Selling a firearm: To whom may I sell a firearm

Sale of weapons: By far the most important point is the proper verification that a potential buyer is authorized to acquire.

The following are the most important acquisition authorizations for various categories of firearms.

Free weapons

Any person of legal age can give these to any other person of legal age, either as a gift or in exchange for the payment of a purchase price. The only checks to be made are that the recipient of the firearm is at least 18 years old and that it is indeed a permit-free weapon.

There are two types of free firearms that we would like to discuss in more detail, permit-free firearms and SRS firearms.

How do I recognize a permit-free firearm?

You can recognize it by the so-called "F in a pentagon". This sign means that the firearm has been tested and imparts an energy of 7.5 joules or less to the projectile.

Older free, i.e. compressed-air or spring-loaded guns, which were put on the market before 1970, do not have this mark, but they are still free for sale. For these "old" compressed air and spring pressure weapons, the bullet energy is irrelevant and they are not subject to WBK. Newer weapons, on the other hand, which lack the "F in pentagon" symbol, are subject to WBK regardless of their actual energy from 0.5 joules (this also applies to weapons from abroad).

How do I recognize an SRS weapon?

SRS weapons, i.e. alarm, gasand signal weapons, are revolvers and pistols that do not fire projectiles but are designed to fire (not shoot) various types of blanks or irritant gas cartridges. They can be recognized, among other things, by the test seal of the Physikalisch Technische Prüfanstalt. This contains the capital letters PTB in a circle.

Although the weapons are free, they may not be carried without a permit - the so-called "Kleine Waffenschein". More about SRS weapons

Firearms without a permit

These weapons must have a permit. This can be one of the following:

Hunting license

The valid hunting license is an acquisition permit for all hunting long weapons, i.e. for all long weapons that are not prohibited for hunting according to § 19 BJagdG. So: Pay attention to the expiration date of the hunting license! To acquire handguns, hunters also need their own official acquisition permit, i.e. a preliminary entry in a Green WBK.

In summary: For the acquisition of a long gun it is sufficient to show the hunting license or the WBK. When selling a handgun, the buyer must have a pre-entry for this weapon in the WBK.

The hunting license also entitles the buyer to purchase all ammunition for long guns. For handgun ammunition, however, the buyer must have a corresponding handgun entry in his WBK.

Green WBK with preliminary entry for handguns

The WBK alone is not sufficient as an acquisition permit. It is important that the corresponding weapon is mentioned in a still valid previous entry. Because such a pre-entry is only valid for one year, the seller must pay attention to the expiration date. If the permit has already expired, the handgun may not be sold!

Green WBK with preliminary entry for long weapons

Certain weapons may not be purchased with the yellow WBK - for example, semi-automatic long guns. If the holder is not qualified by his hunting license as entitled to acquire because he is, for example, a sports shooter, he needs a green WBK with pre-entry for weapons that are excluded from the yellow WBK. With the pre-entry it is to be noted that it has not expired. In addition, the weapon specific weapon must not be excluded from sport shooting.

Yellow WBK / Sportschützen-WBK

The Sportschützen-WBK is an acquisition and possession permit for all types of weapons listed therein. Here no additional previous entry for the acquisition of a weapon must be present, the WBK itself is sufficient. The Sportschützen-WBK is according to § 14 Abs. 4 permission to acquire and possess the following types of weapons:

Single-shot single-barrel long guns with smoothbore and rifled barrels.
repeating long guns with rifled barrels
Single-barreled single-shot short firearms for cartridge ammunition
Multi-shot short and long guns with primer ignition (percussion weapons).

The authorities in some federal states issue the Sportschützen-WBK only to a limited extent, e.g. only for one of the above-mentioned types of weapons or only for a certain number of weapons. As far as this restriction is known to the seller, because it is noted in the WBK as an official entry, he has to observe it.

Ergo: Check the yellow WBK carefully, whether the prospective buyer is allowed to buy the weapon at all!

Old yellow WBK

The sporting shooter's WBK issued until 31.03.2003 is - as far as it has not been extended by an official entry - still an acquisition and possession permit for single-shot long guns with smooth-bore and rifled barrels.

Red collector's WBK

The Red Collector's Permit entitles the holder to acquire the weapons that are included in the collection area specified in the Permit. As with any other transfer of firearms requiring a license, the transferor is also obligated to verify the purchaser's eligibility in accordance with Section 34, Paragraph 1, Sentence 1 of the Weapons Act.

However, no ammunition may be purchased with a red WBK unless this permit is explicitly listed in the WBK.

Although it is possible to obtain a red weapons possession card for "firearms of all kinds", this is only approved in very rare exceptional cases. In most cases, the possession permit is limited to a specific collection area.