shipping rifle or buy one out of state question

[Guest kwikrnu]

I want to get a rifle. Can I buy one out of state and bring it home with me or is it like a handgun that would have to be shipped to an FFL where I'd have to pay them their fee and background check?

If I buy a rifle from an individual who is out of state can they ship direct to me or does it have to go through an FFL?

If I buy a rifle from an out of state FFL can they send to the purchaser or will it have to go to my FFL?

[Guest gcrookston]

Most states will allow an out-of-state resident to purchase a long gun (some few states do not). You must, however, transfer through an FFL if you are receiving a gun from out of state from another party or shipping to another party out-of-state (now there are some exceptions, like if you are shipping the long gun to yourself, say after or prepartory to a hunting trip, auction, etc).

A person not licensed under the GCA and not prohibited from acquiring firearms may purchase a firearm from an out-of-State source and obtain the firearm if an arrangement is made with a licensed dealer in the purchaser's State of residence for the purchaser to obtain the firearm from the dealer.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(3) and 922((3)]

(B9) May a nonlicensee ship firearms interstate for his or her use in hunting or other lawful activity? [Back]

Yes. A person may ship a firearm to himself or herself in care of another person in the State where he or she intends to hunt or engage in any other lawful activity. The package should be addressed to the owner. Persons other than the owner should not open the package and take possession of the firearm.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b3

Edited May 27, 2008 by gcrookston

[Guest fatguy7814]

Any time that any gun is shipped it must go through a FFL holder.

I'm from AL so i don't know if this is the same in TN but here you can buy a LONG GUN only from any neighboring state in the store with out shipping to a FFL

[Guest gcrookston]

Any time that any gun is shipped it must go through a FFL holder.

I'm from AL so i don't know if this is the same in TN but here you can buy a LONG GUN only from any neighboring state in the store with out shipping to a FFL

must just be Alabama. This month I've purchased a longgun in Colorado and one in Utah and walked out of the store with them as a TN resident after passing the background.

Yearly I have mailed longarms to myself where ever I'd be hunting, so I don't have the hassle of airports.

follow the link I included in the above post for a complete list of what the BATF will and won't let you do.

If you buy a longgun from another state and have it shipped here (not picking it up personally), you do need a receiving FFL holder to process the transfer

[Guest bkelm18]

Any time that any gun is shipped it must go through a FFL holder.

That is incorrect. If you ship a firearm within your state to a resident of your state, it does not have to be shipped to a FFL.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b8

(B8) May a nonlicensee ship a firearm by common or contract carrier?

A nonlicensee may ship a firearm by a common or contract carrier to a resident of his or her own State or to a licensee in any State. A common or contract carrier must be used to ship a handgun. In addition, Federal law requires that the carrier be notified that the shipment contains a firearm and prohibits common or contract carriers from requiring or causing any label to be placed on any package indicating that it contains a firearm.

[18 U.S.C. 922(a)(2)(A), 922(a) (3), 922(a)(5) and 922(e), 27 CFR 478.31 and 478.30]

Edited May 27, 2008 by bkelm18

[Marswolf]

You can also ship a rifle to yourself in another state (as for hunting) without going through a FFL.

As far as I know, you can buy a rifle (not a handgun) in any state that borders Tennessee and bring it back home with you.

[Paletiger13]

As far as I know, you can buy a rifle (not a handgun) in any state that borders Tennessee and bring it back home with you.

You are correct from my expeirence.

[Guest kwikrnu]

You can also ship a rifle to yourself in another state (as for hunting) without going through a FFL.

As far as I know, you can buy a rifle (not a handgun) in any state that borders Tennessee and bring it back home with you.

I read that on another thread and was curious about it. That is good news.

[Guest kwikrnu]

must just be Alabama. This month I've purchased a longgun in Colorado and one in Utah and walked out of the store with them as a TN resident after passing the background.

Yearly I have mailed longarms to myself where ever I'd be hunting, so I don't have the hassle of airports.

follow the link I included in the above post for a complete list of what the BATF will and won't let you do.

If you buy a longgun from another state and have it shipped here (not picking it up personally), you do need a receiving FFL holder to process the transfer

So, let's say I'm on vacation in Oregon and want to go hunting. I can buy a rifle there and just ship it back to myself? Or how does that work?

Edited May 27, 2008 by kwikrnu

[Guest bkelm18]

So, let's say I'm on vacation in Oregon and want to go hunting. I can buy a rifle there and just ship it back to myself at my home address or just bring it home?

The laws for transporting firearms varies state to state I believe. It would probably be easiest just to ship it.

[Guest kwikrnu]

The laws for transporting firearms varies state to state I believe. It would probably be easiest just to ship it.

So it would all depend upon the the state to where I am shipping and/or the state where I get the rifle.

[Guest bkelm18]

So it would all depend upon the the state to where I am shipping and/or the state where I get the rifle.

Well, when you said "bring it home" I thought you meant drive from Oregon to TN with the gun.

[Guest gcrookston]

kwik, if you are going to go get the rifle personally, you should have no issues. Ask the seller. If you are having the seller send it to you, you need an FFL... I recommend the Rabbi, he undercharges for his transfers.

[DaveTN]

So it would all depend upon the the state to where I am shipping and/or the state where I get the rifle.

Federal law covers the transfer of ownership or shipping of a firearm across states lines.

State laws cover the transfer of ownership or shipping within a state.

So you are responsible for not violating any Federal or state laws in your transaction.

Add to that problem… shipping.

You must declare you are shipping a firearm; that is Federal law.

Don’t assume that just because your transaction is legal, the shipper will accept it.

Case in point…. I tried to ship a shotgun to a forum member in Chattanooga. (Perfectly legal, No FFL required)

But when I declared a firearm at the Murfreesboro UPS hub the (and I’m laughing as I use this term) “Security Officerâ€; refused to ship it. He said that only an FFL holder could ship a firearm to any one other than another FFL, and even then if the person shipping it was not an FFL holder they could only ship to a manufacturer or repair facility. I called UPS corporate and they apologized and said that is not their policy. However, they said they would not override the decision of the people at the hub on a firearm shipment.

So don’t assume that everyone involved will know the law or even their own shipping polices.