I am not real sure on this, so take it with a grain of salt. Legally, they would have to sell it to you if you were the higgest bidder. However, there is nothing forcing them to do so (no more than there is anything that forces you to buy it if you are the higgest bidder). I guess it reserves for you the legal right to sue if you win the auction and they don't complete the sale and transfer to you, but it would cost you more $$$$ to do this than it is worth. Most people on the auction sites know this. There is a big difference between LEGAL and what actually takes place. There is a higher probablity of you winning getting LEGAL threats for winning an auction and not completing the transction (since there is money owed) than there is of you winning an auction, not getting the weapon, and suing.

My expeirence is that some people do the 'right thing', others do not.

I have bought off of Gunbroker before and had no problems. Make sure you get a phone number of the dealer/store and call them as soon as the auction ends, especially if you are out of state. Get a name of the person you speak with. Make it personal. Create a relationship. Let them know you are a real person and intend on following through with the deal. Call back from time to time "Did you get the payment?" "Did you get my FFL". You should be OK if you do.

EDITED to add: while I guess you have the 'legal' right to sue, like I said, it doesn't make much sense (unless they take your money and not deliver the weapon). About the most you can do is leave negative feedback (in the case of GunBroker, it is a grading scale A-F just like school. You can leave supporting comments to go with your grade of the seller).

Lots of sellers list the same item(s) on Gunbroker and ebay (also on sites such as this).  If it sells on one site they simply withdraw the auction from the others.  It's a seller's market.

Eddie

FROM GUNBROKER:
What if I list the same item in Shotgun News, gun shows, etc?
There are two ways this can be accomplished:

If the item has not been bid on or if the Reserve Price has not been met, you can use our End an Auction function located in For Sellers to close your auction listing before its scheduled completion date. If the item currently has a winning bidder, you must consider it to be sold and must use the 2nd option.
You can direct any interested parties to the auction listing on www.GunBroker.com and suggest that they bid on the item.
Please always keep in mind that if the item is won here, it must be sold to the winning bidder. Although it is a harsh remedy, we terminate the accounts of seller who fail to complete transactions.

A bid in a basic auction or reserve met in a reserve auction is viewed as a contract.
I don't even brouse the gun auction sites anymore. Burned twice by very liberal use of NRA grading standards and too many shill bidders.

Scam is kind of harsh; Gunbroker is as legitimate as the EE. The deal is only as good as the person with whom you are dealing. An honest person will note that the item offered is subject to prior sale. I have seen dealers list items this way.

But, you find scammers on Gunbroker just as you do on eBay and, occasionally, in the EE.

That's true; it's the INTERNET!

And you are right to question because that sort of thing should not be done.

bought an item off ebay the other day. when i asked about when it will be shipped the seller told me they are getting the item in next week and it will be shipped then. i just find it odd to sell something on ebay or any auction site that you currently don't have.