Whether you’re looking to begin hunting or to increase your security around the home, you’re here because you’re looking to purchase a firearm. As you could guess, there are certain restrictions placed around the sale of guns and firearms in the US, but these restrictions do not curtail you from getting them online. As long as you are buying from a vendor with a federal firearms license (FFL), you will be able to get a firearm that suits your needs from the comfort and safety of your own home.
Through the online option, you can quickly buy the gun that appeals to you in a private and legal way. However, you’ll need to pick up the gun by yourself since the sale of firearms is highly regulated after the passing of the Gun Control Act of 1968. With that said, here’s an outline of the steps to follow when buying a firearm online from trusted vendors like Get Your Guns America.
- Pick an FFL Dealer in Your State
The first thing you should do when buying a firearm online is finding an FFL in your locality. Once you find a local FFL dealer, confirm that they’ll be able to ship the gun to you. Doing this is crucial since some FFL dealers don’t love doing this since they consider the online sale of guns to be a competition.
Many of the FFL dealers who accept shipping the gun require you to pay a fee for their service and time. However, this fee isn’t charged by all dealers. When locating the FFL dealer within your area, you need to provide details like your zip code to narrow down your search.
- Arrange the Transfer of the Firearm
You should go ahead and start arranging for the gun’s transfer after confirming the FFL dealer is open to accept the online purchase of the firearm and the charges. You need to do this by informing the FFL dealer you’re looking to buy the firearm online and have it shipped to you. Make sure to provide them with your contact details to enable them to know how to inform you once your gun is available.
The dealer might offer you a copy of their FFL to be using, but they occasionally prefer handing this copy to an online gun store directly. With the online sale of firearms nowadays becoming more common, there’s a chance the online gun retailer already has a copy of the local FFL’s license.
- Choose the Right Firearm
When buying a firearm online, this is the part that most people usually look forward to the most. It’s best to have done your research on which firearm to buy and if there are discount firearms available for sale before buying a gun online. After picking your desired model, go ahead and confirm the features of the gun. These include barrel length, magazine capacity, and caliber, to mention a few. You should also confirm that the selected firearm is legal within your locality or state.
- Plan the Transfer of the Firearm to the FFL from an Online Store
While checking out, it’s essential to confirm the store where you’ve purchased the firearm has a copy of the FFL where your firearm should be shipped. You should also inform the FFL dealer from which store you bought your firearm and the gun you’ve purchased. By doing this, they’ll be able to know once your package arrives and call you for collection.
- Go to the FFL Dealer to Pick Your Online Firearm
Once the firearm you’ve purchased online arrives at the local gun store, you should now go ahead and pick it up. But before the gun can be transferred to you, there are a few crucial details you’ll be required to give, including;
- A government-issued ID with your photo
- Your current address
After providing your particulars, the FFL dealer will perform a background check before finalizing this transaction. This is important to confirm that the law allows you to own a gun—the same procedure is done if you opted to buy your firearm directly from the store.
There are certain instances where the FFL dealer will deny giving you the firearm, including if:
- You’re an addict or unlawful user of a controlled substance.
- You relinquished your United States nationality.
- You were imprisoned for over a year.
- Someone has filled a restraining order against you.
- You were dishonorably dismissed from the military.
- You’re facing indictment charges that are punishable with more than one year in jail.
- You illegally reside in the United States.
Takeaway
Once you’ve learned how to use a firearm, the next step is buying the gun. Fortunately, this process has been made a lot easier since you can now buy a gun online. If you didn’t know the steps to follow, this detailed guide has provided you with useful insights into everything you need to do to complete the purchase successfully.
