Dogon, the point of my rant was that some (not all) FFL's are unnecessarily increasing the difficulty for all of us to to engage in our hobby or business, even though we follow all applicable rules, laws, and regulations. Some of these FFL's are doing this because they don't want to spend the time to understand the regulations of the business they are in, so they create their own rules without telling anyone. If I'm a buyer and I don't understand the rules that my FFL MUST follow, then the onus is on me to get the transaction straightened out. If, on the other hand, I have not been informed by my chosen FFL that he will follow a different set of "rules," established by himself and unsupported by law or regulation, then the problem is both mine and the FFL's. Whether it's a $500 gun or a $50,000 gun, the FFL has no right under law to hold the gun because of his own arbitrary business practices. If he refuses to release or transfer the gun, the law is on the side of the buyer and CAN be used to secure the release of the gun. If you can work it out without using the courts, that is always advisable.
Regarding your point about the buyer's inspection period, that inspection period is generally considered to be three days. In CA, we have a 10-day wait on long guns, so the FFL will be holding the gun well beyond the inspection period. We can't even take the gun to a gunsmith for an inspection. Thus, that point is irrelevant in CA, but not so in certain other states.
My problem is with FFL's who create their own rules, beyond what the law requires. I will not do business with them, because their arbitrary rules are usually born out of ignorance or fear, or are politically motivated. This indicates a lack of intellectual capacity, at best, or a sense of vindictiveness, at worst.
P.S.: You can't use f***ing lawyers in small claims court (here), and the small claims limit is $7500 (here) so that does cover most guns.
