The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Would you refuse to sell a gun to someone you think is shady?

5whiskey · January 18, 2014, 10:05 PM

I know the question is a no-brainer. Were it a FTF, probably no one would sell a gun if they get a hinky feeling but here me out...

Today, as I was coming out of the gun show and walking through the parking lot, I see the strangest thing. I see a very young looking kid walking through the parking lot in wrinkled pleated kakhi pants, a plain (very cheap) white polo shirt that you can almost see through, unkempt hair and facial appearance, plain white Reebok tennis shoes, and a black duster trench coat half buttoned up. This kid couldn't have been older than 18, walking toward the gun show looking like that.

I'm with my neighbor, who was a cop for 20+ years. I point the kid out to him and he agrees 1000%. We actually turn around to see if the kid was going in the gun show. He does... we both agree that we would under no circumstance ever sell this kid a gun in a FTF transaction unless he would talk to us long enough to assuage our initial fears, but both believe that has a very slim chance of happening. Then I thought about what I would do if I was a dealer. It's one thing if we arrange a FTF transaction on Armslist and this kid shows up... I straight up say "yeah sorry kid." If I was a dealer though, I'm wondering what I would do.

Now, I usually agree with the old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" but this is a touch different. I've only sold three guns in private dealings. One way to a neighbor, the other was to a CCW permit holder who I meet on TFL and conversed and went to the range with first, and the other guy bought a gun that I posted on gunbroker (we met FTF because he was near me) and I talked to for a pretty good bit and got a good vibe from. I'm pretty sure I would deny this guy with no questions asked on a FTF transaction, but I think it would be a little harder denying someone when you have a business open to the public. What would you do?

January 18, 2014, 10:05 PM	#1
5whiskey Senior Member Join Date: October 23, 2005 Location: US Posts: 3,657	Would you refuse to sell a gun to someone you think is shady? I know the question is a no-brainer. Were it a FTF, probably no one would sell a gun if they get a hinky feeling but here me out... Today, as I was coming out of the gun show and walking through the parking lot, I see the strangest thing. I see a very young looking kid walking through the parking lot in wrinkled pleated kakhi pants, a plain (very cheap) white polo shirt that you can almost see through, unkempt hair and facial appearance, plain white Reebok tennis shoes, and a black duster trench coat half buttoned up. This kid couldn't have been older than 18, walking toward the gun show looking like that. I'm with my neighbor, who was a cop for 20+ years. I point the kid out to him and he agrees 1000%. We actually turn around to see if the kid was going in the gun show. He does... we both agree that we would under no circumstance ever sell this kid a gun in a FTF transaction unless he would talk to us long enough to assuage our initial fears, but both believe that has a very slim chance of happening. Then I thought about what I would do if I was a dealer. It's one thing if we arrange a FTF transaction on Armslist and this kid shows up... I straight up say "yeah sorry kid." If I was a dealer though, I'm wondering what I would do. Now, I usually agree with the old saying "don't judge a book by it's cover" but this is a touch different. I've only sold three guns in private dealings. One way to a neighbor, the other was to a CCW permit holder who I meet on TFL and conversed and went to the range with first, and the other guy bought a gun that I posted on gunbroker (we met FTF because he was near me) and I talked to for a pretty good bit and got a good vibe from. I'm pretty sure I would deny this guy with no questions asked on a FTF transaction, but I think it would be a little harder denying someone when you have a business open to the public. What would you do?