Educating the gunbroker crowd

[Edge]

I recently spotted a rifle on gunbroker.com that I was interested in, but the seller had posted in his listing basically "Don't bid if the area you're in, like California, doesn't allow shipping from a non ffl."

So I wrote him saying that California did indeed allow shipping from an out-of-state non-ffl seller to an in-state ffl. I had looked on the DOJ website to find an faq specifically stating this, but wasn't able to find one. I did link him to http://www.dechielfirearms.com/Buying%20On%20Line.htm, which is a statement from a California ffl that he does indeed legally accept out-of-state shipments from non ffl sellers. I also emailed my ffl and had him send out an email to the seller stating he could legally accept shipment of an out of state firearm.

Seller responded with a thank you for the info, stating that he had specifically asked his local ffl and was told California only allows ffl to ffl shipment.

Unfortunately the item went higher than I wanted to pay for it, but I was glad I was able to educate someone, who also stated he would pass along the info along with our correspondence.

I wonder how many out-of-state sellers' minds we can change if we try to educate them, instead of just complaining about them?

If anyone has a link to a clear-spoken DOJ statement affirming legality of out-of-state non-ffl to ffl transfer, can you post it here?

[Seesm]

Good stuff.. So far I have only seen rude "hating cali" people sop very cool what you did...

[Josh3239]

It sounded like his dealer gave him bad advice hoping to make some extra money. Chances are he is paying his dealer to mail it to the buyers dealer. This way he doesn't have to do the "paperwork" (which actually doesn't exist).

His dealer probably perversed the CFLC law. CFLC is exempt for non-liscenced sellers but requires liscenced FFL dealer to open an account in CFLC and fill in some lines and print out a piece of paper to ship to California. Some dealers have considered this "registration" and refuse to be a part of it, some dealers want extra money for the "extra paperwork" and others are willing to give their California buyers an extra 2 minutes of their attention.

[paul0660]

COMPLETED

That guys FFL was full of it. The only time it might make sense to use an out of state FFL to send a firearm to California is if the gun is a handgun, and the FFL can use USPS instead of UPS or Fedex. The shipping savings might be enough to warrant a small fee to the sellers FFL in that case.

[Edge]

This one makes me sick. I'm checking out a Winchester 1894 38-55 from 1899 in pretty decent shape on gunbroker, but seller says no California sales. I go ahead and email him anyway asking if it's because he has an ffl, and would he reconsider. He simply says yep and nope.

That Winchester ended up only having two bids and going for $600 even.

I would have bid up to $750 at least.

Take a look for yourselves...http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=127303821

(I'm sure I don't have to say this, but please don't anyone contact this seller regarding this auction.)

[qaz987]

Too many FFL holders are kooks and incompetents that have jumped on the hate California bandwagon. They're only screwin' themselves, is there any state with more gun sales than CA? I don't know exactly, anyone out there with the figures?

Last year I bought a NIB '71 10/22 from a dealer that was set up to ship here. Gun Country had closed shop so I went with an FFL listed on the Gunbroker site, Crown City Jewelry & Loan in Pasadena. Big mistake, Todd Robinson was either a thief or incompetent as well. I had to call DOJ to get my rifle released. Now I only look for local PPT guns or buy new.