I don't considerate it a hoop, I considerate it my responsibility to know where the firearm is going. I think it a good idea to 1. know the rules, and 2. know to whom I am shipping a firearm. Otherwise how would / could you possibly know if the buyer was even legally able to possess a firearm? Because he said he was a good guy... C'mon, are you playing the devils advocate?
Years ago before electronic copies of a license were allowed an FFL holder had to send via US Mail a copy of his license to a distributor or business sending him a firearm. Now why do you suppose they had to do that? To comply with federal law perhaps...
You can handle the transaction however you like and I'll do it my way.
I have had a FFL for over 40 years... well before the electronic age... and you obviously do not know how to we did it then, nor how to do it right now.
There is ZERO requirement, right, nor reason for you to be able to do a background check on a potential gun purchaser. If you consider it your responsibility to know maybe you want to stick to family sales, and should absolutely not sell anything on the internet. No, not a Devil's Advocate at all, as a FFL I have a responsibility to do the background parts I am responsible for, properly.
Many years ago I did not need to put much information on the form, but there was a box for "IS KNOWN TO ME."
The requests for FFLs to not give out copies of FFLs is fairly new in the scheme.