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What are the rules on handgun purchases in Idaho?

thewise1

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
383
Location
Moscow, ID
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OCDO and my buddies have convinced me to move beyond just rifles and pick up a handgun (so I can OC it, of course) and I saw some pistols that I really liked at Cabelas a week ago or so.

At the time I wasn't thinking about buying, but now I am.

the situation is this:

I'm a Washington resident
On a business trip to Spokane (lengthy, I'll be here a couple more weeks)
Do not yet have a CC permit but won't have any problem getting it, just need to go apply

Bottom line: I'm wondering if there is any waiting period to purchase a pistol in Idaho, for a washington resident?

Thanks in advance.
 

BrianEMT

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2007
Messages
259
Location
Boise, Idaho, USA
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It is a federal regulation that you must be a resident of the state you intend to purchase the firearm from. This also applies to FFL Transfer.

This means you can only purchase a handgun in your home state of Washington.
 

thewise1

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Messages
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Location
Moscow, ID
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BrianEMT wrote:
It is a federal regulation that you must be a resident of the state you intend to purchase the firearm from. This also applies to FFL Transfer.

This means you can only purchase a handgun in your home state of Washington.
Oh. I didn't know that. :(

So I can't even buy a handgun from Cabelas then?
 

thewise1

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Moscow, ID
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NavyLT wrote:
Yes, you can. As a Washington resident you can buy a handgun in any of the 50 states that you choose.

HOWEVER, you CANNOT take possession of that handgun from anybody other than an FFL in the state of Washington. Generally, retail stores such as Cabelas will not do this type of transaction.

This is how mail order stores and private citizens sell handguns accross state lines, the handgun is purchased from an out of state seller, the seller ships the handgun to a Washington FFL, you go to the Washington FFL, fill the 4473, pay their FFL transfer fee and get your gun. All normal Washington waiting times/requirements apply.

BTW, this is Federal law, contained in 18 USC 922.
Oh, ok. Well that's that I guess :)

Thanks for your help guys. This community is geat :)
 

BrianEMT

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Dec 11, 2007
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259
Location
Boise, Idaho, USA
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Well if you want to split hairs, technically yes, you can do anything you want. But in the cost of an outbound transfer fee plus shipping, usually $25, and an inbound transfer fee of usually $30, you are looking at an unnecessary $55 extra charge that you could have spent just buying the firearm locally.

Opinion:

"Besides, they have overly inflated prices and poor service."

I'm sorry if I sound like an asshole, just trying to make everything as hassle-free as possible. Hope this helps. :)
 

Mike

Site Co-Founder
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
8,706
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
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thewise1 wrote:
I'm a Washington resident
On a business trip to Spokane (lengthy, I'll be here a couple more weeks)
Do not yet have a CC permit but won't have any problem getting it, just need to go apply

Bottom line: I'm wondering if there is any waiting period to purchase a pistol in Idaho, for a washington resident?
So, you reside in Washington, and are on a lengthy business trip in Spokane, Washington, and now you want to buya handgun in Idaho?

Don't understand your fact pattern.

If you were on an extended business trip in Idaho and "making a home" there, then federal law would not forbid your bringing a newly acquired handgun back to Washington with you - a private sale would be easiest. But again, your fact pattern makes no sense.
 

Right Wing Wacko

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Aug 11, 2007
Messages
645
Location
Marysville, Washington, USA
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Mike wrote:
thewise1 wrote:
I'm a Washington resident
On a business trip to Spokane (lengthy, I'll be here a couple more weeks)
Do not yet have a CC permit but won't have any problem getting it, just need to go apply

Bottom line: I'm wondering if there is any waiting period to purchase a pistol in Idaho, for a washington resident?
So, you reside in Washington, and are on a lengthy business trip in Spokane, Washington, and now you want to buya handgun in Idaho?

Don't understand your fact pattern.

If you were on an extended business trip in Idaho and "making a home" there, then federal law would not forbid your bringing a newly acquired handgun back to Washington with you - a private sale would be easiest. But again, your fact pattern makes no sense.
Spokane is on the WA/ID border. Cabella's is in Post falls, on the Idaho side of the line. There is a Cabella's in Washington, but it's 300 miles west of him in Olympia.
 

thewise1

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
383
Location
Moscow, ID
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BrianEMT wrote:
Well if you want to split hairs, technically yes, you can do anything you want. But in the cost of an outbound transfer fee plus shipping, usually $25, and an inbound transfer fee of usually $30, you are looking at an unnecessary $55 extra charge that you could have spent just buying the firearm locally.

Opinion:

"Besides, they have overly inflated prices and poor service."

I'm sorry if I sound like an @#$%, just trying to make everything as hassle-free as possible. Hope this helps. :)
Yeah, it definitely does help. I'll just go through the whole process in Washington when I get home. Was hoping that since Idaho doesn't seem to have a waiting period I could just pick it up.

*shrug* no biggie
 

thewise1

Regular Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
383
Location
Moscow, ID
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Mike wrote:
thewise1 wrote:
I'm a Washington resident
On a business trip to Spokane (lengthy, I'll be here a couple more weeks)
Do not yet have a CC permit but won't have any problem getting it, just need to go apply

Bottom line: I'm wondering if there is any waiting period to purchase a pistol in Idaho, for a washington resident?
So, you reside in Washington, and are on a lengthy business trip in Spokane, Washington, and now you want to buya handgun in Idaho?

Don't understand your fact pattern.

If you were on an extended business trip in Idaho and "making a home" there, then federal law would not forbid your bringing a newly acquired handgun back to Washington with you - a private sale would be easiest. But again, your fact pattern makes no sense.
Basically, what Right Wing Whacko said.

I reside in Lake Stevens, which is in Western Washington. I'm with a management consulting firm, doing a Sharepoint implementation at a bank in Spokane, which is in Eastern Washington, on the Idaho border.

I'll be heading home next friday, probably. Have been here for 3 weeks now, give or take. Didn't want to start a waiting period on a firearm in Spokane when I might get called back home without warning and then not be able to take delivery.

As a result, I thought maybe I could use Idaho to get around the wait and just not need to worry about that inconvenience.

Make sense?
 

GreenDrake

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 8, 2008
Messages
70
Location
Hayden, Idaho, USA
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Just go buy one at the Sportsmans Warehouse in the Spokane Valley Mall. Cabelas doesn't have the ringer on prices anyway, as cool as the new Post Falls store is, you will probably get better pricing at the Sportsmans Warehouse anyway. I have.
 
G

Guest

Guest
imported post

I say go find the little guy with an FFL, dealing out of his basement. I do that with all my firearms now; as they are very quick, and happy to serve. and your 73 form is usually stashed into a lil box with few others.

Plus, they're a helluva lot cheaper than any of the "stores" My wife's Khar was about 80 bux cheaper than sportsman's. And they can get it for you B4 the "cool-off" period ends.

Do a google search on some in your area.
 
G

Guest

Guest
imported post

Wait up a second.... I talked to a couple of gun clerks over the weekend, and they said (insert grain of salt here- one guy was a Walmart clerk) that its no problem for someone to buy it in Idaho. The only catch with Handguns was that they would FedEx it to you, as you cant take delivery of it till your back in Washington.

I'd ask the guy where you wanna buy it from (in Idaho). And if He sells it to you; Hey, He'll take the heat if something is amiss.
 
G

Guest

Guest
imported post

Cool, I guess we have an answer to that then.

Just to play devils advocate though; Why does Wally-World have that little sign above their gun display that shows Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Washington, Oregon, and Nevada in Red, all other states in green.

The Key below that map states "If you live in one of the states in red, you may purchase a firearm at this Walmart Location." :?
 

Walker

Regular Member
Joined
Aug 31, 2008
Messages
27
Location
Spokane, Washington, USA
imported post

One additional cost you may be forgeting. Most of the FFLs in WA will also charge you sales tax, at least from what I've seen on their notices.

Can someone confirm this?


Walker

BrianEMT wrote:
Well if you want to split hairs, technically yes, you can do anything you want. But in the cost of an outbound transfer fee plus shipping, usually $25, and an inbound transfer fee of usually $30, you are looking at an unnecessary $55 extra charge that you could have spent just buying the firearm locally.

Opinion:

"Besides, they have overly inflated prices and poor service."

I'm sorry if I sound like an @#$%, just trying to make everything as hassle-free as possible. Hope this helps. :)
 

thebastidge

Regular Member
Joined
May 6, 2007
Messages
313
Location
2519 E Fourth Plain Blvd, Vancouver Washington, US
imported post

Yes indeed. FFL in Washington MUST charge you sales tax.

I have purchased from out of state via Gunbroker.com. Never had a "transfer out" fee. Had to pay shipping & handling (typically $20 or $25) and my FFL fee to my Washington dealer ($20). The price break by finding it on an auction site made up for these costs.

Unfortunately, not being a private party sale, there is a paperwork trail on all of these transactions. But private party sales of handguns are not legal unless you reside in the same state. It would be difficult to prove that one had received a pistol from out of state unless there was some sort of documentation, but there it is.

I did receive a handgun in my father's personal effectsfrom the local police department in Lousiana when he passed away. They did not even make me show identification or my CHL to receive it in the secure portion of the facility, just handed it to me unloaded, full magazines next to it, stapled inside a brown paper shopping bag. I did request to clear it myself before walking out with it, and they allowed that and re-stapled the bag.
 

BrianEMT

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2007
Messages
259
Location
Boise, Idaho, USA
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Walker wrote:
One additional cost you may be forgeting. Most of the FFLs in WA will also charge you sales tax, at least from what I've seen on their notices.

Can someone confirm this?


Walker

BrianEMT wrote:
Well if you want to split hairs, technically yes, you can do anything you want. But in the cost of an outbound transfer fee plus shipping, usually $25, and an inbound transfer fee of usually $30, you are looking at an unnecessary $55 extra charge that you could have spent just buying the firearm locally.

Opinion:

"Besides, they have overly inflated prices and poor service."

I'm sorry if I sound like an @#$%, just trying to make everything as hassle-free as possible. Hope this helps. :)
If you purchased the firearm in Washington, yes you are required to pay sales tax like anything else. If you purchased the firearm in Idaho, for example from a seller on GunBroker, he would not charge you sales tax. If he does, it would be for the State of Idaho only, 6%.

The last gun I bought from a citizen in Oregon, he brought it to a dealer, who shipped it out, and to another dealer here, where I picked it up. In the process incurred two different fees, which just about equaled out anyway.
 

Gunslinger

Regular Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2008
Messages
3,853
Location
Free, Colorado, USA
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If you want to buy a handgun in one state from a FFL and have it sent to another (home) state FFL who will do the paperwork NICS before turning the weapon over to you, that is 100% legal under Federal Law. Am I missing something here? If you buy it from a private citizen who then renders it to a FFL as bailee to ship to your home state FFL, that is 100% legal as well. You simply cannot make a non-FFL involved purchase out of your home state and cannot transport the weapon yourself to your state from a FFL purchase. Of course, state laws are not being considered here.
 
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