Can I ship a rifle out of state for repair directly to a 'smith ??    Or does it need to go thru an FFL ??    Can they then ship directly back to me ??   Ownership isn't changing,  just temporary possesion.   Anyone know the legalities of this ??

Thanks

That is a very good question which I don't know the answer to. But I do assume that there has to be some legal paperwork that has to be done to temporarily "transfer" your gun to the gunsmith which probably has to be done with someone who is licensed to do so. So yes, I think you do have to go through a FFL. Otherwise this would be a great loophole in the system that anti-gunners would bitvh about because then you could ship a gun from one person to another and just say it was shipped for gunsmithing purposes.

ArmaLiter

You should be able to ship directly to a 'smith, because your gunsmith must have an FFL. If they don't, and they keep your gun overnight or longer, that's illegal. You should be able to ship to any FFL, just like you could return a gun to the factory for repair.

Getting it back would require the 'smith to ship it to a FFL holder and you to pick it up.

This is my understanding of it anyway, as told by my dealer. Basically, you can't ship to a citizen; must arrive at a license holder, on both ends.

Edited to add: Your gunsmith should be able to verify this for you.

i have shiiped guns to repair, to both the factory and to private smiths.

my understanding is you can ship to a private citizen. only time you need to go thru an ffl is when you are transferring ownership

Quoted: i have shiiped guns to repair, to both the factory and to private smiths. my understanding is you can ship to a private citizen. only time you need to go thru an ffl is when you are transferring ownership

IIRC, that's what Jim Ryan's office got out-of-staters to do in their big "Internet Gun Buys" sting.

If they (factories/out of state 'smiths) can't ship it directly back to you, then you couldn't ship it directly to a citizen either, right?

Here's a link:

www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#b8

They make reference to a transfer, but the question is asking about mailing guns, so I assume they mean any type of transfer, temporary or permanent. A gunsmith must be licensed because they must log possession of you gun if they have it overnight or longer.

That said, if you're getting work done to anything except the receiver of your rifle, and it's practical, you could send the appropriate part(s) and not worry about it at all.

Okay, except for a handful of weird states of which IL is NOT one (for once) you CAN ship a firearm to any FFL holder for repair, refinish, etc... and they CAN ship it directly back to you.  It is in the ATF Green book but I don't know the exact page.  I've obviously done this a few times.

Muddy's right.  I just shipped my lower (firearm, per ATF) to Oly and they shipped it right back to me, no FFL involved, right to my door.  You can ship it to a gunsmith out of state and he can ship it right back to you.  

Thanks Guys ! !      Hey Marty,  if you find that section in the green book.   Let me know.  Thanks.