Originally Posted by irfubar
Originally Posted by Jim in Idaho
When I sell to someone as a private individual they can email a copy of the FFL or not, as I understand it the ATF discourages that. So I just ask for the first three and last five digits of their FFL number and run that through the ATF EZ-Check website to verify it is valid and current, then ship to the address posted there.

I also state very clearly in my ads that their FFL must accept shipment from a private individual.



Question for you Jim,
how do you get around UPS or Fedex asking for a copy of the FFL before they will ship?

I'm sorry but I don't really have a good panacea for all locales since the place I ship from never asks. I try to always ship via FedEx since they have the cheapest rates and I create and pay for a shipping label online. The fully packed and labeled box is taken to my FedEx place, I walk in and cheerfully say "this is ready to go", hand it to the counter person and walk out. They don't ask and I surely don't tell. I also ship handguns via FedEx ground the same way - to them it's just another small box among millions they handle every day. That works for UPS as well, just bring in a fully labeled package ready to ship and drop it off with as little conversation as possible.

Maybe someone can quote the rules on requiring an FFL and tell the counter person to stuff it but since I haven't experienced that I haven't had to come up with a solution. In pre-internet days when I used to ship via UPS and would fill out the packing slip at the hub where the form does ask for the contents I'd write "Machined parts" or my favorite, "Varmint Drill". That never raised any questions.

Also, when possible I will buy a shorter box and break the long gun down into two shorter components so it doesn't look like a rifle or shotgun, and never, ever put anything related to guns in the address. If it's going to "Joe's Machine Guns, Handguns and Weapons of Mass Destruction Emporium and Bait Shop" then I label it "Joe's" or some such.

Gunnery, gunnery, gunnery.
Hit the target, all else is twaddle!