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Originally Posted by gaseousclay
gun sellers, commercial and private, attend gun shows to make a profit, which is the very definition of commerce.
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Actually, no. To the extent that private sellers are selling guns
in order to make a profit, engaging in commerce if you will, they're on shaky ground vis à vis federal licensing law; specifically, if they are trying to earn some part of their livelihood this way, they're breaking the law. Private sellers may or may not make a profit selling a gun. I'd bet that most of the time, they don't -- they're just trying to get some money out of the thing, to fund their next purchase, pay the mortgage, whatever.
As to your public vs. private distinction, how is a gun show a more public place than, say, an IHOP parking lot? If I were selling a gun to a stranger, I would never invite him into my home; I would only do such a transaction in a public place, for my own safety. I think this is common practice; whither private transactions, then? It's the status of buyer and seller that matters, not the venue.