Concealed Carry No Assurance against Harm when Making Private Transactions

Carrying a concealed weapon is often with an intent of self-protection. However, it’s no guarantee.

A Houston, Texas man with a concealed carry permit set up a meeting to buy  a PlayStation gaming console. He used the app Letgo. At the seller’s apartment complex in the dark a masked man approached the buyer carrying a rifle. The buyer seeing the rifle pulled out his concealed carry handgun and fired. He killed the rifle holder on the spot.

The entire situation was filled with danger. Why meet a would be seller at his  unknown apartment complex? Why do so after dark?

With their many place to hide, apartment house parking lots are a haven for muggers and robbers. Someone can easily get the drop on you.

A much better idea would have been a public place in daylight. Pick a high trafficked public place known to you.

Use Facebook or other method of confirming the seller is who he/she said he/she was.

Some state and local police departments have meeting exchange locations specifically for transactions like this.

Meet in broad daylight. 

When it comes to purchasing guns in a person-to-person sale, the dangers are even greater. The article “Protecting Yourself In Private Sales: Concealed Carry And Face-to-Face Sales Tips” suggests that this should be illegal. The writer points out that only criminals buy their guns this way.

Thanks to sites like eBay, Craigslist and Letgo there are increasing numbers of people meeting strangers to conduct a face-to-face sales transaction.

Assess the dangers. Decide if selling or purchasing the item is really worth the potential risk. If it is then do your best to mitigate the risks.

In this case, the buyer avoided mugging and robbery but he did wind up having to shoot and kill someone in self-defense. The civil claims could well outweigh any savings he got on the deal.

 Why buy face-to-face given the potential perils?

Perhaps the deal is so good you cannot resist.

Maybe  you can’t get this item any other way.

In the case of guns, often the item comes with extra items. The owner tweaked the weapon and you get extra things like magazines or extra mags.

Since the item is no longer in the store, it is used. However, it might well never have been used. You’re getting an item in mint condition for used prices.

Buying through a private citizen also saves you sales tax. 

Why would a seller choose to sell  in this manner? Let’s say you purchased an item, tried it out, and found something better. You’ve used it so you cannot take it back. Even if you can, what you will be given is a pittance compared to what you paid. Much better to sell person-to-person.  

If all goes well, it’s  a win-win deal for buyer and seller.

So what about private sale of firearms? There’s no federal law prohibiting transfer of a firearm privately. However, you need to pay attention to state laws. Increasing numbers of  states are requiring that before you can sell privately you must have a background check.