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Curio & Relic

jss1956
I've been a collector of old rimfire rifles for years and recently received my C&R license. I had grown tired of the transfer fees and wanted the guns shipped direct to me. I travel frequently and wanted the freedom to buy anywhere in any state. I also wanted to buy thru distributors. Based on what I had read, I figured a C&R was the way to go.

Since receiving my C&R I've attempted 6 online purchases and 4 of the sellers had no clue what a C&R was. The 5th "kinda knew" but would not sell the gun to me without a "real" FFL. The 6th seller hesitantly shipped me the gun but made it clear that he was not comfortable with the arrangement. Even gun shops are an issue. At a local gun shop a couple of weeks ago, I tried to purchase a Marlin 39 and when I presented my C&R to the 3 gents behind the counter, found 3 guys that had never seen a C&R. They refused to accept my C&R and were going to charge me the FFL fee until I threatened to walk out. They did the transfer without a fee but I could tell they were not happy.

OK so am I having bad luck or am I doing something wrong? After 4 months I've concluded that this is the biggest waste of time and money that anyone could invest in. I'm ready to send the C&R back to the ATF and tell them to cancel the damn thing. Therre's no benefit in this that I can see. Does anyone else have this problem?
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Comments

11 comments

Date Votes
  • jss1956
    WHAT CLASSIFIES AS A CURIO AND RELIC,,,,I JUST SOLD A COLT FRONTIER SCOUT ON GB AND THE BUYER SAYS IT QUALIFIES ,IT IS A 1969 PAT GARRETT COMMEMORITIVE 22CAL SINGLE ACTION REVOLVER. ALSO WHO WILL SHIP IT UPS,FED EX,POST OFFICE,,I KNOW FED EX AND UPS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAVE COPY OF FFL PRIOR TO SHIP,WILL THEY TAKE C&R. THANKS TODD

    RONK7716@CS.COM
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  • Knifecollector
    I've had quite the opposite experience as you did. I've been buying lots more guns since getting my C+R. Once in a while I'll run across an online seller that doesn't realize his gun is C+R eligble. I saved enough money in transfer fees in about 2 weeks after I got my C+R to pay for it.
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  • Laredo Lefty
    I have used my C&R both online and in person at local stores with no problems. The latest was for buying a Yugo SKS at a local store. They had a set proceedure in place for C&R's and had me out the door, with my rifle, in just a few minutes.
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  • perry shooter
    Best money I ever spent . I have bought online from dealers in my home state but most important has been Items I have bought at out of state gun shows . Of course 99% of the guns I like and buy are C&R guns I keep a copy of the rules on what makes a gun a C&R gun and also the BATFE LIST
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  • countryfarmer
    They refused to accept my C&R and were going to charge me the FFL fee until I threatened to walk out. They did the transfer without a fee but I could tell they were not happy.



    What is the FFl fee from a in store purchase? I have never paid that.
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  • 11b6r
    I buy from local dealers, and on the net. With local dealers, i introduced myself, let them know I had a C&R, and gave them a copy (Marked as FILE COPY). Most of them were comfortable to start- one that was not had time to get comfortable. One has used me to train one of his new staff on how to handle a FFL to FFL transfer.

    On line- mixed results. If a rifle is clearly a C&R (a Garand, a 1945 Mossberg, a 1949 marlin 39A) and the seller has listed "ship to dealer only" I will email him- interested in bidding, I hold an 03 C&R FFL, your firearm qualifies, will you accept a C&R for this firearm, thanx for your time, etc) Most say sure. Some have no idea what they are doing- so I stay away from them on general principles.

    Frankly, the license paid for itself with the first transfer fee I did not have to pay- and many places like Numrich and Brownells give you a discount. Most of the on-line wholesalers also take a C&R, and THEY know what it is.
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  • slumlord44
    I also have had my C&R for several years. Most dealers and individuals will accept it with no problem. Occasoinaly one will refuse. One thing learned early on is that is best to be able to doccument that a gun is either on the list or over 50 years old. Had a dealer that did not think a 336 Marlin was old enough. Borrowed a Blue Book from another dealer that showed the serial #'s and dates that showed the particular gun was made in 1955 and there was no problem. I primarily collect Stevens single shots and have an extensive collection of feference books on them. I have sent a copy of a reference showing that the model of gun I was buying ceased production over 50 years ago. Most dealers are just wanting to stay within the law and are fine if they have documentation for there records. You sometimes have the flip side when somone will claim that a gun is an antique and requires no liscense or paperwork, when ther is actualy no way to doccument it. When in doubt in these cases I send the guy a C&R and log it in my book anyway.
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  • gandj arms
    just curious; what state do u live in? what states did u try to use it?
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  • He Dog
    Just renewed mine a second time. I have now spent $90 in license fees and saved at least twice that in shipping, and that much again in transfer fees. Sometimes you have to educate the less well informed FFLs about C&Rs. I have faxed copies of the pages from the list of C&R eligible firearms, to make them confident I was not asking something illegal. I have not used it locally, but have at out of state gunshows.
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  • gartman
    Dropped my C&R several years due to some murky CA regs. I own too many guns to chance getting into trouble. If I remember right, to be qualified as a C&R, a sporting gun must be of more value as a collectable than as a shooter. This would put many guns into a middle catagory that would make a seller nervous.
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  • givette
    quote:Originally posted by gartman
    Dropped my C&R several years due to some murky CA regs. I own too many guns to chance getting into trouble. If I remember right, to be qualified as a C&R, a sporting gun must be of more value as a collectable than as a shooter. This would put many guns into a middle catagory that would make a seller nervous.

    Any firearm that has been manufactured [by date reference of the SerNo] greater than fifty years prior to the current date, and a select list of firearms determined by ATF, are C&R's.

    Value is market driven (item in blue, above). ATF won't, and can't address what the 'going price' of a particular firearm is, at any particular time, at any demographic US location. They are staying out of the value game. And rightfully so.

    You can have a $3 rusted hulk, that has no collector value (read: shooter value only) but if [first paragraph] is met, it's C&R! Best, Joe
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