doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com FFL's and Antiques

I just won an auction on Gunbroker. Gun was made in 1895, as proven by factory records available through PGCA. When I explained this to the dealer, and showed him the records online he referred to the antique status as a "loophole", which rather irritated me. That's not a loophole, it's the doggone law - the gun is an antique so ship it to me instead of making me go through an FFL. Granted, the auction said an FFL was required, but still - either know and properly utilize the gun laws, or get out of the gun business.

Now stepping back down off of my soapbox.

The book says it best. "not a firearm".

I believe that it's illegal to enter an antique into an FFL ledger. You might point that out to them, I usually point that out once I provide documentation/links to establish antique status. Sometimes it works..

Why don't you have'em send it to your FFL and before it arrives convince THEM it not subject to FFL transfer and that it would not be necessary to book it. I've had trouble sometimes when the book says the date of manufacture is pre-1898 but the model was built until way after that date...Geo

I understand your frustration, having had similar experiences with Class 01 FFLs who won�t honor a C&R FFL or who will only receive a firearm from another FFL.

That said it�s the right of every seller to condition the sale of some item of his property with whatever lawful terms he wants to sell on. He can require shipment to a FFL, or that payment is only in the form of a USPS money order, or even something really silly like payment be postmarked on a Thursday.

It�s his property and he can make it as hard or easy as he wants to find a buyer.

The buyer, on the other end of the transaction, knows before buying what the term and conditions of sale are. Complaining about those terms to which he has agreed by placing a bid seems to me to be, well, call it �about as reasonable as the terms he complains about�.

It is also his way of knowing your not someone that should not own a working firearm even if it isn't considered one by the government. Having to pick it up from another FFL will cover his butt.

dawg: some dealers, including me, require all cartridge firing firearms to be shipped to ffl for nics check. that is how we sleep nights. it is better to exceed the requirements of the law in the interest of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people. surely you as a responsible citizen agree?

This thread could easily border on being more appropriate in Misfires after people start chiming in about how they feel it is their job to change the law.

Ed, do you sleep well after selling someone a torch job?

As Eightbore accurately stated - not a firearm. PERIOD.

Yeah it's probably going into Misfires.
My position here:
I've told more than one 01 FFL where to stuff it. I have a valid C&R FFL and I expect it to be honored and all they are trying to do is increase their own income by screwing collectors who have these licenses just for that purpose - collecting. As far as antiques go they should be readily shipped to anyone.
Jim

problem is, cartridge firing firearms made prior to 1898 can be just as dangerous in the wrong hands as guns made after 1898...with the goal of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of dangerous people, we have laws at the local, state and federal level that tell us what is legal and what is illegal. then we have good judgement, which tells us what is the responsible thing to do...in my opinion, if it fires a cartridge, then the new owner should be required to pass a background check before taking possesion of their new gun...to do otherwise, suggests irresponsibility on the part of the seller and a disregard for the validity of the concept of background checks.