u/KawasakiNinjaGuy

This is a long story so I’ll keep it short.

Purchased a WW2 rifle from an auction house, everything is cool and the rifle gets to my FFL.
FFL says no way, he’s not receiving it in his books as the SN is hidden by a permanently attached scope mount.

No 4473 is done. I sign no papers. FFL reports gun to ATF. ATF seized the gun. ATF agrees that the scope mounted originally in WW2 that blocks the SN makes the firearm “illegal” and that it should have had a new number added at some point. It has no import marks also.

I do a chargeback under no services rendered and get my money back. (Also left a very detailed explanation of the situation too with the bank)

A period of time later, the auction house calls me and tells me to cancel the chargeback, that they will dispute it and will win and sue me for any further fees and damages.

Auction house maintains that the second I purchased the gun, it became mine. ATF and FFL says it’s not my gun till I get approved after the background check.

So, is that actually how it works? Is a gun not yours truly until you pass the background check?

I’m just worried that my bank will look at this at the very surface level and see only that they have a tracking number showing it made it to the FFL, and reverse it. Not that it failed to make the transfer due to it being illegal.

Yes I am in contact with a lawyer. The firearm was worth a few thousand dollars.

Edit: It’s been a while since I’ve charged back, I don’t care about the rifle anymore. I just don’t want to randomly be on the hook for thousands of dollars.

Edit #2: supposedly this exact same thing has happened to other people too?