I have a Marlin 512 slugmaster I put up for sale (rifled barreled 12 gauge slug gun). An interested party said he wanted it. He lives in Canada, but has a US address, ("Can we work something out?" he asked).

I don't want to "cut any corners." I want to be 100% proper/legal for any firearm transaction, and I would appreciate the board's wisdom.

Can I legally (rightfully), sell this firearm to someone in Canada, even though he has a US address? I will only ship to a USA FFL. If I know that the firearm will ultimately be taken to Canada, does that impact the transaction?

I asked the potential buyer to forward his USA FFL contact information to me, so I could ask him/her (the FFL) about this US/Canada tranasaction.

Does anyone have a correct and firm answer to this scenario? Sure would appreciate assistance. Thank you in advance.

I live in Maine (origination point for the firearm in question). I do not have to ship from an FFL in Maine (at least for USA FFL transactions).

Will preface this by saying call ATF, but, I,ve considered having one off my little brothers who lives in Canada send me a gun. Last time I checked, seems he would have had to take it to his local gun dealer, send it to the gun shop I get Christmas cards from, do the transfer that way. FFL to FFL type transaction.
Woud imagine the reverse to hold true as well, but import/export, firearms, customs, etc, would make this a good place to implement the CYA policy.

nugman, I've sold a few rifles to folks in Austria and Australia. Rifle exports are controlled by the State Department, and require a bunch of paperwork. This is designed to keep BMG and sniper-type arms out of the hands of ne'er-do'wells. I have Griffin & Howe handle it for the buyer, but it's about $1,200 including the freight costs, so it really only makes sense for more expensive firearms. That said, I know exporting shotguns is easier, but I don't know how Canada would classify a rifled-barrel slug shotgun. In any event, I don't think the costs could be justified for less expensive firearms.

If the Canadian buyer is a U.S. resident and meets all other qualifications (not under indictment, adjudicated mentally unstable, doesn't beat his wife, etc.) then it is legal to deliver a firearm to him in the U.S. If he wants to take it back to Canada at some point that is his issue to resolve by dealing with Canadian officials.

In this instance you are delivering it to a Federally Licensed Dealer, which is legal in all circumstances. It is the dealer who is ultimatley responsible for whether it is legal to transfer the firearm to the person who paid you for it by properly processing the buyer's form and going through the instant check process. That is why all interstate sales must go through an FFL.

Before the transaction is consummated, your Canadian buyer should make certain that he is eligible for the dealer to deliver the firearm to him, so that your transaction does not become contingent on some unknown circumstance. Regardless, you are never "in the wrong" by delivering a firearm to a federally licensed dealer (unless, of course, you know or should have known that the dealer intends to do something illegal with the firearm, which in this case you do not.)

I would like to thank everyone for their replies to my initial question.

The good news is that I don't have to worry about how to handle shipping to Canada. I sold it locally.

Thanks again.