Is it ever appropriate that, since you're the initiating party, to ask the respondant to ship his gun (for your inspection), first?

Or how exactly does it work? Is it just easier to sell your gun outright and then buy whatever you're looking for?

Both parties should have inspection periods.

I would highly suggest however, unless you know the person or have very good pictures just sell and buy later.

Of course this is based on personal experience and most others will have had a better deal than I.

Many years ago I did a trade with several guns to get a few nicer ones. I was PCSing again and didn't want to pack a bunch of guns to my next duty station. The well known South Dakota gun shop sent me exactly what I asked for but not in the condition stated. He would take care of the exchange but I would have to pay shipping again or I could have a store credit. Nice except I was 1000 miles from the store. So after thinking it over and looking at the cost of exchange I decided just to use the deal as a teachable moment. He came out smelling like a rose and I got screwed. Oh well live and learn.

So what I'm trying to say is be careful and know exactly what you are getting. BTW the transactions I've done since with people from the forum went better than expected.

Hope this helps

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Mike
USMCR 84-87, USAF 87-07

I've done long distance trades twice, once with another S&W Forum member and once with a dealer in Tx.

In both cases extra pics were exchanged and the swap was discussed on the phone. The trade with the forum member actually went smoother and easier than the one with the dealer. We each paid for our own shipping and were both happy with the guns once we got them. The swap with the dealer was kind of a pain because he didn't follow through with shipping in a timely fashion, I sent my gun on good faith and he didn't send his until a couple of days after mine had gotten there, which may have been his plan all along. Except for being filthy the gun was what I expected.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

It's a trust and human nature thing.

There are some folks here who have shipped accessories and even guns to me prior to payment arriving. But I believe it's because they have come to "know" me here over time, and I am not a bit shy about providing them with multiple ways to contact me personally by phone, mails and physical address.

I, likewise, have extended the same courtesy to other members here that I have come to regard as trustworthy individuals by observing their attitudes, comments, and dealings with others.

But it's still a fairly small circle. Never met but one of them face to face; but if there was any hesitation or trepidation in dealing with someone in general I would insist on payment up front, verifiable details and communication avenues with many of the trades and purchases I've made.

Ask questions, request detailed photos, call them on the phone and speak with them personally. If it doesn't "feel" right it likely isn't. If it doesn't pass the "smell" test - move on to the next deal. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is too good to be true.

There's always a first time, but I've never been burned here or tried to get over on anyone, myself. Condition of a firearm is always subjective and I attempt to be brutally honest about the condition of something I offer, and slightly underestimate the condition for "rating" or "percentage" purposes. I'd much rather send a man a gun and have him think it's better than the 95% condition I described than less so.

As much hassle and expense as it takes to ship and receive firearms, it just makes sense to be as sure as possible before you commit and decide beforehand, barring fraud or an outright lie, that you're going to be at least "OK" with the deal.

The worst offenders are hit and run artists who post a few times to sell something and are never heard from again. After that, the guys whose wife finds out they bought another one and lays down the law so they find any and every imagined flaw they can conjure up as an excuse to return an item. If you don't have the money, or if "she who must be obeyed" isn't going to "allow" it, then don't tell someone "I'll take it".

I've bought a couple that were not in the condition described in the strictest sense, but it was as much my fault for not requesting multiple detailed photos; a matter of an honest difference of opinion as opposed to thinking someone was trying to get over on me. I didn't think of returning the gun and just added the details to my education as a buyer to make sure I asked for enough information next time. And I'm careful to be honest as possible in descriptions because a lot of our members here will pay to get what they want, but their standards are demanding and it had better be as advertised if you expect to get the premium price you ask. The auction sites have ruined a lot of goodwill by folks seeing a prime specimen sell for a premium and thinking their much used 90% example is worth the same money. They take pics with creative lighting and angles and conveniently 'forget' to mention that little ding under the trigger guard or wherever. When called on it, their rationale is, "well, that's what they go for in the market !"

Caveat emptor . . .YMMV

Call me old fashioned, but I prefer a FTF I don't trust anybody. Guns, money, and women are just a few things that should not be dealt with blindly.
Have you ever met someone online and when you meet up she's .

I have done a few handgun trades on this forum. I was very pleased with both of the trades but did make several phone calls first to get a better feeling.
I also sold three revolvers on the forum and it was a nightmare. One of the revolvers had muli-able offers and trades from all kinds of folks some who PM's and others who just posted on the forum. It was hard to figure out who was who when they have a nick name on the forum and their e-mail name was totally different. Also some folks were offended when I was not interested in their trades.
I guess like anything, you just have to use common sense and ask as many questions til you feel comfortable.
Chop

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MSG US Army

I've done two trades here on this forum, and both were highly satisfactory. In both cases our guns crossed in the mail.

I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Two trades with forum members in other states with absolutely no problems. Would do it again but if you have the funds available it is easier to just buy what you want.

I sent a guy I didn't know, or sent his dealer that is, a Shiloh Sharps as a trade for a N.I.B. 1971 Colt SAA. Both guns were valued about $2500. He got the rifle first then the handgun got here. It went very smooth and I will never do that again. I've heard too many bad stories about ripoffs and feel like I just lucked out. But dealing with forum members is a different story if you feel you sort of "know" their character from their posts.

I have only bought and sold items online, never any trades. But for those who recommend FTF, I have to say I am very skeptical of the FTF without calling and speaking with the person, and having a safe location for the FTF--not Billy Bob's dimly lit parking lot. With firearms it makes me a little nervous that I will be seeing other firearm from an angle I don't like. Have had good luck buying and selling online. Hoping the people I have dealt with feel the same way.

I traded guns once with a member here. My gun I traded was NIB and his better than the 95% stated. We exchanged several emails w/pictures and a couple phone calls. In the end we both shipped on faith. His dealer was slow on shipping and we both got nervous on that but the deal went through fine and we both were happy.
Only one other site besides here I'd do that with and I know 95% of those guys for better than ten years.

It can be done, particularly with e-mailed photos. Honesty, of course, is the biggest issue. Things are going to fall apart pretty quickly if either person covers anything up. I did a trade with a long-time member here (jeremyws1), and I believe that we were both quite pleased. Each of us had a fairly unusual item and went to a bit of trouble to describe it and photograph it. Really, a trade is different from a sale only in having two people trying to find out what they're getting, instead of just one. The trust issues are still the same, just doubled.

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Formerly Model520Fan

Thinking back on it after reading this thread, I have done at least four long distance trades, and those deals actually involved some of the most valuable guns I have or had. No problems at all. You can actually get a good feel for someone by reading a lot of their posts.

Generally if it is my ad and someone responds then I think they should send their item first just like they are sending payment. Of course I am in a trade right now where we are both sending our rifles at the same time......I guess it depends on how comfortable you are in dealing with the other person based on feedback, length of membership, post count, etc.

The only trades I've done have been with forum members, and I've been very pleased with the results.

I sold one revolver to a forum membr (out of stte) and then purchased another revolver from another forum member (out of state). As stated above, good pics and phone conversations along with e-mails when items are shipped/received go a long way.

Trading guns long distance resulted in meeting a forum member with whom I enjoyed a wonderful albeit too brief a friendship. Jeff B. lived in Michigan and I in Indy, we shared a passion for S&W .44's, Jeff was called home several years ago about this time. Sadly at the all too young age of only 53 yrs. of age. We had a meeting place that was half way between our homes and would sit in our vehicles for an hour or so discussing S&W's on several occassions during our friendship. We had what I called a "rubber gun", a 4" M/29-2 that we traded back and forth so many times that I lost count. Fortunately it was resting securely in my gun vault when Jeff passed and is an enduring momento of our friendship.

I have done it a few times with other Forum members and only once did it result in a problem, and that was taken care of by a moderator. Mostly E mails with Photos and phone calls for communication.

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Stan