Rifle sale question...

[JDHasty]

From the ATF site:

2. May I lawfully transfer a firearm to a friend who resides in a different State?
Under Federal law, an unlicensed individual is prohibited from transferring a firearm to an individual
who does not reside in the State where the transferee resides. Generally, for a person to lawfully
transfer a firearm to an unlicensed person who resides out of State, the firearm must be shipped to a
Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) within the recipient’s State of residence. He or she may then
receive the firearm from the FFL upon completion of an ATF Form 4473 and a NICS background
check. More information can be obtained on the ATF website at
www.atf.gov

So this clears up the JDHasty Montana reference...not legal  unless through an FFL as described.
That almost makes it sound like you can't go to another state at all and purchase a firearm in person. Sounds like you'd have to ship it to an FFL in Washington and then do the paperwork.

@carpsniperg2  Do you know how this works?

Doesn't clear anything up.  You can make a face to face transaction with another private individual in most any other western State.  Let's say I am in Montana on vacation and a guy offers to sell me a rifle he legally owns... and unless he is a licensed firearms dealer, I can hand him the money and he can hand me the rifle and that's that.   

I think you'll want to revisit 18 U.S. Code § 922 (a)(3).

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/922

I have bought one rifle from out of State and that was north of three decades ago and it was a face to face deal and IIRC the guy selling it checked the laws in effect at the time before selling it to me.  You may be correct though. 

[Fl0und3rz]

I can't speak to the timing of past sales and law changes.  It only appears that out of state transfer must go though an FFL, NOW.  As CS2 pointed out, handguns and long guns are treated differently. 

[jay.sharkbait]

NICS  started in 1993 FYI

[Fl0und3rz]

Ah, thanks.