why do we need a ffl to ship fire arms?

[mephisto]

why cant we mail order guns( buy or sell)?

Why cant we mail order guns( buy or sell)? This might be an ignorant question but I would like an answer. Why do we need to have a FFL to ship and receive a firearm?

 

[Cool Hand Luke 22:36]

I don't think you need to go through a FFL holder to merely ship and receive a firearm. You only need to go through one if you are purchasing a firearm, unless the gun falls under a Curio & Relic designation, in which case if you hold a C&R permit you can receive the gun directly.

You need to go through a FFL holder to purchase a firearm because Lee H. Oswald bought his rifle by mail-order.

 

[rayra]

Don't need an FFL to SEND, but the intended Recipient must have one (unless it is to yourself?).

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

The quick answers.

1). Lee Harvey Oswald, aka O.H. Lee.
2). The Warren Report
3). CGA'68

Regards,
Rabbit.

 

[StuporDave]

A bunch of idiot legislators made a law that says so, that's why.

 

[Butch]

Because your government doesn't trust you.

 

[Jeff OTMG]

You could prior to GCA '68. You can do it intrastate, but not interstate. The GCA stood up in court because gun sales were determined to come under interstate commerce or buying and selling across state lines. Again, intrastate is okay.

 

[Zach S]

I seem to remember the Wilson catolouge(sp?) saying that a firearm shipped to them had to be returned to the address it came from per federal regs, so couldnt I ship my pistola via UPS and have it returned to my doorstep?

Even if I could, I'd rather have my FFL ship it anyway. No matter how much of a PITA it might be, I dont think he'd mind, considering the amount of money I spend there, lol.

 

[gwalchmai]

You CAN ship it back to the manufacturer to have work done on it.

 

[BHPshooter]

You need to go through a FFL holder to purchase a firearm because Lee H. Oswald bought his rifle by mail-order.

Doesn't it just give you a warm fuzzy being compared to an alleged assassin and murderer? It sure does me.

Wes

 

[RustyHammer]

Because it stops gun related crimes. The bad guys used to mail order their gang-banger, high-end weapons, don't you know! ... ugghhh :banghead:

 

[Zak Smith]

Don't even think of using the USPS. Use Fedex of UPS.

A nonlicensee (you) can ship interstate to a licensee (FFL). An FFL can ship interstate to you only if you originally sent the gun to them (e.g. for repair).

When shipping via common carrier (e.g. Fedex or UPS), the carrier must be informed that it contains a firearm when the receiving party is not an FFL - that's the law. However, both UPS and Fedex have their own company policies that say you "must" declare it's a firearm, and ship with an more expensive and expedited method.

All these answers are contained in the ATF FAQ.

-z

 

[greyhound]

Or, to put it another way, since they can't seem to be able to stop criminals from getting weapons, they stop the law abiding from getting them in the name of "getting weapons off the street", which, of course, they haven't actually done at all.

 

[mephisto]

so i can ship or recive anything , other tham classIII, if it originates from my state? if thats the case JGs and i are going to be good friends.

 

[kbr80]

You can ship a firearm to any Licensed FFL in the USA. To pick up a firearm being shipped to you, it must go through an FFL in your home state.

 

[Beav]

When I first got into firearms I didn't mind background checks and going through FFL dealers but now the whole process is really getting on my nerves.

It wasn't so bad when I had a good gunshop but now that I've moved to an area that seems to really stink as far as gunshops go, its become part a of a big inconvienence.

Every shop around here wants to charge either $50 bucks or more for a transfer. High price on transfers tells me they don't like doing transfers. Heck one of the shops will charge 10% of the guns price if you bought it at a "wholesale price". What the heck is that, how do they determine what a wholesale price or a good deal is? I found one shop that does the $25 transfer but their regular prices are so high, I'd just rather not do business there at all. Every shop so far has been asking $700 for a HiPower, one I can get online for $150 cheaper.

I still have a few shops to check out but I'll probably just end up making trips out of town to Dallas.

 

[Standing Wolf]

Why do we need to have a FFL to ship and receive a firearm?

Aw, for heaven's sake! It says so right in the Second Amendment.

Uh... doesn't it?

 

[Jeff OTMG]

mephisto, as many pointed out you can ship YOUR gun to an FFL for repair or modification, but you mentioned 'mail order' which would imply PURCHASE of a firearm. You don't say what state you are in, but if it is large with good selection and prices, like Texas, you can buy a firearm from someone else in your state and have it shipped directly to you, no FFL required because the gun is not passing in interstate commerce.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b1

You will note that the answers under the 'unlicensed person' section only prohibit 'interstate' and 'out-of-state' transfers without involving an FFL. In state person to person is fine.

 

[Billmanweh]

You don't say what state you are in, but if it is large with good selection and prices, like Texas, you can buy a firearm from someone else in your state and have it shipped directly to you, no FFL required because the gun is not passing in interstate commerce.

There may not be a law against it. But I've never been able to find a FedEx or UPS location in Dallas/Ft Worth that will do it. Last two transfers I did were both TX resident to TX resident and had to go FFL to FFL.