[zion13]

Hi all. My uncle left me 4 guns and I'm ready to part w/ them. I need some info about how to LEGALLY sell these guns, what to expect, or even who to go to in my area (Seminole, Fl). The 4 guns are:
Colt 1911
Ruger 357 Blackhawk
JC Higgins Model 20 Shotgun
Glenfield Rifle
I don't know alot about guns, but I'm doing my homework so I don't get taken advantage of when selling and so I don't break any laws in the process. All info & suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance for all help.

 

[TX1911]

First of all, welcome to the forum. To answer your question, you would be best suited to consult a local attorney in Florida to ensure you are complying with Florida laws. As much as we like to help, if you were to get some bad advice here that put you in legal jeopardy, a good defense would not be "the guys on the forum said..."

There are some Florida residents here that may have the info you need, but you should protect yourself and make sure that you're complying with all state statutes.

I wish you the best of luck in trying to find a buyer.

 

[32 Magnum]

Wait/watch for Don (BangBang) to weigh in. He is a Floridian and an avid collector/purchaser of firearms.

 

[enzelow]

First thing you should do is take them to a gun shop and get an honest appraisal,tell them it is for insurance purposes,then decide if you really want to sell them. Having a dealer sell them on consignment would be one way of selling them without you breaking any laws. Good luck

 

[Luvs2Play]

First thing you should do is take them to a gun shop and get an honest appraisal,tell them it is for insurance purposes,then decide if you really want to sell them. Having a dealer sell them on consignment would be one way of selling them without you breaking any laws. Good luck

That may be good advice if the OP has legal ownership of the guns to begin with. I don't have any idea about Florida law, so an attorney (TX1911 advice) would probably be my choice too for a place to start.

 

[Gunrnr]

I would suggest taking them to more than one gun shop. I don't know about your area, but I've seen more than one large gun shop intentionally undervalue firearms in order to boost their profit.

One thing I sometimes do when I don't know what a gun is worth is to look it up on either GunsAmerica, Auction Arms, or Gun Broker. Be sure to compare apples to apples, i.e., condition, features, caliber, etc. If you don't know anything about guns, get the help of someone who does. Even if you have to pay them. The first firearm you list, Colt 1911, could be worth $300 or $3,000.

At a gun show where I exhibited this past wknd, I saw a 1911 for which the biggest gun shop in Albuquerque offered the owner $500.00. Well, the 1911 the gentleman has happens to be an original, U.S. Army issue, 95% condition M1911 made in 1917. Pre-A1, original finish, not arsenal reworked, with period grips. Some of the 1911 fans and collectors on this forum could tell you more or less what that pistol is worth...but I'd bet you lunch that it's a bit more than $500.00!

 

[zion13]

Great Info so far

TY Very much for all the help so far, it's been very helpful. Anyone in the area by chance??? Hopefully if so you could direct me somewhere. Thanks again everyone.

 

[djegators]

Just curious, but why is the legal ownership of these guns in question?

 

[Luvs2Play]

Just might be a question when someone all of the sudden has four guns to sell.

 

[QuickdrawMcgraw]

Sounds strange

 

[zion13]

Nothing strange here!!! My uncle gave me the Colt & Ruger before he passedand my Grandfather (he's 101) gave me the other 2 last week. Idon't have the need for 4 guns... or any really. So just want to know how to sell em (can"t really put em on Ebay). I figured asking questions in this forum would get answers from people more knowledgeable that me in selling guns... that's all. Thanks for the answers.

 

[djegators]

If you want the easiest and quickest way, take them to a few dealers, and see what they will give you. If you want to maximize your sale price, then do like is suggested above and try and determine approximate values, and sell them to private individuals. Place some ads online at forums like this, and Florida Guns, and with some patience, you will find some buyers.

 

[zion13]

Thank you DJEGators. But if I want to sell them do I need to background check on who I sell to? or make sure they have a liscence? Is it really as easy as you give me $$$ I give you the guns?

 

[32 Magnum]

Only a dealer with a Federal Firearms License (FFL) can run background checks. You need to get some advice from someone in "the KNOW" in your state.

 

[tommy t]

I just sent you a pm

 

[djegators]

Yes, you may sell to a private buyer for cash, and no background check or paperwork is required.

 

[Gunrnr]

Yeah, DJ, just be reeeeealy careful who you sell to:

Feds Convict Texan for Selling a Gun to Illegal Alien With Texas Driver's License

·

FLASHBACK: Feds, Cops Attempt to Shut Down Legal Gun Sales in Austin, Texas
FLASHBACK: APD Releases Official Explanation of Gun Shows Shut Down

Peaceable Texans For Firearms Rights
September 2, 2010

(PRESS RELEASE ) In Federal District Court on July 20, 2010, the ATF won a conviction from an Austin jury that defies logic and reason.

In a trial before Federal Judge Sam Sparks, government lawyers conceded Texas resident Paul Copeland did not know his buyer was an illegal alien, but the jury they should convict him anyway because he "had reasonable cause to believe" he was selling to an illegal alien because the two men and a boy who were present at his table at the time of the sale: 1) were Hispanic, 2) spoke Spanish, and 3) wore cowboy clothing. And the jury did as asked. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Freel acted as lead prosecutor in the case.

The firearm transaction at issue occurred on January 16, 2010, at a gunshow at the North Austin Events Center , at 10601 N. Lamar Blvd. , in Austin , Texas . Undercover ATF agents followed Mr. Huerta, his son, and another Hispanic male, Hipolito Aviles, around the "Texas Gunshow" that day, and claimed to observe Huerta's transaction. Austin P.D. used Copeland's case as the reason to close down the gunshow, leading to a protest by Austin residents in front of APD headquarters on January 25.

FLASHBACK: APD Releases Official Explanation of Gun Shows Shut Down"Austin Police Department Firearm Review Unit detectives assisted in the Austin portion of the operation. They observed and participated in multiple arrests of prohibited persons (primarily convicted felons and illegal immigrants) that obtained firearms illegally at a local gun show. Federal convictions were obtained in a majority of the cases," the press release states.


Mr. Copeland is a 56 year old Cedar Creek resident and Vietnam veteran who liked to buy, sell, and trade firearms as a hobby.

On January 16, however, he had the misfortune to sell a handgun to Leonel Huerta Sr., who spoke both English and Spanish. Huerta Sr. negotiated his purchase from Copeland in English, showing Copeland his Texas Driver's License.

At Copeland's trial Huerta admitted on the witness stand, that he is in the country illegally, (Huerta Sr. had previously admitted this fact to Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) Special Agent Leo Buentello). ATF Agent Shawn Kang claimed he saw Huerta later hand off the gun to Aviles .

Despite these admissions, Huerta Sr. was never arrested, charged, or deported. Instead, his presence at the gunshow was used to entrap an American citizen into an unwitting violation of a federal gun control law.

Huerta Sr., who is a resident of the City of Austin, appeared as a witness at the trial, admitted he was in the country illegally before federal prosecutors and a federal judge, yet he was allowed to leave the courtroom under his own power.

To date Huerta Sr. has not been prosecuted for his purchase, possession, or disposition of the handgun he bought from Copeland, while Copeland is now a convicted felon.

"Instead of busting the illegal alien for buying, they bust the citizen for selling," commented Paul Velte, attorney and founder of Peaceable Texans for Firearms Rights, a gun-owners rights advocacy group from Austin . Velte asked, "who was in a better position to know the buyer's immigration status, the buyer or the seller?" He also said, "What happened to Paul Copeland should enrage all Americans. The Federal Government is using illegal aliens to entrap citizens lawfully exercising their right to sell firearms. The illegal alien walks free, but the citizen gets convicted.

The same government charged with controlling immigration is the one using illegal immigrants to attack its own citizens. Does this make any sense? It makes no sense unless the purpose is to discourage attendance at gunshows and frighten citizens from selling their firearms to other citizens."

Velte pointed out that "There is no way for a citizen to know who is here legally or not. In fact, under Austin's 'sanctuary city' policy, not even the police officer at the door of the gunshow was allowed to ask a person's immigration status, yet the average Texan inside the show is expected to assume that a person standing before them with a Texas driver's license is in the country illegally just because they look Mexican and speak Spanish."

Velte noted that the federal government's lawsuit against Arizona was based on that very type of conduct: Concluding someone could be here illegally based on their looks or their language.

Velte said gun owners in his group are outraged, and they want to know:
. Why is the illegal alien who purchased the gun, Leonel Huerta Sr., still living in Austin ?
. Why does he still have a Texas Driver's license?
. Why is ATF using illegal aliens to set up and convict American citizens?
. What has he been promised for his cooperation?
. Why has he not been prosecuted? He committed three distinct crimes: he purchased a firearm knowing he was an illegal alien, he possessed the firearm, and he transferred the handgun to another illegal alien (Hippolito Aviles, who was convicted and given time served on June 30, 2010).
. Why has Huerta Sr. not been deported?

Contact:Paul Velte, 512-296-5563
Peaceable Texans for Firearms Rights
website: http://www.io.com/~velte/pt.htm

 

[zion13]

Update

All this info has been very helpful. I just met w/ a local gun collector who came by to give me some info on the guns. He explained to me a little history about the Colt & the Ruger and made me an offer for all 4. He did explain that his offer was a little low as he would be reselling them, but he gave me a ballpark. Thanks again for all your help guys and keep the info coming.

I do have another question. I don't want to sell these through the mail, but want to let people know locally that they can come by look at them and make an offer. What's the best way to do this???

 

[Tony]

If it were me, I would do this: First, go to the library and get a recent firearms value guide to help me get an idea on what they are worth. Second, if you still want to sell them, find out what the local ordinances are so you can sell them within state statutes. In Wisconsin, you could go to a gun show and sell them outright yourself without paperwork. I don't know what the Florida requirements are, but I would think they are similar. But find out for sure. You have some nice guns there and selling them will be no problem. I have two of them myself.

 

[Hubs]

Wait for BangBang to respond. He is in/near your area.