The purchase of weapons - interpretation and definition of terms

If you prefer to leave the bureaucracy of selling weapons to others, you are best advised with a weapon purchase. This is usually done by licensed dealers or an authorized intermediary. Transparency and a simple procedure facilitate the sales process, which can be overwhelming between two private individuals due to the legal regulations. However, even when buying weapons through dealers, not everything that is desired is possible.

For example, a purchase is not to be confused with a weapons depot: in the case of a purchase by the authorized body, the weapon namely becomes their property in its entirety and may therefore also be resold.

Who is allowed to buy weapons?

In principle, your used weapon may also be purchased by a private person, provided that he or she has the necessary authorization. In such a case, you and the buyer are responsible for all official procedures and the control of owner's permit, previous entries, acquisition extension and other criteria.

The safer and risk-free way is to go to a gun dealer who acts as a gun buyer. When purchasing through them, you must provide your NWR IDs; centrally assigned by the federal government and existing only once, which can be assigned exactly to you, your weapon or your weapons legal document. The dealer takes care of the rest and facilitates the process and administration when selling the weapon.

Another possibility are so-called weapon recyclers. They are often used in the case of inheritance, when the weapon should not remain in the family. The term "weapons recycler" is very flexible and in principle they do not necessarily have to trade in weapons. They cooperate with dealers or shooting clubs, but can also destroy weapons on their own authority or render them unusable.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of buying weapons?

Instead of waiting months for a reliable - and more importantly, eligible - private buyer, dealers buy your gun right when you bring it in. Alternatively, you can have them pick it up from the location - in both cases, you'll get your money in cash right away. Along with the purchase, there is usually an inspection of the condition and then a general overhaul if needed.

If the weapon is in a more repairable condition, the amount of money you will receive for it will be correspondingly lower. The buyer will incur a higher maintenance cost to make the gun saleable, if at all possible. Usually, after an initial inspection, there is also a consultation. One is not always aware of the true value of a rare or old weapon and is educated before making a hasty decision. If this nevertheless falls for the business, the buyer - if not private - also takes over the re-registration.

Valuation of used weapons

When buying, the value of your used weapon results from several factors:

• Condition and functionality
• Age
• Manufacturer and model designation
• Intensity of demand or rarity
• Category affiliation
• caliber size
• any accessories or missing components

By care, good maintenance and cleaning you can increase the value.

Is it possible to sell a used gun abroad?

If you want to sell your weapon within Germany, the effort is comparatively manageable. The situation is different for an export, i.e. if you want to sell the weapon abroad. In this case, not only the laws applicable in Germany must be taken into account, but also those of the country into which the weapon is to be imported. You will need a few documents in addition to your own:

the European Firearms Passport - a "passport" for all firearms registered on it

an export permit from the German side

an import permit from the country where the firearm is to be shipped.

Here, too, the processing via a dealer in Germany and one abroad simplifies a lot and is preferable to private export - the administrative and organizational effort for private individuals is so great that it is no longer in any relation to the processing via dealers.