ffl transfer

[watkins1988]

I have a question and I couldn't find the answer buy searching and im sorry if this is in the wrong spot.

Regarding FFL Transfers

1. What is it?
2. If there is no handgun registry in Indiana why do some people want you to do one when you buy a gun from them or trade? i mean private party sale/trade
3. Should I start doing it when I buy/trade?

 

[ATM]

1. What is it?

A Federal Firearms License is required to make interstate tranfers of firearm ownership. There are also many procedures and laws they must follow which do not apply to non-licensees.

2. If there is no handgun registry in Indiana why do some people want you to do one when you buy a gun from them or trade? i mean private party sale/trade

Either they want the other party's background verified via the NICS instant check system (available and required for FFL transfers) or they consider it some sort of paper trail which covers their behind from any number of fantasy personal liability scenarios which would arise when the firearm is "traced back" to them after some nefarious future use.

3. Should I start doing it when I buy/trade?

No. Of course, you are free to require whatever terms you can dream up as a condition of your proposed transaction, but they are certainly not required.

 

[ryknoll3]

Just to clarify, any gun crossing state lines in a sales transaction coming from a private party is required to go to an FFL dealer in the destination state.

Example: You buy a gun on Gunbroker from a guy in Georgia. The gun must be shipped to a dealer in Indiana, where you complete a 4473 and are subject to a NICS background check.

There are only two circumstances where a person can receive firearms from across state lines where they do not have to go through a dealer in the destination state: 1. Inheritance. A person who is a beneficiary of firearms in a will does not have to involve a dealer in the process. They can be shipped by the executor of the decedent's estate to the beneficiary.
2. If the person buys a long gun from an FFL dealer in another state and both the purchaser's state and dealer's state allows this transaction. It must be in person though.

In-state private party transactions are governed by state laws. A few states require all firearms transactions to go through a dealer, but Indiana does not. You do not need to involve a dealer to sell a firearm to your buddy or a complete stranger who is also a resident of your state.

 

[watkins1988]

ok thanks