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How To Bid On Guns At Auctions

Tuesday, January 11th, 2022

Auction houses have a variety of ways for you to sell your gun. For example, some offer consignment auctions where they will set up the sale and handle all administration on your behalf if needed – simply call them up! You can also host it yourself by posting an ad in local papers or websites subpoenaing potential buyers from around town while providing detailed information about pricing ranges etc., which might be more motivating than just putting out ads asking “anyone interested?” It’s always a good idea to work with an auction house that knows what they’re doing because if you don’t, you leave your gun exposed to all sorts of risks!

Working with an auction house

Working with an auction house is the safest way for you, but it does cost money. They’ll take 5% or more off the top AND then there are shipping costs to consider if you’re not local. If you want to do it yourself, the first step is to set a floor price that makes sense. The average retail prices of guns may be all over the place depending on age, condition, and so many other factors but some research can help you determine your bottom line.

Once you have determined what price you want to set the floor at, you want to define all of the potential risks and liabilities associated with storing, shipping, and selling your firearm. For example, if you’re going to be doing it yourself then consider whether or not you can find a few people that will help you ship it in case one person isn’t available for whatever reason. Also, if you’re shipping it then research how to pack the box in the safest way possible because that alone is super important for protecting your firearm. There are many steps like this associated with keeping yourself safe when selling guns at auction so do your homework before bidding!

Buying procedure 

We go through a procedure to ensure that the buyer is legally qualified to acquire and own the handgun. First, we need an address that matches a driver’s license address. After that, we check your name against a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

A person’s name is run through the following databases during a background check:

  • The Interstate Identification Index is a database that keeps track of criminal court records.
  • People with protection orders, ongoing criminal warrants, or who have broken immigration laws are displayed by the National Crime Information Center.
  • Local, state, tribal, and federal authorities send records of prohibited persons to the NICS Index, which collects and maintains them. It also offers information about mental health.
  • Checks for citizenship information at the Department of Homeland Security.

It normally just takes a few minutes to complete this process.

If you pass the background check, you’ll be required to sign and approve a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Form 4473, which assists persons or businesses with an FFL in determining whether they may lawfully sell or transport a firearm to a buyer. To put it another way, the buyer confirms that none of the mentioned restrictions apply to them.

People who fit into any of the following groups are subject to some restrictions:

  • Indicted for a felony that carries a sentence of more than a year in prison
  • Having been convicted of a similar offense in the past
  • A manhunt is underway for a fugitive from justice.
  • An illegal immigrant who has used controlled substances and has been confined to a mental institution or pronounced mentally incompetent.
  • Discharged from the military with dishonor
  • A court-ordered restraining order against him or her has been issued because he or she has renounced U.S. citizenship.
  • Convicted of a misdemeanor related to domestic violence

Takeaways

Now that you know the basics of purchasing a gun from an auction, you are ready to go out and find your new firearm! You can check out all of our upcoming auctions to see when you will be able to find your next treasure as soon as possible.