The meeting can be in a public place or the buyer's or seller's home, and most of the time it works out fine. I've never heard of a rip-off involving a gun sale, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. If you meet publicly or privately, it probably wouldn't hurt to take a friend. And be smart about it. You don't want to meet in the parking lot of your local burger joint and have the buyer start pulling guns out of the car trunk.

Ask the seller why the gun is for sale. Judge the truthfulness for yourself. You should find out how much the gun has been shot, if it works correctly and if any repairs have been made or are needed. If the gun has problems, that doesn't mean the deal is no good. It may be that the price asked plus the cost of repairs still makes for a reasonable deal.

Be sure to inspect the gun well and know what you're getting because unless this seller is your friend or is going to do the unusual by giving you a chance to try out the gun and return it if you don't like it, the sale is probably going to be final.

Depending on where you live, private sales may not be exempt from the same laws that govern sales from federally licensed gun dealers, and sales/transfers must be conducted at a gun dealer. In California, for instance, nearlyh all sales and transfers have to be processed with a California gun dealer's license and are subject to background checks, waiting periods, purchase frequency regulations and other legal requirements. While California is known for onerous gun laws, similar restrictions are placed on guns in states such as Pennsylvania.

The upshot? Know the gun laws in your state, and abide by the letter of the law when conducting a private sale.

The World Wide Web
The Internet is like a huge newspaper classified section with national circulation. There are several websites that specialize in guns for sale, and a quick search will turn them up. Not only do individuals list guns for sale on these websites but so do many federally licensed dealers. It's a great way for them to expand their customer base. For the buyer, it offers a huge selection of types and models and some attractive prices.

Most ads will include one or more photos so the buyer can get a good idea of the gun's condition and configuration.

No matter if the buyer is looking for a common late-model gun made by a well-known manufacturer, something with special modifications or custom work, or a rare collector's item, it's probably there. Everything from machine guns and artillery pieces to BB guns is listed, but if your state doesn't permit ownership of that semiautomatic rifle you want, buying over the Internet is not going to work.

Once you determine what gun you want, the ad will tell the buyer how to contact the seller if the buyer wants to ask a question, how to make a bid if the item is being auctioned or how to close the deal if it is a straight sale. The ad will also indicate the form of payment, which may be credit card, money order, personal or cashier's check, or via PayPal.