I wasn't expecting to get back into pistol shooting again until the summer so getting my concealed carry permit wasn't a huge priority. Long story short, I got a good deal on an out-of-state 1911 (private party sale) and couldn't pass it up.

[EDIT: Now that I think about it, I'm not sure the seller shipped it through a dealer. He may have shipped it himself. That happened the last time when purcashing a rifle...I paid no sales tax because it was a private sale]

(not 100% sure about this ->)The seller shipped the gun from an out of state FFL to a local FFL/gun dealer here in Washington. The seller contacted my shop before shipping and included all of the correct info.

I just looked up the shipping tracking now and realized the pistol arrived at the gun shop last Tuesday/14th.
I've done an incoming FFL transfer before at this gun shop (rifle) and also sent them information about this new gun coming in/my contact info...so they have my info.

I understand there is a waiting period when walking into a local gun store to buy a pistol at that time....but how does it work with an FFL transfer from a private sale?

Not getting a phone call (when the gun arrived 5 days ago) would then makes sense if the gun shop starts the waiting period at the time the gun arrives....so is this the case?
Or should I be expecting a phone call in the next day telling me to come in/do the paperwork, and THEN begin my waiting period?

Since I've done an FFL (rifle) recently with them, I assume it would be on file that I don't have a CPL and they're automatically doing the waiting period before they call me to come in.

Figured I would ask here first before bugging them tomorrow...I'm not going to be happy if they took a week to contact me and then have to wait another week on top of it. Thanks

I would go into the store and start the paperwork, the firearm was transferred between FFL's not to you. Bad form on the stores part that  they didn't call you when they got it. WA has a 5 business day waiting period but I believe the check should come back quicker than that.

The waiting period starts when your local law enforcement agency receives the pistol transfer application form. Per the RCW, the local law enforcement agency has 10 business days to provide a response to your FFL. The three possibilities are Proceed, Delay, and Deny. From what it sounds like, you haven't actually done the 4473 and State Pistol transfer application yet, so the waiting period hasn't started. Each individual transaction is a new 4473, so even though you transferred a rifle through them recently, they cannot use any of that information for any reason.

Out of curiosity, where did you get it transferred through?

As far as them not calling you, that can be a number of things. I know that some shops actually have disclosures in their transfer policy that say the firearm will be ready within 48 hours. I also know that firearms that are shipped with incorrect or missing information can also delay delivery as well.

As mentioned, your 10 business day wait starts the day after the LE agency with jurisdiction receives your information.  For that to happen, you have to fill out the forms and sign them.  Your FFL can't just submit an application based on a pervious transaction, it doesn't work that way.  

Also, it is no longer a "private party sale" because your seller had an FFL ship it to your FFL.  Your FFL will have to log it in from the out of state FFL, which means you'll also have to pay the Use Tax on it now.  Had the seller shipped it himself directly to your FFL, then the FFL wouldn't have to collect the Use Tax.  You are still responsible for paying the Use Tax in that situation, it's just not the FFL's responsibility to make it is actually paid.

5 days is a bit unreasonable to contact you, unless the package didn't contain any of your contact information, or the contact information was wrong.  It doesn't sound like that should be the case here, but you never know.

I knew I was forgetting to mention something.

@OP - The other question is, did you notify the shop that a firearm was being shipped to them for you?

I've edited my original post since I'm not 100% sure the seller shipped it through an FFL.
That's what I initially thought the last time when picking up an AR but found the seller just shipped it. I remembered because of the sales tax comment above...I paid no sales tax, just a transfer fee.

I'll mention the dealer's name but want to be crystal clear to everyone I'm not angry or hear to bash them. They always have awesome customer service/friendly employees and that's why I continually use them. I'm simply posting here because this is the first time I've done a handgun transfer to a dealer and the whole process seems a bit confusing.
It's West Coast Amory North in Everett.
They actually have a form on their website that allows you to fill out the transfer information/makes sure they get the correct contact info (and also gives them a heads up from the buyer's end).
https://form.jotform.com/52997724239167

If it takes another few weeks, I'll survive.  I'm just impatient and want my toys now. ;) haha

Also think I'm a bit sore because I recently bought a suppressor --- it still hasn't really fully sunk in I most likely won't take possession until around November.  It's insane that I can apply/be approved for a 50k car, get insurance, qualify for a mortgage, run a credit check, etc.... all within an hour due to modern databases/instant internet. But everything gun related still takes weeks/months as if Pony Express is riding back and forth delivering the forms for each step.



BTW....thanks a lot to everyone in this thread. Never would have figured I would get this much help at midnight on a Sunday night.

Not to burst the bubble and be the downer here, but if the hearing protection act doesn't pass, you probably won't see your suppressor for at least another 10-12 months, if not a little longer.

I know they hired more people for the 41F backlog and after 41F went through, the mad rush to buy tapered off considerably. I just figure after the ATF gets over that 41F hump, the later Form 4s will move at a faster pace....and at that point they'll still have a larger staff to deal with the post-41F transfers. Talking to dealers it sounds like the post-41F suppressor buying is almost non-existent since everyone is now waiting for the possibility of HPA going through.  Regardless I still imagine the approval staff all looking/acting like Hans Moleman from The Simpsons.

Plus if the HPA goes through, it's going to be an incredible buying frenzy...anything popular will be sold out until 2017 or have insanely long waiting lists.

(Just say "yeah, ok, sounds good" and let me go one believing in this scenario to keep me from going nuts. haha )

Don't hold me to this, but I "think" a gun shop has to run a stolen firearm check for firearms coming in from a private individual before they can transfer it to you. I know that's what the one I use does, it takes about a week, but he does usually call and let me know, but I asked him once why, and that was what he told me, I don't know if this is law, or him covering his ass?

maybe they tried to contact you.  most shops call once. if you don't answer they will leave a message. or half the time the info is incorrect on the paperwork. or people don't empty voicemail and a message cant be left. sometimes no paperwork is included so it cant get checked in.

At least you aren't one of them that as soon as its dropped off they call demanding to get their gun.

its 10 business days which starts after the first one. So say you fill out paperwork sat. it doesn't start till Tuesday and after 10 business days you can pick it up the day after the 10. and holidays don't count or weekends

Regulatori, I've dealt with West Coast Armory North before, haven't had really any problems. Last rifle I bought was through GB, the seller never shipped a copy of his FFL with the rifle, either that or FEDEX lost it, so there was a short delay. Not sure if a firearm has to be checked if its shipped from an individual or FFL out of state.

I was to.d by a friend of mine who has his FFL, that FFL to FFL do not need anything other than a transfer log, individual to FFL needs to make sure it's not stolen, not sure it that's a state, fed city, or personal thing. Just what he does, didn't think to even ask.

As far as I know, there is not requirement for it. The local law enforcement agency should run the serial number when they receive the pistol transfer application form, but that is about it as far as I know

Yeah, ok, sounds good.

If I remember correctly, we are just getting back April/May 2016. We still haven't hit the 10,000 forms that SilencerShop submitted on the 13th of July, not to mention all the other forms that were submitted.....

You did let them know via their form so that question is answered.

Make sure the person who shipped it bother to put your name with the gun. This has happened to me more than once. A gun comes in with no name or phone for the recipient. If it's been a quiet couple weeks and it's an oddball gun I might remember it if the recipient did a form. If it doesn't stand out then it's going to take a while to go through all the incoming transfer forms to see which one it is. It still might not be possible because the recipient might have put the name of the seller, but not the name of the gun store it came from.

Is your voicemail turned on and empty? This has happened to me a few times. Call a couple times but wasn't able to let the buyer know because one or the other of the two. One guy was upset when he came in week after his gun arrived. My reply, "your voicemail isn't turned on"  His reply, "oh yeah it isn't is it. Sorry."

Is your phone number right on the form? This too happens. Someone puts their old number that goes to some 60 year old lady who has no clue why your calling about a gun, or a hair salon. Or spaces for a minute and writes down something like 8481 instead of 8418 (real examples).

Or it might have just been them making a mistake. Unfortunately that happens too. It gets set down, the person who normally handles booking it in and calling the customer gets distracted because a customer came in, or a phone call, or FEDEX showing up, or something, sets it down then thinks they made the call.

Stuff happens all around.

Yeah.. Suppressor approval takes 6 months minimum.  Been seeing them around 7-8 months.

FYI:  Don't confuse West Coast Armory with West Coast Armory North (Everett).  They have totally different owners.  Lance (owner of the Issaquah/Bellevue West Coast Armory) sold the Everett location a year after he opened it.  



No, they do not run a stolen firearm check.  The process of getting that firearm is the same as if you did a regular transfer or purchase in store.  They have to run a NICS check or in the case of a person not having a CPL and getting a handgun, they have to send the information to the buyer's local police/sheriff station.  Of which they run the check and get back to the dealer if it goes through.

I totally recommend getting your CPL now.  If you want to buy a handgun on a impulse buy.. you just have to wait for the NICS check which could take minutes for approval vs days for the police to run the check.  Last time I processed a person without a CPL.. it took the maximum alotted time to get it approved by the police.  (In defense of the precinct it was processed at, they were short staffed and had a lot of CPLs to process along with my background check)