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How To Buy A Gun Online

TL;DR You check out here the same way you would on any other site, the firearm ships to a licensed dealer near you, and you finish the paperwork and the background check at their counter. Nothing with a serial number on it comes to your door, and the dealer runs your background check when you pick it up.

4 minute read. Last reviewed October 2026.

The law where you live is yours to follow

Firearm law changes at the state line and sometimes at the city limit. We follow federal law and the rules of the state the receiving dealer sits in, but knowing what you are allowed to own where you live is on you as the buyer. Read your state and local rules before you order.

If you are not sure whether we can ship something to you, email gungearwarehousellc@gmail.com and we will get back to you promptly.

How buying a firearm online works

  1. 1

    Place the order

    Add the firearm to your cart and check out the way you would for anything else on the site. We take major credit and debit cards. The consumer wallets people ask about, PayPal and Venmo included, ban firearm sales in their own terms of service, so no licensed gun retailer can offer them.

  2. 2

    Pick the dealer who will receive it

    Your firearm ships to a licensed dealer, an FFL, in your state of residence. If checkout lists dealers near you, choose one from the list. If it does not, find a local shop and call ahead to confirm they accept transfers from an outside retailer. Ask what they charge while you have them on the phone. Transfer fees usually run $25 to $50, and some shops charge more for handguns.

  3. 3

    Have that dealer send us their license

    The receiving dealer emails a signed copy of their FFL to gungearwarehousellc@gmail.com. Ask them to include your name, the item you bought, and your order number so it lands against the right order. Most shops do this every day and know exactly what to send.

  4. 4

    Wait for our confirmation

    We verify the license before anything leaves the building. Once it clears, the firearm ships to the dealer. Give us a shout if you want to confirm we have the paperwork in hand.

  5. 5

    Pick it up at the counter

    The dealer calls you when it arrives. Bring a valid government photo ID showing your current address. Before you fill out ATF Form 4473, inspect the firearm and check that the serial number and model match your order. If anything is wrong, tell the dealer before the transfer and email us that day. Once the transfer is done, the sale is final and it cannot come back to us (see Returns and Refunds). Then you clear the background check. Some states add a waiting period or require a permit before you can take it home.

What comes to your door and what goes to a dealer

Straight to your door

  • Optics, mounts and sights
  • Magazines, holsters and slings
  • Parts with no serial number on them
  • Safes, targets, cleaning and range gear
  • Ammunition, to most states. The excluded list lives on our shipping policy page.

To a licensed dealer

  • Complete rifles, shotguns and handguns
  • Stripped receivers and frames, which federal law counts as the firearm itself
  • Anything else carrying the serial number

If the serial number is on it, it goes to an FFL. There is no version of this where we ship it to your house.

Suppressors

  • Since October 9, 2026, ATF is not enforcing NFA registration or approval for suppressors. Your dealer completes the sale on a Form 4473 with the same background check as any other firearm.
  • That is an ATF enforcement policy, not a change to the law, so it can be reversed. Some states still require the Form 4 registration under their own law, and several states and DC ban suppressors outright, so check yours before you order
  • We hold an SOT, so local buyers finish at our counter instead of being sent somewhere else

Who can buy, and at what age

Federal law sets the floor. A licensed dealer can transfer a rifle or shotgun to a buyer who is 18 or older, and a handgun to a buyer who is 21 or older. States set their own bar on top of that, and several now require 21 for every firearm. The dealer receiving your order applies the law of the state they are standing in, so their answer is the one that counts.

The 4473 also asks a list of federal eligibility questions. If anything on it gives you pause, sort that out with the dealer before you place an order, not after the gun is already sitting on their shelf.

If you live in California

California keeps a Roster of Certified Handguns, and a dealer there can only transfer a new handgun that appears on it. Entries are specific down to the model designation and the finish, so a variant of an approved pistol is not approved by association. Long guns are not on the roster, and narrow exemptions exist for single shot pistols, curio and relic firearms, and private party transfers.

Ask your dealer to confirm the exact model against the roster before you order, since they are the one who has to run it. Other states and cities restrict specific features, magazine capacity, or particular models outright, so the same check is worth doing wherever you live.

The four rules, every time

  1. 1

    Treat every firearm as if it is loaded.

  2. 2

    Never point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy.

  3. 3

    Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on target and you have decided to fire.

  4. 4

    Know your target and what is beyond it.

Those four are the minimum, not the whole of it. If this is your first firearm, get formal training and a safe way to store it before the gun gets home. Call the counter and we will point you at the instructors we trust.

Not sure we can ship to your state

Email gungearwarehousellc@gmail.com with the model you want and your zip code, and we will tell you straight whether it can go. If you would rather talk it through, call the counter in Oak Grove at 816.446.4830.

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