if not, should i create a doc describing the sale that we both sign or am i okay with doing nothing at all.

thanks for any guidance...

if he was from out of state, I HOPE that you transfered through a FFL.

if you (and he) lived in my home state of Massachusetts, YOU have no forms to fill out, BUT your friend needs to fill out an FA-10 form, in triplicate, in black ink, and turn in 1 (unfolded)copy to the Criminal License Board with-in 7 days.

You must have or you'd have broken the law and there's no "gov doc" that would save you from "Federal Pound-Me-In-The-Ass Prison".

Depending on where you live, you may have needed to fill out paperwork for the sale - though AFAIK, most states allow private transfers with no paperwork.

Unless your local community requires that you register the gun with them, then there's nothing to worry about.

Notice on the top of the form that it is VOLUNTARY.<ul><li><a href="http://www.dol.wa.gov/forms/652004.pdf">washington state transfer form</a></li></ul>

Not a requirement, but a good idea.

How do you prove that you bought it from him? What if he claims you stole it? What if it turns out it was stolen before you bought it from him?

For a variety of reasons, I would create the document to show the make/model and serial number of the gun, and indicate that he sold it to you on [date] and then both of you sign it. Make a copy for him. File it away hopefully never to be seen again.

the good thing is that i bought it from the husband of an ex-boss of mine. he was in law enforcement, got out of it a few years back.

thanks for the advice!

also when I sell a gun, who it went too.

but those days are over. Friend or not, I'm not giving someone my SS#. How will it be stored? Who has access to it?

I'd consider giving my driver's license number, but I'll walk away from a purchase if the seller requires my SS#.