Down East Firearms

Owner/Operator Nick Chambers established Down East Firearms in Cutler, Maine in 2019. We offer firearm sales, transfers and accessories. We keep a limited in stock supply, which keeps our overhead costs low, allowing us to provide the best possible pricing available. Find it cheaper elsewhere? We partner with several of the nation's largest wholesale firearms distributors and will try our best to beat any competitors advertised pricing. We strive for excellent customer service and providing quality firearms at great prices. 

Find us on Facebook and Instagram @ DownEastFirearms 

For best results, please email what you're looking for so we can let you know pricing and availability. 

Call/Text us at (207) 538-6321 

Send us an email - Sales@downeastfirearms.com

We keep a limited in stock supply - if you don't see what you're looking for, let us know and we will do our best to find it. It is best to provide as much information as possible, including SKU or UPC, if known. 

Looking for a custom-built AR platform rifle? Whether it's .223/.556, .300 AAC Blackout, or .308, we can build you the rifle or pistol you're looking for!

Discounts available for Law Enforcement and Military. 

We accept the following forms of payment: 

Cash 

Check ($35 fee for returned checks)

Debit/Credit Card 

Venmo

Transfer Fees

Long Gun Fee: $30.00

Handgun Fee: $30.00

NICS Fee:  $30.00

** Please contact us for availability prior to initiating a transfer**

- TRANSFER FEE: THIS FEE IS CHARGED WHEN YOU PURCHASE A FIREARM FROM ANOTHER COMPANY AND YOU WANT IT SHIPPED TO US AND WE TRANSFER THE FIREARM TO YOU. THE COMPANY MUST HAVE A COPY OF OUR LICENSE ON FILE IN ORDER TO SHIP THE FIREARM TO US.

- NICS FEE: THIS FEE IS CHARGED WHEN YOU WANT TO SELL A FIREARM PRIVATELY AND WOULD LIKE IT TRANSFERRED TO THE PERSON YOU ARE SELLING IT TO. THIS PREVENTS THE FIREARM FROM BEING SOLD TO SOMEONE THAT IS NOT ABLE TO OWN A FIREARM DUE TO CRIMINAL OR OTHER HISTORY.

If you plan to purchase a firearm through an online auction site or dealer located in another state, you will need an FFL transfer. The firearm to be transferred must be legal to own here in Maine! If you are not sure, please check state laws before bidding or making a purchase. You must have a valid form of identification which has the transferee's name, residence address and date of birth.  For more information on what forms of identification are acceptable, please click here. NOTE: If your identification does not have your current physical address, you must have a valid vehicle registration, Maine concealed carry permit, or Maine hunting license that has your current physical address on it. For non-Maine residents and non-U.S. Citizens, please contact us prior to initiating a transfer. 

How the process works: We send a copy of our Federal Firearm License to the seller, and you arrange payment with the seller. The seller mails the firearm to us. You can check the tracking number provided and once the tracking shows delivered, contact us to schedule a time for pickup. We will also contact you once the firearm has been delivered. At that point you would come and fill out the paperwork and we will conduct the background check. Remember, handguns are never shipped with long guns so if you purchased a handgun and long gun you should have two tracking numbers. 

You pay for the transfer when you come to pick up your firearm.

To start the process we will need the following information e-mailed to: sales@downeastfirearms.com

1) The name and email address to send a copy of our FFL to. The ATF now allows dealers to accept FFL's by e-mail so please include an e-mail address for the dealer selling the firearm. 

2) A description of the firearm to be transferred.

3) The item number and name of the auction web site if purchased through an online auction site.

4) Your contact information - Name, address, e-mail, phone number.

5) Put your name or firearm description in the title of the e-mail.

Once we have this information we will send out an email stating who it is for and a description of the firearm (and auction item number if applicable) along with my FFL to the seller.

After your firearm is shipped the seller should send you a tracking number.

You MUST pass the background check in order to receive your firearm.

A CURRENT STATE OF MAINE DRIVERS LICENSE OR STATE PICTURE ID IS REQUIRED FOR ALL OF THOSE WHO PURCHASE A FIREARM. PLEASE MAKE SURE IT HAS YOUR CURRENT PHYSICAL ADDRESS ON IT.  IF NOT YOU WILL NEED A CURRENT VEHICLE REGISTRATION, HUNTING LICENSE, OR CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMIT WITH YOUR CURRENT PHYSICAL ADDRESS ON IT. NO PO BOXES. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON IDENTIFICATION, CLICK HERE. 

MULTIPLE HANDGUN PROCESSING CHARGE: (Fee does not apply to firearms purchased from us) 3310.4 REPORT OF MULTIPLE SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF PISTOL AND REVOLVERS PROCESSING CHARGE

MULTIPLE HANDGUN TRANSFER CHARGE: $15.00

THIS IS IN ADDITION TO THE $30.00 TRANSFER FEE

EXPLANATION OF THIS PROCESS:

- Form 3310.4 or Report of Multiple Sale or Other Disposition of Pistols and Revolvers is a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) form that a firearms dealer must fill out when an unlicensed person purchases or acquires two or more handguns at one time or during five consecutive business days (not including weekends or holidays). ATF Form 3310.4 must be completed in triplicate (3 copies), the original is sent to ATF’s National Tracing Center by fax or by mail, a copy is to be sent to the designated State police or local law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the sale took place, the remaining copy is to be retained in the records of the dealer and held for not less than 5 years.

PLEASE BE ADVISED YOU COULD BE DELAYED. Some customers get delayed when it is their first firearm purchase, some are delayed randomly, and some get delayed every time, and many never get delayed. The results are the same whether the background check is called in or done online.

See this page for more info about being delayed and the reasons for it - https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/nics/delayed-firearm-transaction

See this page also for more info if you are delayed or want more info - https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/nics/a-nics-delay

If you are denied see this page - https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/nics/national-instant-criminal-background-check-system-nics-appeals-vaf

We use the Brady Transfer Date for delayed background check with no response.

A Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) will receive the following instructions when a call is transferred from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Contracted Call Center to the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Division’s NICS Section for a transaction resulting in a delay:

“—NTN— is delayed while the NICS continues its research. If you do not receive a response from us, the Brady Law does not prohibit you from transferring the firearm on ___ day/date ___.”

We have the right transfer on the Brady Transfer date or not to transfer at all. - If the FFL has not received a final determination from the NICS when the Brady transfer date arrives, it is within the FFL’s discretion whether or not to transfer the firearm (if state law permits the transfer). If the FFL transfers the firearm, the FFL must check “no resolution was provided within three business days” on line 21d of the ATF Form 4473.

Does the 72 hours overlap with any time required for a background check? Yes, it can. The law explicitly states that the waiting period must be “concurrent” with the time needed for any required background check. This means that when the FFL initiates a background check, the time it takes to complete the background check counts toward the 72-hour waiting period. 

Advisory on Waiting Period Law_1.pdf  

On August 9, 2024, a new law will take effect requiring a 72-hour waiting period for certain sales of firearms. The Maine Department of Public Safety (“DPS”) and the Maine Office of the Attorney General (“OAG”) provide the following guidance to sellers and buyers of firearms to assist them in complying with this law. 

Whether a particular transaction is subject to and complies with the law is fact-specific. In offering this guidance, the DPS and the OAG are not providing legal advice. Firearms sellers and buyers with questions beyond the scope of this guidance should consult with legal counsel. 

Where can I find the law that requires a waiting period? The law can currently be found here, as Public Law 2023, Chapter 678. 

Once the Revisor of Statutes has completed the update of Maine’s online statutes from the most recent legislative session, the statute can be searched by inputting Title 25 and Section 2015 here. In addition, the text of the law is available at the link accompanying this Advisory under “Advisory on 72 Hour Waiting Period Law.” 

What requirements does the law impose on sellers? A seller may not knowingly deliver a firearm to a buyer pursuant to an agreement sooner than 72 hours after the agreement. This 72-hour waiting period is concurrent with any waiting period imposed by any background check process required by federal or state law. 

What constitutes an “agreement” under the law? An agreement means an agreement reached between a buyer and seller for the purchase and sale of a specifically identified firearm. While the law does not expressly state that the agreement be in writing, the DPS and OAG strongly recommend that sellers maintain contemporaneous documentation of agreements so that if questions arise, the existence and terms of agreements can be confirmed. Examples of such documentation may include correspondence between the seller and buyer, written confirmation of an online or telephone order, or completion of ATF Form 4473. 

Who is a “seller” of a firearm under the law? A “seller” is a person, including a firearm dealer, that owns a firearm and is transferring ownership of the firearm to a buyer pursuant to an agreement. 

Who is a “buyer” of a firearm under the law? A buyer is a person, other than a firearm dealer, who receives possession or ownership of a firearm through an agreement. 

What is a “firearm” under the law? “Firearm" is defined by reference to another statute: Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 12-A. It means “any weapon, whether loaded or unloaded, which is designed to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive and includes any such weapon commonly referred to as a pistol, revolver, rifle, gun, machine gun or shotgun. Any weapon which can be made into a firearm by the insertion of a firing pin, or other similar thing, or by repair, is a firearm.” However, certain firearms are exempted from the waiting period law, as described below. 

Who is considered a “firearm dealer”? A “firearm dealer” is a person that is licensed as a dealer under 18 United States Code, Section 923(a)(3) or that is required to be licensed as a dealer under that section. 

What is the starting point for the 72-hour waiting period? The time period begins when the buyer and the seller have entered into an agreement for the purchase and sale of a specifically identified firearm. 

Does the 72 hours overlap with any time required for a background check? Yes, it can. The law explicitly states that the waiting period must be “concurrent” with the time needed for any required background check. This means that when the FFL initiates a background check, the time it takes to complete the background check counts toward the 72-hour waiting period. 

What are the penalties for violating the law? A seller who violates the law commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $500 may be imposed. Subsequent violations may be subject to fines of not less than $500 and not more than $1,000. 

Are sales to certain individuals exempt from the waiting period? Yes. The waiting period does not apply if the seller knows that the person to whom the firearm is being sold is (1) A law enforcement officer as defined by Title 17-A, section 2, subsection 17; (2) A corrections officer as defined by section 2801-A, subsection 2; or (3) A person who is employed by a contract security company or proprietary security organization as defined by Title 32, section 9403 or a person who is licensed as a private security guard under Title 32, chapter 93. The waiting period does not apply to the sale of firearms to firearm dealers. The waiting period does not apply if the buyer and seller are family members. A “family member” means a spouse, domestic partner, parent, stepparent, foster parent, child, stepchild, foster child, grandparent, grandchild, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece, or nephew. 

Are sales of certain firearms exempt from the waiting period? Yes. A curio or relic firearm, as defined in 27 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 478.11, is exempt if the sale, transfer or exchange is between collectors, as defined in 18 United States Code, Section 921(a)(13), who each have in their possession a valid collector of curios and relics license issued by the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The sale of “antique firearms,” as defined in 18 United States Code, Section 921(a)(16), is not subject to the law. 

Are there any other exemptions? Yes. The waiting period does not apply to transactions for which neither federal nor state law requires a background check of the buyer. In other words, if the sale does not require a background check under either state or federal law, then no waiting period is required. Sellers should be aware that beyond federally required background checks, and with limited exceptions, Maine law requires background checks whenever a seller sells to a buyer at a gun show or as a result of an advertisement. The Maine background check law can be found here. 

Does the waiting period apply to all transfers of firearms? No. The law applies only to transfers in which a person who owns a firearm is transferring ownership of the firearm to a buyer. Generally speaking, a temporary loan or rental of a firearm for a limited period of time will not require a waiting period. Examples might include temporary use of a firearm for instructional activities and guided hunts. Whether ownership is being transferred is a fact-specific question and will depend on the particular circumstances of the transaction. 

How does the Maine law affect federal statutes and regulations? The Maine law does not change federal law, including federal laws imposing licensing and other requirements on persons engaged in firearms transfers. So, while some transactions may not require a waiting period under Maine law, all relevant federal statutes and regulations still apply. FFLs selling firearms to residents of states other than the state in which the FFL is located should refer to this ATF webpage. If FFLs have questions about compliance with federal law, they should contact the ATF Boston Field Division at (617-557-1200). See also the ATF Quick Reference and Best Practices Guide and ATF’s Frequently Asked Questions site.