I am an FFL holder and I open my customer's guns for 3 reasons:  First to verify the serial number, second to verify that the correct product is in the box (yes, I have found several mistakes w/ regard to finish, stocks, bbl length, etc.) and third to verify that no damage occurred to the gun during shipping.  If whatever my customer ordered is wrong or is damaged I can send it back and save him or her another trip back to me.  Helps save the customer time when they come to pick up their goodies.


As an aside, if you don't trust the dealer you are using go somewhere else.  Most "gun folks" are nice, honest people but if you feel that you are getting ripped off you can put an unscrupulous dealer out-o-bidness by hitting him where it hurts....the bottom line.

I've used three different FFLs in three different states.  They have all opened the boxes before arrival.  Who knows what they did before I got there...but I've never had any problems.  I do get tired of paying $25-$50 for what seems to me as no more than 10 minutes of work.  That equals a higher hourly rate than any other profession I can think of besides lawyers and doctors.  Is there something more that I'm missing besides a  few log entries and NICS check?

heh, quite a bit??
please do tell....

and only tell us about the actually transfer work, not the hassles of being an ffl. the actual work.. :)