I've never sold ammunition, so I'm looking for some ideas.

My mom had two big crates full of various ammunition and three smaller ammo cans full. I have no real desire to drive it all from NW Washington to Houston, so I'm looking to sell it the next time I go out. I don't know all of the laws pertaining to transfer of this sort of thing, but I think I can sell it in a private sale without a lot of hassle as long as I'm not shipping it. What are the best ways to reach potential buyers? What is a good way to price it?

If any of you are out in Washington, I'm happy to give you first dibs on any of it. Location is north of Bellingham.

BrazosDog02 said:

---

I like your mom. She seems cool.

---

Not cool enough to give us the gun safe combo.

Ryan the Temp said:

---

BrazosDog02 said:

---

I like your mom. She seems cool.

---

Not cool enough to give us the gun safe combo.

---

Personally, I would probably tote it back to Texas next time you go see her since you live here and there are plenty of good ags in the city you live that will buy it. I wouldn't fool with trying to sell there while you are here.

BrazosDog02 said:

---

Ryan the Temp said:

---

BrazosDog02 said:

---

I like your mom. She seems cool.

---

Not cool enough to give us the gun safe combo.

---

Personally, I would probably tote it back to Texas next time you go see her since you live here and there are plenty of good ags in the city you live that will buy it. I wouldn't fool with trying to sell there while you are here.

---

I can't go see her because she's not alive anymore. That's why I'm now dealing with all this crap, including what will probably end up being us cutting the safe open.

It's a 4-5 day trip back to Houston, and the ammo is literally the only reason I would have a need to drive back. I've made this trip before, and it kind of sucks. The boxes I can ship, the guns I can FFL transfer. I just don't see spending $2K-$3K to bring the ammo back as being a smart financial decision, nevermind the time required or the risk of leaving all that ammo in a vehicle in a motel parking lot at night.

Bellingham is about 7 hours drive to the closest place in Idaho.

Ryan the Temp said:

---

BrazosDog02 said:

---

Ryan the Temp said:

---

BrazosDog02 said:

---

I like your mom. She seems cool.

---

Not cool enough to give us the gun safe combo.

---

Personally, I would probably tote it back to Texas next time you go see her since you live here and there are plenty of good ags in the city you live that will buy it. I wouldn't fool with trying to sell there while you are here.

---

I can't go see her because she's not alive anymore. That's why I'm now dealing with all this crap, including what will probably end up being us cutting the safe open.

It's a 4-5 day trip back to Houston, and the ammo is literally the only reason I would have a need to drive back. I've made this trip before, and it kind of sucks. The boxes I can ship, the guns I can FFL transfer. I just don't see spending $2K-$3K to bring the ammo back as being a smart financial decision, nevermind the time required or the risk of leaving all that ammo in a vehicle in a motel parking lot at night.

---

I wouldn't transfer the guns personally, but that's me. Make a trip there and load up what you can in your truck/uhaul/whatever.

Understand the desire to not make such a long drive, I wouldn't want to either. But I'd rather do that than pay an FFL to transfer my own guns to me. Also, if you are shipping boxes back, toss the ammo in with them. Ammo itself doesn't require any special shipping requirements/ORM-D or anything like that. Box it up, throw it in with the rest of the stuff you are shipping back.

Check to see if there are any state laws unique to WA or to your mom's locale regarding the sale of ammo before you start selling it.

I know a couple years ago I sold ammo here on Texags. Mostly 223/556. Had a pretty good amount (not nearly as much as you), plus some pmags. I want to say I got at least $1000 to $1200.

If you can find a localish buyer up there, go for that.

I don't know anything about the regs for shipping ammo. Can't imagine making anything decent without shipping costs eating at profits.

If dealing with firearms,ni would think driving them back would create less of an overall hassle than shipping to a FFL and then going through the background check.

schmellba99 said:

---

Ryan the Temp said:

---

BrazosDog02 said:

---

Ryan the Temp said:

---

BrazosDog02 said:

---

I like your mom. She seems cool.

---

Not cool enough to give us the gun safe combo.

---

Personally, I would probably tote it back to Texas next time you go see her since you live here and there are plenty of good ags in the city you live that will buy it. I wouldn't fool with trying to sell there while you are here.

---

I can't go see her because she's not alive anymore. That's why I'm now dealing with all this crap, including what will probably end up being us cutting the safe open.

It's a 4-5 day trip back to Houston, and the ammo is literally the only reason I would have a need to drive back. I've made this trip before, and it kind of sucks. The boxes I can ship, the guns I can FFL transfer. I just don't see spending $2K-$3K to bring the ammo back as being a smart financial decision, nevermind the time required or the risk of leaving all that ammo in a vehicle in a motel parking lot at night.

---

I wouldn't transfer the guns personally, but that's me. Make a trip there and load up what you can in your truck/uhaul/whatever.

Understand the desire to not make such a long drive, I wouldn't want to either. But I'd rather do that than pay an FFL to transfer my own guns to me. Also, if you are shipping boxes back, toss the ammo in with them. Ammo itself doesn't require any special shipping requirements/ORM-D or anything like that. Box it up, throw it in with the rest of the stuff you are shipping back.

---

At this point, we have no idea what the condition of the guns is. The safe was stored in a shipping container for about 9 years that was not climate-controlled. I would be surprised if it's not a rusted out mess, but we won't know until we cut it open.

A U-Haul van is going to run me ~$2400, not including gas, lodging, or meals.

Sounds like a great OB road trip!

Well there you go, I had no idea it had changed. Used to powder and primers that weren't in a cartridge required ORM-D but loaded ammo didn't. At one time you could press primers in empty brass and ship it without any issue at all because suddenly the primers weren't explosive anymore according to USPS. Guess they found another way to bilk us out of money.

BTW, the ORM-D is a useless designation and is nothing more than an extra tax to ship something. They put ORM-D on the same trucks that they ship everything else on, you just have to pay a lot of money for an orange sticker.

You might post on https://www.ifish.net/

I think they have a hunting section too and are in that "area". Ie, pacific northwest.

Good luck man. I'm not looking forward to that with my mother.

schmellba99 said:

---

Deerdude said:

---

Not sure I'd try to sell it in Wa. Too many loons. Advertise in Idaho, there's a gun enthusiast or two there.

---

Plenty of solid folks in WA State, they are just outside of Seattle and the surrounding metro area. The eastern half (or more, really) of the state is full of people that would fit in here just fine.

---

Yes. I know a lot has changed in 15ish years but when I was living there the Lacey, WA Cabelas sold more firearms than any other location. And that's the wet side of the state.