Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Richland County. Columbia is the state capital, a university and Fort Jackson town on the fall line where the Broad and Saluda become the Congaree. Richland County dealers take transfers and South Carolina adds nothing to the federal check.
Pick an FFL dealer near you that accepts shipped transfers and name it at checkout. We confirm their license and ship the firearm to them. Ammunition, optics and parts ship straight to your door where South Carolina law allows.
A slide, barrel or optic plate is not a firearm under federal law and ships to your door; the rules below apply only when you order a complete pistol. South Carolina has no purchase permit, no registration and no waiting period. Federal age limits apply: 21 for a handgun from a dealer, 18 for a long gun. The firearm ships to the South Carolina dealer you name, who charges their own transfer fee. The dealer runs the federal check when you complete ATF Form 4473 at pickup.
Dealers in these communities all work for Columbia-area buyers:
South Carolina adopted permitless carry in March 2024: adults 18 and over who are not prohibited may carry a handgun openly or concealed without a permit. Schools, courthouses, polling places, hospitals and posted property remain off limits. The concealed weapon permit is still issued by SLED and is worth holding for reciprocity in other states.
South Carolina's deer seasons run by Game Zone: guns open as early as mid-August in Zones 3 and 4 and in September or October in Zones 1 and 2, all running to January 1. Wild hogs may be taken year-round on private land; check the current SCDNR rules for Richland County. Centerfire rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders and handguns are legal, and buck tags come with the licence.
Richland County is in Game Zone 2 with gun season from mid-September to January 1; the Congaree bottoms and the Sandhills hold hogs that are open year-round on private land.
The Wateree Range in Eastover is SCDNR-run with rifle and pistol lines, and Fort Jackson trainees keep the local pistol trade lively.
These ranges are run by or officially listed by a state wildlife agency, a state forest or a national forest. Most ask for a hunting licence, a range permit or a small day fee, and hours change with the season, so check the agency page before you go.
Source: State wildlife agency, state forest and U.S. Forest Service public range listings, September 2026. Distances are approximate; call or check the agency site before you drive out.
Yes. Order here, name a licensed FFL dealer in West Columbia, Lexington, Cayce, Columbia or anywhere in Richland County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
No. Your dealer runs the federal background check when you complete ATF Form 4473 and you take the gun once it clears.
Yes. Since March 2024 adults 18 and over who are not prohibited may carry openly or concealed without a permit. SLED still issues permits for travel.
It depends on the Game Zone; the Lowcountry opens in mid-August and the Upstate in September or October. Check the current SCDNR rules.
A full-size 10mm or .45 with a red dot, a drop-in barrel and a weapon light is the standard hog-lease pistol; a threaded barrel lets it host a suppressor where lawful.
Each dealer sets its own fee, commonly $20 to $75. Call before you order to confirm the price and that they accept firearms shipped from an online store.
General information, not legal advice. Rules current as of September 2026. See our buying guide and check with South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (concealed weapon permits) or a local attorney about your own situation.