Shipping a Handgun ???

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Hello all,

I'm sure this has been covered before many times before but searching this topic is useless.

I just sold a handgun to someone in another state (me TX / him CA). Can I ship it to his FFL myself or do I need to use an FFL on my end? Any thing else I need to know?

Thanks!
:cool:
 
Might want to add that the handgun you are sending needs to be on the California approved list of safe handguns.

Double check with the receiveing FFL before you send, otherwise, the California FFL will send it back if it is not on the list for a person to person sale.

Jerry
 
California FFL holders....

Is there a state law that you cannot receive a handgun from out of state other than from another FFL holder? There is certainly no such federal law. If such a law exists, can you sight me a reference? I am not asking what is your policy, I want to know the law.
 
You can ship to an FFL in another state. However, it might still be cheaper to use the local FFL. They can use the Post Office to ship handguns.
 
jrhines said:
Is there a state law that you cannot receive a handgun from out of state other than from another FFL holder? There is certainly no such federal law. If such a law exists, can you sight me a reference? I am not asking what is your policy, I want to know the law.
Click to expand...

There is no such provision in California law.
 
I have seen many gun auctions on Gunbroker where the seller says to make sure that the Buyer gets an FFL that will accept the gun from a personal sale and not another FFL.

From this I get a) there is no federal law against an FFL accepting from a person and not another FFL, b) not all FFLs will do so.

YMMV
 
Ala Dan, show me the reference...

to back up what you said in the original post. Or was that just your opinion? I am an FFL and it is my opinion that more wrong info is passed off as fact concerning the interstate shipment of firearms than most any other gun related topic. I don't know why, the rules are pretty simple and readily available on the net, yet everybody, FFLs included, seem to make them up as they go along. Go figure.
 
just sold a handgun to someone in another state (me TX / him CA). Can I ship it to his FFL myself or do I need to use an FFL on my end? Any thing else I need to know?


I'm in California and have purchased several from out of state. They were shipped directly from the seller [Private Party] to my FFL in Sacramento.
 
My only reference regarding "government rules", is what is placed upon
FFL holders in this area by our local ATF headquarters in Birmingham.

They may be guilty of making up their own rules as they go along, I
don't know? At the very least, that is the way we have always done
business. Go figure~:eek: :uhoh:

Let me expand on this subject for a minute, if I may?

We were told that due to the very large volume of handguns that
are stolen of the docks of UPS, FED EX, and other common carriers;
that all handguns would be shipped overnight next
day air from the sending FFL, to the receiving FFL.

Source: Birmingham ATF, Undisclosed Field Agent
David Hyche, ATF Agent In Charge
 
If it's going from FFL to FFL, they can use the USPS, costs about $10. I have found it cheaper to do it that way rather than use FedEx or UPS for $50 to $70. DHL will not ship firearms.
 
FFL to FFL cheaper? Hmmm....

Let's see, I am about the least expensive FFL around, so if you bring me a gun and I have to put it into my book that's $10, and I book at $45/hr for the trip to the PO and filling out their forms, plus $9 for the postage and $1 for insurance...I'm up to $65 and that assumes you brought it in a case ready to go into the priorty mail box. And that I am not shipping "next day". I guess I could burn my time and gas for nothing, seeing as how I make a pile of $$$ for this:rolleyes:
 
Let's see, I am about the least expensive FFL around, so if you bring me a gun and I have to put it into my book that's $10, and I book at $45/hr for the trip to the PO and filling out their forms, plus $9 for the postage and $1 for insurance...I'm up to $65 and that assumes you brought it in a case ready to go into the priorty mail box. And that I am not shipping "next day". I guess I could burn my time and gas for nothing, seeing as how I make a pile of $$$ for this
Click to expand...
If this were a service you wanted to offer for your customers I'd suggest you print the shipping label in 5 minutes off the USPS website in your store, have a pile of the free priority mail boxes that the USPS will ship to you on hand, and hand it to your postman when he makes deliveries that day, pay $13 to the USPS for their pickup service, or drop it off at the post office and just hand it to a counter clerk since its already labeled and ready to go. I'd pay $25 or so for this service so its up to you if its worth logging it and getting the package to the post office for $15. I certainly understand why it wouldn't be, but the people I've wound up buying the most guns, ammo, and supplies from are the ones who are the most willing to be a helpful dealer. The dealers that I've started by asking to do a transfer for me and they hem and haw and tell me $50 wound up missing out on alot more than a transfer fee.
 
My local FFL charges $20 for a transfer, in or out. I ship pistols in an inexpensive ($6.00) plastic case that fits in a priority mail box. The dealer logs in the pistol, logs it out to the dealer whose FFL copy I give him. The box is already addressed, and proper postage applied, he puts it in the box, seales it, and when the mail carrier stops by she picks it up. Considering the time it takes he more than made $45/hr.
 
I do offer this service...

but there is more to it than having the mailman pick it up. You have to declare it as a gun, fill out the USPS form and that after convincing the postman to even take it. I have given 3 tutorials to the local POs on "Yes you can ship guns". My only point to this is/was that a FFL is not necessary to ship a gun to another FFL, the regular joe-bag-of-doughnuts guy can do it. And the situation is not improved by the receving FFL insisting that the gun come from another FFL. I have heard all the arguments about how draconian the ATF is and how FFLs are doing the "belt & suspenders" thing to protect themselves. That's fine, use whatever policy you are comfortable with. I work out of my house (I am a gunsmith and do not do retail sales, but do accept guns from out of state for transfer) and have to go to the post office to mail packages. I don't mind and don't charge for the service, you pay the postage and insurance that I pay. I find myself in the most enjoyable posistion that if I break even with my business, that's just fine. I do considerably better than breaking even and enjoy every minute of it. YMMV
 
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