[AndABeer]

I have several auctions up on Gunbroker at the moment. A high bidder has just e-mailed me claiming to be a LEO and wanting me to send the pistol to his station house if he can provide signed letterhead from his Chief. Supposedly this will save him FFL fees. I have never heard of doing such a thing. I plan on telling dude "no" but am curious as to whether it is possibly legal. Is it?

[Blackhawk]

1. Seems like it's black letter law to use FFL's.

2. Microsoft Word produces some real snazzy letter heads that sure LOOK genuine....

The risk is all yours. :rolleyes:

[feedthehogs]

In Florida, the cops still have to go thru the NICS check when buying a gun.

A letter head is used for a LEO only purchase such as high cap mags or in some cases class 3.

He is trying to bypass the system the rest of us cannot.

[Ukraine Train]

I probably wouldn't risk it.

[Graystar]

Don't do it. Federal law only allows you to transfer to a licensee outside your state. Could be a setup.

[Hkmp5sd]

Graystar is dead on. There is no provision for a non-licensee to ship a firearm out of state to anyone other than a FFL (well, there are a couple, but they don't apply here). There is no LEO exemption on this one.

[Zundfolge]

AndABeer, is this "LEO" in Illinois?

The Illinois AG's office has a history of trying to trick law abiding out-of-state sellers into doing stuff thats against the law.

[Tamara]

Hate it for him, but he needs to go through an FFL just like the proles.

If his department wishes to buy him an arm from an FFL, that's different.

[TheFederalistWeasel]

A lot of PD’s down here have FFL’s for that very reason, but as an LEO I am telling you this.

DO NOT DO IT!!!

The only thing that can be shipped to a PD is stuff like mags and ammo all guns that I’ve ever bought on letterhead came thru a local FFL.

[TheeBadOne]

Hate it for him, but he needs to go through an FFL just like the proles.
Tamara nailed it. If the firearm is going to be the Depts that's fine (as in the Dept actually owns it). If it's to be his personal firearm, FFL paperwork still applies.

[FedDC]

He can get it directly if and only if he has a letter that states it is to be used for official bussiness. It can be a personal firearm, but it has to be one that he is using on the job. Go to one of the LEO gun sites and they have sample letters. check out www.streichers.com

[C.R.Sam]

High risk.
You have too much to lose.

Sam

[Jeff White]

I have had a firearm shipped to me at the PD. It was my Colt R6920 LE Carbine. You need to have a letter from the officer and from the chief or other command officer authorizing you to purchase said firearm for duty use. IIRC the format requires both the officer and the chief to certify Under Penalty of Perjury that the firearm is for duty use.

This practice used to be quite common before they put the duty use requirement on.

So yes it is legal. If you want to do that, follow the rules and call and verify that the letter from the chief is genuine.

Jeff

[Graystar]

So yes it is legal. Can you direct us to the federal statutes that allow this?

[FedDC]

You might find them on some of the gun sites that do LEO sales. I bet it is in their fine print. Try GTDistributors.com or streichers.com They both do LE sales and have sample letters.

[Jeff White]

Graystar,
I will look for the statute. I know it is legal because I have done it. The weapon was shipped from a reputable LE dealer in Texas to my PD in Illinois. IIRC the chief's letter certified that there were no laws prohibiting me from owning said firearm and also had a Lautenberg statement on it, that I had no misdemeanor domestic violence convictions. I will look through my papers and see if I can find the actual letters.

Jeff

[Carlos]

Even though COPs don't make the best bucks around, *** is wrong with paying a $10 fee like the rest of us for background check, and a reasonable fee for the transfer at a reputable FFL. Gee $30-$40 if within reason.

I'd throw his a$$ under the bus, so to speak.

Don't do it.

[rayra]

Forget it. Tell him he gets to pay the same fees the Little People do, and send to an FFL - his convenince is worth absolutely ZERO compared to your possible trouble with BATF&E or his State AG.

[Standing Wolf]

Special privileges for special people? Not in America!

[FedDC]

Yeah, if we could all be so lucky as to have a low paying job with terriable hours where everyone we meets hates us and tries to sue or have us locked up...boy, that would be the life.

[Brian Dale]

Get the laws changed. Until then, it's not worth the risk. We're on the same side.

[AndABeer]

I replied and said that if he/she was the winner and would supply said signed letterhead, I would knock off 10 bucks from his/her winning bid in honor of his/her service as a LEO but I would still insist on sending to a FFL.

Thanks for the replies.

[C.R.Sam]

That sounds pretty cool.
And safe.

Sam

[JohnBT]

"...the life..."

You left out shot at, hit, kicked and puked on among others.

Different jobs come with different benefits. That's America and people get to pick what kind of job they want to apply for.

John

P.S. - I'm trying to figure out how a police department can have an FFL if they don't have a storefront/place of business. I thought this was a requirement now. Do they buy and sell guns? :)

[Graystar]

Graystar, I will look for the statute. Thank you. I appreciate it.

[Brian Dale]

Good answer, AndABeer.

[feedthehogs]

Yeah, if we could all be so lucky as to have a low paying job with terriable hours where everyone we meets hates us and tries to sue or have us locked up...boy, that would be the life.

There are good officers out there.
But there are lots of bad attitude, king of the hill cops who hassle people everyday just because they can.

Its like pulling over a car in a traffic stop, you treat each one as a potential threat until proven otherwise.

[stevelyn]

Transfers to PDs can't be done anymore since 9/11. My department purchased 2 firearms and the tranfer had to go to a local FFL and I had to fill out the 4473 and go through the FBI instant anal probe to take possesion.

Don't do it. It could be a BATFEces sting.

[Moparmike]

Will the sting still hold up in court if there is a letter from higher-ups (IE cheif, Agent Schmuckatelli in the Bastards Always Terrorizing Firearm Enthusiasts)?

That would be entrapment and some other legal term that escapes my mind at 0430. (Whats the 'O' stand for? "Oh my Gawd its early! Speaking of early....)

Any ideas?

[Tamara]

Transfers to PDs can't be done anymore since 9/11.

Because, gosh darn it, that'll stop Ay-rabs from flyin' planes into buildings... :rolleyes: