Contacted my LGS today and he said he would not give out his FFL info unless the seller was a dealer. Also that if he was not a dealer the seller could ship it to him without that info? Seemed protectionist about his FFL. Is this correct? The seller says he needs an FFL to ship. How can an individual ship a firearm to an FFL without that info? Seems odd.
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Getting a gun shipped from seller. FFL question.
- Thread starter baddarryl
- Start date
I have always understood that a firearm needs to be shipped with the receiver's FFL enclosed. If that is correct, your FFL is mistaken. However, FFLs are not required to accept a firearm, they can interpret rules any way they want, or make up their own...as long as they don't contradict federal law.
Got another LGS?
Got another LGS?
Some FFLs are very leery of potential Bloomberg stings and stunts.
Others may resent online purchases.
I'd recommend you go to gunbroker.com or gunsamerica.com, and use their links to find FFLs by zip code who are willing to receive handguns.
It's pretty easy. Not sure if you have to register with either site to use the functions.
Others may resent online purchases.
I'd recommend you go to gunbroker.com or gunsamerica.com, and use their links to find FFLs by zip code who are willing to receive handguns.
It's pretty easy. Not sure if you have to register with either site to use the functions.
There is also nothing that says you have to use that particular FFL.
Last time I checked my previous local area, there were at least 8 FFLs available via the gunbroker website. Transfer fees ranged from $10 to $50; policies may vary with each with regard to who can send them a weapon.
Last time I checked my previous local area, there were at least 8 FFLs available via the gunbroker website. Transfer fees ranged from $10 to $50; policies may vary with each with regard to who can send them a weapon.
If your local guy only wants to send his license to another dealer, either operate under his terms or find someone else. You can't fault someone for wanting to be safe rather than sorry.
The seller does need a copy to verify the receiver is current and valid. As a private seller I would never send an item without having that first. It also has the actual business name and location in exact detail so there is less chance for a mistake to be made.
The seller does need a copy to verify the receiver is current and valid. As a private seller I would never send an item without having that first. It also has the actual business name and location in exact detail so there is less chance for a mistake to be made.
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An FFL can receive a firearm from a non-dealer. It just that it often turns into a hassle. He has to log the gun into his books, and when he gets mystery guns with no contact information, he's stuck with something that could bite him on an ATF audit.
As far as not giving a copy of the FFL out to non-dealers, I can understand that. No good comes of giving a copy out to strangers, and it's not necessary. There are online resources that will allow individuals to verify a dealer's identity and status, so it's really a non-issue.
As far as not giving a copy of the FFL out to non-dealers, I can understand that. No good comes of giving a copy out to strangers, and it's not necessary. There are online resources that will allow individuals to verify a dealer's identity and status, so it's really a non-issue.
I'm not a dealer and I've shipped several long guns to FFLs. One wanted a copy of my drivers license, which was OK with me. I have had only one that would only accept from another FFL. The buyer wanted to stick with that FFL so I added the cost of having a local FFL ship it.
To clarify he said if the seller wasn't a dealer he could just ship it to him and if the seller was a dealer they needed to exchange info. My seller ships through an FFL so the last I heard from my LGS was that once it arrived to the dealer for shipping he would send his info to them. Still, how does an individual ship a firearm interstate without using an FFL to send? I understand that one must ship to an FFL, but don't need to ship 'through' if not a dealer.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
How does one ship without using an FFL? One sticks the firearm in a box and sends it off. If it's handgun, it cannot be sent through the U.S. mail by a non-FFL but it can be shipped by UPS or FedEx. Non-FFLs may send rifles and shotguns through the U.S. mail (although it may freak out the postal clerk).baddarryl said:Still, how does an individual ship a firearm interstate without using an FFL to send? I understand that one must ship to an FFL, but don't need to ship 'through' if not a dealer.
But, he still must give me his license number so I can verify that he is in fact an FFL. Otherwise, there is no telling who I'm shipping the gun to.As far as not giving a copy of the FFL out to non-dealers, I can understand that. No good comes of giving a copy out to strangers, and it's not necessary. There are online resources that will allow individuals to verify a dealer's identity and status, so it's really a non-issue.
And what "bad" could come of providing a copy of an FFL. Any gun being shipped would have to be to the address on the FFL anyway, which would have to match whats on the ATF website.
Jim
The license number is a matter of public record, and he loses nothing by giving that out. It's the paper copy that can be an issue.But, he still must give me his license number so I can verify that he is in fact an FFL.
That's assuming the sender checks. Most copies are faxed, and alterations to the address field are easy to hide when they're kind of grainy anyhow. I've known it to happen.Any gun being shipped would have to be to the address on the FFL anyway, which would have to match whats on the ATF website.
One issue I personally had to deal with was a guy who'd gotten a copy of ours for one transaction, then held on to it. He used it to order a dozen guns from a distributor (under our name) so he could get wholesale price on them. All we knew was that we suddenly had a shipment we didn't order, and the whole back-and-forth became a big mess.