FFL transfer woes - advice??

[Green Lantern]

I think I've got a 'situation.' But I'd imagine it's happened to others, so advice would be appreciated on how to get it resolved...

I wanted to buy a firearm from a dealer way off in another state. We'll call them "FFL 2." Naturally, a transfer dealer is needed, aka "FFL 1."

FFL 2 just needs FFL 1's license faxed to them. But FFL 1 prefers to use the mail for whatever reason. No problem, says FFL 2. The license is mailed. Per a confirmation to a question I e-mailed, AND USPS tracking info (which I saw myself) the license arrived ok at the out-of-state dealers.

So I wait...and wait. Finally I call FFL 2 just to see what the status is on the order. Aaaaaannnnd.....FFL 2 can't find FFL 1's license!!! :banghead:

FFL 2 does not seem too concerned at the moment, figuring it's misplaced somewhere in the store. They just tell me to have FFL 1 send another copy (preferably by fax so they get it faster). I "smile and nod" (not literally) and relay the message to FFL 1. I'm not too shocked to learn that FFL 1 is not very happy with this development and isn't very keen on the idea of sending out ANOTHER copy of the license. I again give FFL 1 all the contact info I have for FFL 2 and suggest getting in touch to figure...SOMEthing out!

I then call FFL 2 back and relay FFL 1's wariness to send out another copy...and give FFL 2 all the contact info for FFL 1 to see about "making peace" somehow. Cause, you know, the world won't end if I don't get my item soon, but it WOULD be nice.

FFL 2 says he tried to call FFL 1 earlier in the day and could not reach them, but will try again and probably fact THEIR license to them. Why, exactly - I dunno. Show of Good faith?

So, here I am stuck in the middle and almost wishing I'd payed some local guy more for an inferior product just to not have this headache...!

I've not heard back from either of them since trying to get them to talk to each other to work something out. Any ideas or advice, or is my current plan of "sit and wait, and maybe contact them again if I don't hear something soon" about all there is?

 

[zoom6zoom]

If you can call the remote dealer with your local dealer's number, they can instantly verify it on the ATF website.

 

[Green Lantern]

If *I* could, then I guess the local dealer could over the phone as well? I don't have the license number of the local, but now I guess the remote dealer faxing his FFL to "prove" he's legit makes more sense....

Hmm...I don't even know that the local dealer HAS a fax number or machine unless you have to own one to be an FFL....

 

[DWARREN123]

Find another local dealer.

 

[Lashlarue]

The law says the transferring dealer must have a copy of the ffl to complete the transfer.I recently sold two guns on gunbroker.com. It is quite a hassle. In one instance the buyer was unable to get to his ffl due to weather and had them mail the copy to me and he just sent me the MO. I sent the gun along with a copy of my DL and the transaction went off without a hitch.

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

DWARREN123 is right on the money.

There should be plenty of places around to do a transfer. Find another one off of gunbroker.com's list.

Arrange for the other FFL to send his information and simply call the remote dealer, apologize for the problems and say you would like it shipped to another dealer.

I had almost the same problem last year with a local shop. They did two transfers for me last year. The first was no problem as the selling FFL had the local store's FFL on file. The second one was just terrible. The local store could simply not get a copy of their FFL to the other dealer. After a week of trying to sort it out, I finally gave up. I just found another FFL who was able to fax his FFL without any issues and the other dealer shipped it out right away.

 

[wdlsguy]

My sympathies are with the local dealer at this point. The remote dealer sounds like a screwup.

 

[Green Lantern]

There should be plenty of places around to do a transfer. Find another one off of gunbroker.com's list.

Heh..."should" be if you're not as far out in the sticks as I am....

The local dealer was the only one nearby that I found (and used earlier) on gunbroker when I used that site to buy my P3AT when local supplies were dry. Though I guess it wouldn't hurt to check again.

And I agree that my sympathies are more toward the local guy, I even called the remote dealer and asked if it would be all right to mail the FFL instead of faxing, and was told that would be fine as well.

I can hardly blame the local dealer for not wanting to risk TWO copies of their license being out there somewhere unaccounted for...!!!

 

[Roccobro]

My local dealer is almost the same. He also absolutely DESPISES having to send his info to an individual (not an FFL) to have something shipped to him. I can't blame him after hearing how a local guy once had made a fake FFL license for himself using my FFL's license and some creative photocopying. He had no idea until the ATF came by working on a tip of the pissed off spouse of the crook!

Now, after a few transfers under our belt I can and do just show up at his shop with a pre-addressed envelope with all my purchasing information inside. He just grabs a copy of his FFL, signs it and stuffs it in himself. He even likes to put his return address stamp on it. So far so good. started using him when ALL the more popular local shops declined to do out of state transfers (Turners), or jacked up the prices to discourage even being asked to do one.

And just like the OP, I had an incident where the sending FFL was the problem. He couldn't read the first Faxes information, and lost the second copy sent in the mail. Sending FFL FINALLY just confirmed the illegible numbers by phone to local FFL and sent it off.

HTH.

Justin

 

[SIOP]

My local dealer is almost the same. He also absolutely DESPISES having to send his info to an individual (not an FFL) to have something shipped to him.

There is no federal requirement for an individual (Not an FFL) to be in possession of a copy of a dealer's FFL in order to ship him a firearm of any type.

 

[Roccobro]

Your absolutely right.

I'll buy all of your guns for sale. Oh, and send them to....
Don't worry, you can trust me. I'm on the internet!

See how an individual on the other side of the country *could* want to see the FFL license and matching address before shipping?


And of course, I REALLY want these particular guns or I would have bought them local.

Justin

 

[SIOP]

I'll buy all of your guns for sale. Oh, and send them to....
Don't worry, you can trust me. I'm on the internet!

As long as I can verify your license status and address on ATF's eZcheck, we're good to go.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

I can hardly blame the local dealer for not wanting to risk TWO copies of their license being out there somewhere unaccounted for...!!!

I am not sure why? My guy GAVE me a copy of his license, so that I could fax it to whomever I needed to make a purchase.
What is he afraid of? The other end will only ship to addy ON THE LICENSE (or at least they should), so anyone that uses his license will have it shipped to him.

 

[sansone]

I have seen buyer's local dealers hesitate to send their license out to the selling dealer. I think the local dealer wants you to just buy one of his in-stock guns. sometimes when a buyer contacts me to inform of his local dealer sending his license, it never comes. then I call the buyer and find out the local dealer came down in price to match mine. frustrating because you agree to the lowest possible selling price to make the sale, only to have the recieving dealer "pressured" to reduce his price.:banghead:

 

[SIOP]

What is he afraid of? The other end will only ship to addy ON THE LICENSE (or at least they should), so anyone that uses his license will have it shipped to him.

Because you can take a copy of that license, walk into any gun store in the country, and buy a gun. FFL's can purchase firearms anywhere with a copy of their license. I bought several guns that way with my FFL, and not one place asked to see any ID to prove that I was the guy whose name was on the license. And fake ID's are plenty easy to obtain, especially if the payoff is being able to purchase unlimited numbers of firearms that would be traced to the FFL whose license was used, and not the purchaser.

That's why.

 

[vis-à-vis]

Re OP:

I had the same problem with AimSurplus.com. The only difference is it was with fax, which took 12 tries over a week.

 

[VanEasten]

My local pawn and gun joint will fax their ffl and receive guns for me at $15. No problem.

I suggest trying another local shop willing to use the fax. If FFL 2 can't keep up with that one, I'd probably cancel the order and find the gun elsewhere.

Good luck!
Van

 

[Green Lantern]

So....at this point I'm feeling like I should proceed in 3 steps when I get tired of the current "Stalemate:"

1) Contact remote dealer to see if he's found the FFL which, despite the USPS, he isn't all that sure he got in the first place....

If not -

2) Contact the local dealer and see if he's willing to send ANOTHER one...

If no luck there...

3) Find ANOTHER local dealer to do the transfer.