This is kind of just a rant post, but does anyone get annoyed by their FFL receiving your order and taking days to finally process it and call you?
I kind of get it but it drives me absolutely nuts.
Can’t blame them for wanting to look, but the customer needs to come first. Where I live, there are quite a few more FFLs than what you’d think - a GunBroker search turned up numerous small-time guys. As much as it’s nice to be loyal to one, sometimes you have to look out for #1. The guy I buy through now also is a PSA reseller, conveniently.
Yup
If your dealer can’t take admin time at the end of business to call his customers….( that’s how you get customers in the store……to generate revenue)….then he is too busy and should hire an extra person to do those duties. I had a great dealer……who ran a great store….but he too was overwhelmed with business without help. He went out of business….the men who took over are doing a better job and the store is thriving!
Your frustrated with a few days……. I thought that I was waiting for ATF approval since my dealer hadn’t called me……I inquire to the ATF….only to learn that my application was stamped & approved 9 months earlier…….he was a great guy……but that’s why he went out of business.
I have only shipped to PSA Greenville. When tracking shows it received just walk in and tell them why you’re there. Easy peasy
Only had to deal with a FFL one and a half times. Had a three pack of stripped lowers sent to the blue and white big box store. Called me just before closing the day they arrived and said I could come by in the morning. The other half was a meme lower I won and gifted to my brother. He chose a smaller gun store that was more convenient for him. I had the tracking info and called several days after it was delivered. No answer. Called again left a voicemail. Sent a text a little later and after some back and forth we (he) was good to go.
That’s no nine months though (in addition to the other AFT processing) 
I’ll play devils advocate here. When it comes to FFLs the most important thing is keeping your FFL. All it takes is one entry level employee making a simple mistake on a form and your entire business can be shut down. Our retail stores have a redundancy system in place that helps us identify errors and keep us in compliance with the ATF. That being said it does make the time for guns coming in too guns going out slower. But it’s a necessary delay to make sure our business and employees are protected. I get it, you see the delivered email from (insert any shipping service) and you’re ready to pick it up. There’s no benefit for the FFL to hold onto your gun any longer than necessary, it’s only taking up space and not getting you into their store to spend $$$. Just my 2 cents…
Of course, and that’s why I don’t blame them for taking a day or two to handle things. I am just an impatient person and don’t like waiting on my $700 rifle
@Cap Its even worse on this end. If I order a gun I can see every process along the way from the parts being picked, to it being assembled and even moving between the departments. I wish all I got was a shipping notice lol. It’s like waiting for Xmas when you were a kid.
Mine calls me the next minute after he takes delivery… (I might tell the boss I got to go to the supply house *even if I don’t need to * and it just happens to be on the way…
Shout out to Van Morgan, Mor-Guns LLC Panama City, Fl.
I usually don’t wait for him to call me. Once the package service confirms delivery I head to the store. If he cannot get to it for some reason he will be upfront and let me know when to come back. Small shop that stays busy but never seems to be overwhelmed.
I thought I was the only one that does this “Just gotta go to the bank to make a deposit”
LMAO
That’s what I do, sometimes. They might have to enter it in the book, but it’s not like they won’t have to eventually.
As an FFL (homebased), let me say these things:
Let your FFL call you to let you know your package is ready for pickup. There’s inspection, logging and other back-end work that has to be done before your gun is ready. Now if they have a brick-and-morter, they likely have a lot more to do before tending to incoming packages. Also consider what time the delivery service may arrive. It could be 15mins before they shutdown shop for the day. And your stuff may have to wait till tomorrow.
If you make an appointment for pickup, be on time. You aren’t the only customer. If you were, they would not be in business. So respect their time because they probably have someone coming right behind you.
Dont bother us about tracking your package 3 times a day just to tell us you cant come pickup until next week after it arrives. “Hey it shipped today, hey it’s been accepted, hey it’s just crossed state lines, hey it’s on the truck, hey it’s out for delivery, hey it’s showing delivered.”
“Your package is here, do you want to come today?”
“welllll i’m kinda busy for the next few weeks, can i come by in April?”
We love talking about guns too, but we have other customers waiting or on the way, so don’t take your shoes off to get comfortable.
We may not be an expert in every gun that was ever made. That super-rare, once-issued, Sudanese police revolver from 1923 with the reversable grips made from antelope foreskin? Yeah, I’m sure it’s cool, but excuse me if I’m not as excited about it as you.
Come with the correct ID. Make sure the address is up to date. Take your time filling out your forms. These rules and procedures are not OUR policies, they are defined by the ATF or congress. You know, the feds. We can’t bend rules. We can’t break rules. You must follow the rules that are set; we didn’t set them. Unless you want a knock at YOUR door after an inspection of your FFL, be prepared and follow the rules.
Yeah, you can probably mail that gun on your own, but the paperwork, hassle, and safety/security of your package is better left to our responsibility and accountability. Our pricing usually accounts for all of that.
Feel free to ask questions. There isn’t much about the process that is so confidential that it can’t be answered honestly. Don’t let what Jim Bob told you go unquestioned. We can either give you the answer or find it for you.
Many of us are gun guys in the business of dealing guns. We are just as excited about you getting a new gun as we would be to get one ourselves. Help us help you. The more effective and efficient your FFL can be, the longer they will be in business for you. If you have the flexibility to be in the business of guns, consider getting an FFL. The more of us there are decentralizes where records are kept. It makes it more difficult for them to build that illegal database completely.
Just find a new FL some of the guys think they’re pre-Madonna’s
Sad to say I have not made enough purchases to run into this scenario.
I gotta agree with this. There’s really no reason for an FFL to take days to contact you.
The only times I have ever had to have a customer contact me first, was due to the sender not including a name or phone number in the box to contact the customer or them.
Feeling fairly lucky! We have quite a few FFL’s in the area. Due to the ammogeddon had to fan out and utilize different shops. I found processing fees can really vary. Along with that is the variation in the service provided. Expensive and slow is an easy adios.
Nope, usually I call and be like yooo I see my package landed. They usually confirm and ask when I’ma be headed that way so it can be ready.