I've recently given some thought to the C&R route.
Seems like all my local gunshops have gone crazy. I bought a shotgun on GunBroker this week and went by my usual gunshop/sporting goods store which has supplied me with FFLs for years. When I asked for an FFL copy to send the seller, they balked and said they had to handle it dealer to dealer and that the selling FFL had to initiate contact with them.
I explained that I had no idea whether the seller was an FFL or just an individual. Their answer to that was that they could not provide a copy of their FFL to an individual.
I decided that they were just tired of my business, and went to another store. Got the same rigmarole. I finally went to a pawnshop and the owner was thrilled to hand me a signed and dated copy of his FFL to send the seller. I asked whether he was inspected by the same ATF agents as the other two stores I had visited, and he said yes of course and that the other guys didn't know what they were talking about.
Is there some change in effect that I should know about?...Geo
In my most recent transaction I had to change FFLs because my regular FFL had taken quite ill. The "new" FFL is someone I'm well acquainted with. He would not give me a copy of his FFL to send to the seller. We talked about it for a while. He advised his reason was that there have been reports of people getting a blue signature FFL from a legit FFL, then going to a seller with that document after modifying it (probably involving a scanner or color copier) to change the address on the document to the buyer's - not the FFL's - address. The shipment then goes direct to the buyer's address, the FFL never sees the gun, and away we go. If the FFL ever asks the buyer, he tells the FFL the deal fell through (and can even give back the blue signature document, if needed).
My "new" FFL is a retired LEO and still has good contacts in that community. I suspect (true or not) the stories about fraudulent modifications of FFL document are being spread by ATF, but it doesn't really matter so long as the stories are out there.
That, and the seller in my latest transaction was in Connecticut. He related how all the FFLs/dealers there are really skittish still between the post Newtown crackdown and CT law enforcement and pols looking for any excuse.
