I often have folks ask me where they can buy guns “without a paper trail.” This is not a big problem for some of us: Just go to a gun show and buy only from private parties. But this is a real dilemma for folks in those Blue States with the nasty Schumeresque [1] gun laws. (Like “Kalifornia” and “Neu Jersey.”) One great alternative is buying shootable cartridge guns that were made in or before 1898. These “pre-1899” guns are outside of Federal jurisdiction, and hence can be shipped across state lines without the usual FFL [1] paperwork. (Consult your state and local laws before placing an order.) You can read my FAQ on Pre-1899 guns [2] for some details.
One of our SurvivalBlog advertisers, The Pre-1899 Specialist [3] has a great selection of hand-picked and custom re-built pre-1899 rifles. Another good source is Dennis Kroh at Empire Arms [4], but I’ve noticed that most of his potentially practical/tactical guns sell out very quickly. For pre-1899 revolvers, try either Jim Supica, who runs The Arm Chair Gun Show [5] or The Pre-1899 Specialist [3] for a smaller albeit more unusual selection.
I also occasionally notice some nice pre-1899 rifles and handguns at the Internet gun auction sites such as AuctionArms.com [6] and GunBroker.com [7]. For example, take a look at these current AuctionArms auctions:
A Swedish Mauser Model 1896 (6.5 x55) made in 1898 (very rare): http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7050839 [8]
A Mosin Nagant Finnish (re-work) 7.62 x 54R: http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7068842 [9]
A Model 1895 (Chilean Contract) Ludwig Loewe Mauser Model 1895 7 x57: http://www.auctionarms.com/search/displayitem.cfm?itemnum=7066061 [10]
Although the auction prices tend to run high, if you are persistent you can find some bargains that are also Federally exempt.