Exchange Rules and Prohibited Items

The BGC Exchange is a free classified advertising and auction-format listing venue where registered members of the Boise Gun Club community can list firearms, ammunition, accessories, and shooting-related gear for sale, trade, or purchase. Think of it as a bulletin board at your local gun shop -- we provide the board and the thumbtacks, but every transaction is between you and the other party.

Boise Gun Collective, LLC ("BGC") does not buy, sell, ship, store, inspect, broker, or transfer any item listed on the Exchange. BGC does not process payments between buyers and sellers. All payment, FFL transfer arrangements, and legal compliance are exclusively between the buyer and seller. BGC's only revenue comes from business-to-business advertising subscriptions -- entirely separate from the Exchange, which is and will remain free.

To use the Exchange, you must meet all of the following requirements:

• Age: You must be at least 18 years old to use the Exchange. You must be at least 21 years old to list or respond to any listing involving a handgun or handgun ammunition.
• Residency: You must be a United States resident.
• Legal Status: You must not be a prohibited person under federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)) or under the laws of your state of residence. If you are prohibited from possessing or transferring firearms, you may not use the Exchange.
• Account: You must have a registered Boise Gun Club account in good standing.

The following categories of items may be listed on the Exchange, provided they are legal to own and transfer in the seller's state:

• Firearms (handguns, rifles, shotguns) that are legal to own and transfer in the seller's jurisdiction
• Ammunition
• Magazines and standard accessories
• Optics, grips, stocks, and non-regulated parts
• Holsters, cases, and cleaning equipment
• Hunting and shooting sports gear
• Reloading equipment and components

Federally Prohibited (No Exceptions)

• Machine guns manufactured after May 19, 1986 (18 U.S.C. § 922(o))
• Unregistered NFA items (suppressors, short-barreled rifles, short-barreled shotguns, any-other-weapons, destructive devices without a completed Form 4 transfer)
• Stolen firearms of any kind
• Firearms with removed, altered, or obliterated serial numbers (18 U.S.C. § 922(k))
• Glock switches, auto sears, drop-in auto sears (DIAS), lightning links, or any device that converts a semi-automatic firearm to fully automatic fire
• Pipe bombs, improvised explosive devices, or destructive devices
• Armor-piercing handgun ammunition (18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(7))

Platform Prohibited

• Listings soliciting transfers to prohibited persons
• Listings designed to circumvent background check requirements in any state
• Straw purchase listings ("buying for a friend," "gift" to avoid background check, etc.)
• Ghost guns or unserialized frames and receivers where prohibited by applicable law
• Private party listings of Title II NFA items without FFL/SOT dealer involvement language
• Listings from users under 18 (or under 21 for handguns)
• Digital or 3D-printed firearms files
• Non-firearms items unrelated to shooting sports, hunting, or outdoor recreation

• Reserve Auctions: All auctions are "with reserve" by default. You are not obligated to sell to the highest bidder. You may set a reserve price -- if no bid meets the reserve, no sale occurs.
• Shill Bidding: Bidding on your own listing, or arranging for others to bid on your behalf to inflate the price, is strictly prohibited. Shill bidding may constitute federal wire fraud under 18 U.S.C. § 1343.
• Completion: The winning bidder and seller arrange payment and transfer directly. BGC is not involved in any aspect of the transaction.
• Non-Performance: Non-performing winners or sellers may be reported and have their accounts suspended.
• Compliance: All firearms compliance obligations (FFL transfers, background checks, age requirements) apply equally to auction-format listings.

Federal law requires that firearms transferred between residents of different states must go through a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL). This means if you and the other party live in different states, the firearm must be shipped to an FFL in the buyer's state, where the buyer completes a Form 4473 and undergoes a NICS background check before taking possession.

For same-state (intrastate) transfers, the rules depend on your state. More than 20 states now require that even private-party transfers go through an FFL with a background check. It is your responsibility to know the law in your state.

States Requiring FFL Transfers for Private Sales

As of March 2026, the following states and jurisdictions require that all or most private-party firearms transfers be conducted through a licensed FFL with a background check:

California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine (for certain sales), Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

This list may not reflect laws enacted after March 2026. This is not legal advice. It is your sole responsibility to determine and comply with your state's requirements.

To find an FFL near you, visit the ATF FFL Locator.

If you see a listing that appears to violate these rules -- prohibited items, straw purchase solicitations, stolen property, or anything that seems illegal or unsafe -- use the "Report Listing" button on the listing page or contact us directly at [email protected].

BGC reviews all flagged listings. We reserve the right to remove any listing and refer suspicious activity to federal, state, or local law enforcement.

Violations of these rules may result in any or all of the following:

• Immediate listing removal without notice
• Account suspension or permanent termination
• Referral to federal, state, or local law enforcement
• Preservation of all relevant account data, listing data, messaging data, and access logs for law enforcement use

BGC cooperates fully with law enforcement investigations. We comply with all lawful subpoenas, court orders, and search warrants. We may also make voluntary disclosures under the emergency exception of the Stored Communications Act (18 U.S.C. § 2702(b)(8)) where we believe there is immediate danger of death or serious injury.