Buying & Transfers
How Buying a Gun Online Actually Works
The gun does not come to your house. It goes to a licensed dealer near you, and you collect it there. Everything else is detail on top of that one fact.
The one rule everything else hangs off
A firearm can only be transferred to you by a dealer licensed in your own state of residence. That is federal law and it has no exceptions for online purchases, for long guns, or for people who already own firearms. So when you buy from us, you are not really buying a shipment to your address — you are buying a firearm that we send to a dealer you nominate, who then hands it to you after running your background check.
Step one: you pick the receiving dealer
At checkout on htxguns.com you choose the FFL you want the firearm sent to. Most buyers pick whichever shop is closest, which is usually the right call, but transfer fees vary more than people expect — anywhere from about $20 to $75 for the same five minutes of work — so it is worth one phone call before you commit. Ask two things: what they charge, and whether they accept transfers from an out-of-state dealer at all. A small number do not.
Step two: we ship, with our licence attached
We send the firearm to your dealer along with a copy of our FFL, which is how they know the shipment is lawful. Nothing goes to a residential address at any point. Ammunition, optics, holsters and everything else on the order can go straight to your door — those travel separately and arrive on their own schedule, which is why an order sometimes shows up in two pieces.
Step three: the background check at the counter
You go to the dealer with photo ID, fill in ATF Form 4473 at their counter, and they run you through NICS. Most checks come back Proceed within minutes. Some come back Delayed, which is not a denial — it means the FBI wants a closer look, and it usually resolves inside three business days. Your state may also add a waiting period or require a permit you should already hold; the dealer applies those rules, not us.
What it costs beyond the price on the listing
Two things. The transfer fee, which your dealer sets and collects from you directly — we never see it. And, depending on where you are, whatever your state charges for the paperwork it requires. There is no hidden markup on our side; the price you see at checkout on htxguns.com is the price of the gun and its shipping.
Where Houston buyers get a shortcut
If you are local, name our own counter as the receiving dealer. The transfer fee disappears entirely on a firearm you bought from us, because we are both the seller and the dealer. That is the single cheapest way to buy a gun online in Houston, and most people who live here do not realise it is an option.
Common questions
Can a gun be shipped to my house?
No. A firearm must transfer through a dealer licensed in your state of residence. Ammunition, optics and accessories can ship to your address in most states.
How long does the whole thing take?
Usually three to seven business days for the firearm to reach your dealer, plus however long the background check takes at the counter — normally minutes.
What if my background check is delayed?
A Delayed result is not a denial. The dealer holds the firearm while the FBI completes its review, which typically resolves within three business days.
Can I buy a handgun if I am under 21?
Not from a dealer. Federal law sets 21 as the minimum for a handgun purchase from an FFL, and 18 for a long gun. Your state may set a higher bar but never a lower one.