Buying Guns Online
- Thread starter IJS
- Start date
The Best online firearms community in Louisiana.
Member Benefits:
Fewer Ads! Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership Discuss anti-gun legislation Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses Discover free outdoor shooting areas View up to date on firearm-related events Share photos & video with other members ...and so much more!
Member Benefits:
You want to have a real fun time ordering guns online? Get your C&R and start going to town
C&R?
https://www.classicfirearms.com/news/general/what-is-a-cr-license/
Pay $30 and submit a form and you get your C&R FFL license which allows you to order firearms on the C&R list shipped direct to your front door to add to your personal collection. Lots of cool guns out there and a good deal isn't spoiled by an FFL transfer fee but your safe will fill up quick!
Wow, that's amazing and totally worth it. I'm gonna do it.
But, the firearm I order must be on the C&R list in order for it to be able to show up directly to me? Also, when ordering online, it has you select an FFL - would I instead send them an email with my C&R info?
Awesome info. Thank you sir
Be careful ordering from Classicfirearms though, Ben can be a little optimistic about his grading of the firearms he is selling.
C&R eligible firearms go to your door. You email the seller a copy of your C&R FFL and they ship it to your door. Some places offer discounts to C&R holders, I don't order many C&R guns, but I keep a C&R FFL.
The item doesn't have to be on the list of approved curios and relics as long as it meets their criteria. Note the bold portion below. They do keep a list to make life easier though. This is the latest list from 2018 - https://www.atf.gov/file/128116/download
As kcinnick mentioned, you send the online dealer a copy of your approved C&R FFL paperwork and they will list you as the FFL to ship to for C&R items. As long as you buy from reputable places, they'll be 100% sure that the item they list as C&R meets all criteria or else I suspect they'll get hit with pretty hefty fines and possible legal trouble.
[FONT=&]To be recognized as C&R items, 478.11 specifies that firearms must fall within one of the following categories:[/FONT]
- Firearms which were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, but not including replicas of such firearms;
- Firearms which are certified by the curator of a municipal, state, or federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; and
- Any other firearms which derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or because of their association with some historical figure, period, or event.
Firearms automatically attain C&R status when they are 50 years old. Any firearm that is at least 50 years old, and in its original configuration, would qualify as a C&R firearm. It is not necessary for such firearms to be listed in ATF's C&R list. Therefore, ATF does not generally list firearms in the C&R publication by virtue of their age. However, if you wish for a classification of your particular firearm under categories 1 or 2 above and wish your item to be listed, you may submit the weapon to the Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division (FATD) for a formal classification.[/FONT]
[FONT=&]Please note that firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA) may be classified as C&R items, but still may be subject to the provisions of the NFA. If your C&R item is an NFA firearm (e.g., Winchester Trappers) and you desire removal from the NFA status, you must submit it to FATD for evaluation and a formal classification.
[/FONT]
Ah sorry about that, was only linking to their site b/c they had a very good explanation of what a C&R was. Think the only time I ever bought from Classic Firearms was when they had some good deals on Mosin Nagants for < $100 each and I picked up a couple. Holy crap are those things really selling for $400 each now? Man I feel old.
Last edited:
I know it seems too good to be true, but it's pretty simple. You just fill out the form, mail it with $30 to the feds. Send a copy of the completed form to your Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO). And wait patiently.
The form seems overly complicated but it's because it's the same form a regular FFL has to fill out. There are many sections that say "not required if you are applying for a Type 03 Collector of Curios and Relics license" or tell you to skip if you're filing for a type 03. Detailed instructions can be found here https://www.atf.gov/firearms/instructions-form-77cr-application-federal-firearms-license
As long as you pass the background check you get your C&R FFL license in the mail. No interview, no fingerprints, no hoops to jump through.
While you're waiting, pick up something like this - https://www.amazon.com/BookFactory-...Hardbound-LOG-072-GUNCOLL-LKT39/dp/B000KFUGY0 or this https://www.amazon.com/Curio-Relic-Bound-Collectors-Entry/dp/B01CAT38KC- to keep as a log book to track your purchases and any items you happen to sell. You are allowed to sell items you no longer wish to keep in your collection but if you try to make a profit you're going to have a bad time.
When you get your FFL info, make sure you check all the websites you typically order gun parts from. Quite a few give discounts to FFL holders, even if your FFL is only a C&R. See websites like this one that give you a heads up https://gear-report.com/gun-shops-that-honor-cr-ffl-03-licence/ (This site looks outdated by a few years but you get my point, I'm sure there are others out there that keep a more up to date list)
Last edited:
I have bought quite a few online from multiple sources and never a problem. Had the newer items sent to a local FFL fro processing. I have had a C&R license for about 15 years and purchased multiple arms, mostly older military and a couple of shotguns , a little Marlin Mountie, vintage 1952 and a S&W 32-20 hand ejector, vintage 1929, no problems, all shipped directly to my home. The Marlin and S&W were purchased through Gunbroker again with no problems, and in fact the shop in Conn. after e mailing some details, just said to send personal check with copy of the C&R license so we could both avoid some extra financial fees, which I did. I had to be out of town and the little Marlin was waiting at the post office when we returned, and it apppears that he shipped it the day he received the C&R and check. The S&W could not be mailed so it came UPS
I have purchased several firearms thru Sportsman's Warehouse by ordering from them online and picking up in the Slidell store. Their prices for sales and Loyalty program discounts are excellent and their selections are many. Shipping is free to the store and there is no additional $30-50 FFL fee. They also have a large variety of guns and ammo in store to view or purchase, and their prices are generally a little better than BassPro or Academy.
I have bought several guns online now and probably won't ever go back. AT LEAST go online to price the gun first, before you buy it in a gun store, about 99% of the time you can get a better deal online, or at least you can show the price to the dealer to try to get a price match. The other important thing is to read the online dealer's terms before you buy, make sure their shipping terms and fees are reasonable, their credit card fees are reasonable, and their inspection/return policy is reasonable. Most of the time the online dealers will let you return the gun as long as you never completed the transfer from your FFL, make sure this is the case with the dealer you purchase from as I don't think every dealer is this kind, although many are. Lastly, Gunbroker.com is 100% legit, if you've seen it, but not sure if you want to register etc. Just do it. Its the closest thing we have to an open firearms marketplace.
Last edited:
Welcome to the online gun purchasing world. I am a NOLa resident and I use St. Bernard Indoor Shooting Center. I like, Magdump have a problem too. I use SBISC because it is the cheapest. @ $20 for your first and $10 for each additional. They are the cheapest in the 504. I have a membership there so all of mine are $10. For me that alone paid for the membership. And yeah it has a range. As a member you shoot for free.
I have gotten some very good deals on new and used guns online. Gun Broker can be great but it requires some savvy. From finding great deals, and negotiating better ones.(Negotiating deals is my favorite part.) To knowing who you can and shouldn't send money to. I have bought dozens of times from GB and the worst part was some guy sent the gun 3 weeks late. I prefer shops selling through GB those are usually my best deals. And they are much more secure. And have established shipping and purchasing systems. Credit card, debt, and I have even bought a few with paypal just to prove I could. Buds is kind of lazy and over priced.
But their auctions on Egunner are the worst. As far as slow nonresponsive customer service. But I have scored some seriously nice guns for half market value from there. So it can be iffy. Best of luck and happy hunting.
I have gotten some very good deals on new and used guns online. Gun Broker can be great but it requires some savvy. From finding great deals, and negotiating better ones.(Negotiating deals is my favorite part.) To knowing who you can and shouldn't send money to. I have bought dozens of times from GB and the worst part was some guy sent the gun 3 weeks late. I prefer shops selling through GB those are usually my best deals. And they are much more secure. And have established shipping and purchasing systems. Credit card, debt, and I have even bought a few with paypal just to prove I could. Buds is kind of lazy and over priced.
But their auctions on Egunner are the worst. As far as slow nonresponsive customer service. But I have scored some seriously nice guns for half market value from there. So it can be iffy. Best of luck and happy hunting.
RaleighReloader
Well-Known Member
Virtually every gun I buy is online through a site like gunbroker.com, or is in person. I *never* go to big box stores, and while I try to support local shops, they rarely have what I’m looking for.
I use a guy in Denham Springs that charges me $20 for an FFL transfer.
As for problems: in over a decade and probably ~200 gun purchases, I’ve yet to get stiffed on a deal. In some cases I did supremely well, like the new old stock Glock 37 that I paid about $250 (with shipping) for.
If you lay low and wait for the bargains, you’ll find some cool stuff at a fraction of what you’d pay at retail.
Mike
I use a guy in Denham Springs that charges me $20 for an FFL transfer.
As for problems: in over a decade and probably ~200 gun purchases, I’ve yet to get stiffed on a deal. In some cases I did supremely well, like the new old stock Glock 37 that I paid about $250 (with shipping) for.
If you lay low and wait for the bargains, you’ll find some cool stuff at a fraction of what you’d pay at retail.
Mike
I bought one gun from Palmetto State Armory on-line and the transaction was very easy. I had the rifle send to Precision Firearms in Baton Rouge. They called me when it came in to let me know I could pick it up. I filled out the background check forms, paid them their transfer fee and off I went. I wanted to buy locally but I could not find anyone that could come close to the price I paid.
It has been a while since I purchased a firearm in La, being a Tx resident, and of course being restricted to long arms purchases in La. I do not understand your statement about "bypassing the form" If you mean the federal form, cannot remember the number, for a gun purchase, even here in Tx with a CCL we have to fill out the form and that is it, no background check, just fill out the form, pay, and go.
