TexasCHLforum.com

Jumping Frog wrote:Most gunbroker dealers charge 3% for credit card. In those cases, pay via USPS money order.

Interesting fact: In Texas, it is ILLEGAL to charge a higher amount for a product if you use a credit card. This sucks, because it can take a huge chunk of what amounts to a very small profit margin (contrary to popular perception, the gun business isn't a high profit biz). Seller's can avoid this by stating that their prices reflect a "cash sale" price, although that's a grey area. The reality is that sellers "mark up" _all_ their items to adjust for the merchant fees they get hit with, so, technically, you're paying more if you use cash - it's just all buried in the "operating margin" on prices (another reason why these "internet only" sellers can offer firearms at far lower prices).

It's not a straw purchase. You're the "buyer", you're the person filling out the 4473, you're not completing the process on behalf of another person.

This is a fuzzy area for folks, but let's look at it another way - not everybody has a credit card (scary, but true :), but it represents a safe way to make online purchases. There is nothing illegal about you providing cash to somebody to order the firearm using their credit card. They're just a proxy for the _purchase_. You, however, are the actual buyer, and are the one taking possession of the firearm. The background check will be done for you, you "swear out" the form, it's your signature on the 4473.

The key factor behind a straw purchase is that a firearm is acquired by a proxy, then immediately falls into possession of somebody who is not legally permitted to own a firearm.

Now, if you wife was on parole for armed robbery from a couple years ago, saw a great gun on GunBroker and purchased it, then had you go to the dealer and fill out the 4473 (because she wouldn't pass the background check) - THAT would be a straw purchase.