for once, could we discuss firearms without re-hashing
“gun control: reasonable precaution or unconstitutional deprivation?”
This is a simple, honest Q which will undoubtled get hijacked, but here goes anyway.
I just visited an auction site for weapons. Black rifles and more (the Barrett .50 single-shot had been closed).
I noticed that each ad was careful to mention that the seller would transfer the weapon only to a properly licensed dealer.
(yes, I know about levels of license).
The Q:
In practice what does that mean?
Does the seller actually confirm that the shipping address belongs to a properly authorized dealer, or could I just say “Sure, I’m a class III dealer” and get a weapon shipped?
Alternately, what is required to get a FFL license? Is it simply “send $5 to ATF”, or is it “get the sign-off of every cop within 100 miles, plus pass the written, and post $5 billion bail”?
Another way: how many FFL’s do we have here on the SDMB?
Are all the members of the “Black Rifle Club” dealers?
I am a licensed dealer, have been for over 10 years. Getting an FFL is far more difficult than what it used to be. It used to be easy. Re-newing an FFL is dificult if you don’t sell a certain amount of guns, because the BATF may claim you sell too few to need an FFL. Every single BATF agent I deal with seems to have the mission of trying to get FFL’s to give up the business. it’s spooky.
Anyway, I sell over the internet. I have some lovely “assualt weapons” for sale on Gunbroker.com right now. It’s 100% legal.
What happens is, if someone buys a gun from me, I can’t legally ship it to their home. I have to ship it to another dealer. So, my buyer sets up with a dealer in his area to receive the gun, and turn it over to my buyer. The transfering dealer usually charges a small fee for this. The transfering dealer is also the one responsible to fill out forms, back ground checks, etc., which is why it’s so nice to sell over the internet: less work/paper work.
The receiving dealer sends me a signed copy of his FFL, and I send the gun (after the buyer sends me payment, of course).
I do this as a side business, for extra dough. It is not my regular job. But I do make about 8k profit per year at it, which is nice, but certainly not enough to live on.
Normally, the seller will require a copy of the transferer’s FFL signed in ink and will only ship to the address shown on the license. The copy generally has to be mailed and not faxed.
Kalashnikov has already posted a list to the ATF page with the requirements, but I’ll add a few things.
A Curios and Relics license is relativley easy to get but only allows the licensee to recieve guns classified as C&R, which is generally WW2 and earlier firearms (and doesn’t include any NFA weapons). It’s also the only one that doesn’t require that the location on the license be a business, a residence is fine, and you’re not allowed to use a C&R to run a business.
The standard license (01) requires a sign-off from the local chief LEO (technically the law doesn’t require it, but the ATF does) and the requirement for the business to follow all local laws includes zoning, so generally using a residence as business premises can be a problem. The ATF is tight on this one, and will tend to discourage someone with a low volume from holding the license.
Ummm… I’d be suprised if there was more than one or two real FFLs in the black rifle club, though there are probably a few with C&R licenses.
The ATF has put a lot of pressure on so-called kitchen table FFLs without retail storefronts in recent years and forced many of them to relinquish their licenses.
I’ve only made one sale “over the net” but it was all legitimate. Sale was negotiatied between the buyer and myself. When I had his money order I obtained a copy of his preferred dealer’s FFL as UPS required I show it so they knew I wasn’t making an illegal shipment. There was near trouble as the recieving dealer almost didn’t accept the guns because I wasn’t a dealer though this isn’t required by law.
No wholesaler or distributor will ship a weapon without a signed in ink copy of the recieving dealer’s FFL. Class III stuff has extremely close scrutiny so no one will just trust you. FWIW semiauto black rifles and most .50BMG weapons are non-NFA anyway.