C&R rifle purchase out of state

[Experimentalist]

I'm in Idaho on vacation, and there's a 1903a3 that I fancy.

I have a copy of my 03 FFL, but the help here at Cabellas don't want to touch any business from California.

Any advice for how I can change their minds?

I even told them I've purchased other guns out of state, registered them upon arrival, and was perfectly legal. No luck with that unfortunately.

[emcon5]

I'm in Idaho on vacation, and there's a 1903a3 that I fancy.

I have a copy of my 03 FFL, but the help here at Cabellas don't want to touch any business from California.

Any advice for how I can change their minds?

I even told them I've purchased other guns out of state, registered them upon arrival, and was perfectly legal. No luck with that unfortunately.

Have them call the gun library in the Reno Cabela's. The deal with CA 03 FFLs all the time.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Show them the instructions on page 2 of this form from CalDOJ...

http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/firearms/forms/curioapp.pdf

State law requires all California Federal Firearms Licensees (FFL) holding a type "03" license (collectors of curio or relic
firearms) who obtain curio or relic firearms while out of state, to report such purchases or acquisitions to the California
Department of Justice within five days of transporting the firearm(s) into California.

The fact that CalDOJ requires C&R FFLs to report their out of state acquisitions might help convince Cabela's that it's legal.

[Experimentalist]

Awesome guys!

I'm chatting with management now. They're making phone calls and I suggested the Gun Library at Reno's Cabellas (thanks emcon5!)

[Experimentalist]

I'll show them the form when they come back. Thanks Mssr. Elegante

[Flyin Brian]

I'm in Idaho on vacation, and there's a 1903a3 that I fancy.

I have a copy of my 03 FFL, but the help here at Cabellas don't want to touch any business from California.

Any advice for how I can change their minds?

I even told them I've purchased other guns out of state, registered them upon arrival, and was perfectly legal. No luck with that unfortunately.

If you can get them to see the light, you might want to consider having them ship it to you. I've purchased guns that way; found something I liked, put it on hold and then called once I got home and completed the transaction. That way, you don't pay sales tax and you don't have to cart it around on vacation.

Of course you'll still have to report the taxable amount on your state income taxes, like everyone does...

[Flyin Brian]

Oh, to add on to what Emcon suggested... Cabela's has a service where they will ship any firearm in their library to a local store for you to "inspect" in person before buying. I have done it before and I'm glad I did because the rifle was close to $2,000 and after seeing it in person it was not in the condition they described.

They charge you $25 for the service, which includes shipping. That way if you can't get them to sell it to you where you are now, have them ship it to Reno and then you can buy it there with your C&R, from someone who knows how to deal with it.

[Armistice]

Show them the instructions on page 2 of this form from CalDOJ...

http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/firearms/forms/curioapp.pdf

The fact that CalDOJ requires C&R FFLs to report their out of state acquisitions might help convince Cabela's that it's legal.

Would I be correct in thinking that I don't need a CoE to bring it back to CA? Since I only have my 03, I can take possession then and there, and then when back in CA, just report the paperwork to DOJ and $19

[Mssr. Eleganté]

Would I be correct in thinking that I don't need a CoE to bring it back to CA? Since I only have my 03, I can take possession then and there, and then when back in CA, just report the paperwork to DOJ and $19

That's correct. You don't need a COE if you actually pick up the firearm in person outside of California.

[Armistice]

That's correct. You don't need a COE if you actually pick up the firearm in person outside of California.

Cool, thanks

[Experimentalist]

Yes! Victory is mine!!

I picked up my rifle from Cabela's this morning.

The process went slowly, as they were double checking everything. But it went through fine. Many thanks to everyone here for your help. I'm so glad I asked to talk to the "Head manager" on Saturday, as two employees had already told me they don't sell to California. I refused to take no for an answer until I heard it from the head person. Despite my dogged persistence I'm pretty sure I'm on friendly terms with everyone involved. They're all good people, it's just that they're struggling with ever-shifting laws, and unfriendly State DOJ folks (e.g. California).

Kinda funny, I was out in the parking lot putting the rifle away, when an employee came out to find me. He asked me to come back inside, as "the date was wrong" on the forms. I looked at my watch and said I was pretty darned sure I didn't mess up the date.

Back inside, it turned out I had written the date down as "29 June 2014". I've found that to be pretty hard to misunderstand. However, the person who triple checked the documentation indicated that this was not one of the approved date formats.

This certainly was a new one on me, I've purchased plenty of guns before and it's never come up. She showed us a laminated note that indicated the acceptable date formats, and mine wasn't one of them. So I just lined through the unacceptable format, rewrote the date in an acceptable format, then initialed the change and added another date (in the correct format, of course ).

I'll post some pictures once I get it back home. It's a Smith-Corona 1903a3 manufactured in 1943. It's in nice shape, I'm pretty happy with it.

Thanks again everyone!

[emcon5]

Good news. Was it a good price? Any US rifle the Reno Cabela's gets they are usually pretty proud of, like a couple hundred over market value proud.

[IdahoShooter]

sWhere in Idaho are you? I sure hope you didn't find that S-C at the Boise Cabela's because I was just there last weekend and didn't see it.

[Experimentalist]

I was at the Cabelas in Post Falls.

There were a fair range of C&Rs available there, the majority seeming to be Mausers of one variant or another. I already have a decent K98k, but may consider expanding the collection at some point.

My 1903a3 is what I would consider a fairly "nice one". Good condition overall, only a tiny bit of rust near the upper sling attachment. The bolt handle has what appears to be a sort of "Y" stamp on it, so perhaps it is not original.

I'll see about throwing up some pictures once I get back to California.

Sorry IdahoShooter, this Smith Corona has escaped to Oregon, and soon will make its way to California.

I kinda like it when I return to the State with more guns than I had when I left.

[Flyin Brian]

I was at the Cabelas in Post Falls.

There were a fair range of C&Rs available there, the majority seeming to be Mausers of one variant or another. I already have a decent K98k, but may consider expanding the collection at some point.

My 1903a3 is what I would consider a fairly "nice one". Good condition overall, only a tiny bit of rust near the upper sling attachment. The bolt handle has what appears to be a sort of "Y" stamp on it, so perhaps it is not original.

I'll see about throwing up some pictures once I get back to California.

Sorry IdahoShooter, this Smith Corona has escaped to Oregon, and soon will make its way to California.

I kinda like it when I return to the State with more guns than I had when I left.

That's really cool that you were able to complete the purchase. I really enjoy the freedom of being able to buy a firearm out of state, it almost makes me feel like I am living in a free state! at least for a few minutes.

The Y may end being an X, which I believe is a mark for a field replacement bolt.