FAQ

You do not need an account to use My Gun Trader. However, you will not have access to contact sellers via the secure messaging system without an account.

Registering for an account on My Gun Trader will always be free. Placing basic Simple Ads is will cost you $1. The only other cost would be if you choose to place a Featured Ad for $5, which is always displayed ahead of Simple Ads.

As soon as you register, you will receive an immediate verification email. If you do not receive it, check your junk/spam folder. Due to security settings, certain email providers do not allow the verification link to be clickable. If your link is not clickable, simply copy and paste it into your browser and your account will be verified.

Be sure you do not have security or ad removal software running while using My Gun Trader. Certain security software may keep pages from loading correctly.

If the seller is not responding to messages and/or phone calls, the item is likely sold. You can also report the listing as unresponsive which will flag it for removal.

The My Gun Trader messaging system is a secure platform that allows users to communicate in real time while logged into the website. If you’re not logged into the site, My Gun Trader will automatically email you the message as a notification. You can NOT reply from the email as it will not reach the message sender – it is simply a notification. You need to log into My Gun Trader to go to your Notifications page to respond to the message sender. All of this was set up to combat spam and fraud which will help keep you from receiving unwanted messages. Remember, a user must be logged into My Gun Trader to send you a message.

My Gun Trader does not get involved in transactions. Please contact the seller yourself through the messaging system.

While My Gun Trader is a firearms marketplace, we do provide category listings for Ammunition & Reloading, Announcements & Events, Archery, General Items, Hunting Items, Knives, Parts & Accessories and Services. The General category is ONLY for an item that does not fit into one of the other categories.

Any legal law-abiding citizen may sell a firearm to a resident of his or her state provided he or she does not have reasonable cause to believe the individual is prohibited from receiving or possessing firearms under Federal law. Please visit the ATF’s website at https://www.atf.gov/questions-and-answers/firearms-qas#b5 for the most current information on Federal law. We always recommend using a Firearms Bill of Sale when buying or selling a firearm.

There is no public access to Federal criminal background databases such as NICS. Therefore, it is not possible for an individual citizen to perform a firearms background check.

Contact a local gun shop to ask if they would be willing to do the background check for a person-to-person transfer. Most will charge a $25-$50 fee for this service.

My Gun Trader is a service provider that provides a platform for sellers and buyers to connect. Therefore, My Gun Trader will not be a party to any transaction. It is the responsibility of both buyers and sellers to conduct safe and legal transactions.

My Gun Trader was designed for local transactions. Please use the website accordingly.

A great place to meet is a local gun shop. It is recommended that you contact the gun shop to be sure it is okay to conduct a face-to-face transaction on their property.

Scroll to the top and click the “+ Ad Listing” button in the right corner, or the “+” if you’re on a mobile device. You will then be directed through the listing process. Be sure to be as descriptive as possible in the ad because this is how buyers will find your ad via the search tool. Also be sure to upload as many high-resolution pictures as possible. It is highly recommended that you publish a purchase price, and always select the state in which you and the item are located. 

A Simple Ad is a basic ad that runs for 30 days. A Featured Ad runs for 90 days. However, Featured Ads are always displayed at the top of the homepage and every search page. Featured Ads garner much more visibility for your ad.

It is highly recommended that you never put your contact information in the Ad description box. This is to combat fraud and spam that is rampant on other platforms. Registered users will have access to the messaging system that delivers messages to your email inbox.

No. Your listing should be created in the state and city you and the item are physically located regardless of whether you’re willing to ship to another location. Buyers searching their specific states assume they will be able to travel to make the purchase in person. If you choose to post in multiple locations, other registered users may flag your Ad as a duplicate which will be removed.

No. Duplicate listings are not allowed and will be removed if other registered users flag it as a duplicate. If you want your item(s) to be listed first, you must purchase a Featured Ad which will be displayed at the top of the home page as well as the top of every search page.

Simple Ads are set to expire after 30 days while Featured Ads expire after 90 days. However, if your item(s) sells, we expect you to delete the ad altogether so other registered users are aware it is no longer available.

No. You are not allowed to place links to third-party websites in the description of your submitted ads. The exception to that, of course, would be a link to the manufacturer’s website (e.g. Your ad is for a Colt 1911 handgun so you may add a link to Colt’s 1911 product page).

If your pictures are not labeled prior to upload (you chose to snap pictures when posting directly from your cell phone) the system automatically labels them as image-1, image-2, etc. If you have a previous ad or ad(s), this can sometimes create a conflict because your user profile has multiple images named the same thing, so it defaults to the original image-1, image-2, etc. If you encounter this issue, the easiest way around it is to take your pictures first to ensure they are in the gallery on your phone and labeled prior to submitting an ad and uploading them.

Please report the listing through the peer-to-peer reporting feature. My Gun Trader was designed to enable registered users to police the site.

Report the incident to your local authorities and report the listing as a scam through My Gun Trader’s peer-to-peer reporting system to ensure the Ad is removed.

Due to our Privacy Policy, My Gun Trader can only provide personal information to law enforcement during due process of law.