There is a lot of confusion about this among people who are not educated on gun laws. It is perfectly legal to buy guns online. In fact, I buy most of my guns online. You can usually get better prices and it beats hitting a crowded gun show or over-priced retail store. Purchasing guns online usually DOES NOT require the buyer to pay sales tax. However, when a purchase is made online, you cannot have it shipped directly to your home. Whoever is selling guns online should have a Federal Firearms License which permits them to do so. Shipping directly to a consumer would violate the rules their FFL agreement.

 So you're going to buy a gun online and cannot ship it to your house, what next? The seller will ship the gun to an FFL holder of your choice. This usually means somewhere close to your location as you will have to drive there, fill out some paperwork and pick it up. This is called an FFL transfer. Most gun shops, pawn shops, and Army surplus stores will do them for a fee between $25-$50. Anything over $50 is highway robbery. You will usually have to arrange this yourself by calling a local FFL holder and telling them what you are trying to do. They will be required to send their FFL to the seller. Once that happens, the seller will "transfer" the gun your FFL. An FFL transfer requires the following:

1. A standard ATF Form 4473
2. Government issued photo ID
3. Background check using NICS

The whole process usually takes anywhere from 10-30 minutes. The majority of the time is usually waiting for the background check to come in. If you have a common name (ex. John Smith) I suggest providing your social security number to eliminate mistaken identity. If you do not do so, the NCIS may return a disqualification or conditional approval.

 In the state of Florida, concealed weapons permit holder can take handguns home the same day. If not, there is a 5 day waiting period. There is never a wait on long guns such as rifles or shotguns. Some states require permits or licenses to be obtained before the actual purchase of such firearm. Check your local or state laws before purchasing.

Going back to saving money, high end guns will usually cost more money in sales tax than an FFL transfer fee. Combine that with an already lower online price and you just saved yourself some money to spend on ammo! Remember, you cannot buy any NFA items (machine guns, silencers, etc) without following the standard NFA rules.