Do I need to use a FFL as seller?

[colima]

May be a FAQ, but I could not find it.
I live in CA, which has strange and restrictive gun laws.
I've collected firearms, mostly pistols, for about 25 years.
Naturally, I'm getting older. My wife is not terribly supportive of my gun habit.
If something happens to me, I don't want to leave her to dispose of the collection, which amounts to about 25 guns - mostly 357s and 1911s. I'm
thinking of slimming down the collection.

So the question is whether or not I can list firearms for sale on Gunbroker as a private individual. Naturally the buyer needs to use a FFL in whatever location the purchase occurs. But can I send a firearm directly to the buyer's FFL? Or do I need to use an FFL here in CA and an FFL in the buyer's location?

 

[Pahoo]

When in doubt, use an FFL

WOW, This can be tricky and some "receiving FFL's will not accept a firearm, unless it was shipped by an FFL. It's really going to be to your advantage to sell local and by all means, go through a local FFL. If you haven't already done so, catalog everything you have, listing what you paid and what it's worth. What you are encountering, is a very common problem. I have two dealers, that I trust and they are in line to assist my spouse on the disposition. I am also in line to assist two close friends with this potential problem. I use two local FFL's and neither will accept from anyone sellers I deal with unless an FFL is shipping. I'm really okay with that ...


Good Luck and;
Be Safe !!!

 

[drobs]

The FFL on the receiving end needs a copy of your Drivers License to log the guns into his log book.

That being said most FFL's (that I've dealt with) don't want to receive guns from out of state Private Individuals as usually it becomes a major PITA (NO DL included, seller not reachable, etc.). Most of the FFL's I deal with will only accept transfers from other FFL's.

To make things simple I'd state in your auction that if the Buyer's FFL requires the gun to ship from a local CA FFL there will be an additional fee of $_____. This would be the amount your local FFL would charge you to transfer the gun to another FFL.

The Buyer is going to wind up paying FFL fees on both sides + shipping. If you are smart, you could include the local FFL fee into your starting price - hiding it from the buyer.

Note above is base on generalities (free states). California for all I know might require you to go through a FFL. You'd want to check with someone knowledgeable of CA laws.

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

I believe drobs covered it all except...

You should stop by Fed-EX and get a pricing for you to send a
handgun (over-night only I believe) before putting the guns on-line.
Be prepared for a bit of a shock.
As an individual, you cannot use the USPS.

Now, if you are on familiar terms with a local FFL (or check GB's 'find a local dealer' category),
check with him about total price to receive from you and ship the guns.

Also find out details as to the FFL's preferred methods - fax, e-mail and such.

This is the time you need to get a feel for and to decide if the dealer
will be dependable and expeditious in his dealings concerning your sales.

It will be your name on the sale, not his!
Doing the above should help to eliminate a snafu on the sale
and, worst case, a negative rating as a new seller.

A rating of 'F(1)' really would be a death sentence as a new seller to
obtain decent bidding on the future guns you want to sell.

My .02, JT

 

[KEYBEAR]

Strange but i found my local FFL is cheaper to ship at ?
I sent a Revolver last week over 800 miles to the buyer's FFL .
My cost for using a local FFL shipping and all was $25.00

U.P.S. was higher and all I did was drop off the firearm and they did the rest .

Just shop around I feel better sending FFL TO FFL ( all my bases covered )
The only problem was getting a tracking number . ( I had to ask three times)

 

[Aguila Blanca]

Strange but i found my local FFL is cheaper to ship at ?
I sent a Revolver last week over 800 miles to the buyer's FFL .
My cost for using a local FFL shipping and all was $25.00

Not strange at all, if you have an FFL who is willing to work with you. An FFL can mail handguns through the postal service, and most handguns will fit unto a standard $6.35 flat rate shipping box.

 

[Sharkbite]

OP...

Make sure to post your sale stuff here. Ive got first dibs

 

[FITASC]

What does CA law say? They do have some quirky requirements when it comes to buying/selling/owning guns.

 

[Flytyingguy1]

What does CA stand for?

California Duh

 

[kilimanjaro]

Could of been Charlotte-Amalie, Central America, Canada, or some other place, no need to be snarky. It'll happen to you, too, someday.

$25 seems to be the fair price around here, further up the Left Coast.

 

[natman]

So the question is whether or not I can list firearms for sale on Gunbroker as a private individual.

Yes, as long as they are California legal and don't include any magazines over 10 rounds.

Naturally the buyer needs to use a FFL in whatever location the purchase occurs.

Yes

But can I send a firearm directly to the buyer's FFL?

Legally, yes. However, some FFLs won't accept a shipment from a private party. Be sure to mention in your listing that you are a private party and that the buyer will have to pay your FFL's fees (specify how much) if his FFL insists on unnecessarily using an FFL on both ends.

Or do I need to use an FFL here in CA and an FFL in the buyer's location?

Legally no, but see above.

 

[Clock]

Given that Californians seem to have more problems than people in other states in acquiring guns, it would be a mitzvah to sell your guns to others in your state assuming you can get a fair price.

 

[Darto]

I live in California.
You do NOT need to use an FFL to ship any gun (handgun or long gun) out of State. I have done it a few times. Always I did it through Gunbroker.
Yes the receiver needs to pick it up at an FFL.
You would be (in my opinion) foolish to have the gun shipped by an FFL when you can do it yourself free of any California law restriction.
You of course cannot receive guns (except for antiques or black powder only guns) directly, you must use an FFL to receive.

If you ship a handgun by UPS it must go overnight (which is very expensive).
If you ship a long gun by UPS it can go by ground (cheap).

You must take a copy of the FFL license of the receiving FFL with you to the UPS office service desk. Can't use an UPS auxiliary office. You can (by federal law) only ship a gun you are selling to the address that is on the FFL license copy. The UPS clerk will check the license copy and make sure you are shipping to the identical address on the license copy.

License copies are usually given to you via an email attachment.
You ask the buyer who his FFL is and ask the buyer to tell his FFL to email you and attach a copy of his license to that email.

You can ship a blackpowder only gun (even a handgun) directly to a private individual, you do NOT have to notify any authority. The receiver must be in an area where it is legal to receive it according to his local laws. There is no California law against shipping it. In California a black powder only gun is not even considered a firearm and has no laws about shipping it.

By the way it is easier in most cases (less laws to observe) to sell from California to an out of State buyer than to an in State buyer.

 

[dogtown tom]

DartoI
You must take a copy of the FFL license of the receiving FFL with you to the UPS office service desk.

No UPS rule requires providing them with a copy of anyones FFL.

You can (by federal law) only ship a gun you are selling to the address that is on the FFL license copy.

Horsehockey......No such Federal law.

The UPS clerk will check the license copy and make sure you are shipping to the identical address on the license copy.

No UPS policy requires this, he's inventing his own rules.

 

[natman]

You can (by federal law) only ship a gun you are selling to the address that is on the FFL license copy.

Horsehockey......No such Federal law.

Maybe, but you'd be a fool to ship anywhere other than the address on the FFL (after you've confirmed it on EZ check). I don't care what story the buyer spins, I'm not shipping it anywhere else.

DartoI
You must take a copy of the FFL license of the receiving FFL with you to the UPS office service desk.

No UPS rule requires providing them with a copy of anyones FFL.

The UPS clerk will check the license copy and make sure you are shipping to the identical address on the license copy.

No UPS policy requires this, he's inventing his own rules.

I have had them check to see that I had an FFL in hand many times.

None of these restrictions is at all unreasonable. Maybe you'd rather play lawyer with the UPS guy, but I'd rather get my guns shipped, thanks.