Yes, you can ship a long gun directly to someone in your state

[SteveM]

After a short discussion with another member here, I feel like I have to say something. And I saw the sticky about selling guns where somebody mentioned this, but thought it deserved its own thread.

A non-licensee (non-FFL) is allowed to ship a long gun to another non-licensee in the same state.

This is a BATFE ruling/law, not a NC or SC specific thing. South Carolina residents may want to check to make sure their laws are not more restrictive than North Carolina's.

May a nonlicensee ship a firearm through the U.S. Postal Service? | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

A nonlicensee may not transfer a firearm to a non-licensed resident of another state. A nonlicensee may mail a shotgun or rifle to a resident of their own state or to a licensee in any state. The U.S. Postal Service recommends that long guns be sent by registered mail and that no marking of any...

www.atf.gov

So please, if you are listing a long gun for sale here, at least consider the possibility of shipping it direct to a buyer in the same state.

 

[DrScaryGuy]

I got into this same argument at the LGS. at least some of them were under the assumption that nobody but an FFL could ship anything anywhere. I argued with them and the guy that runs it (good guy) said yeah they would normally not have anything to do with a private transaction by mail, so he doesn't tell his guys about it.
but he also mentioned something about not liking to accept any kind of guns shipped from non FFLs because it was often more trouble than it was worth, though it was officially legal.
and then 2 attempted straw purchasers came through one right after the other.

 

[Big Dave]

I'll admit that I did not know that. I didn't think you had to be an FFL to mail a gun though, as I've sent several back over the years to companies, and I knew you could mail to gunsmiths and finishers. I guess I just assumed the other end had to be a maker, FFL, etc.

I also didn't know until about 1 year ago that you could buy suppressors by mail, with no FTF or in-store presence, but I recently bought one in that manner and I really like the convenience of it, and now I have my .eft file so future ones (or my recent Form 1 for SBR) go much quicker and easier.

 

[SteveM]

I got into this same argument at the LGS. at least some of them were under the assumption that nobody but an FFL could ship anything anywhere. I argued with them and the guy that runs it (good guy) said yeah they would normally not have anything to do with a private transaction by mail, so he doesn't tell his guys about it.
but he also mentioned something about not liking to accept any kind of guns shipped from non FFLs because it was often more trouble than it was worth, though it was officially legal.
and then 2 attempted straw purchasers came through one right after the other.

Yeah, not every FFL will accept shipments from private citizens, and that’s their decision. Much like how some FFL’s will charge you per gun to transfer, instead of per 4473. It may be seen as bad business by potential customers, but to each their own. I don’t see how accepting a shipment from a non-FFL is any more trouble, but 🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️

 

[SteveM]

I'll admit that I did not know that. I didn't think you had to be an FFL to mail a gun though, as I've sent several back over the years to companies, and I knew you could mail to gunsmiths and finishers. I guess I just assumed the other end had to be a maker, FFL, etc.

Long guns only!! Well, long guns only if you’re shipping to another private citizen as part of a transaction. We can send pistols to FFL’s and gunsmiths.

 

[Marturo]

So please, if you are listing a long gun for sale here, at least consider the possibility of shipping it direct to a buyer in the same state.

This is the famous Gun Show loophole the Dems talk always about. Buy using an FFL holder involved & you guns are as good as registered.

We can send pistols to FFL’s and gunsmiths.

Why we don't need a pistol purchase permit any longer? What makes pistols different than rifles?

 

[fieldgrade]

Why we don't need a pistol purchase permit any longer? What makes pistols different than rifles?

Federal law?

I don’t know.

 

[Pop N Shots]

Long guns only!! Well, long guns only if you’re shipping to another private citizen as part of a transaction. We can send pistols to FFL’s and gunsmiths.

I think some FFLs make the decision to avoid direct shipments from individuals, to potentially thwart the transfer of stolen goods. The idea being a criminal may be less likely to take the gun to a shop on the distant end (show drivers license, potentially on camera, etc).

Yes the seller is supposed to send a copy of a drivers license with the shipment, but how would the receiving FFL know the license belongs to the actual seller / shipper?

 

[BigWaylon]

Why we don't need a pistol purchase permit any longer? What makes pistols different than rifles?

I didn’t go look it back up, but it’s something about concealable firearms. You can’t ship anything except long guns to a non-FFL. No handguns, receivers, etc.

It’s a federal issue. Never anything to do with pistol permits.

 

[BigWaylon]

ATF doesn’t specify long guns only in this situation. Just saying. Guess it depends on what you put on the label 🤔

 

[SteveM]

I think some FFLs make the decision to avoid direct shipments from individuals, to potentially thwart the transfer of stolen goods. The idea being a criminal may be less likely to take the gun to a shop on the distant end (show drivers license, potentially on camera, etc)

I think they do that to shut down one avenue of competition. If I buy something off GunBroker instead of from their shop, they don’t make as much money.

 

[SteveM]

ATF doesn’t specify long guns only in this situation. Just saying. Guess it depends on what you put on the label 🤔

View attachment 751425

Yes, but putting your name on the label “in care of” a different individual, while you intend for there to be a transaction…would NOT be lawful activity, and put you at risk of (I believe, not sure) a felony.

 

[Frack N Cylons]

at risk of (I believe, not sure) a felony.

It’s too hard to keep up with laws, it’s like felony roulette. I would consider people on this forum to be leading experts and even we have trouble coming to a consensus on some issues.

So that’s why I personally would never ship person to person. I have a hard enough time keeping up with laundry, much less the ever changing laws and their interpretation by the ATF.

I don’t want one, but it’s no wonder people ask for bills of sale.

 

[BigWaylon]

Yes, but putting your name on the label “in care of” a different individual, while you intend for there to be a transaction…would NOT be lawful activity, and put you at risk of (I believe, not sure) a felony.

I’m simply pointing out the action of shipping a firearm isn’t always the same. It literally depends on what you put on the label as to whether the ATF says it’s legal or not. Not the physical shipping of the firearm, or how the firearm is classified.

 

[SteveM]

It’s too hard to keep up with laws, it’s like felony roulette. I would consider people on this forum to be leading experts and even we have trouble coming to a consensus on some issues.

So that’s why I personally would never ship person to person. I have a hard enough time keeping up with laundry, much less the ever changing laws and their interpretation by the ATF.

I don’t want one, but it’s no wonder people ask for bills of sale.

Shipping a long gun to another individual is absolutely legal and allowed, it’s simple. I don’t understand this attitude.

Honestly, it often seems like the biggest pro-2A guys screaming screw the ATF that want bills of sale, to see a CHP and ID, get 3 references, and meet at the police station to make the transfer. Silly.

 

[Friday]

I've had a member here sell me and then ship me a rifle. Entire transaction in-state. His local (big city) post office gave him a hard time about it, they were insistent that you can't do that. He took it to another (rural) post office and they sent it out no problem. He also wrote the NC postmaster general about the issue and the first post office got called on the carpet about their lack of professionalism and have since been corrected.
One man can make a difference. But I was still disappointed they gave him the run-around. So you might expect the local post office Karen to not know what the hell she's supposed to do. If you encounter any hurdles, it will likely be something like this.

On my end it couldn't have been easier.
I told my mailman that I was having a rifle sent to me and I'd sign for it. You have to sign for it and provide ID, but my mailman knows me. He said no problem. I wasn't required to tell him, just being courteous so he'd know. He's a good guy.
Rifle shows up, I sign for it, and then the mailman wants to check it out cause he's a gun guy too.
That rifle now often rides around on the atv with me.

 

[rufrdr]

I've had a member here sell me and then ship me a rifle. Entire transaction in-state. His local (big city) post office gave him a hard time about it, they were insistent that you can't do that. He took it to another (rural) post office and they sent it out no problem. He also wrote the NC postmaster general about the issue and the first post office got called on the carpet about their lack of professionalism and have since been corrected.
One man can make a difference. But I was still disappointed they gave him the run-around. So you might expect the local post office Karen to not know what the hell she's supposed to do. If you encounter any hurdles, it will likely be something like this.

On my end it couldn't have been easier.
I told my mailman that I was having a rifle sent to me and I'd sign for it. You have to sign for it and provide ID, but my mailman knows me. He said no problem. I wasn't required to tell him, just being courteous so he'd know. He's a good guy.
Rifle shows up, I sign for it, and then the mailman wants to check it out cause he's a gun guy too.
That rifle now often rides around on the atv with me.

The Fuquay Varina post office refused to ship a long gun, even when I showed them the P.O regulations. They told me to take it to the Angier P.O. because they knew they would ship it. Can you imagine this level of flaunting their own regulations? And if it was wrong to ship it, why refer me to a different P.O. to do the deed?

 

[dmarbell]

Several years ago I took a shotgun boxed up to the PO in Holly Springs. One male clerk waited on me as a female clerk, who I somehow took to be the postmaster, was waiting on a man who had his young son with him. Male clerk asked me if I had a firearm, and I said yes because I didn't want to lie. He, the female clerk and the customer all said, "You can't do that." The customer advised me to take it to FG&G as they would ship it for me. I had male clerk go get the regs. We worked it out, and I mailed the shotgun. The only reason I didn't tell the customer to mind his business and kiss my entire ass was the presence of his son.

I had told the male clerk he was wrong in his initial assessment, and I had mailed long guns before, he incorrectly but reasonably said, "Just because you did it before doesn't mean it's right."

 

[fieldgrade]

Shipping a long gun to another individual is absolutely legal and allowed, it’s simple. I don’t understand this attitude.

Honestly, it often seems like the biggest pro-2A guys screaming screw the ATF that want bills of sale, to see a CHP and ID, get 3 references, and meet at the police station to make the transfer. Silly.

A lot of overreaction here.

Relax. It’s Friday night.