BudsGunShop.com - Buying pistol as a gift
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Can I buy a pistol for my adult son and have it shipped to him (via his FFL)?
7 Answers

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As an FFL - you should have no issues unless your state has issues with it. In this case you are literally just paying for it. As long as it ships in your sons name, and he is the one who goes to the FFL to get the background check you've got no issues as long as it's his gun. But you cannot have any arrangement with him that if he doesn't want it / like it that it goes to anyone else! The arrangements must be that it is his firearm and he is the one picking it up for his own personal use only. --CK
As others have said, can it be done - yes. But the State will have a say depending on where he lives. Additionally the business will have it's own policies as also stated. Since I just did this for my son this past Christmas I would say the best way by far is to buy a gift card (certificate) from Bud's. It is easy to do and all you have to do is send him the certificate number from Bud's and he can select what you want to give him and have it shipped to his FFL with him as the purchaser. Thirty minutes or else and you're done.
A straw purchase is defined as a purchase where the buyer is trying to circumvent the law by avoiding the purchase requirements. Whether that be the purchasing permits issued by their state or the federal background check. The ATF does recognize gifts. The best way that I have found for both the federal law and the giving of the gift, is to buy the gun and when it is shipped to the FFL, have the person that your giving it to go in and fill out the paper work. Some sites have a strict rule against the payer being different than the ship to person, but that's their rule not federal law. I believe as has been stated, that Buds will ship to a separate person if indicated in the proper place. The key is to have everything as clear and transparent as humanly possible. If you have nothing shady going on then there is no need to make it look that way. What I would do, and have done in the past is to call the transferring FFL that you will be using. Tell them what your plans are. Explain that it's a gift and ask if they are willing to handle the transfer. If they say yes, come back here and buy the gun and have it shipped in that persons name to the FFL. Then tell the recipient to go into the FFL and fill out the 4473 form and have it transferred into their name. That way the ATF is reassured that the person getting the gun is the person who went through the background check procedure. The problem with gift cards is it clouds the process a bit if the ATF does look at the transaction.
No, that is considered a "Straw purchase". You would be better choosing a different route, such as a gift card like someone else stated earlier. A LEO did that and had it sent to his uncle's FFL. BATFE called it a straw purchase and the US Attorney's office prosecuted. This case went before SCOTUS and they let the conviction stand,
Yes you can buy a handgun for him and have it shipped, but your best bet would be to buy him a buds gift card that is in his name, and let him have the handgun shipped. The actual buyer of the gun is generally who they ship to and it would be much easier to go the route of the gift card, then everything is already in his name and he can get the gun he wants and have it shipped to his ffl in his name so that there is no hassels or paperwork issues. Hope this helps.
So long as he does the paperwork at the FFL and you have it shipped in his name, then yes. Buds will ask for a shipping name separate from billing name.
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budsgunshop.com/catalog/faq.php ****Due to firearm regulations the Customer name must match the Billing name, and this person must be the intended recipient of the firearm, meaning no one can pick up the firearm but you--the actual purchaser. If this information doesn't match, your order can be delayed or canceled with fees. Simply put, no one can order, pay for, or accept transfer of a firearm except you, the actual buyer. If you would like to purchase a gift for someone, please purchase a gift card from our website. You will be able to access a printable copy from your Bud's account or email it directly to your intended recipient. Then, the person you are purchasing the gift card for can apply the gift card code to their account, under their name.