To purchase a firearm, in a consignment type auction, a buyer must be a resident of the state to take immediate possession. If not a resident, the firearm needs to be shipped from the auctioneer to an FFL in the buyer’s home state.

That said, auctions in which the auctioneer does not take possession of the firearms (i.e. an onsite estate auction, or similar type) are currently not regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms. Thus the above would not apply.

If a buyer holds an FFL, they are able to take possession without the necessity of a NICS check, or shipment across state lines.