FAQ

The change of possession of a firearm from an FFL to another FFL or a person/customer (non-FFL) is called a Firearm Transfer. The person or entity receiving the gun is the Transferee.

Any changing of possession of any item is transferring the item, however, the term “transfer,” when used with firearms, almost always means processing the gun through a licensed FFL dealer to a transferee as part of a firearm transaction.

This started with the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), firearms that travel interstate (across state lines) must be transferred using a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). This is true even if the purchaser has a handgun or firearm permit. This means that firearm transactions (gift, loan, sale, etc.) that happen within the same state don’t require an FFL.

If you want to loan/gift/sell a firearm to your friend while you are both residents of the same state (and while you’re both in that state), you don’t need to use an FFL under federal law, your state, however, may have additional requirements.

When an FFL is used to transfer a firearm, the FFL will acquire (receive) the firearm onto the FFL’s records from an individual (seller) or another FFL (manufacturer or another dealer). Then, the FFL will dispose (give) the firearm to another FFL or to an individual. That entire transaction is a “firearm transfer.”

When you purchase a firearm from an FFL dealer, you will need to have the firearm transferred to you.

If you are not an FFL holder (i.e. you don’t have your own FFL), then you, as the buyer, will need to go to the FFL dealer’s licensed premises to fill out an ATF Form 4473 (and other required paperwork in some states) and satisfy the background check requirements (typically a NICS background check).

The exception to this is you may have the gun (and any additional firearm you purchase) transferred to you at another location as long as it is a “qualifying event” like a gunshow.

As the buyer, you may have to rely on the dealer to know whether the location/event is legitimate.

The place of purchase is not necessarily an issue like the place of transfer is. For example, it is perfectly legal to purchase the gun online as long as it is shipped to an ffl dealer where you go to have it transferred to you.

All transfers (Pistol, Rifle, Lower receiver) are $25.00

if multiple items are transferred, additional items are $15.00 each.

1. All inbound FFL transfers to Merit Arms LLC are expected to be picked up within 30 days unless express arrangements are made in writing via e-mail.
2. All inbound FFL transfers that have not been picked up within 30 days will be subject to a storage fee of $20 per serialized item, per month or any part of a month thereafter.
3. Any FFL transfers that have not been picked up within 90 days will become the property of Merit Arms LLC and may be subject to being sold to cover storage and other expenses, without compensation to the transferee.

If you are an individual sending a firearm to an FFL to be transferred, then you should include a copy of your driver’s license with the firearm so that the FFL can record your name and address. You may not like it, but it’s a requirement that the FFL knows this information.

You should also contact the FFL prior to sending the firearm. After all, the FFL will need to know what to do with the firearm once they receive it. Often, FFLs will just ask you to write the name and contact information of who it is supposed to go to but sometimes they’ll have a form for you to print and fill-in.

If the FFL is transferring the firearm to an individual (either the person buying your gun or you if the transfer is for your gun), then a ATF Form 4473 and NICS background check (with some exceptions) must be completed. This form is the paperwork you fill out whenever you buy a gun from an FFL – it includes your information and answers to questions confirming that you aren’t a prohibited person.

For long-guns (rifles and shotguns), the FFL can transfer the firearm to a resident of any state as long as it’s legal in both states. Handguns, however, can only be transferred to residents of the state where the FFL is located.

Because you can only ship a firearm across state lines to an FFL, you should ALWAYS get a copy of the recipient FFL before you ship the firearm! Once you get a copy, I highly recommend that you use the ATF’s FFL E-Z Check system. It’s not a requirement but it ensures that you didn’t get a fraudulent copy, a fake address, or a surrendered FFL (after it was copied).

The definition of who is a prohibited person includes many categories of people. The definition of a “prohibited person” is included below. Some categories, like “felons,” are simple. If someone is a felon, then they are prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Other categories, however, aren’t so clear and have specific details which are included below.

A “PROHIBITED PERSON” IS ANYONE WHO:

Is a felon,
has been convicted of any crime punishable by more than a year in prison (whether they were ever sentenced to or served a day in prison or not),
is under indictment for any crime punishable by more than a year in prison,
is a fugitive,
is an unlawful user of any controlled substance,
has been adjudicated as a mental defective,
has been committed to a mental institution,
is an illegal alien,
has a dishonorable discharge from the military,
has renounced their U.S. citizenship,
is the subject of a restraining order restraining the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or the child of an intimate partner, or
who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Yes, You start the transfer process by filling out the customer portion of the ATF Form 4473. Take your time, read the questions, and answer honestly. Common mistakes are including “USA” as the country instead of your county (e.g. Galveston or Harris) as required for your address and/or failing to answer all of the yes/no questions. Once you have completed the form, you will hand the form and your government-issued photo ID (don’t forget this) or LTC card to the employee and they’ll complete their portion of the form and run the NICS background check (unless you qualify for an exemption). Once approved, the transfer is complete and the gun is yours.

All Ammunition Sales are Final.
If your state has additional laws for purchasing ammunition online it is your responsibility to ensure that all local and state laws are being followed accurately. You must be 18 or older to purchase rifle or shotgun ammunition and 21 or older to purchase handgun ammunition. All ammunition will be shipped by ground shipping. Always make sure to use the correct ammunition for your specific firearms. Check your local laws for any other regulations. *All ammunition sales will comply with local and state laws and will not be shipped to any restricted areas.*

All orders are shipped promptly from our warehouse or in-store inventory within 3 – 10 business days** using UPS, FedEx, or USPS. Tracking numbers are available for items shipped via UPS and FedEx. **Pending availability of the item/s.

Any Order that is awaiting order confirmation (missing information such as FFL or address confirmation) and we do not receive an email or phone response after 30 days of attempted contact, the order may be canceled and the items returned to available inventory.

Yes, You start the transfer process by filling out the customer portion of the ATF Form 4473. Take your time, read the questions, and answer honestly. Common mistakes are including “USA” as the country instead of your county (e.g. Galveston or Harris) as required for your address and/or failing to answer all of the yes/no questions. Once you have completed the form, you will hand the form and your government-issued photo ID (don’t forget this) or LTC card to the employee and they’ll complete their portion of the form and run the NICS background check (unless you qualify for an exemption). Once approved, the transfer is complete and the gun is yours.

Our online inventory changes every day. Occasionally an item may appear on the site by mistake or the item’s description may contain a typographical error. We do not guarantee that titles, descriptions, pictures or prices on our site are error-free. We reserve the right to refuse any order including but not limited to orders for items with errors in the description or price. In the event that we cancel an order we will not charge the customer’s credit card or we will refund the money.

If an item’s description contains an error such as an incorrect photo, price, accessory, or description and a customer makes the order, we will not process the order without first contacting the customer. If the order is mistakenly shipped, we may advise the customer to return the item in an unopened condition and we will refund the customer. By placing an order, the customer agrees that Merit Arms LLC will be the final arbiter of discrepancies in the online catalog.