Purchasing a Firearm
Illinois Residents
Whether you are a seasoned firearms collector or are new to the industry looking to make a first purchase, we are here to help answer all of your questions and concerns regarding buying a firearm as an Illinois resident. With the state and federal laws constantly changing, it is our job to keep you up-to-date on these new laws. To make it easy for you, we have broken everything down regarding purchasing a firearm as an Illinois resident.
- The Firearm Owners Identification Card, also known as the FOID card, is a state issued identification that allows Illinois residents to purchase and posses firearms and ammunition. The physical version of this card must be presentated at the point of purchase or when picking up the firearm along with a state ID or drivers license. If you don't have your FOID card yet, we can help you apply.
- Paperwork - Everytime a firearm is purchased in the United States, the buyer is required to fill out the ATF Form 4473. The ATF Form 4473 is a federal document and is your "application" to buy the firearm(s). Once this is complete, your background check is run through the Illinois state police pending an approval or denial.
- Three Day Wait - In the state of Illinois, there is a three day wait on all firearms purchases. This is considered a "cooling off" period and is required for all types of firearms. While the three day waiting period is taking place, the Illinois state police are working to either approve or deny the background check. Once an approval is received and the three day wait is complete, you may pick up your firearm(s).
- Payment - Here at Pelcher's Shooters Supply, credit/debit cards and cash are acceptable forms of payment. If you cannot pay for the firearm in full at the time of purchase, no worries because we do offer a 30-day layaway.
If you still have questions regarding the buying process as an Illinois resident, feel free to contact us during business hours or checkout our frequently asked questions page.
Out of State Residents
If you are an out of state resident thinking about buying a firearm from us, this section is for you. In this section, we broke down the process of how to go about purchasing a firearm from us as an out of state resident. The process may seem a bit difficult but don't worry we've been doing this for years and we've got you covered.
- State of Residence - Your state of residence is an important factor in determining the next step of the buying process. If you are buying a handgun, it must be transfered to your state of residence. A copy of your dealers federal firearms license is needed to complete the transaction. On the contrary, long guns can be picked up in Illinois if your state of residence borders Illinois. (ie. Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky) If your state of residence is not one of these states, the process is the same as handguns in which it would be shipped to a dealer in your state.
- Payment - Payments for out of state residents are the same for in state residents. We take credit/debits cards and cash. If buying an item from our gunbroker we do allow payment with a certified bank check or USPS money order if you are looking to save on additional fees.
- Shipping - All firearms shipped from us are shipped through UPS shipping service. Items considered handguns must go UPS Next Day Air while long guns must go UPS Ground. All items are insured for the total price paid or estimated value.
If you still have questions regarding the buying process as an out of state resident, feel free to contact us during business hours or checkout our frequently asked questions page.