Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can buy a firearm online, but it can't ship to your home. Under federal law, every firearm we sell (including frames and receivers) ships to a licensed dealer (FFL) in your state of residence. You can also pick it up at our store in Colonial Heights, Virginia.

The receiving dealer runs your background check and hands the firearm over to you. Before you order, check that the firearm is legal where you live. Our State Shipping Guide can help.

1. Choose your dealer. On the firearm's product page, enter the FFL dealer you'd like it sent to. You can also email the dealer's name, city, and phone number to info@dancessportinggoods.com with your order number. Please confirm the dealer will accept the transfer before you order.
2. We verify the dealer. We need a current, signed copy of their FFL on file before we can ship. If we don't have one, we'll ask the dealer for it. This is the most common cause of delays.
3. We ship. You'll get a tracking number when the firearm leaves our store.
4. You complete the transfer. Your dealer runs the Form 4473 and background check. Their transfer fee is set and collected by them, not by us. It's worth calling around, since fees vary.

If we can't get a valid FFL from your dealer within 14 days, we'll contact you for another dealer. If we don't hear back within 30 days, the order is cancelled and refunded, less any applicable restocking fee.

Once we have your dealer's FFL on file, firearms usually ship the same or next business day. Handguns ship UPS 2nd Day Air, and long guns ship UPS Ground. Orders with firearms, ammunition, magazines, or NFA items are also checked against your destination state's laws before shipping. That can add 1–2 business days.

Yes. Choose in-store pickup at checkout. When you come in, you'll fill out the federal Form 4473 and Virginia Form SP-65, and we'll run your background check through the Virginia State Police. See what ID to bring. Pickup orders must be collected within 30 days, or they're restocked and refunded.

Federal law doesn't allow us to ship a firearm back to anyone who isn't a licensed dealer. If a transfer can't be completed for any reason:

• Your receiving dealer must ship the firearm back to us, dealer to dealer.
• You pay the return shipping and any fee your dealer charges to send it back.
• A restocking fee of up to 20% applies.
• Background check fees, transfer fees, and the original shipping charges aren't refundable.

If you're not sure whether you're eligible, please sort that out before you order. We're happy to answer general questions, but we can't advise you on your individual eligibility.

A Dance's gift card is the easiest way to give a firearm. The person who fills out the Form 4473 must be the actual buyer. Buying a gun for someone who asked you to buy it for them, or for someone who can't legally buy one, is a straw purchase, and that's a federal felony. We reserve the right to refuse any sale we believe is a straw purchase.

If you're planning a gift, call us at (804) 526-8399 before you order and we'll walk you through your options.

Once a firearm has been transferred to you, either in our store or through your dealer, it can't be returned or exchanged. If there's a defect, contact the manufacturer for warranty repair or replacement. If a new firearm doesn't work when it arrives, call us and we'll help you work through it with the manufacturer.

Bring a valid Virginia government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or DMV ID card.

• It must show your current physical address. If you've moved, get a change-of-address card from the DMV first.
• It must be more than 30 days old. If your DMV license or ID (original or duplicate) was issued within the last 30 days, also bring a copy of your DMV driver's record showing your original issue date was more than 30 days ago.
• A PO Box doesn't count. If your ID shows only a PO Box, also bring a government-issued document with your current physical address.

Details are on the Virginia State Police Firearms Transaction Program page.

• Rifles and shotguns: Yes, if the firearm is legal in your home state. Bring a photo ID from your state of residence plus a second document showing the same current address. Examples include a current lease, utility or phone bill, vehicle registration, voter registration card, property tax record, or hunting or fishing license.
• Handguns: Federal law doesn't allow us to sell a handgun in person to a non-resident. We can ship it to a licensed dealer in your home state instead. See how that works.
• Modern sporting rifles and pistols (MSRs / MSPs): As a store policy, we don't sell any modern sporting rifles or pistols to out-of-state residents. Examples include AR-15s, AK-47s, SIG MPXs, and CZ Scorpions.

Some states don't allow their residents to buy firearms out of state. Please check your state's laws first.

Yes. Under Virginia State Police rules, active-duty service members permanently stationed in Virginia (including the Pentagon) are treated as Virginia residents, including for handgun purchases. That covers Fort Gregg-Adams, which is about five minutes from our store. Bring:

• Your Department of Defense military photo ID, and
• Proof that Virginia is your permanent duty station: your current assignment orders or your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).

If you're assigned to a mobile unit, it counts only if the unit's homeport is listed as Virginia. See the VSP military personnel rules.

• 18 or older: rifles, shotguns, air rifles, and rifle or shotgun ammunition.
• 21 or older: handguns, and "assault firearms" as defined by Virginia law (this includes most AR- and AK-pattern rifles). We also require buyers to be 21 for any modern sporting rifle transferred through us.
• 21 or older: handgun ammunition. Ammo that can be fired in a handgun counts as handgun ammo. That includes calibers many people think of as rifle or rimfire, like .22 LR, 9mm, .223/5.56, and .300 BLK.

If your firearm ships to a dealer in another state, that state's age rules apply, and they may be stricter. When federal, Virginia, and your state's laws differ, the strictest one applies.

Virginia law generally limits purchases from a dealer to one handgun every 30 days. Some buyers are exempt, including holders of a valid Virginia concealed handgun permit. Call us at (804) 526-8399 if you're not sure whether this applies to you.

The Virginia State Police offer a Firearms Purchase Eligibility Test that explains who can and can't buy a firearm. We can't tell you whether you personally will pass, so please use that resource or talk to an attorney before you buy.

If you're denied, the VSP explains your rights and how to appeal. Sometimes a check is put on "delay" while the VSP reviews records. If that happens, we'll let you know. The VSP firearms FAQ explains why delays happen.

Yes. We accept transfers from licensed FFL holders only, not from private individuals.

• Standard transfer fee: $60 per firearm, or $40 each when you transfer 3 or more at the same time.
• NFA transfers (suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, and other NFA items): $100 each.
• You must be 21 or older to transfer any modern sporting rifle through us (ARs, AKs, SCARs, certain bullpups, and similar).

Before it arrives, fill out the form on our FFL Transfers page with the shipping dealer, their email address, and the make, model, and caliber. We'll call you when it's ready. A package showing "delivered" isn't ready yet: our receiving team has to check it in first, which can take up to 24 hours. When you pick it up, bring the ID described here.

Yes, but not as a standard private-sale check. Virginia caps what a dealer can charge for a private-sale background check at $15, which doesn't cover our costs. Instead, we run the sale as a full dealer transfer. The seller's firearm is logged into our records, and then we transfer it to the buyer the same way we would sell one of our own guns.

• Cost: our standard $60 transfer fee, plus the Virginia State Police background check fee: $2 for Virginia residents or $5 for non-residents.
• Bring: the firearm, unloaded. The buyer needs the ID described here and fills out the Form 4473 and Virginia Form SP-65.
• Every dealer rule applies, because it's a dealer sale. That includes the age limits, the one-handgun-per-30-days limit, and the residency rules. For example, we can't transfer a handgun to someone who lives out of state.

Call us at (804) 526-8399 before you come in so we can make sure the sale can be completed.

Yes. Outbound transfers are $60 per firearm, or $40 each for 3 or more at the same time, plus shipping. A firearm can't be shipped directly to a private individual; it has to go to a licensed dealer or the manufacturer.

Bring the firearm in unloaded. We'll supply the box and packing. If you'd like it shipped in your own case, that's fine, but please don't lock it. We need to confirm it's unloaded and check the serial number. See our FFL Transfers page for details.

Always match the cartridge or gauge stamped on your barrel or slide. Our website has a few tools to help:

• The Ammo Finder walks you through caliber or gauge, type, bullet weight, and features, then shows matching ammo that's in stock.
• Firearm product pages and your cart show compatible ammo suggestions for that gun's caliber.
• Ammo listings show a price per round so you can compare boxes and case lots.

Our tools only match the exact caliber listed for each product. They never assume two cartridges are interchangeable (for example, .223 Rem and 5.56 NATO). If you're not sure, check your owner's manual or ask us.

Some items can only ship to certain states if we have extra information. Our checkout checks each item against the state it's shipping to and shows a box explaining what's needed. For example:

• Ammo to Illinois, New Jersey, or Connecticut: upload your state credential (FOID, FPID, or similar).
• Ammo to states where it must go through a licensed dealer (like California, New York, Massachusetts, or D.C.): enter the dealer's name and email address.
• Ammo to states that require buyers to be 21: confirm you're 21 or older.
• Items that can't ship to your address: remove them. Law enforcement buyers can upload credentials for certain items.

Please upload documents in the checkout box itself. Emailing us a document doesn't complete your order, and "Place Order" stays locked until everything is resolved. Your uploads attach to your order, and we review them before it ships. Having trouble? Email info@dancessportinggoods.com or call (804) 526-8399.

State and local laws decide what we can ship and where. Our State Shipping Guide lists the current rules for every state and is updated every month. A few key points:

• We won't ship any item to a state, county, or city where it's prohibited. If you order one, we'll cancel and refund it in full, with no restocking fee.
• We check every magazine against your destination's capacity limit. Magazines over the limit are removed and refunded.
• Ammunition ships only to the lower 48 states, by ground service.

You're responsible for knowing your own state and local laws. When in doubt, ask us before you order.

Sworn officers may qualify for duty-use purchases. Most state exemptions apply to the agency, not the individual officer, so we require:

• An agency purchase order, or a signed letter on department letterhead from a commanding officer, and
• Valid department credentials.

We ship these orders to the department's address, and we may decline any request we can't verify. Questions? Email info@dancessportinggoods.com.

Try our Choke Tube Finder. Pick your shotgun's brand, model, gauge, and the kind of choke you want (waterfowl, turkey, buckshot, or standard), and it shows in-stock choke tubes with the right thread pattern.

Please verify your shotgun's specific choke pattern with the manufacturer. This tool was created using AI and could potentially be inaccurate though we have found it to be accurate.

Please note that choke tubes can't be returned, so double-check the fit before you buy.

Yes. Dance's Sporting Goods is a licensed FFL and Special Occupational Taxpayer (SOT), and we handle NFA transfers in house. Suppressors and other NFA items transfer only to an FFL/SOT dealer in your state, or in our store for Virginia residents. Suppressor laws are different from firearm laws, so check the State Shipping Guide for your state.

The NFA process has changed a lot in 2026. Right now, most suppressor buyers can skip the Form 4 and buy a suppressor like a firearm. Questions? Call (804) 526-8399 before you order. We'd much rather answer your questions up front.

Yes, if you're covered by the new federal injunction. In August 2026, a federal court ruled in Silencer Shop Foundation v. ATF that the NFA's registration and tax-stamp requirements can't be enforced against the people covered by the case, which includes members of the organizations that brought it. Because of that ruling, we're currently selling and transferring suppressors the same way we transfer a firearm:

• Join Gun Owners of America (GOA) and show us proof of membership. Our store requires this so we know you're covered by the injunction. Join GOA here.
• You must be legally allowed to own a suppressor under federal, state, and local law. Some states ban suppressors; see our State Shipping Guide.
• Fill out the ATF Form 4473 and Virginia Form SP-65 and pass a background check, exactly as you would for a firearm. There's no Form 4, no fingerprints or photos, and no ATF wait.
• This applies to suppressors you buy from us and to suppressors transferred to us from another dealer.

Prefer the Form 4 process? It's still available, but only by paper Form 4. We can't process eForms, so expect a longer ATF wait. The federal tax on suppressors is $0 for transfers on or after January 1, 2026.

This could change at any time, for example if the ruling is appealed or the ATF issues new guidance, and we may stop this process without notice. See our Suppressor Purchases page for the current policy, or call (804) 526-8399.

• Buying through the paper Form 4 process: you can cancel for a full refund any time before your Form 4 is submitted to the ATF.
• Once your Form 4 is submitted, the sale is final. ATF wait times, however long, aren't grounds for a refund.
• If the ATF disapproves your Form 4, contact us. We'll work with you on a refund or a transfer to an eligible person, less any fees already incurred.
• Once an NFA item has been transferred to you, by either method, it can't be returned or exchanged.

The full policy is on our Shipping & Returns page.

• Free shipping on orders over $99.
• $4.99 flat rate on orders under $99.
• Free in-store pickup on items stocked at or shipped from our store.

Free and flat-rate shipping don't apply to firearms, ammunition, suppressors and other NFA items, reloading components (powder and primers ship as hazardous materials with an extra fee), oversized items, fishing rods and combos, treestands, gun safes, or items shipped directly from the manufacturer. Free shipping is standard ground within the lower 48 states only.

In-stock items usually ship within 1–2 business days. Orders placed before 2 PM Eastern on a business day often ship the same day. We ship Monday–Friday, not on holidays. Once it ships, typical delivery times are:

• USPS Priority Mail: 1–3 business days
• USPS Ground Advantage: 1–5 business days
• UPS Ground: 1–6 business days

Firearms, ammo, magazines, and NFA items get a state-law check before shipping, which can add 1–2 business days. Ammunition ships by ground only and can't be expedited.

We ship within the lower 48 states. We don't ship internationally or to APO/FPO/DPO addresses. For Hawaii or Alaska, call Internet Sales at (804) 526-8399 x104 for options and a quote. Ammunition can't ship to Hawaii or Alaska.

Firearms, ammunition, NFA items, and oversized freight need a physical street address, not a PO Box.

California: for items going to California, checkout shows the required Proposition 65 warnings before you place your order. California's firearm and ammunition laws still apply. See our State Shipping Guide.

Email info@dancessportinggoods.com or call (804) 526-8399 x104 as soon as possible with your order number. We can usually cancel before an order ships. Once it has a tracking number, it's handled as a return. Special orders can be cancelled only before we order the item from our supplier. NFA orders follow the NFA cancellation policy.

To protect you from credit card fraud. Orders over $100 shipping to an address that's different from the billing address may need photo ID verification before we ship.

Yes, through Sezzle. Choose Sezzle as your payment method at checkout to split your purchase into smaller payments. It works for firearms and ammunition too. Sezzle reviews and approves each purchase, and you'll see the payment breakdown on product pages and in your cart.

We also accept credit and debit cards, Dance's gift cards, and store credit.

No. To protect against credit card fraud, all orders go through our website, where every order passes through our fraud screening. If you have questions before you order, call Internet Sales at (804) 526-8399 x104.

Contact us within 14 days of the ship date at info@dancessportinggoods.com. Please keep all the original packaging until your claim is settled, because the carrier needs it for inspection. Please note that we're not responsible for packages stolen after the carrier marks them delivered.

Yes. We place special orders for customers almost every day. Email info@dancessportinggoods.com or call (804) 526-8399 with what you're looking for. Please note that special orders can't be returned unless they're defective or shipped in error.

Most items can be returned within 30 days of shipment for a refund or exchange.

• Get a Return Authorization (RA) number first. Email info@dancessportinggoods.com with your order number and the reason for the return. Returns without an RA number may be refused.
• Unused, unopened items in their original packaging get a full refund to your original payment method, or to a Dance's gift card if you prefer. You pay the return shipping.
• A restocking fee of up to 20% may apply to opened or used items, returns without an RA number, returns after 30 days, and special orders.
• Refunds usually post within 5–7 business days after we receive the return.

If we made a mistake, or your item arrived damaged or defective, we'll cover return shipping. Please let us know within 14 days of delivery.

These items can't be returned: firearms and air rifles once transferred, suppressors and NFA items after a Form 4 is submitted, ammunition, gun safes, reloading components, choke tubes, food, opened media, game and mouth calls, licenses, permits, gift cards, labor and transfer fees, certain clothing (underwear, base layers, headwear), and special orders unless defective. See the full list on our Shipping & Returns page.

Not right away, but we can switch it to an in-store gift card. Once it's switched, it can't be used online anymore. Only certain staff members can do this, so email is best: info@dancessportinggoods.com.

No. In-store gift cards can only be used in our store. They can't be used on our website, and they can't be converted to online gift cards.

Rebates come from the manufacturer, not from Dance's Sporting Goods. You submit the rebate paperwork yourself, following the manufacturer's instructions. We're happy to provide a copy of your receipt if you need one.

Dance's Sporting Goods
570 Southpark Blvd., Colonial Heights, VA 23834

We're just off I-95, about 20–30 minutes south of Richmond and 5 minutes from Fort Gregg-Adams.

• Monday–Friday: 8 AM – 6 PM
• Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM
• Sunday: Closed

Phone: (804) 526-8399

Yes, you're welcome to bring a firearm in for an evaluation or to sell it. Please make sure it's unloaded before you come in. We recommend unloading it at home.

Yes. We list used firearms as auctions on GunBroker. See our current used gun auctions. The "Used Auctions" link in our site menu goes to the same place.

Our GunBroker auctions aren't all of our used guns, though. We also have used firearms for sale at the counter in our store that aren't listed on GunBroker, so stop by or call (804) 526-8399 to ask what's in right now.

Yes. We offer the NRA Home Firearm Safety Course, a 4-hour classroom course on Saturdays from 11 AM to 3 PM. It covers firearm safety, handling, cleaning, and types of firearms. It meets the Virginia State Police training requirement for a concealed handgun permit. Check with your local authorities for any other requirements.

The class costs $75 per seat, or $50 if you sign up when you buy a handgun from us. Classes need at least 10 people, and a class that doesn't fill by the Thursday before may be rescheduled. Call (804) 526-8399 to register. Payment in advance holds your seat. See our Classes page for more.