Ok... I didnt want to keep posting in someones for-sale thread, so I figured I'd just ask here.  Can someone explain to me the prcoess I would need to go through to purchase a firearm off of the boards here.  I know there is a LOT of leagal stuff that I know absolutely NOTHING about.  This would be my first gun purchase too.  I had asked in the other thread about what shipping to an FFL is, and nicely someone replied, however... I still don't know what an FFL is.  I know this is all horribly basic for all of you... but can ya help guy out?  So I'm basicly starting from scratch... I dont know ANYTHING... im a dumbass really... so any help would be great.

its really pretty simple, depending on the state your in, and what you can legal own. first find what you want on the board talk to seller make seller happy, then find a local dealer so the seller can ship the weapon to them then once he get it you will come in get it from him and he will make you do all the local and state stuff like yellow form and state checks and wating period if you have one. you might do this first so you have a deler in mind, it also never hurts to make good freinds with the dealer. also some pawn showps will be a transfer delaer. the fee might range from a flat rate of 5 bucks up to 10% of the cost i pay 15 bucks for transfers but i seldom do them most of the time i buy only from one shop so i have a good realtionship with the delaer goign rate around here is 50 bucks. hope this helps, Ronald

actualy that helps a good deal.  now all ill ask is if anyone here in Phoenix have a dealer that they think is good to go through... easy to talk to and will help me along my first purchase even though im not buying one of their guns...lol.   Anyone have any suggestions?  im in the west valley, but will drive if need be.

Thanks again for the help!!

Okay, first off if the seller happens to in your state and reachable, ya can do a face to face private sale no paperwork involved.

If weapon is outta state, ya must first find yourself a local firearms dealer, sporting good shop or gunshop in your city. Go visit them and find out "How much they charge to do a firearms transfer, most reasonable [b]F[/b]ederal [b]F[/b]irearms [b]L[/b]icensed dealers will charge ya 15-25 bucks to transfer the weapon to you... if they want too much, find one that's more reasonable to deal with...

Once this is done go to the EE and find a rifle, pistol or shotgun..... make a deal, then go to the FFL dealer/shop ya picked and ask them for a 'signed" copy of their license, which they will give ya....send this and payment by USPS or whatever to the seller, he in-turn will box up item and ship it to the FFL dealer/shop ya chose, dealer calls ya, tells ya rifle is in, ya go down fill out a form 4433 and go thru NICS or show your CHL/CCW permit and pay him his fee for legally transfering rifle into your name.

FWIW, this can be done legally in most states NOT as a dealer to dealer transaction, (but w/ the wacky laws nowdays check to be sure, as some state laws may require it) but as a private person in one state, legally transfering the weapon THRU a dealer (which must be done to be legal) in another state, then into your possesion.

That's it, btw, ya can go to [url]www.gunsamerica.com[/url] and I think they have a list of FFL dealers by zip-code for your area...

Mike  

ok... thank you  A TON!  great to see that folks are willing to help.  Annother question now is... what would I need to have in order to purchase. You both mention forms and having a CCW permit.  Do i need any permits right off the bat in order to purchase?  I know most of this varries by state, but any info on fed regulations would help, and any members here from AZ should be able to help me with the state required permits.  And again.. i really apreciate the help.

Guess I'm just paranoid, does anyone else's radar go off on posts like this?

Edited to say that it would appear Ruiner is not someone to be paranoid about.

LOLOL i guess i can see what ya mean... sorry guys if im asking the wrong stuff... all i know is wanna pick something up off the boards, and i have no clue how to do it.   For what its worth i met a bunch of the DMG guys at the CG shoot a few months back...lolol.  Im not a bad guy, just an ignorant one when it comes to guns at this point... everyone needs to start somewhere, and i have NO friends who shoot. In fact most looked at me funny when i showed them photos of me at the CG shoot.  And i have no gun to take out shootin to meet new gun buddies...lol.  

Believe like Texas AZ CCW holders do NOT have to go through the NICS (National Insta Check System) and make take delivery w/ no phone calls involved. NON-CCW holders have to have the NICS call made (dealer will do this for ya), mentioned only in case your a CCW holder in AZ.

The 4473 is the standard firearms purchase form everyone fills out when they buy or in this case "transfer a firearm". It contains the questionaire "Are you purchasing this weapon for your own personal use", "Are your additcted to anything", "Are you under any type of protective order"....etc..... where ya write in YES, NO, NO, NO, NO,.....

Other than to find a dealer for your transfer, no ya need no forms..... your dealer can explain this process and help ya.... most won't give ya the signed FFL copy until your sure deal is struck, but AZ dealers may vary, check w/ one and good luck.

Mike

Thanks again Mike!!  great help!  Sounds like a much easier process than i thought.  I dont have a CCW yet, but will if i buy a handgun, but i wasnt sure if i would need this BEFORE buying and recieving the gun.  Again.. proabably somethign that an AZ memeber could help me with.  Thank you very much Mike... especialy for the quick replies.

All the info you'll ever need, and more.

[url]http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/index.htm[/url]

Norm, you do well. IMHO, it is NOT paranoia when they really ARE after ya!! [:D]

I think you should find the gun you want from a local dealer (look in the phone book) - shop around, ask questions, determine who will give you the best price, get to know you local shooting businesses.  Most likely any firearm you find on this board for sale can be obtained by the local guys, if they don't have it in stock already.  You will find that certain dealers will have large selections of AR's or other black sport utility rifles, for instance, others will tend toward "traditional" hunting arms with blued finish and walnut stocks, and others will stock anything they think they can sell.

This is true as well.. i need to look mroe around here.  Still lookin for suggestions from folks on where they shop here in Phoenix.  So many of the places are in the east valley and i dotn know which shop to check out around here... reputation is big in my mind.

One suggestion for you, check out your local pawn shops. Any that sell guns will usually do a transfer for you.

Yea i saw that pawn shops could do the transfer as well... not a bad idea really... i dotn have too many gun shops around me in the west valley, but TONS of pawn shops.  Im probably going to be going gun shopping this weekend though with a friend of mine... so who knows... i may just end up getting somethign local, but i really do like some of the prices i see listed in teh forum here. and from what i hear.. this whole guy buying thing is an addiction, so there will be more shortly. Probably get a CAV-15 or so if i buy localy (since they are made here), and then get a handgun off the forums.  Thanks everyone for the help.