What's the scam here?

Let's say I'm selling a factory AR-15 on Armslist. 14.7" pinned barrel so it is factory rifle length if that makes a difference. Not a 'pistol', and it is a normal factory assembled matching receiver set, so nothing weird going on to make it unique or special. An otherwise legit buyer wants it, but requests that I send just the lower to his FFL, and then send the upper directly to him. My first instinct at the request is 'scam alert', but I get to thinking about it and I cannot put my finger on what the endgame would be. The shipping cost would still be the same (if not more), because now I have to ship two packages instead of one. He still has to go through his FFL to get the lower receiver, so its not like he's somehow avoiding a background. I'm racking my brain trying to figure out what the scam is, and I'm coming up with nothing, and if it's not a scam I can't figure out the logic for the request in the first place.

Can someone tell me what I'm missing? I'm not worried about getting scammed out of money, that's not going to happen and I would have secure funds in hand before I ever ship anything. I'm more worried that I'm missing some obscure legality here and it's some elaborate sting and I don't want the feds to shoot my poor dog on their way through the door.

Surely the COAR brain trust can deliver on this one. Thanks.

That doesn’t make sense to me either. I’d refuse shipping it that way and tell him to pound sand if he didn’t like it, supposedly of course.

Actually...it might be as simple as they don't want a complete gun sent to their FFL as they think it might be "tested out" by the employees. It could also be that they don't want a specific caliber linked to that lower.

I don't see a way this could be a scam outside they wanted either the lower or the upper and intend to refuse one or the other.

If it were me I would put tracking and signature requirements on both packages.

Odd
I would tell him:
It is not offered for sale/shipped piecemeal.
It is purchased and shipped to your receiving FFL as a complete firearm or no sale.

You don’t need that kind of bullshit.
Don’t be afraid to fire a buyer.

Did you ask him why?

He get the upper, refuses the lower, calls the credit card company and claims he never got either, fighting the charge.

He may not be able to own a lower or just wants the upper.

There are sure to be more reasons.

Regardless, find a better buyer.

Yeah, I would just straight up ask them.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SouthPaw

Did you ask him why?

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I did immediately. Haven't heard back yet.

Quote:

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He get the upper, refuses the lower, calls the credit card company and claims he never got either, fighting the charge.

He may not be able to own a lower or just wants the upper.

There are sure to be more reasons.

Regardless, find a better buyer.

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Fighting the charge is N/A because I'm not taking a card payment.

Getting the upper directly and then just abandoning the lower altogether because he can't pass a background crossed my mind as a possibility, but it makes zero sense since he could buy an upper in person or online all day long for waaaaaay cheaper than what he'd pay for the one I'm selling.

My first instinct is to say no and not deal with all the hypotheticals, but it genuinely piqued my curiosity as to just what the possible scam would be. I'm eager to hear his explanation.

Some buyers are alpha hotels. Always sell on your terms. There is no legitimate reason.