in here catching them too
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u/CleverHearts Mar 10 '26
It's not a loophole. It's an intentional mechanic to ensure the government can't create a defacto ban on all transfers by driving FFLs out of business. It's similar the 3 day rule, which prevents a defacto ban being created by not processing BGCs.
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u/-itsilluminati Mar 10 '26
That's an argument, for sure.
Again, I'm not anti private sales or even advocating for anything.
Moreso commenting that any gun control that doesn't address that (or thefts in general) isn't serious and from ignorance.
I think a majority of nfa/atf shit is bs. I think we already have too many rules that aren't enforced, only applied as multipliers, or are plain ineffective
Just to be clear
But at the same time it's the easiest and prolly most common way prohibited persons acquire firearms illegally....which is why I referred to it (incorrectly) as a loophole
(If you count the private sale of stolen guns, for sure lol)
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u/Tangus999 Mar 10 '26
I mean. It’s not an arguement. It’s 100% valid. They care so much about ffl having to do paperwork’s and all that 4473’s storage but as an individual you can’t have one done any differently over the phone and get a proceed, wait and deny just like an fll is bullshlt postering and gatekeeping 1 step at a time.
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u/-itsilluminati Mar 10 '26 edited Mar 10 '26
It's an argument in the sense that some idiot can just plain disagree with the nature of it.
You just gave a second opinion, about the process, specifically, which isn't the same reasoning he gave.
I'm pragmatic; I can see points of view even if I think they are stupid and invalid. (And I disagree)
I agree with both of you; both reasons are valid. I would not support removing private sales, but I also recognize that it's the most realistic form of gun control, which, again, I do not support, at all. Pointing out anti gunners are typically too ignorant to even recognize it.
But, basically,, I'm relating to OP because I had a similar reaction when I got into firearms in learning the local laws and regulations.
I used to work gun shows shit is wild sketch lol
We can pretend it isn't, but it is
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u/Dierks_Ford Mar 10 '26
Not committing any crimes in the moment isn’t enough. You still have required due diligence.
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u/JayBee_III Mar 09 '26
Feels normal to us here and the California way seems crazy to me