Buying a rifle

[dtucker]

I notice almost always when someone list a rifle for sale on this site or others that it will say private owner to FFL only. I rarely have ever bought a used rifle from someone and if i did it was locally. I not long ago did try to buy a new rimfire off another site that was private owner to FFL. I thought no problem and called the fellow up i deal with and he would only except FFL to FFL. So i got in the phone book and made a bunch of calls and got the same answer. ( BUMMER ) The reason i got from them was it could have been ripped off and so on. Well, I can understand that since it is coming from out of state and if something is not right they may have a big hassle on their hands. So i had to tell the fellow to relist it and the reason why and apologized. No big deal. I have sold some custom rifles through the years and had it sent through my local fellow i deal with and the person paid the small fee to have it done that way. I did not think it was such a big deal and after all it sealed the deal and i sold the rifle. So i am just wondering why it is so much of a problem for most people that they do not want to full with it that way if it is only costing them a trip to their local gun guy to get it to them. Am i missing something or is it really that much of a hassle in other states to go about it this way.

 

[HillbillySniper]

Thats a good question i could never understand that myself. one of my shooting buddies just sold a gun and sending it thru our local FFl it only cost him 40 dollars to send it and that includes packaging it up and insurance which I dont feel is a bad price at all....

Hillbilly

 

[necchi]

From what I understand there is simply some confusion with the rules/law and some if not most FFL holders.
Past practice has been from FFL to FFL only and it's a safe and secure, legal means to do it that way.
However, and individual CAN send a rifle across state lines to an FFL (as example for repair or service) and not have to go through a local FFL to do so.

Same with a sale/transfer, it can be sent by a non FFL owner to an FFL for sale to another party. But manyy FFL holders involved with a sale/transfer for just his fee want's to cover his own butt by recieving from an FFL holder near the seller.
It's safe and smart for the FFL involved in a sale to do so.

It really depends on the local FFL holder and his fee's, some will do a transfer for a small amount, others may want 40-50 or more. If the transfer fee(s) is/are too high, it's sometimes not worth the sale.

 

[NateHaler]

I notice almost always when someone list a rifle for sale on this site or others that it will say private owner to FFL only. I rarely have ever bought a used rifle from someone and if i did it was locally. I not long ago did try to buy a new rimfire off another site that was private owner to FFL. I thought no problem and called the fellow up i deal with and he would only except FFL to FFL.

The FFLs who won't accept shipment from a private seller are simply being jerks. I'd use stronger language, but we're trying to keep the site friendlier, right?

There is no law which requires that the deal go from a shipping FFL to a receiving FFL for the transaction you've described.

Solution? Stop dealing with jerks. Find a reasonable, nice, decent person, who's not trying to rip you off and costing you unnecessary hassle and money.

 

[5spd]

I have had no problems with any recieving FFL refusing from a private seller (me) to date. In all my sales I have asked the buyer to contact his FFL to see if they will accept it & have called those FFLs to insure there is no issues.

There is no law stating you have to ship FFL to FFL, just those dealers who are lost and confused refuse to do so.

 

[40X Guy]

I believe a lot of this stems from people knowing that FFL holders sell, buy, send and receive all the time in firearms and are familiar with the process. So there in lays the reason "from my FFL to your FFL" Its much simpler for all involved. If you have any doubt about sending a rifle across state lines then usually you will ask your gun guy to get it done. I sold a .300 WM here about 4 months ago and was leery about sending it to recipient in Arkansas as I had never sent off a rifle before, so i asked my gunsmith/FFL guy to do it and i knew there would be no problems. The whole process was smooth.

Frank