Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How does shipping FFL actually work

I have a guy in Texas interested in my Ruger M77 .243.

I would have to ship it to a FFL dealer where he would pick it up. He said he would go to the FFL dealer, they would check him out, and if ok, then I would get paid.

I might have been born at night but it wasn’t last night. If I don’t have the money in my account first then it doesn’t leave my house.

Is this really the norm? Thanks.

Not a chance, money up front

LOL Yes, get paid first. Write him off with prejudice.


And tell us who.

Sounds like a trust issue to me. With all the scams going on this might become the new norm. FFL have gun in hand before seller is paid.
Hasbeen

No. He's not selling it to the FFL.

It's the norm for someone that wants to rip you off.

What if he's Royalty from Nigeria?

Have bought and sold many. Seller has money in hand, then ships to FFL. Buyer passes background check, and takes the gun home.

Then it could be legit......

Plus whatever number - have money in hand (and cleared) before shipping.

Sounds like "I want to handle the rifle before committing, so ship it to me at your expense, then I can tell you what all is wrong with it, and walk out...and you can pay the FFL to ship it back to you".

...especially if he over-pays you and asks for a partial refund and lets you keep some of it...

Probably a fake FFL,get money in hand before you ship

This is the FFL dealer the guy wants to use so I’ll give them a call today and get their FFL license number.

I’ll plug it in to the ATF EZ Check website to verify if they're valid.

But the guy said he’d send me the entire amount first thru PayPal.

Well then, standard deal, get paid, verify funds, verify FFL, ship, done.

No way I'd do PayPal ever again. Had two bad experiences.
First I sold a scope on fleabay back in 2008. It was right at the 4th of July. Ship it insured and tell the guy pay office said it should be there the third. Morning if the fourth comes the guy emails me and says no scope. I tell him with the holiday there's nothing we can do, I'll call when they are open. I leave for the weekend. Get home to find he had yanked the funds back and filed a fraud case. Called the local po and they had tried to deliver twice to the guy and he had to pick it up at his post office. I email the guy the info and ask him what gives. 4 hours later funds are back and not a peep it apology from him. Lesson 1
A year later going through divorce we're sorting finances and I switch my PayPal to new account. Buy something and they use old account, get dinged because funds were split and not enough. I call back again and switch account, this time they assure me all is good. Use PayPal a few months later and it goes to old account, 12 times in one day, each getting an overdraft charge. Called them and they said sorry, not our fault. Cancelled that day and have never used them again. If you're getting a bad feeling prior to this with the "I'll pay when I get possession" then run when they insist on using pay pay, that's an easily abused system with no recourse IMO. Good luck, but I'd insist on a check or money order and hold until it clears

1st without the FFL's actual license number you are going to have a very hard time verifying him. Also make sure the address is on the license, don't send it to an address you are given by someone else.

2nd Paypal will not give you any advantage as they don't allow use for firearms. All that will happen is if you make a complaint, your account will be suspended or cancelled.

If he wants some protection, use the USPO by getting a USPO money order and mailing it through the mail. This way he can file mail fraud charges if something goes South. There is no guarantee this will work, as each PO supplies different levels of service to their customers. I have sold my fair share of firearms, and have never sent any of them out without having them pay first and waiting until the funds clear. And when I say clear, that is around 10 days after I deposit it, as there have been examples of people cashing the check/money order, sending the firearm. and then getting a notice that the check/money order bounced, leaving them out cold. Also if they pay with a check from, say Wells Fargo, I cash it at the local branch, even if I don't have an account with them. That way the branch can do what ever verification is needed to ensure it is good.

I have never used one, but there is an option of using a broker. I imagine the costs could be prohibitive though.

Dont take paypal! Especially not friends and family option. Paypal would never back you if something went south with deal. Even more so it being a gun.

Exactamundo!