BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Originally posted by ruyzho:
"I've never purchased a gun online. I'm curious how this is done exactly.
Doesn't the gun still have to go through a FFL holder and so; you end up supporting the local gun shop anyway?"
Yes, the gun has to go to an FFL on the buyer's end and the Brady check has to be done, just like you were buying it from that dealer. There are some exceptions for older guns if you have a "Curio and Relic" FFL, but that's another subject.
"Also, how do you provide the necessary FFL info to the seller? Does the local FFL just give you his info and then you just tell him when to expect a shipment?"
That will depend on the sending and receiving FFL holders and state law. A few states apparently require the gun to be sent to the receiving FFL from an FFL; sometimes the receiving FFL won't accept the gun from the individual selling it. The BATF doesn't require that, but some FFL holders insist on doing it that way.
How you get a copy of your dealer's FFL to the seller depends on your receiving FFL's policy and relationship with you. My current FFL is a friend and neighbor who operates his gun business from his house; I used to work with his father-in-law and we know each other from way back. He gives me a stack of copies he has signed, I send one to the seller (or to his FFL holder if they want it that way) with payment and I call him when I expect him to get something for me.
The prior FFL I used also was a home-based dealer and when we got to know each other, he would also give me signed copies ahead of time.
As the world has digitized, so have FFLs and their methods. My FFL now has e-mailed me a scanned copy and I will e-mail that, or print and mail it to the seller or his dealer, depending on what they want. The laws also let you fax copies. You can also just send them your FFL's license nunmber, address and such and they can verify it on BATF's website if they are willing.
It is always a good idea to include your FFL holder's telephone numbers so the seller and/or his FFL can contact each other.
I used to utilize a few regular, store-front gun shops for my transfers, but rarely do now. They generally charge a higher fee which I understand, because they have fixed costs a home-base FFL doesn't. They also sometimes won't transfer a gun model that they have in stock or can order because they prefer the higher profit margin they may generate.
My practice for store-front dealers was to type out a letter to the seller clearly explaining I was the buyer and the enclosed FFL copy was just doing the transfer. I addressed and stamped an envelope and took the letter, envelope and funds for purchase (either a check or USPO money order made out to the seller) to the receiving dealer. All he had to do was add a copy of his FFL, seal it and let the mailman pick it up. The less the dealer had to do for me, the faster and less problematic the process was.
In short, the process will mostly depend on your FFL's personal practices and that of the seller and his FFL if he uses one.
"How much is considered a "normal" fee for the FFL holder to charge in such a transaction?"
Again, that is a price set by the receiving FFL holder. Some charge a percentage of the cost of the gun, often as much as 10% if they are a storefront, but most do it for a flat fee. I have paid from $10.00 to $35.00. Your fee can sometimes be negotiated.
One caveat: make sure the rules of inspecting your purchase and returning it if needed are agreed to and spelled out ahead of time and you have it in writing from the gun seller. That can avoid some difficulties, as terms like "mint," "great," "clean" and "like new" can vary from one person to another.
"I've never purchased a gun online. I'm curious how this is done exactly.
Doesn't the gun still have to go through a FFL holder and so; you end up supporting the local gun shop anyway?"
Yes, the gun has to go to an FFL on the buyer's end and the Brady check has to be done, just like you were buying it from that dealer. There are some exceptions for older guns if you have a "Curio and Relic" FFL, but that's another subject.
"Also, how do you provide the necessary FFL info to the seller? Does the local FFL just give you his info and then you just tell him when to expect a shipment?"
That will depend on the sending and receiving FFL holders and state law. A few states apparently require the gun to be sent to the receiving FFL from an FFL; sometimes the receiving FFL won't accept the gun from the individual selling it. The BATF doesn't require that, but some FFL holders insist on doing it that way.
How you get a copy of your dealer's FFL to the seller depends on your receiving FFL's policy and relationship with you. My current FFL is a friend and neighbor who operates his gun business from his house; I used to work with his father-in-law and we know each other from way back. He gives me a stack of copies he has signed, I send one to the seller (or to his FFL holder if they want it that way) with payment and I call him when I expect him to get something for me.
The prior FFL I used also was a home-based dealer and when we got to know each other, he would also give me signed copies ahead of time.
As the world has digitized, so have FFLs and their methods. My FFL now has e-mailed me a scanned copy and I will e-mail that, or print and mail it to the seller or his dealer, depending on what they want. The laws also let you fax copies. You can also just send them your FFL's license nunmber, address and such and they can verify it on BATF's website if they are willing.
It is always a good idea to include your FFL holder's telephone numbers so the seller and/or his FFL can contact each other.
I used to utilize a few regular, store-front gun shops for my transfers, but rarely do now. They generally charge a higher fee which I understand, because they have fixed costs a home-base FFL doesn't. They also sometimes won't transfer a gun model that they have in stock or can order because they prefer the higher profit margin they may generate.
My practice for store-front dealers was to type out a letter to the seller clearly explaining I was the buyer and the enclosed FFL copy was just doing the transfer. I addressed and stamped an envelope and took the letter, envelope and funds for purchase (either a check or USPO money order made out to the seller) to the receiving dealer. All he had to do was add a copy of his FFL, seal it and let the mailman pick it up. The less the dealer had to do for me, the faster and less problematic the process was.
In short, the process will mostly depend on your FFL's personal practices and that of the seller and his FFL if he uses one.
"How much is considered a "normal" fee for the FFL holder to charge in such a transaction?"
Again, that is a price set by the receiving FFL holder. Some charge a percentage of the cost of the gun, often as much as 10% if they are a storefront, but most do it for a flat fee. I have paid from $10.00 to $35.00. Your fee can sometimes be negotiated.
One caveat: make sure the rules of inspecting your purchase and returning it if needed are agreed to and spelled out ahead of time and you have it in writing from the gun seller. That can avoid some difficulties, as terms like "mint," "great," "clean" and "like new" can vary from one person to another.
