Armed Agorism: A three part series about obtaining and owning firearms through the Grey Market by guest contributor Atreidies. If you would like more background on Agorism, Black and Grey markets check this video .The following information is for educational purposes only. Please follow the advice in the article at your own risk.

Buying firearms is a potentially risky endeavor. If you are reading this article at the original source, you probably already understand that there is a defacto registration system in place on the federal level. This is not supposed to be the case, but most people wouldn’t doubt the inability of the federal government to let go of a voluntary data collection system that by law requires a purge after 24 hours, especially regarding something as potentially dangerous to their power structure as firearms in the hands of ordinary citizens.

When buying from a federally licensed dealer (FFL), the purchaser fills out a form (4473) and the data collected on that form is either called in or entered electronically to check against a state or federal database, and the government decides if you can exercise your natural right to self-defense, or your enumerated and (supposedly) constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. The law requires that this data be purged every 24 hours, and the reality is that this is likely true. HOWEVER, it’s highly likely that the names and unique identifying information provided (SS Number, DOB, etc.) are added to a list of gun owners. There are ways to avoid having more “hits” on that list, or if you’ve never bought a gun through a licensed dealer, to never make it on the list in the first place.

The 4473’s are kept on file for 25 years or longer with the FFL, even if they go out of business. If the ATF or any other agency does a trace on a gun, they will go to the manufacturer, which will eventually lead them to the FFL that did the original sale and has the 4473 on file. If it is your name on the form, it is your door they will be knocking on. This is why private transfers are a great Grey Market solution, because they are essentially a dead end for the investigator.

Private transfers happen between two individuals, without the FFL process. The seller can be an FFL selling from his private collection. Some states require private transactions to go through an FFL, so purchases in these states should be avoided. There are several avenues to find a seller, which I will discuss later. More importantly, there are some things to avoid when buying from private individuals.

First, don’t use a social media account that is traceable to your real identity. Second, don’t provide your state of residence if you are buying out of state. Third, don’t mention that you are ineligible to possess a firearm if you are ineligible. It is a federal crime for an individual to KNOWINGLY sell to someone who resides out of state, or is ineligible. If you don’t tell them, they won’t know, and you aren’t causing them to run afoul of the law without their consent. Most won’t ask, and if they do, just drop all contact and move on. Giving false information can trap you in a setup. As a seller, if a buyer ever tells you they are from out of state or that they are ineligible, DO NOT SELL THEM THE FIREARM. This is potentially a setup, so just halt the transaction and walk. Maybe they’re just ignorant of the law, but you don’t want to take the chance.