On or Off book; does it matter?

[Steelharp]

Something I've always wondered; when you carry, does it matter to you if the gun is "on book" (dealer bought) or "off book" (acquired privately)? I've always been of a mind that "on book" is a better choice for carry, while the "off book" ones kinda stay at home, safely nested away.

 

Thoughts?

[hipower]

My first thought was to disagree with you. But after reflecting on it a moment, I can see the possible "legal" edge to it. Not sure that I'm totally on board with that line of thinking, but it does appear to be something worth thinking about and some discussion.

With the huge number of handguns sold and traded between individuals in this country, as long as what you are carrying and might use in a self-defense situation is not a stolen weapon, or could be traced back to a crime. I don't see that much of a stigma would be attached to how the carry piece was acquired.

Just my off the cuff thoughts.

[Peace]

I would like it not to matter.  ... bottom line.  Be a good person, do good things.  Volunteer and help out kids, elderly,... and generally those that can't help themselves.  If you become well known for the good that you do, it will be harder for ignorance to hurt you should you ever have to defend yourself against threat of death or serious bodily harm.

 

Carry what you legally and rightfully own according to the applicable laws.  ... If you ever do have to use it, you will find yourself downwind looking right at a big, brown fan - no matter how you slice it.... but hey, you're still alive to see that brown fan and smell the "roses".

 

-Peace

Edited August 22, 2014 by Peace

[TrickyNicky]

I think you have a point, but it's not something I think would really play a part in anything provided as Hipower mentioned it wasn't used previously in a crime. If that were the case a bill of sale might help. Honestly I doubt it would even be looked into if the serial number didn't come back as stolen.

[Mike.357]

I am not sure how it really matters.  I have spent some time thinking about this in the past.   If I have to defend myself and my means happens to be a gun show purchase I would be pretty happy if a case against me was waged on the fact I did not buy the gun from an FFL.  If I f'd up, the fact the gun was off paper would be the least of it.

 

That said,  both my carry guns are on paper.  That was thought out too.  

[Omega]

I have one of each, my Glock 23 was purchased in the late 80s at Jims Pawn in Fayetteville, NC and my XD.40 was a private sale. Honestly, I could care less which one is in my possession in an SD incident. As long as I am alive to tell the story I don't care if the gun ends up with 20 bodies on it, I am sure I can alibi out of those since I would have nothing to do with them. When I purchase from a private party I try and do my due diligence by exchanging at least drivers license info. The way I see it both parties may have to prove the guns ownership history so that protects us both.

[Lowpower]

The next question might be would you want your beautiful pistol that you had to use in defense of your life to be taken by LEO and not seen again for a

very long time until the matter is settled or is a privately/gun show bought pistol that works fine be a better choice? You will have it confiscated to be checked or

impounded.

 

Just thinking out loud....

[Omega]

Good point, it would be some time before you got to see your weapon. But it changes nothing in my view, I would rather be alive to regret choosing my $800 gun vs my $200 one that fateful day. My 2 EDC guns are utility guns, nothing special about them other than that they are mine. While I would not want to lose them or any weapon (already lost one to a game warden), I would trade them all for my life or that of another.

[DaveTN]

I’m not sure why you think it would matter?

Where the gun came from will have zero impact on a shooting and I don’t really think my carry gun is going to be confiscated for any period of time unless I’m going to trial, in which case the cost of the gun will be pretty insignificant compared to lawyer bills.

[peejman]

Doesn't matter to me at all.  I always make an effort to perform due diligence to make sure any gun I've bought privately isn't stolen.  But even if it was, I'd accept a charge of buying stolen property if that means I'm alive to be charged. 

[miller_man]

Its not something I'm worried about, I agree with peace, if you just got involved in a SD shooting, your gun being registered to you will be pretty far down on the things to worry about.

 

I've slowly gotten to where most my firearms are "off book" - including the two I carry daily.

[E4 No More]

IMHO it doesn't matter. What you legally own is just that. Now if the weapon was used in a crime then you'd need to prove exactly when you purchased it to keep you tit out of the wringer. If you modified it then you'd have some s'plaining to do if you "accidentally" shot someone. People use to be concerned about reloads versus factory ammo, but I think that's moot in Tennessee unless something goes awry such as over-penetration into an innocent bystander.

[Erik88]

You're way over thinking this.

 

So long as the gun was purchased legally, what difference does it make? There is no registration in TN and most other states.

[GlockSpock]

Gun A or B, "on book" or "off", the questions you should be asking are "which carries better" and "which is reliable".

[Steelharp]

You're way over thinking this.

 

No, I just posed a question for interesting discussion, and it's working.

[runco]

My thoughts, if off the book, and say you did have a qualified shooting event, and the gun was traced as stolen or was a previous police dept. gun, the media publicity would be terrible regardless of the legality own or not, and the circumstance to why it was used. 

 

For all guns that are off the books, are you 100% certain without any doubt if the gun is stolen or not?  Allegedly or suppose to be clean, or came from a 1 owner, does not hold water. 

 

My :2cents:

[McGarrett]

On or off book doesn't matter one bit to me. Call your local leo or gun dealer and have them run the serial # if you are in doubt. I would not want anything in my possession that could be stolen whether carrying it or not it will be just as bad if you use it as a home self defense gun if it comes back stolen.

Most of the used guns I have bought I personally know the previous owner and when and where they bought the gun new. Some even had the receipt in the box when I traded with them.

If I own it I carry it. Just my 2 cents. Edited August 30, 2014 by McGarrett

[chances R]

What matters is that : a. I had a gun when I needed it. b. I was justified in its use