Aside from the firearm research on the item itself, for safety and legality purposes, what steps do YOU always take before even contacting someone who posts a gun classified ad?
Those of us who have done this forever always employ a few common sense considerations before even contacting someone with an item we might be interested in, regardless of whether they are a member or not. These might apply to anywhere else ads are posted as well.
This is one good part about a social media style site. Instead of just an obfuscated email from sites like Craigslist, at social media marketplace sites like this, you can check the directory and profile your buyers or seller first before even contacting them. You could even go so far before even contacting them to run a free Montana background check using the CONWEB if you wanted to and then just verify it’s them before transacting.
Please find and leave your comments, tips, tricks and suggestions for other members and visitors in the comments below.
Mandated or “Universal” Government Background Checks for private gun sales and trade, ARE NOT and will never be, to the best of our ability, REQUIRED BY LAW in the State of Montana!
Unless of course you live in Missoula now. Missoula is trying to require background checks before firearms transactions within city limits. Anyone with any common sense knows that even if they do, law abiding citizens will simply drive outside of the city limits to transact. As opposed to the bad guys, who don’t care either way.
Like a majority of attempts at gun control, just ridiculous.
Does that mean we don’t think people should have the choice to do a background check on someone for our own firearm transactions? Should we have to pay for it? Well you don’t currently have to pay for an in state ONLY background check in Montana!
I’ve personally found it useful twice! Has it ever helped you? Have you ever had a person you feel is questionable try to buy a gun from you? How did you handle it? Share your tips, tricks and wisdom in the comments below!
Members Can Now Create News Feed or Group Polls For Other Members To Take!
Login and Click Add New… then select Poll. Ask your poll question in the status bar and add your poll options. Click Post and it’s live!
Polls are great for websites like this! They can be used to find out favorite calibers for large or small critters, holsters for concealed carry or even types of rifles that might be desired for raffles. Maybe even your favorite brew or bourbon to enjoy AFTER a great day at the range!
How are polls here better than Facebook?
#1 Anyone can post a poll! Even in your groups!
#2 You can add unlimited options! Facebook only allows two unless you install some special crap.
#3 You can allow multiple answers!
Ask questions about polls in the comments below this post or send me a private message.
Thank You For Your Interest in Serving Montanans. Please Review, Vote in All Polls and Comment Below.
Please understand a few critical issues that most of us agree on before you assume our votes after simply claiming support for our 2nd Amendment. So many before you have done so and stabbed us in the back that even as a Republican, you are not immune.
For The Record: WE ARE NOT SINGLE ISSUE VOTERS. We are PRIMARY issue voters. And Firearms Freedom is ALMOST ALWAYS our primary issue. Because we know that without the 2nd Amendment, ALL others become indefensible.
Before we can commit with support of any kind through this website and numerous social networks, fundamentals of firearms freedom need first to be addressed directly by you or your campaign and understood either here or publicly on the record elsewhere.
Please vote and provide details about the following firearms freedom issues below. You are welcome and encouraged to register at this website with thousands of fellow Montanans to put your position on the record in the comments below this post.
This is not a hostage situation. If you have opposing views, please tell us how and try to convince us below. If in support, we encourage you to feel free to plug your position for gun owners to see below as well. This does not cover all issues. But these are the hottest topics to address for us to gain confidence in your commitment to help protect our god given rights and give you our elective support.
These polls are currently open to the public. If needed, they can easily be restricted to members only. If you are a member with an opposing or supportive opinion to those shared above, please present your objections or support for discussion below. Be Sure to Share!
I don’t normally like to get political at this site. However, Bullock’s veto of this bill directly affects private gun sales and trades in Missoula due to their ordinance, and any other whimsical gun control measures cities may choose to adopt in Montana. Please see details provided by Gary From Montana Shootings Sports Association below and get ready to rally the troops in 2020…
I will provide followup for members in the comments below. Leave a comment to get notifications here in order to stay tuned in.
Yesterday (Friday, 5/3/19), Governor Bullock vetoed HB 325, the bill to prevent a patchwork of gun control laws across the state. The bill’s identical companion, HB 357 will cause the same thing to go to a vote of the people at the next General Election, in November of 2020.
It’s no surprise that the Governor was highly disingenuous in his veto message giving his reason for this veto. For example, he says HB 325 would allow felons to bring guns into schools, even though it’s illegal under federal law for felons to possess guns. (Yes, Bullock is reputed to have graduated from law school.)
So, Bullock is effectively arguing that a felon who would disregard committing another federal felony and disregard a state law prohibiting guns in schools (45-8-361), would be deterred from bringing guns into schools if only local governments are allowed to enact an ordinance for a local misdemeanor prohibiting that conduct. Right, as if felons spend their time first reading and then complying with local ordinances. Right, nonsensical.
There is much else nonsensical about the Governor’s veto message. In a separate effort, I’ll dissect and correct it in detail.
However, this veto message clearly telegraphs the exact lies opponents will make about HB 357 in the run-up to the 2020 election. Opponents will say, in various ways, that HB 357 will cause the end-of-life-on-Earth-as-we-know-it if voters vote for HB 357. They will lie repeatedly.
You and I will be fully responsible for explaining HB 357 to uninformed voters. Yes, that will be your job and the job of every one of your pro-gun friends. This will happen in a thousand one-on-one conversations you will have with other Montana voters between now and November of 2020. Anti-gun New York billionaire Michael Bloomberg and his minions will probably spend a lot of money in Montana propagating the same lies about HB 357 that Bullock used in his veto message of HB 325. Only you will be able to convince your friends and neighbors to vote for HB 357. I can’t do that for you, nor can MSSA, the NRA, or anyone else. Only you. Get ready.
So, I recommend that you begin to prepare by reading Bullock’s veto message at:
Links to your posted classified ads will now appear automatically on the News Feed in addition to the ability to send INTERNAL Private Messages related to ads using the websites messaging system, rather than sending an email using the contact form.
If you wanted to allow other members to discuss your ads on the News Feed before this update, you had to copy and paste a link to your ad on the stream. That process is now automatic.
All ads posted will now automatically post a link to your individual ads to the News Feed attributed to you. It will state for example Randy posted a new ad and a link to your post. Other logged in members will then be able to react and comment or ask questions about it. Non-members cannot see them. Non members can still use the contact form in the ad the same as before.
You can delete the news feed posts if you choose. Click the drop-down in the top right and select delete to remove them.
The objective is to help encourage more engagement among members on the social network and to allow you to better promote your items.
When another member posts a comment or reacts to your post, you will get a notification by email and on site if you haven’t disabled it.
Click Notifications on your profile to adjust notification preferences.
Logged in Members also now have the option of using the website’s internal messaging system rather than the email contact form. Members will now see a CHAT button in ads. Clicking that button will open up a private message window.
The member will receive an email from the site stating someone has sent them a private message at the site and to check that message using a link.
I’ve had this question asked a few times over the years and figured it was time to build a how to. Please ask questions and comment in the comments below so that other users can benefit. If you like what you see happening here and want to help fund this site, please Feature your ads, Donate or always Shop through the Sponsor Shop when you buy online to help fund this Made in Montana gun site.
Users who upload more than one photo can have them display in whatever order they want on their ad photo album. They can also set which image displays as their thumbnail image on the Classifieds page. The featured image also displays as the photo that displays when your ad is shared on other websites like Facebook and Twitter and even at this site in the Community News Feed.
#1 – To edit your uploaded image order or to change which of your images are featured, log in and click Manage Ads from the main menu.
#2 – Click and drag images to the same order you want them to appear in your ad. If that’s all you want to do, simply click Update at the bottom and you’re done. Your images will appear in your album in that same order.
#3 – To change which image displays as your Featured Image, click Edit on the photo you want to make the featured image.
#4 – On the edit image page, select Use this image as featured image. The click Update Description. The close the edit box.
#5 – Once back on the edit ad page, click Update again to make the changes stick. That’s it.
Visit the Classifieds page to make sure the Featured Image is the one you wanted. Repeat as necessary. Visit your ad to make sure that your photos appear in the order you want. These two functions are separate. Just because you upload in a specific order, that does not mean they will appear in that order. Simply click and drag them to appear in the order you want them to appear and reset the featured image however you want. Only ONE featured image per ad is possible.
Ask your questions about this function below. Send me a private message if you prefer to keep it private.
Using a locally owned and operated website is the safest method of transacting with firearms online.
After using this site, what other benefits might you say that this site gives gun buyers and sellers above national sites?
Vote for existing answers and/or click Add your answer so that others can also see your opinion about why a local site is better. Share and make your comments below.
Email Verification Required!
When anyone joins this site, a link that you must click to verify your email address is sent to the address you provided immediately after you submit your registration. If you joined and have not yet received it, check your junk mail and spam folders! Gmail, Yahoo and others have a habit of flagging gun sites! This site must verify your email address before your registration is approved. Why? Because this is a gun classifieds site with contact forms in your ads that need to work so you get your emails and help you sell your stuff!
Google hates guns!
If you use Gmail, even current members should check their junk mail and spam folders and add us to your safe senders list! Then add the sent from email address of noreply@montanaguntrader.com to your web-mail contacts! If you have the option, whitelist this sites IP: 104.219.41.114.
Membership Approval
Once you verify your email address, a message is then sent to an administrator who then reviews your profile and approves or denies your membership. When approved, you will then immediately receive verification and a login link.
Registration To Post Ads Is Now Required!
Due to scammers discovering our site and posting garbage several months ago, posting gun classified ads at this site became only allowed to Montana members. We once allowed anyone to post at this site but the scammers and spammers discovered us and registration to post ads became required. If you’ve joined from outside of Montana, your profile won’t be approved and you will not receive a welcome message. You can contact members ask them about shipping out of state using the contact form in ads. Be sure to check the post content and see if they note whether they will ship out of state to your FFL, etc.
Should we allow out of state members to join?
So far, a majority of members do not want to allow out of state members to join. What do you think? Take the poll. Should this site allow out of state members to join? Remember, now that registration is required, location is collected before registration is approved. You can check someones profile before transacting with them.
Using a locally owned and operated website is the safest method of transacting with firearms online. 
