I have purchased many good deals online. The best bargains I have found are the guns that someone bought, shot once and, now want to sell. You can get a very cherry firearm at used gun price. The best ones I have received looked absolutely NIB except for the fact they came from a private citizen who said they fired it (one gun was so crispy new that had the magazine in the pistol been wiped to remove powder residue, I would have sworn was unfired - no barrel hood marks, slide marks, etc.....I've seen guns in display cases at stores that were on display a month with more wear and tear on them).
If you purchase across state lines the firearm must ship to a legal FFL in your area. I have had good luck with Pawn Shops in the past. Be careful though and find a local pawn shop with an on premises owner is seem like a normal honest businessman. I used to pay $10 per transfer when college for tranactions like that now. Around here, it's $10 to $20 per sheet of paperwork you fill out plus any local fees (or is it tax?) to do the background check. If you mail the money off across state lines, there is no sales tax involved so that saves even more money. Shipping on a handgun usually runs around $6 to $8 insured UPS.
Things to help avoid scams. If it sounds to good to be true, be very skeptical. Insist on a phone conversation (you call the seller) at their house or place of business before you send money. Do they sound legitimate? Wait a day or two, a scam artist will be long gone (an honest seller may be a little miffed at dragging your feet but, sending the money some short period after the sell has saved me a bad deal or two). On the phone conversation, with a used firearm, ask them to pick it up and describe it in detail, even if you don't know all the parts, jargon, etc. If its a real gun, they won't stammer and stutter try to make it up as they go. Finally, if can, deal with someone you know, a familar name you recognize, or someone who can provide good references.
Those are few tips to help an online purchase.
With gun shows, depending on where you live, they may save you alot ofmoney or may be just another storefront without the service.
Hope this helps,
Sid
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Tx FFL
