Getting a gun shipped to FFL

[Jesusguy]

So I'm shipping a gun to an FFL, but when i looked at his address in google maps, it's an empty plot land on an empty road. Is this a scam, and should I ship to another FFL address, with a storefront? If it is a scam how do these people get approved for an empty plot of land?

 

[FL-NC]

Short answer, they don't. Call this "store" and confirm the address. If the situation continues to be "off", walk away.

 

[earlthegoat2]

Are you sure there is not anything there presently? Google is pretty good about it but their maps are not updated real time.

If it is in fact an empty plot of land then absolutely ship to another FFL.

 

[Heir Kommt Die Sonne]

So I'm shipping a gun to an FFL, but when i looked at his address in google maps, it's an empty plot land on an empty road. Is this a scam, and should I ship to another FFL address, with a storefront? If it is a scam how do these people get approved for an empty plot of land?

Giving benefit of the doubt, It could be that plot is one of the FFLs personal properties that somehow show up on his online records.
I've bought guns online that the dealer I bought from wrote on the customer information sheet one of my older addresses I lived at.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

It could be a kitchen table ffl. Maybe the maps pic is his back acreage? If in doubt send it to a brick and mortor ffl.

 

[Bronco72]

Remove ALL doubt before sending you stuff away! I'm just saying

 

[Rule3]

How about you get the FFL's number and verify it on EZ check
How did you get the address in the first place??

Something fishy here.

https://fflezcheck.atf.gov/FFLEzCheck/

 

[tarosean]

Did payment clear your bank before worrying about an empty lot?

 

[alfsauve]

What's across the street or next door? Call those businesses and politely ask about their neighbor.
I was looking at an online store and their address was a parking lot for the church across the street. Called the church and they had no knowledge of the store in the neighborhood. Opted not to do business. They may be legit, but if they can't get their address right on their web page....

 

[WVsig]

Always get the contact info. Call and get a copy of their FFL or use EZ Check. Make sure you are sending the proper info that they require. Never ever send anything without the payment clearing your account and verifying all the info.

 

[WVsig]

Also make sure you are following the rules of the common carrier. UPS and Fed Ex will no longer accept firearms from non-licensed individuals at their customer service centers. Up until 8/29/22 you could go to the UPS customer service Depot and ship but they changed the policy. It is still being sorted out. The best way to ship to an FFL is to use a local FFL who can ship USPS or on their common carrier account. You cannot ship a handgun via USPS but you can ship a long gun. There are very limited options these days.

 

[N555]

Why not ship it to a local gun store you have been to?

 

[alfsauve]

Another alternative is to have the receiving FFL issue a FedEx label on their account. Then you can just drop it off at FedEx Center (not a franchise store). You get the lower (the FFL's) shipping rate and it's pretty much no hassle at the FE center. You're suppose to announce, "this is a firearm" but every time I do the clerk just shrugs her shoulders and throws it on the conveyer belt.

 

[herrwalther]

Google maps can sometimes be years out of date. Especially in rural areas. Call and confirm the address with the number provided and look up to see if it is real license.

FWIW my local gun store turned into a police annex (they wanted the range and I have seen this department shoot, they needed it badly) about 2 years ago. Gun store/range was open about 3 years before going under. Google maps still shows that area is forest.

 

[Riomouse911]

Rule3 and others here have great advice. Have the receiving ffl send a copy of their ffl, run it through the atf ez check, and send it to the address on the ffl.

If the “ffl” balks or things seem funky, cancel the sale and find a legit buyer. Its your freedom and money potentially on the line if things go south. A little diligence goes a long way.

Good luck, and stay safe.

 

[bearcreek]

So I'm shipping a gun to an FFL, but when i looked at his address in google maps, it's an empty plot land on an empty road. Is this a scam, and should I ship to another FFL address, with a storefront? If it is a scam how do these people get approved for an empty plot of land?

Why ship to an FFL you've never met or even seen?

 

[toivo]

Google maps can sometimes be years out of date. Especially in rural areas.

Bingo. I bought my house in 2015, and I'm selling it now in 2022. But when you Google-map the address, the picture is from 2012. That's ten years ago. A lot can happen in ten years.

 

[stillquietvoice]

@Jesusguy welcome to the forum. Be sure before you ship.

 

[DoubleMag]

...but when i looked at his address in google maps, it's an empty plot land on an empty road. Is this a...

Google maps can sometimes be years out of date. Especially in rural areas.

OK I've run into this w google maps. A technique to use is zooming into the area as if going down the road...

OK open google maps, insert that address again; the bare area/ empty plot is revealed. In the bottom left of the map is a clickable square with a kinda map picture on it labeled Layers , click on that...click More ...then, under Map Type, click BOTH Satellite icon and Global view check box..
Now zoom in to that picture again, if it's a recent development it possibly will not appear on the initial view, but zoom WILL show it. Zoom in, click on the picture with your mouse, keep the click down, move left & right etc

FYI this is also the technique used to virtually ''drive down the road'' , looking at actual highway signs, correct exit ramps etc.

 

[RetiredUSNChief]

Google maps aren't up-to-the-minute updated. In fact, they may be a few years out of date in many locations. So there may indeed be something there that's not shown. And you can't go by the supposed image date shown on the image, either.

Here's a couple of a hotel location I stayed at in Kingsland, GA in May of 2021. Note that the aerial view shows the foundation, but the street view doesn't even show that. I just screenshot it now from Google Maps. It's a Holiday Inn Express at 110 Crown Point Parkway, Kingsland GA and it was built in 2019. Yet if you look at the bottom of the images, it says the map data is dated 2022.

In the third image, if you do what @DoubleMag said above, you'll actually see the hotel. But even so, there's no guarantee that this image will be as up to date as you'd like for any given area because it STILL requires somebody to actually input that information into Google Maps at some point.

 

[bearcreek]

I don't quite get all the talk about Google maps. I mean, sure, look it up, but no should be having guns shipped to an FFL they've never been to in person. Go there first and talk to them about doing the transfer. Simple.

 

[Mosin77]

Call them and get a copy of their FFL. Then Use the EZ Check to make sure it’s a real FFL. If it checks out and matches paperwork, send and don’t worry about it.

On the FFL there will be 2 addresses, a premises address and a mailing address. When in doubt I’d ship guns to the mailing address, some FFLs don’t have great luck receiving at their premises. Can’t hurt to ask which address to send to if different (many are the same.)

 

[Mosin77]

Why ship to an FFL you've never met or even seen?

That’s fine if you’re buying a gun but what if you’re selling and need to ship to the other guy’s FFL. That’s how I interpreted this question.

 

[tarosean]

That’s fine if you’re buying a gun but what if you’re selling and need to ship to the other guy’s FFL. That’s how I interpreted this question.

Me too..

 

[bearcreek]

That’s fine if you’re buying a gun but what if you’re selling and need to ship to the other guy’s FFL. That’s how I interpreted this question.

Good point. In that case, a phone call would be the first step.