Fishy observation at the 1500

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  • Beowulf

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    So, I was at the 1500 this past weekend. I was there primarily to get a book signed by Michael Z. Williamson, since he pretty much always has his table there, but after that, I started looking for interesting revolvers to add to my collection (my new topic of interest). At one table, that only sells used guns that clearly come from estates and police auctions, I found a 1950 Colt Official Police .38 special, with a police rack number on the butt (starting with TPD... if anyone has an idea which police department that might have come from, please message me). It had a bad scratch on the barrel, but was in otherwise perfect mechanical shape. So, I haggled with the guy a bit, settled on a price I was okay with and sat down to do my paper work.

    While I was doing this, a woman sat down in the chair next to me to start paperwork on a pink gripped Taurus auto (not sure the model). She was filling out the paper work a bit as I was chatting with the dealer. The next time I looked over, she was gone, and so was her paperwork. The guys behind the table noticed that and noticed that she took her partially filled out form and just sort of shrugged and put the pistol back where it was on the table.

    Then a few minutes later, another woman comes over (with a man escorting her) and they discussed buying the same exact pistol, discussing on the previously agreed on price ($280 something). The woman asked the man if he had the cash and he said he did. So she proceeded to fill out her paperwork. I ended up leaving before they finished, but I assume the transfer went ahead and they took the gun home.

    Now, to my un-expert eye, it certainly seemed awfully suspicious, where the guy had seemingly negotiated the price for the gun earlier, but the woman purchased it. Of course, it could have been all on the up and up. It could have been a boyfriend/husband/brother helping the young woman buy her first gun and the first woman who didn't finish her paperwork could have been in no way connected to the two who actually bought it and she had just changed her mind (though one of the dealers did say, after she took off, that he had the impression she wasn't interested in buying the gun if she had to fill out paperwork).

    In the end, it's no skin off my nose either way. I just thought it was an interesting series of events. Clearly the dealer didn't think anything was improper (or improper enough that it could blow back on them) since they appeared to be willing to go through with the sale. And, I suppose that most criminals probably aren't really interested in a pinked gripped pistol... though I might be wrong about that.
     

    Skywired

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    She "GOT 1/2 THROUGH PAPERWORK" Isn't that the part where they ask about being a felon?
    You're probably correct. Although if she was a felon, I doubt she'd be above lying. I'm not speaking as a felon, because I'm NOT a felon, and hopefully will never be a felon......:rockwoot:
     

    AmmoManAaron

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    Could've been a husband and wife. Wife decided she wanted a gun and since it was going to be her piece, she was the one to fill out the paperwork. In that case, it could've just as easily been construed as a straw purchase if he had filled out the paperwork instead of her. Hubby just happened to be the one with the cash on him to pay for it. I don't view it as suspicious since I've seen couples hand each other money at shows for all kinds of purchases, not just guns. Also, there have been times at shows when I either borrowed money or loaned money to both family and friends so that a purchase could be made. Since money was changing hands and only one person filled out the paperwork, I'm sure it could be viewed as a potential straw purchase to an uninformed observer. Very easy to make wrong assumptions when you don't know the details of a situation.
     

    shootersix

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    Could've been a husband and wife. Wife decided she wanted a gun and since it was going to be her piece, she was the one to fill out the paperwork. In that case, it could've just as easily been construed as a straw purchase if he had filled out the paperwork instead of her. Hubby just happened to be the one with the cash on him to pay for it. I don't view it as suspicious since I've seen couples hand each other money at shows for all kinds of purchases, not just guns. Also, there have been times at shows when I either borrowed money or loaned money to both family and friends so that a purchase could be made. Since money was changing hands and only one person filled out the paperwork, I'm sure it could be viewed as a potential straw purchase to an uninformed observer. Very easy to make wrong assumptions when you don't know the details of a situation.

    in the op it makes it sound like one lady looked at it, and different lady came back to buy it, knowing the previous haggled down price from the first lady
     

    AmmoManAaron

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    in the op it makes it sound like one lady looked at it, and different lady came back to buy it, knowing the previous haggled down price from the first lady

    It's not really clear...but Beowulf said the man had negotiated the price earlier. I don't think it was a haggled price from the first woman, unless he was with the first woman too (suspicious in that case) or maybe he had just overheard the deal that was made to the first woman. I've overhead a dealer cut a price for one customer and then politely asked for the same deal myself (after he finishes with the first customer of course) and I can't ever recall being turned down.

    On a side note, when I have a good relationship with a dealer, I've helped negotiate a better price on an item for a friend. Dealer knows he's getting business from good word of mouth even if he isn't getting sticker price, the buyer respects both his friend and the dealer and will likely be a future repeat customer for the dealer, and the friend feels good for helping them both and also knows the good dealer is getting a sale thanks to him (which the dealer will hopefully remember in the future). Basically, everybody wins.
     

    Beowulf

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    Yeah, like I said, its totally possible that the first woman and the second woman and her man were in no way connected. The first woman abandoned her paperwork for whatever reason and the second woman just lucked out that the pistol she and the guy had already haggled on was still available. That does happen. I've picked up guns that way, swooping in after the first person looking at it hesitated and snapping it up for the same discounted price.
     

    printcraft

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    Could've been a husband and wife. Wife decided she wanted a gun and since it was going to be her piece, she was the one to fill out the paperwork. In that case, it could've just as easily been construed as a straw purchase if he had filled out the paperwork instead of her. Hubby just happened to be the one with the cash on him to pay for it. I don't view it as suspicious since I've seen couples hand each other money at shows for all kinds of purchases, not just guns. Also, there have been times at shows when I either borrowed money or loaned money to both family and friends so that a purchase could be made. Since money was changing hands and only one person filled out the paperwork, I'm sure it could be viewed as a potential straw purchase to an uninformed observer. Very easy to make wrong assumptions when you don't know the details of a situation.

    This ^^^^^^^

    Mrs. printcraft doesn't carry cash when we are out and about, I carry her money and ID etc for her, small pockets and all of that.
    We went to the Lafayette show and she saw a new gun she couldn't live without so she filled out the paperwork and I tried to give the guy her cash out of my wallet but he wouldn't take it from me... so I had to hand it to her, then he took it. :facepalm:
     

    WebSnyper

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    This ^^^^^^^

    Mrs. printcraft doesn't carry cash when we are out and about, I carry her money and ID etc for her, small pockets and all of that.
    We went to the Lafayette show and she saw a new gun she couldn't live without so she filled out the paperwork and I tried to give the guy her cash out of my wallet but he wouldn't take it from me... so I had to hand it to her, then he took it. :facepalm:

    Well then I guess he can answer the question of who gave you the money with a clear conscience, and a straight face if/when the ATF ever were to ask.
     
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