Frequently Asked Questions
Firearms come with plenty of rules and regulations. Let Ironwood Arms answer some questions about the gun world for you:
Can I order guns online?
Yes! In fact, most of the time you’ll find a much better price from online retailers than you will in brick-and-mortar stores. You can legally shop for and purchase firearms, accessories, ammunition, and NFA items online; however, any regulated items are required to be shipped to a licensed firearms dealer (FFL) to be transferred to the purchaser. Regulated items include complete guns, serialized parts (frames and receivers of guns), and NFA items. Parts, accessories, and ammunition can ship straight to your door (in most states, including UT).
How to order a firearm online:
When you add a gun or other regulated item to your cart from an online retailer, you’ll be prompted to select an FFL for shipping. Simply search for an select Ironwood Arms as your preferred FFL and complete the rest of the checkout process. They’ll ship your firearm to us and we’ll contact you after we receive it to set up a time for you to come in and do the necessary paperwork and background check. Once that’s taken care of, you’ll be on your way with your new gun!
*Some retailers might not have our FFL information on file. If this is the case, include an order comment saying you’d like to use Ironwood Arms as your FFL and then contact us as soon as possible with your order number and name of retailer so we can get our info over to them and speed along the process of transferring your gun.
What is a firearm "transfer?"
Federal regulations require serialized firearms and other regulated parts to be “transferred” to the consumer through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). In the case of firearms, “transfer” refers to the process of an FFL receiving and logging a firearm into their books, completing a background check and 4473 paperwork with the customer, and then physically handing the firearm over to them. This must take place at the place of business listed on the FFL’s license.
What does "NFA" mean?
NFA stands for National Firearms Act, a law passed in 1934 that placed heavy restrictions on the transfer and possession of machine guns, silencers, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, destructive devices, and “AOWs” (Any Other Weapon deemed dangerous or unusual per the Act.). The NFA requires that these particular items and types of firearms must be registered and those wishing to transfer them must apply for tax stamps via special ATF forms and enhanced background checks. In 1986, congress further imposed restrictions on machine guns by closing the registry for them, thereby making it illegal to own any machine guns not manufactured and registered before the law passed in ’86.
Federally, NFA items are legal to manufacture and possess but they have a slightly more complicated process than regular firearms: To buy any of these items, the consumer must apply for a tax stamp by filling out the appropriate form (usually a form 4 for purchased items), then submitting the form along with a set of fingerprints and a passport photo to the ATF for approval. Meanwhile, the distributor of the NFA item will use a form 3 to get permission to send these items to the FFL dealer, who will hold on to them until the approved form is returned, at which point the transfer can take place. Wait times for these approvals have varied wildly in recent years (sometimes lasting 15+months) but recently they seem to be coming back in a matter of days or weeks.
Can I buy NFA items in Utah?
Yes! Utah does not impose any restrictions on the purchase, transfer, or ownership of any NFA items beyond federal regulations. You may purchase and own silencers, short barreled firearms, and even machine guns in Utah and as a FFL/SOT, Ironwood Arms can help with the purchase process for all of these items!
Are there fees for background checks?
Utah imposes a fee of $12.50 per background check processed for a firearm transfer, regardless of the outcome of the check. This fee is fixed by the state legislature and charged by Utah BCI.
For holders of Utah Concealed Firearm Permits, the background check fee can be waived if you present your valid permit at the time of transfer. The permit will be checked for validity with Utah BCI and if valid, will be considered a legal subsitute for a background check.
What does Ironwood Arms charge for transfers?
Ironwood arms charges a small fee for the service of legally transferring a firearm ordered from another company or entity to the purchaser. For items that you order directly through us (call or email to place a custom order) we do not charge an additional transfer fee as our overhead for the paperwork is built in to the cost of the items ordered.
In the case of frames/receivers, handguns, rifles, and shotguns purchased elsewhere and transferred through Ironwood Arms, the fee is $20 per 4473 transfer (not per firearm). Multiple guns can be listed on a single form 4473 so if you order a bunch of guns online at the same time (even from different dealers) and then come in once they’ve all arrived and we list them on a single form, the fee is only $20 for the entire transfer.
For NFA items, Ironwood Arms charges $80 per item. The additional cost is due to the stricter regulatory nature of these items. NFA items are all subject to tax stamp applications and approvals and must be listed on their respective forms individually.