Purchasing a Firearm as a Gift - ATF Form 4473
Question 11a on ATF Form 4473 says:
11. Answer questions 11.a. through 12 by checking “yes” or “no” in the boxes to the right of the questions.
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a. Are you the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm(s) listed on this form? Warning: You are not the actual buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of another person. If you are not the actual buyer, the dealer cannot transfer the firearm(s) to you. (See Instructions for Question 11.a.) Exception: If you are picking up a repaired firearm(s) for another person, you are not
required to answer 11.a. and may proceed to question 11.b.
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The Instructions for Question 11a on ATF Form 4473 say:
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NOTICES, INSTRUCTIONS AND DEFINITIONS
Question 11.a. Actual Transferee/Buyer: For purposes of this form, you are
the actual transferee/buyer if you are purchasing the firearm for yourself or
otherwise acquiring the firearm for yourself (e.g., redeeming the firearm from
pawn/retrieving it from consignment, firearm raffle winner). You are also the
actual transferee/buyer if you are legitimately purchasing the firearm as a gift
for a third party. ACTUAL TRANSFEREE/BUYER EXAMPLES: Mr.
Smith asks Mr. Jones to purchase a firearm for Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith gives Mr.
Jones the money for the firearm. Mr. Jones is NOT THE ACTUAL TRANSFEREE/
BUYER of the firearm and must answer “NO” to question 11.a. The
licensee may not transfer the firearm to Mr. Jones. However, if Mr. Brown
goes to buy a firearm with his own money to give to Mr. Black as a present,
Mr. Brown is the actual transferee/buyer of the firearm and should answer
“YES” to question 11.a. However, you may not transfer a firearm to any
person you know or have reasonable cause to believe is prohibited under 18
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It appears to me that IF you can legally purchase a firearm then you can legally purchase one as a gift. Please note that if the recipient of the gift lives in another state you may have to transfer the firearm to the recipient thru a FFL.
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