How to Buy a Gun Online (And Actually Get It Home)

Buying a firearm online is legal, ordinary and older than most people assume. What you cannot do is have it delivered to your doorstep. The gun travels from us to a Federal Firearms Licensee — an FFL dealer — and you finish the paperwork there. Here is exactly how it runs.

1. Order and pay

Pick the firearm, add it to the cart, and pay by card. Nothing is shipped yet. At this point all we have is your order and your contact details.

2. Name your dealer

You need a shop willing to receive the transfer. Almost any gun store does this, and plenty of pawn shops and ranges too. Call ahead, ask if they take transfers and what they charge — typically $20 to $50. Send us the shop's name, city and phone and we take it from there.

If you do not have one yet, order anyway and tell us your ZIP. We will send back a short list of dealers near you.

3. Licence check

Dealers send each other a copy of their licence before anything ships. If we already have your dealer on file, this step is instant. If not, we email them and it usually comes back the same day.

4. Dispatch

We email you the dispatch date before the firearm leaves. Lead time depends on the model and which warehouse holds it, which is why we confirm a date rather than promise one up front.

5. The counter

Your dealer calls when the package lands. Bring government photo ID. You fill in ATF Form 4473 there — name, address, and a set of yes/no eligibility questions. The dealer runs the NICS background check, which usually comes back in minutes. Pay the dealer their transfer fee and the firearm is yours.

What if the check is delayed or denied?

Delays happen, often over a common name, and they usually clear. If the answer is a denial, the dealer cannot release the firearm. It comes back to us and we refund the purchase price, less shipping already spent. Denials are between you, the dealer and the FBI — we are not told the reason.

What can stop a sale before it starts

• State law. Feature rules and magazine limits block certain models in California, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and others. We check before shipping and cancel with a refund if your state blocks it.
• Age. Federal law generally requires 21 for a handgun from a dealer, 18 for a long gun. Your state may be stricter.
• Residency. The transfer happens in your state of residence, which is why the address on your ID matters.

Straight talk about timing

Most orders are in the buyer's hands inside a week or two: a day or two of licence paperwork, a few days in transit, then whenever you can get to the shop. The slow part is almost never the gun.