Shipping To An FFL Dealer

[jenrob]

The last one I ordered my dealer opened the box but never took it out of the plasic. got all the numbers and model off it looking through the plastic. Joking said nope didn't take it out of the plastic hasn't got my prints on it.

But he did have it logged in and it was addressed to him even though I ordered it.

Assume that your dealer receives your package waiting on you he gets na emergency call and has to leave nobody knows of it to log it in cause he accepted the package and it is on his desk. you get into an accident on your way there. next morning when dealer comes to open shop ATF is at the door to check out paper work. They don't care that he had an emergency and you are in the ICU at the local hospital, but they do care about the undocumented gun that is setting on his desk.

As soon as he receives the package most will open it and get the info they need and put it right back in the box and into the safe.

 

[thoot]

Yeah, this kind of irks me too. I don't like the idea of someone fondling my things--especially when I have a rifle shipped in that's in the four digit range (as in $5,xxx or higher.) I don't buy cheap guns.

 

[GRIZ22]

BTW, there's also a law about opening other peoples mail, and packages. The package is addressed to "ME" in care of my FFL. So yes it is "Mine"


Yeah, this kind of irks me too. I don't like the idea of someone fondling my things--especially when I have a rifle shipped in that's in the four digit range (as in $5,xxx or higher.) I don't buy cheap guns.

Every firearm is handled by several different people from the manufacturer to your hands. I really can't see what the big deal is.

 

[RogersPrecision]

WOW!
A 'hot topic'.
I am an FFL, I do not do transfers. But if I did, Step One is opening the box, verifying and logging the serial number.
No, I will not let the shop rats shoot your piece with their gun show reloads!



If you truly require 'hands off' pre-arrange with the FFL to be notified immediately when the package arrives. And/or track your pkg from sender to receiver via UPS, USPS or FedEx Tracking numbers.

Ok?

 

[moooose102]

i understand your concern, i really do. but why do you think he is going to take something out of the box and steal it. what benifit would he have from stealing something like an owners manual, or other small part. the amount of hassle it would cause is in no way proportionate to what little bit of monetary gain from such activity, that no one in their right mind would bother. if you are still afraid he is going to do this, have the seller send you a digital photograph of EXACTLY what is in the box just before it goes out the door, and compare it to what you get when you go to pick it up. that way, if there is any discrepancy, you will have a photo in hand to show your ffl dealer. if something is missing, it would probably be an oversite on the part of your ffl dealer, and when confronted with a photo, they would go back where they checked in the gun and find whatever was missing. i personally think you are worrying to much about this, unless you are buying several very rare items that would be worth lots of money. in any case, you are having it insured aren't you? you could file an insurance claim on what ever is missing, if anything, and recoup your money that way. you have to remember, the ffl dealer is DOING YOU A FAVOR, he has the right to protect himself as do you. but if he is putting his license on the line, let him do what he needs to do. like it or not, sometimes, you just have to trust people. remember, he had to go through a background check to get his ffl license, if he was a shady character, he probably wouldn't have gotten it.

 

[IJ-70]

So, what happens if the seller puts a lock on the gun case? There goes your requirement to open the package, as you say..... Mails the keys to me....:banghead:

 

[divemedic]

You realize of course that once he receives the firearm, not only does the FFL have the ability to refuse to transfer it to you, there are cases where he has a legal responsibility to refuse to transfer it to you.

 

[NC Dave]

IJ,

If you can't accept that this really is how things are typically done in the world of FFL transfers, you either need to find another FFL that will cater specifically to you or you need to give up auctions and just buy locally.

The FFL that you are railing against has, bottom line, done nothing illegal or underhanded in any way. Quite the opposite.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[kingpin008]

NC Dave nailed it - if you have such a problem with the way things are, perhaps you should just not buy guns online. You aked a question, and we answered it. Don't like the answer? Tough!

So, what happens if the seller puts a lock on the gun case? There goes your requirement to open the package, as you say..... Mails the keys to me....

If the seller puts a lock on the case and the dealer doesn't have a key to open it, GUESS WHAT? He doesn't have to accept the package! A lock on the case doesn't magically remove the requirement of the FFL to open the package and log in the contents. If you think it does, you're quite wrong.

You seem to be desperate to find a way around the dealer opening the package without you there, and personally, I'm starting to wonder why. I can understand not wanting to take the risk of damage, but as more than a few of us have explained to you, there are procedures in place to make it right should such a thing happen. For whatever reason, you don't want to accept that.

 

[dejr2000]

Maybe shopping locally and supporting your hometown gun shop or dealer would ease your mind and I'm sure they would appreciate the business. But you do realize just about any gun you buy has been out of the box at least once to verify serial numbers right? How many times do you think the guns on the rack behind the counter have been handled? Not trying to fan the flames, just stating the obvious.

 

[NC Dave]

Since you have found "several other" FFLs that will behave in a manner that you prescribe, it would seem that you have a solution to your problem and this thread may be brought to a close.

 

[Rugerlvr]

Not trying to fan the flames, just stating the obvious.

There's only one poster here fanning the flames. He doesn't want to accept the advice of a whole lot of people here including FFL holders. That's fine dude, but don't come in here and tell everybody that they're all wrong, and excoriate them for offering their $.02.

You seem rather upset, and want your position validated, and you're not getting it here. So my advice to you would be to go seek advice elsewhere. If you've gotten advice you like from other FFL dealers in your area. Use them. I think you're gonna have to follow the policy of the dealer you've chosen on this particular transfer, and then just steer clear. You're not likely to force this dealer to change his policy, no matter what advice you get.

 

[McCall911]

Since you have found "several other" FFLs that will behave in a manner that you prescribe, it would seem that you have a solution to your problem and this thread may be brought to a close.

I second that notion!

 

[waterhouse]

So, what happens if the seller puts a lock on the gun case? There goes your requirement to open the package, as you say..... Mails the keys to me

If you called me ahead of time and explained the situation, I would try to accommodate you.

If I don't know about it, and a cardboard box comes addressed to me, and I open it up and there is a locked box inside, I'll probably check to see if there are keys anywhere in the cardboard box. If I can't find them, I have both bolt cutters and a good drill, neither of which has ever had much problem with any common padlock.

Usually, when a box arrives, there is zero indication of who that gun belongs to on the exterior. I contact my customers as soon as I verify that their gun is arrived. If I took every box that arrived and stuck it unopened in the corner and waited for the owners to go check their tracking number I'd have a huge pile of boxes and line of upset customers.

Your FFL told you it was the law that it be logged in immediately. He is mistaken. It is probably his policy, as it is mine. If you can find someone to make special arrangements for you, that is fine, but it is not typically the way things are done.

Also, you might want to watch your language. I see you are new here, but this is considered a family friendly site and that sort of thing is frowned upon.

This is some [deleted] FFL dealer making stuff up, for what reason? I don't know. But it bothers me.

He probably wasn't "making it up" in the sense that he was lying. Every ATF agent I have spoken to recommends logging guns in as soon as they arrive. If you do that every time, it doesn't matter what the law says, because you know you are following it. Right away is better than the law, and in the gun business it is better to be way on the correct side of the law than a little bit on the incorrect side. We deal in the business of guns, which is somewhat strictly regulated. The reason that he logs guns in as soon as they arrive is because that is the safest thing to do and ensures that he may continue his business and his livelihood. That is the reason. He doesn't do it to bother you.

 

[Art Eatman]

Looks to me that folks made honest efforts to help, but were not successful.

Enuf.