I have a pistol for sale that’s not on the CA roster. I was contacted by a Cali FFL that wants to buy it. He says that used guns don’t apply to the roster list and can be transferred. That seems odd to me and I feel like I’m being baited. Can anyone clarify?

I think we just went through this.  As a resident in another state, you can't transfer an off-roster handgun to a resident of California.  (Vertical intra-familial or to an exempt recipient transfers notwithstanding.)  However, it can be transferred to an FFL.  The FFL would be responsible for complying with the laws and regulations regarding his inventory items.  The transfer is to, not through, the FFL.

The gun is not by chance over 50 years old and a C&R?  The FFL did not give any other information, like the buyer he has lined up happens to be a LEO?  It doesn't happen to be an exempt olympic-style target shooting pistol, or a cowboy-style single action revolver?

Are you sure the person is really an FFL?

Featureless' answer is completely correct: The FFL could buy the gun from you, but he can not sell it to most people (except for LEOs, olympic pistols, C&R, and single actions).  Used guns are explicitly NOT exempt from this.  The FFL would just have to sit on it. But every gun dealer in California knows this, it is drummed into them at all times.  This makes me wonder whether this party is a real FFL, or perhaps a completely incompetent one (who is probably about to go out of business), or a fraud, or a CA DoJ or federal ATF sting operation, or something else got screwed up here.  If this is a normal 01-FFL (gun store), then this situation is just not realistic.

Perhaps you talked to the youngest apprentice at a gun store, and the guy is about to be fired?