Handgun transfer from PA to GA

**GAClayShooter** · July 22nd, 2012, 11:55 PM

I have looked through a couple of the forums and did some quick searches and can't seem to find what I am looking for. Appears to be a lot experience and knowledge in the forums so I am hoping someone can help.

I have a friend in PA that would like to give me a handgun of his (and maybe a long gun) and I want to make sure the transfer is done correctly. The federal law appears that I just need to have him pack it up and send it to one of my local FFL dealers where I can pick it up. However, I am unsure if there are any specific PA requirements for the transfer. Does he have to go through a PA FFL to make the transfer of the handgun?

Any help or direction would be great?

Thanks in advance,

Larry

**rmagill** · July 23rd, 2012, 12:26 AM

From http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922:

(a) It shall be unlawful—

...

(5) for any person (other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector) to transfer, sell, trade, give, transport, or deliver any firearm to any person (other than a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector) who the transferor knows or has reasonable cause to believe does not reside in (or if the person is a corporation or other business entity, does not maintain a place of business in) the State in which the transferor resides; except that this paragraph shall not apply to
(A) the transfer, transportation, or delivery of a firearm made to carry out a bequest of a firearm to, or an acquisition by intestate succession of a firearm by, a person who is permitted to acquire or possess a firearm under the laws of the State of his residence, and
(B) the loan or rental of a firearm to any person for temporary use for lawful sporting purposes;

**GAClayShooter** · July 23rd, 2012, 09:17 AM

Since I am not a lawyer, I am trying to make sense of the USC information posted. First, it appears to be United States Code and not specific to PA. So, I am still not sure what (if any) PA laws need to be followed for the transfer.

It also appears that based on what I read above and the ATF link posted in the classified section, that if the person in PA sent to the gun to a licensed FFL in GA, I would be covered. This would be a transfer to a license dealer and not directly from a private party.

Am I reading that correct?

**knight0334** · July 23rd, 2012, 09:24 AM

The only thing that is legally required is that your friend in PA ship/deliver it to a FFL in GA so that it can be transferred to you.

Since the gun is required to be transferred at a FFL in the recipient's home state due to federal law, no transfer is completed within PA - so no PA FFL is needed.

Legally he can ship it directly to the GA FFL. However, some FFL's require it be shipped from a FFL.

Also, common carriers(Fedex, UPS, etc) often require guns to be shipped overnight - which gets costly. If your friend uses a FFL to ship the gun to your FFL - the FFL can use USPS, which is much cheaper. Non-FFL's cannot ship handguns with the US Postal Service.

**GAClayShooter** · July 23rd, 2012, 09:27 AM

Originally Posted by knight0334

The only thing that is legally required is that your friend in PA ship/deliver it to a FFL in GA so that it can be transferred to you.

Since the gun is required to be transferred at a FFL in the recipient's home state due to federal law, no transfer is completed within PA - so no PA FFL is needed.

Legally he can ship it directly to the GA FFL. However, some FFL's require it be shipped from a FFL.

Also, common carriers(Fedex, UPS, etc) often require guns to be shipped overnight - which gets costly. If your friend uses a FFL to ship the gun to your FFL - the FFL can use USPS, which is much cheaper. Non-FFL's cannot ship handguns with the US Postal Service.

Thank you for the response. This is what I believed but wanted to confirm as I haven't had anything shipped from PA and you never know how each state handles it.

Thanks again for the information.