Just curious How many second hand guns are owned in America?

[RSillsbee]

I own 2 guns that were purchased at a retail point of sale and some numberof guns that were purchased second hand in a private sale. some number of those guns were also purchased by the person who sold them to me secondhand in a private sale.

Some where out there in flyover America every gun I own is recorded in some FFLs bound book but my name isn't attached to any (w/ the 2 exceptions)of them.

My question is what portion of the "300 million" guns in America includes second hand guns who (obvioulsly) are not in the hands of the original owner.

How might that hinder efforts at registration?

[notadmblnd]

1. My husband had his father's guns and when he died, I gave them to his brother.

[RSillsbee]

8. If they came to your husband prior to 1968

they aren't recorded anywhere

[slackmaster]

2. I own a few that aren't recorded in any FFL bound book

They've been in my family since before the Gun Control Act.

The number you seek must be very large indeed. Tens of millions, maybe more.

How might that hinder efforts at registration?

It would make registration impossible to fully enforce. California has handgun registration - The buyer's background is checked for any transfer, but not the seller's nor the present registration status of the gun being transferred.

[petronius]

5. What happens when the gun is purchased? Does the registration occur during the process,

or is it the buyer's responsibility to take care of it within some specified time period?

If a firearm is brought into a shop to be consigned for resale, is there a way for the shop owner to check if it's stolen or otherwise wanted?

[slackmaster]

10. For a handgun, if I sell it in a private-party transfer it becomes registered to the new owner

That happens as a result of the paperwork. Just as with any other sale from an 01 FFL in California, the dealer (acting as a conduit for the transfer) keeps custody of the gun for 10 days after which the new owner can pick it up.

If a firearm is brought into a shop to be consigned for resale, is there a way for the shop owner to check if it's stolen or otherwise wanted?

Good question. I don't know if there is a statewide system in place for that.

[petronius]

12. Thanks for the info! (nt)

[Warrior Dash]

3. "How might that hinder efforts at registration?"

Quite a bit, but not as much as the Constitution.

[tularetom]

4. I have over 50 "second hand" firearms

Many of them are pre-1899 antiques and thus require no FFL. Of those that are not, I have a single shot .410 that I got on my 8th birthday, a Winchester Model 12 that I got when my grandfather died and an 1894 Winchester .30-30 that I bought at age 16 with money I earned hauling hay.

I've probably bought 4 or 5 guns under circumstances that required a FFL.

[Hoopla Phil]

6. I have several second hand (as in not new) guns but almost all of them

were purchased through a FFL dealer. In all my firearms I think I have, maybe, two or three that don't have paper on them.

[ileus]

7. Most of mine are from the 50's and 60's...only 4 are recorded.

[YllwFvr]

9. All of my firearms came used,

And two were purchased at a gun store. The rest were private sales. The pistols of course got a background check while the long guns did not. Registration would have to be almost voluntary and I doubt many would do that.

[RSillsbee]

11. After reading this thread I think we are counting two numbers here

I am begining to think that 300 million guns means "300 million sold since 1968"

I think there may be far more guns than anyone thinks in this country

[lawodevolution]

13. I'm not against owning second hand guns, I'd like a good deal on some but I've never had the

chance to buy one. I saw a few in a gun store that were priced 10 bucks less than new, no thanks. There isn't a huge market for used guns like there is for used cars. It seems like after buying a gun people tend to keep them.

[ileus]

14. Buy off co-workers or friends of friends, family ect...

people you can trust...the only time I sell a gun these days is if it doesn't work properly.