Buying a Firearm on the Internet

Buying a firearm on the internet is convenient and allows you a much broader selection, especially in times where firearms are hard to come by. Buying online does NOT, however, remove the requirement and regulations that accompany purchasing a firearm. A form 4473 is still required to filled out, IDs are still required to be submitted, and a background check is still required (unless your state allows exemptions for CHL and CCW holders.

So, let’s say you live within easy pickup distance from our shop and you would like to purchase a pistol from a gun shop in Texas. You will follow the online purchase procedure for the Texas store, and either select or submit the information for a FFL holder who is local to you. In this case Right To Life Defense. If the Texas store already has our FFL on file they will just ship the firearm directly to us. If they do not, you will be responsible for letting us know you have purchased a firearm from them and that they will need a copy of our FFL. The same holds true, albeit in reverse, if you are out of our area or state and purchase a firearm from us. You will need to provide details for your chosen FFL holder, so we may ship it to them.

Once your order has been received by your local FFL, you will contacted to come in and fill out the form 4473, provide your identity documents and have a FBI NICS background check conducted on you. Of course if your state allows permit exemptions for the background check this step will be skipped. The FFL dealer from whom you are receiving the firearm will charge you what is known as a FFL transfer fee. This fee covers the time and effort for the paperwork and filing. The fee can range from $20 to $50 dollars for items that are not NFA. NFA items require a special operating tax stamp, you’ll commonly here it referred to as SOT. Only SOT 3 and SOT 2 holders can sell NFA items. Only SOT 1 holders can import these items, and only SOT 2 holders can manufacture these items, as well as sell them. We will cover the NFA and which items are classified as such in another blog post later, but mainly these are silencers, short barreled rifles and such.

Some links to further information:
https://www.ffl123.com/what-is-a-firearms-transfer/
https://gununiversity.com/ffl-transfer/