What's the scam here?

[Scanker19]

Where is the buyer located?

[sic_semper_tyrannis]

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.

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The caliber is part of the rollmark on the receiver, so that's probably not it. Avoiding a sketchy FFL could be a factor, but if that was his concern just use a different FFL.

[sic_semper_tyrannis]

Where is the buyer located?

Good question, I could see that being a factor. I don't have an answer though, just out of state.

[sic_semper_tyrannis]

Am I correct in my understanding that, despite the awkwardness of the request, it would in fact be perfectly legal to ship it the way I described? I don't see anything actually unlawful with the method. Bizarre, but lawful.

[kidicarus13]

Buyer wants his FFL bud to 4473 it as a pistol or "other" and that can't be done when it arrives a5 the FFL with your rifle upper attached.

Not staying at a Holiday Inn Express tonight.

[SouthPaw]

Am I correct in my understanding that, despite the awkwardness of the request, it would in fact be perfectly legal to ship it the way I described? I don't see anything actually unlawful with the method. Bizarre, but lawful.

Correct.

Buyer wants his FFL bud to 4473 it as a pistol or "other" and that can't be done when it arrives a5 the FFL with your rifle upper attached.

Not staying at a Holiday Inn Express tonight.

If the FFL received it with no barreled upper on it, it would transfer as a receiver/frame, regardless if it had a brace/stock. This would require the buyer to be 21 as it then could be made legally into a pistol or rifle, buyers choice.

The only ‘logic’ I can see in this situation, is the buyer is wanting to turn this into a pistol. Legally, he cannot covert a rifle into a pistol, but can convert a receiver into a pistol, or a pistol into a rifle. He then could sell the upper to recoup some cost.

[theGinsue]

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.

That's how I'd go about it.

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.

I considered that this is likely something about wanting the upper and refusing the lower (just not going in to buy it as this is a prohibited person or something.
It also may have something to do with where he lives and a requirement to get a "print" of the rifling and/or shell casing marks (does Maryland still do that?) or something similar. By getting the upper directly from you there is no way to trace the rifling or the marks on the casing without first obtaining the upper.

Buyer wants his FFL bud to 4473 it as a pistol or "other" and that can't be done when it arrives a5 the FFL with your rifle upper attached.

Hmm, that does make sense and I hadn't considered that as a possibility.

[Great-Kazoo]

Well since you don't know where he lives. The answer is simple. It's a ban state and no evil features allowed. I've shipped upper & lower separately, before, as long as they pay shipping, i have no issue.

[SideShow Bob]

Is it some sort of convoluted Alphabet agency sting to get you to ship ?assault rifle? parts to a ban state or a state where all gun parts and ammo have to go through an FFL ? Kind of like the DEA got Tommy Chong to ship paraphernalia to a state where it was illegal?

[Bailey Guns]

Aside from a little extra effort to ship two packages vs one, I don't see the big deal. And as long as you have cash in hand, I'd do it if the sale is important to you.

Maybe he can't get to the FFL right away and wants the upper. Maybe his dealer is away and won't be around for a few days. Some online companies do that all the time...ship stuff from an order to your home that you can receive and ship firearms from the order separately.