Question for FFL-knowledgable

[spaniel]

I recently agreed to purchase a pistol online. As payment was in transit to the seller I identified a local FFL and called them. I notified them I'd bought a pistol and would need to have it shipped in soon, AND that I had never been through this process before so what did I need to do.

The employee at the store told me to just give the seller their address so that the seller's FFL could ship to them, and when it arrived I'd just go in and do the background check etc then take it home. Sounded simple enough.

So I did this and got an email late yesterday that the seller had already shipped it (sooner than expected). I called my FFL to notify them, and asked if they needed my name, the address of the FFL that shipped, my phone # etc so they could match up me and the incoming gun and notify me when it arrived. The employee (same one) did not seem to know what was going on so got the boss on the phone.

The boss got very hot with me, said it could not be shipped until they had faxed their license to the sending FFL and he needed their fax #. I informed him that the employee had not told me any of this previously, and that somehow the gun had indeed already shipped. He outright called me a liar, that nobody in his store would tell me that. I informed him nicely that yes, they indeed had, and he replied that he could simply not do the transfer and send it back if I kept talking.

After a few minutes it turned out that the sending FFL HAD contacted him the day before, and that the license HAD been sent, he had just not gotten the name of the buyer.

Obviously I'm never going to give this (insert appropriate deragatory term here) a dime ever again, but my question is can he still screw me over on this transfer? It appears to me that he has agreed to it by sending his license and accepting shipment, but can he simply refuse to complete it upon arrival even if the background check etc is fine?

I just want my pistol and never to go there again, but I don't feel I should have to kiss a bully's butt if this behavior continues to keep him from screwing up my transfer....

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

ATH,

Heart rending story, is there a question here? The pistol is on it's way. Can he:

Screw you and send it back? Yes
Will he screw you? Don't know

No dealer wants a firearm, that came from who knows who, going to who knows who. It's a hassle for the dealer trying to sort it all out.

Yes, the employee was wrong in what he told you. The boss also handled it wrong.

Lesson learned:

Never give anyone your FFL dealers, name, address or anything until you've greased it with your FFL. By greasing it I mean: You go get a copy of your dealers FFL in your hot little hands, and you mail it, or have your dealer mail with your payment, or fax it yourself. Or you are physically present when your receiving dealer fax's it to the seller or sellers dealer.

Bob

 

[spaniel]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BobinNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ATH,

Heart rending story, is there a question here?
Never give anyone your FFL dealers, name, address or anything until you've greased it with your FFL. By greasing it I mean: You go a copy of your dealers FFL in your hot little hands, and you mail it, or have your dealer mail with your payment, or fax it yourself. Or you are physically present when your receiving dealer fax's it to the seller or sellers dealer.
</div></div>

Why do you think I asked the employee exactly how do do this, genius, and called them to clear what was going to happen before proceeding? I did exactly what they told me to do. I assumed someone at the FFL was more reliable to ask this question than someone on the internet.

If you don't like the question, it's easy to go to the next thread...

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

ATH,

Never said I didn't like your story, and the only ? you asked was: Can he screw me? You asked and I answered, your only question.

If your post was intended to solicit sympathy, you have mine.

But that does not change the facts: you were wrong in the way you approached it. The employee was wrong in what he told you; and the Big boss was wrong in the way he spoke to you as customer.

So instead of getting mad at me, for pointing the flaws in the whole sordid episode, why not say, shit I could have handled that a little better, than I did.

Whatever....

 

[spaniel]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BobinNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ATH,

Never said I didn't like your story, and the only ? you asked was: Can he screw me? You asked and I answered, your only question.

If your post was intended to solicit sympathy, you have mine.

But that does not change the facts: you were wrong in the way you approached it. The employee was wrong in what he told you; and the Big boss was wrong in the way he spoke to you as customer.

So instead of getting mad at me, for pointing the flaws in the whole sordid episode, why not say, shit I could have handled that a little better, than I did.

Whatever....
</div></div>
OK, so I'll entertain you. I had never done a transfer through an FFL before, so I asked an FFL, a professional who do this as part of their business how to do it. They told me incorrectly. Explain to me where I am at fault here.

I don't give a damn about your sympathy or anyone else's, but I miss the time when there were knowledgable people on here who could answer questions without needing to fluff up their egos by being rude behind the protection of their keyboard.

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

ATH,

Look, sir, you did not ask an FFL. You asked an employee of the said FFL, who might have been promoted from dishwasher last week.

And I was not being rude. I answered your only question, and I pointed out how such a thing needs to be accomplished in the future, the right way.

If you don't want to know the right way to perform an FFL transfer in the future, sir, then please feel free to carry on.

You provided a story, and asked one question, which I dutifully answered. What would you have liked I said? Good job! Way to go ATH!! You got screwed, what's the name of that shop so we can burn it down???

WTF over. I was not entertained when I read your post. I saw it as an object lesson. So I posted how it should be done, and must be done, in order to avoid a cluster F$%^

So as you said:

<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">I don't give a damn about your sympathy or anyone else's, but I miss the time when there were knowledgable people on here who could answer questions without needing to fluff up their egos by being rude behind the protection of their keyboard.</span>
</span>

And my question is:

If you don't want sympathy what do you want?

What question of yours has not been answered fully?

What knowledge have I not imparted to you, that you still need?

I was not being rude, just factual, as I saw it.

And I'm hiding behind anything, If you would like my name, address and phone number I will be more than happy to provide it to you. Just PM me. Ask and you shall receive.

Warmest Regards,

Bob

 

[spaniel]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BobinNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ATH,

Heart rending story, is there a question here?
</div></div>

Do not begin a post in this fashion, and expect warmest appreciation for your feedback. I think the sarcasm and rudeness is self-evident.

The question is an FFL's rights to send a gun back. When can they do it? If everything is going along fine, then you show up to pick up your gun and they don't like your hair, can they just send it back or by accepting it are they legally committed to follow through unless there is a legal reason they cannot complete the transfer?

 

[BobinNC]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

ATH,

I'm Sorry you did not like my reply. I do not expect warm appreciation for telling you the truth. Perhaps you would have liked a well intentioned lie better?

Now as to your new questions:

Your FFL may refuse to receive delivery from the common carrier.

Or they may accept delivery from the common carrier, record the recipt of the pistol in his bound book, repackage the pistol, and send it back to the seller or dealer with a note that simply says, no buyer listed for the transfer, or buyer did not show up, so I'm returning the pistol to you.

Most likely you will get your pistol, but I don't know that for sure, nor do you. There is no BATF rule that says your dealer MUST receive your pistol, and MUST turn it over to you. He always has the right to send it back where it came from. And you can go to the BATF website and ascertain that yourself.

And while your at the BATF site, you can also find out how to send and receive firearms via common carriers, for non-dealers like you and me. It's in the FAQ's.....

Bob

 

[ScottACousino]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ATH</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BobinNC</div><div class="ubbcode-body">ATH,

Heart rending story, is there a question here?
</div></div>

Do not begin a post in this fashion, and expect warmest appreciation for your feedback. I think the sarcasm and rudeness is self-evident.

The question is an FFL's rights to send a gun back. When can they do it? If everything is going along fine, then you show up to pick up your gun and they don't like your hair, can they just send it back or by accepting it are they legally committed to follow through unless there is a legal reason they cannot complete the transfer? </div></div>

As an FFL I will answer you, the FFL can refuse service to anyone for any reason, all they have to do is say they didn't feel right about the transaction.

Most won't and you are blowing this way out of proportion, the FFL was pissed because he thought a regulation had been sidestepped, he over-reacted, you are over-reacting.

Let your gun come in, do the transfer and don't deal with this guy again, chalk it up to a lesson learned.

Scott

 

[ALASKAPREDATOR]

Re: Question for FFL-knowledgable

BobinNC-Your patience and wisdom is to be commended!!

ATH-I did a similar thing years ago in one of my first internet transactions and the rifle spent a week at the dealer because no one there knew whose it was-The underling that I had set everything up with was gone on vacation and didn't leave any notes about this transaction-It was a day away from being sent back.
Lessons learned-Constant communication with the FFL FTF every step of the way-Go to the FFL with your info, pay the tranfer fee and get a receipt so someone else doesn't charge you again when firearm is tranferred, stay onsite while it is faxed if possible. Give the FFL shipping info as to type of shipper and any confirmation #'s. Information is on your side, no harm in too much. And if you communicated to the FFL like you did to BobinNC, his reactions to you are understandable.
My grandmother always said,"Always be polite to the clerk who scoups your ice cream. Might just get a little extra!"