I had a table at the Cumming, GA gun show a few weeks back doing private sales of my firearms. Just before noon, a rather shady looking man approaches my table wearing a long-sleeve hoody (in 90+ degree weather), sunglasses, and carrying a backpack (Yes – my spidey sense was tingling). He looks over my thirty plus guns and then asks if I had anything in the $2-300 range. I replied that I did not. I directed his attention to an imported Romanian Tokarev stating that was the lowest priced piece I had. After looking over the Tokarev and me agreeing to knock a few bucks off the price, he decided he would take it. From this point, the conversation goes as follows:
ME: Are you a Georgia citizen?
HIM: Yeah, I’ve been here three years.
ME: Do you have a concealed carry permit? This shows that you have gone through a background check.
HIM: No
ME: Then, I’ll have to see your driver’s license. I’ll take a picture of it and store it in my records.

He opens his wallet and proceeds to show me his Mississippi driver’s license.

ME: I’m sorry, but we can’t do this! By law, I can only sell to a verified Georgia resident.
HIM: But ‘they’ told me I could buy a gun with my license.

By this time, a few of the nearby vendors and a few customers had inched their way towards my table.

ME: I’m sorry, but for a private sale in Georgia, by law I have to see proof of Georgia residency. And by the way – If you were a local ATF agent, and I said ‘YES’ to this deal, I’d be led out of here in handcuffs!
Without saying a word, the man turned and walked away. After a few congrats and fist bumps from those who had gathered around, I began to wonder if this guy might have been part of some ATF sting operation. Anyway, I didn’t go to jail and I wound up selling the Tok to a real Georgia resident later.

The chances of it being either just a clueless uninformed mope or a felon purposely trying to avoid a formal background check are vastly greater than it being some ATF sting operation.

If I were running an ATF sting operation, I wouldn’t use people that looked shady from the get go.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
If I were running an ATF sting operation, I wouldn’t use people that looked shady from the get go.

So no one from ATF?

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
If I were running an ATF sting operation, I wouldn’t use people that looked shady from the get go.

So no one from ATF?

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
The chances of it being either just a clueless uninformed mope or a felon purposely trying to avoid a formal background check are vastly greater than it being some ATF sting operation.

Do felons or other prohibited people really buy guns at gun shows? I would think they would want do it in a back alley or something, not in a building with hundreds of people inside and cops at the entrance.

I am told that right now all most all federal law enforcement efforts are being directed to border enforcement and removal of undocumented foreign nationals.
FBI, ATF and other agents have been reassigned.

In your case I’d say either a clueless buyer or a likely prohibited buyer.

I had a lady and her companion come off the range at work last year. She was interested in a gun with a easier pulling slide. Made her choice, I asked her for her license, CPL or license to purchase, a requirement here.

She proceeds to hand me a Florida drivers license and concealed license. I immediately handed them back to her saying “I’m sorry, I can only sell to Michigan residents. She then said “I live both here and there.” and I told her “Your licenses are both from Florida, that tells me that you have declared Florida your state of residence. Under Federal law the only way I can sell you is for you to have a Michigan drivers license or state ID card together with a Michigan CPL or to sell it to you and ship it to a FFL in Florida for them to complete the sale in your state of residence.”

She then tries to turn on the charm (she, 60’s, me 70’s) and said “I’d really like you to sell me this gun.” My reply was “I’d like to sell it too but not enough to put my dealer’s FFL in jeopardy or for me to get Bubba as my cellmate for a few years. Thanks for coming in.”

Some of us old timers thought of this 1967 song when we saw the thread title:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTWM7WgxIVE

Had similar…. Ohio resident? I’m in the military, here’s my Missouri drivers license. I’m at the local base now. Hmmm. Ok I’ll just take your word… not.