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how would you feel if you sold a gun

1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
edited February 2013 in General Discussion
To someone unknowing to you, who purchased it with the intent to murder ?

One person, murder/suicide, 3 children, whomever
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Comments

  • Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
  • dcon12dcon12 Member Posts: 32,040 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Did I make money? Don
  • gregwgregw Member Posts: 1,617 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would feel horrible but you never know what that person is capable of doing after they leave your shop AFTER they pass the 4473 background check. I am sure that if you really look into the stats on it, not many violent crimes were committed by law abiding citizens that did pass the NICS check. Most guns were most likely stolen or black marketed. The guns have to come from somewhere....OH YEAH, I DID SEE A BIG BAD "BLACK GUN" WALKING DOWN THE STREET ALL BY ITSELF THIS EVENING[:)]
  • legearlegear Member Posts: 6,716
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    To someone unknowing to you, who purchased it with the intent to murder ?

    One person, murder/suicide, 3 children, whomever


    Well, Id be thinking about the bs im going to have to put up with when talking to the LEOs.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well I guess its my fault for not being clear, I was reffering to individual ftf sale
  • 427cobra289427cobra289 Member Posts: 762 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    How would you feel if you sold a car and the new owner mowed down a bunch of kids in a crosswalk?
  • WarbirdsWarbirds Member Posts: 16,937 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think the key here is unknown to you-

    I would probably pause and reflect to see if I could have done anything different- someone intent on murder will find a way to get it done regardless of who sells them the tool or what the tool is.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 427cobra289
    How would you feel if you sold a car and the new owner mowed down a bunch of kids in a crosswalk?






    Why would someone buy a car to commit murder, when they could test drive it for free, you dont let someone test own a gun you have for sale


    Apples and oranges





    I myself believe everygun I have is a great responsibility, I store them safely, and keep records, I have every recipt since 1989, wether it be a gun I purchased or sold

    I have never sold a gun to a complete stranger, I have enough friends I never felt the need to do so, but I have seen some spooky people in my lifetime that I would not feel comfortable with selling a firearm
  • bigoutsidebigoutside Member Posts: 19,443
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    Well I guess its my fault for not being clear, I was reffering to individual ftf sale


    Unknowing?

    Well I guess I wouldn't feel much of anything if I was unknowing. Cause I wouldn't have known. Kind of like the gas station attendant who sells diesel fuel to someone like Tim McVeigh. Or the stockboy who put end fittings in the bin for Eric Rudolph to buy.


    If I KNOWINGLY made the sale, I'd probably feel giddy. Because I would be a demonstrable psychopath. And probably rocked myself to sleep wearing nothing but a bathrobe woven from dead kittens and slippers fashioned from live chickens.

    I don't buy in to this "collective guilt" idea. If I did wrong, punish me. But don't try to hold me accountable for what someone else did with evil in their heart.



    Oh, and by clicking on this thread with them two bastages names in it, you are now on a new list.
    My present to each of you. Courtesy of the patriot act. [}:)]
  • 427cobra289427cobra289 Member Posts: 762 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    quote:Originally posted by 427cobra289
    How would you feel if you sold a car and the new owner mowed down a bunch of kids in a crosswalk?






    Why would someone buy a car to commit murder, when they could test drive it for free, you dont let someone test own a gun you have for sale


    Apples and oranges





    I myself believe everygun I have is a great responsibility, I store them safely, and keep records, I have every recipt since 1989, wether it be a gun I purchased or sold

    I have never sold a gun to a complete stranger, I have enough friends I never felt the need to do so, but I have seen some spooky people in my lifetime that I would not feel comfortable with selling a firearm


    Fair enough. I suppose the keyword in your initial post is "intent". My point is that once an item has left my possession, that I have no control over it so while I'd be sad and wish that circumstances were different I wouldn't let Free Will of another eat me up too bad. For the record, I would never knowingly sell any item that I suspected would be used in such a way so as to harm others be it to a friend or otherwise. Like yourself I accept the responsibility of gun ownership and I avoid selling to total strangers for the same reasons.
  • HappyNanoqHappyNanoq Member Posts: 12,023
    edited November -1
    I couldn't care less.

    I never sell guns outside proper channels (i.e. I'm following the law) - never have - never will.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    http://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=588465


    Read this, youll all see how its related to this subject
  • diver-rigdiver-rig Member Posts: 6,338 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by HappyNanoq
    I couldn't care less.

    I never sell guns outside proper channels (i.e. I'm following the law) - never have - never will.




    ftf sales are well within the law.

    I've bought and sold ftf.

    Mostly complete strangers.

    No IDs asked for, or shown.

    There is no law saying I have to ask.

    But there was also no trail leading to me on any gun I've ever sold.
  • trapguy2007trapguy2007 Member Posts: 8,959
    edited November -1
    Crappy .
    A friend of mine sold a .22 Raven in his gun shop back when we had a 3 day waiting period .
    All went well and the guy picked up the gun , drove out in the woods and committed suicide .
    we can't stop people from being stupid .[V]
  • KEVD18KEVD18 Member Posts: 15,037
    edited November -1
    it wouldnt register on my radar in the least.

    i cant possibly be held accountable for what someone does with something after it leaves my hands. if i loan a guy my hammer and, because it happens to be handy when he snaps, he uses it to beat his wife to death, thats not my problem either.

    every time ive sold a gun ftf, ive defined a prohibited person and asked the buyer if they were prohibited from buying a gun. thats all i can do. beyond that im not going to lose any sleep over it, whether it be a suicide, homicide, mass murder, or one gun being responsible for an entire genocide.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You guys may say that it wouldn't bother you, and you hold no responsibility


    But I dont believe a word of it from any of you, I have gotten to know many of you over the years, I dont buy the tough guy act for a min, your a bunch of softies and cry over someone elses pet passing away

    It would haunt you the rest of your life
  • KEVD18KEVD18 Member Posts: 15,037
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    You guys may say that it wouldn't bother you, and you hold no responsibility


    But I dont believe a word of it from any of you, I have gotten to know many of you over the years, I dont buy the tough guy act for a min, your a bunch of softies and cry over someone elses pet passing away

    It would haunt you the rest of your life


    perhaps you're generalizing, but if you honestly think any of that applies to me, then you clearly dont know me at all...
  • HappyNanoqHappyNanoq Member Posts: 12,023
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    You guys may say that it wouldn't bother you, and you hold no responsibility


    But I dont believe a word of it from any of you, I have gotten to know many of you over the years, I dont buy the tough guy act for a min, your a bunch of softies and cry over someone elses pet passing away

    It would haunt you the rest of your life
    Well I don't believe you. Period.

    And no, it wouldn't be any concern of mine WHAT SO EVER !

    I might think it's a shame that it was used in a crime, and will now be destroyed... if it was a good gun. But that's it.

    Gun's don't kill - as you might know.
    It's just an object, a tool that someone can choose to use.
  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 427cobra289
    How would you feel if you sold a car and the new owner mowed down a bunch of kids in a crosswalk?



    Bingo. I wouldn't have even a smidge of guilt or bad feeling. All guilt goes on the shoulders of the person who committed the crime. I'll sleep fine that night. Extended guilt is for woosies.
  • select-fireselect-fire Member Posts: 69,524 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I didn't read anywhere that guilt would be involved. I only read how you would feel. I would feel sad for the victims and bummed out I was the chosen one to be involved in the sale. To think it would just go away in the future is nonsense. Everytime you picked up a firearm or sold one your mind would remind you what happened the last time. The human mind isn't a cd that can be erased.
  • drsckdrsck Member Posts: 992
    edited November -1
    Horrible! It has happened 23 times to me to my knowledge. I don't have night-mares as often as I used to, but then I haven't worked in gun shops for several years now and have night-mares about lots of other things instead.

    As far as responsibility goes, yes, I always "felt" that I had some measure of responsibility. Back in the day when the 4473 was all of one page, front and back, it said something about knowing your customer. In fact, I think that the specific words were "know your customer." I just looked at the current form and there is nothing like that now. A couple of other points might be of interest. First, with regard to responsibility, I've been questioned by police, coroners, prosecutors and federal agents regarding deaths that resulted from firearms that I've sold. It was my signature on the line and therefore they came to me. The hardest ones are when the friends and family come to ask questions. Always difficult, sometimes violent. Second, it's not just about guns. The first weapon that I sold that was used in a murder was a crossbow. The guy set up his girlfriend with a romantic picnic by the river and then used the crossbow to shoot her in the head. He planned it all along. It was my first day in a new shop and other guys thought it would be great to watch me sell a crossbow to a guy who had already tried to buy a gun and been turned down becasue of his honest answers to the 4473 questions. Yea, it was a real hoot for them to watch me make the sale, but things turned after the murder, especially after the police nearly charged them as accessories, knowing that he was up to no good and facilitating it by allowing me to sell him the crossbow. And that is just the first one. As I said, there were 22 others. Been there, done that.
  • retroxler58retroxler58 Member Posts: 32,693 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Dave W.
    I think the key here is unknown to you-

    I would probably pause and reflect to see if I could have done anything different- someone intent on murder will find a way to get it done regardless of who sells them the tool or what the tool is.
    Yes...

    In a F2F sale... I would certainly ask a couple of questions... But outside of general information...
    What could be asked or directed to the buyer that would uncover any illegal intents ?
    I dare say, I'm no psychologist but, I do think I can read a person's body language enough to know...
    If, I am comfortable enough with the sale... And if not, then I'd be hard pressed on going through with it.

    I certainly would not have any difficulty in cancelling the buy agreement.
    There's ALWAYS someone willing to buy a gun for sale...
    No reason to go through with a sale, that I personally, am uncomfortable with.

    But, once a sale was done and we have parted ways...
    I feel that I would have done my due diligence and would have no further involvement with said gun... or the buyer.
    So, at that point, what is done with the gun or by the buyer... is not my responsibility.
  • retroxler58retroxler58 Member Posts: 32,693 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    drsck ... That would be a tough spot to be in... Thanks for your post.

    It certainly makes one stop, pause, and think... If for but a moment.
  • Sav99Sav99 Member Posts: 16,037 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I once sold a car to a guy who immediately took it on the expressway and drove it into a pillon of an overpass at about 120. Even left a suicide note. I felt bad for him and his family. But I didn't blame myself.
  • airbornerizzairbornerizz Member Posts: 674 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As long as I still have the receipt from the person, I wouldn't feel anything. Not my fault someone wants to be an idiot.
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    But, this is why MY proposal for gun safety is to give everyone internet access to the FBI "prohibited persons" data base. That would allow those of us who do legal FTF transfers to assure ourselves that the person we are transferring to is legally able to possess a firearm.

    This could be done with a simple executive order. No one's privacy would be compromised. No records would exist that could be used to track transfers or gun owners.

    It's the right thing to do.

    Neal
  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Strongly agree. Also, you should not have to provide any identifying data on the gun. What difference does it make? The buyer either gets a "Proceed" or he doesn't. With the internet accessable phones, the Seller could even do the check right there in the parking lot with a FTF sale.
    You should also be able to use your internet access to check whether a gun is listed in NCIC as stolen. You, as the buyer, could CYA and save yourself from being burned for possession at some later date.
  • whiteclouderwhiteclouder Member Posts: 10,574 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by diver-rig
    quote:Originally posted by HappyNanoq
    I couldn't care less.

    I never sell guns outside proper channels (i.e. I'm following the law) - never have - never will.




    ftf sales are well within the law.

    I've bought and sold ftf.

    Mostly complete strangers.

    No IDs asked for, or shown.

    There is no law saying I have to ask.

    But there was also no trail leading to me on any gun I've ever sold.

    Nanook is a foreigner.

    Clouder..
  • Mr. PerfectMr. Perfect Member, Moderator Posts: 66,437 ******
    edited November -1
    Not at all. I've sold cars, houses, and all sorts of items, which for all I know could have been used for ill purposes.
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    And fiery auto crashes
    Some will die in hot pursuit
    While sifting through my ashes
    Some will fall in love with life
    And drink it from a fountain
    That is pouring like an avalanche
    Coming down the mountain
  • Don McManusDon McManus Member Posts: 23,694 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    You guys may say that it wouldn't bother you, and you hold no responsibility


    But I dont believe a word of it from any of you, I have gotten to know many of you over the years, I dont buy the tough guy act for a min, your a bunch of softies and cry over someone elses pet passing away

    It would haunt you the rest of your life


    It wouldn't bother me if it was used to commit suicide. It would bother me if it was used to commit evil.

    OTOH, I don't really know how I would ever know what was done with it.
    Freedom and a submissive populace cannot co-exist.

    Brad Steele
  • Marc1301Marc1301 Member Posts: 31,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Oy vey.
    "Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here." - William Shatner
  • gesshotsgesshots Member Posts: 15,678 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If the person presented themselves as sane, sober and met all other legal criteria, then in good concience, I have done all I can do.

    A knife, axe, chainsaw, srtaight razor, etc. are all potential lethal weapons!

    I have sold and or given away these items -and you probably have too- without any thought to their future felonious applications.

    Why would a firarm be different?

    A loony is a loony..... A gun is an inanimate tool. [;)]
    It's being willing. I found out early that most men, regardless of cause or need, aren't willing. They blink an eye or draw a breath before they pull the trigger. I won't. ~ J.B. Books
  • Waco WaltzWaco Waltz Member Posts: 10,836 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Would you feel bad knowing that the company that made the gun you bought then sold also made the same model that someone somewhere used to murder someone?
  • shilowarshilowar Member Posts: 38,811 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 1911a1fan
    Well I guess its my fault for not being clear, I was reffering to individual ftf sale


    I'd feel bad, but I'd feel a lot worse if I sold it to someone I had a bad feeling about or didn't make an attempt to get a feel for prior to the sale.
  • ClayhillClayhill Member Posts: 63 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I think some of those who posted here really are sincere about their feelings, but the whole discussion is silly. Razor blades, baseball bats, knives, hammers, rope, perscription meds, and too many other things to name are used for murder and suicide every day. Should every person who sells any potentially dangerous thing hide in a room with the lights out and feel bad? Next thing you know we'll be saying "guns are scary" and should be banned. Individual freedom requires individual responsibility. The exception, of course, is selling to someone who is obviously troubled or dangerous to himself or others.
  • wildthingwildthing Member Posts: 93 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Years ago when I lived in Utah, a guy came into my shop for work he wanted done on a 1911 . I fixed it gave it and back to him . Three days later he shot his wife outside a store in Park City. Haven't thoughtabout it till you posted. john
  • GrasshopperGrasshopper Member Posts: 17,041 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My first FTF was my Win 42 for a Zebco 202 (new) and 5 dollars,, don't think he killed anybody though,,he did laugh himself to death later-[B)]
  • babunbabun Member Posts: 11,038 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Back in the late 70's, a friend of mine who was a under cover narco, came to me to ask about ammo. He told me he was going on a "buy" that may go very badly. I handed him a box of 110 gr. Super-Vels for his little .38 snub nose.
    He killed two people the next day when the the sting operation blew up. {The cops were made from the start}
    I actually felt pretty good about it.
  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    Not in the least bit bad. Well, sorry that someone got killed, but I would feel no guilt in it.

    Either you believe that 'guns don't kill people, people kill people' or you don't.

    Same way some people ask me "Doesn't it bother you, those vintage military guns and bayonets could have been used to kill someone?" Nope.
  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Boy, some of you guys sure know how twist the question around to mask the actual question, reminds me of a liberal attempt to take things out of text to suit their own agenda, and a poorly done one at that


    A grocery sold some milk and it spoiled in a babies stomach, how should the cashier feel?, thats how relevant some of these replies are
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