How to Order a Gun Online

Ordering firearms online is perfectly legal. If there’s a firearm you can buy in a local shop, you’ll be able to buy it online as well.

Understanding the FFL

A FFL is mandatory in the process. It stands for Federal Firearms License, and it relates to changing ownership from one user to another. In most situations, you'll have to use a dealer. It's not just a legal requirement almost everywhere, but it also keeps the procedure safe.

When buying a gun online, the federal law asks for a dealer to get involved. They must run a background check before the actual transfer. Once you get a notification about the gun getting there, you'll need to show up, complete the ATF Form 4473, wait for the background check, and take the gun.

The transfer is done at the same time with the check over the National Instant Criminal Check System. It’s not free, so you’ll most likely have to pay the fee.

Different FLLs charge different fees, while some of them will limit you to items in their stores, so you'll have to do your homework. Contact the FFL before placing an order, too.

The process of buying a gun online

Assuming you’ve already contacted and arranged the firearm transfer with the FFL, you can start shopping around. Find the gun you’re interested in, look for a good deal, and get it shipped to the FFL of your choice.

The FFL shipping is usually set during the checkout process. You must confirm that the store has a copy of the FFL you picked. At the same time, get in touch with the local FFL and let the staff know that you’ve purchased a gun. They’ll get in touch with you once it gets there.

Once the gun gets there, you’ll need to collect it in person. Bring an official ID with you. It should include a picture and address. Once the check is done, you’ll be able to collect the gun and take it home.

Restrictions when ordering a gun online

No FFL will hand a gun over to a prohibited person. Such people include felons, fugitives, convicted people who had to spend more than a year in prison, unlawful users of controlled substances, mentally defective users, those without US citizenship, and so on.

The list is much longer, so it pays off researching what a prohibited person means in your state.

If you count as a prohibited person, stay away from firearms for as long as you have this status. You can also get in touch with an attorney to try and get rid of it faster.