Order online, pick up at a licensed dealer in Bernalillo County. Albuquerque runs along the Rio Grande bosque with the Sandia crest rising more than a mile above the valley floor on the east side. Orders ship to dealers across Bernalillo County and up into Sandoval and Valencia.
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 New Mexico law allows.
New Mexico has a seven-calendar-day waiting period on firearm sales and transfers, effective since May 2024, which includes the time taken by the federal background check. Parts of that law have been the subject of federal litigation, and an order in August 2026 enjoined enforcement against two named plaintiffs while leaving the waiting period in force for everyone else, so check the Department of Public Safety page for the current position. There is no purchase permit, and federal age limits apply at the dealer.
Dealers in these communities all work for Albuquerque-area buyers:
New Mexico issues a concealed handgun licence through the Department of Public Safety, and each application goes through state and federal record checks including an FBI fingerprint check, which can take ninety days or more. Applicants must complete an approved firearms training course. Open carry of a loaded handgun is generally lawful for adults without a licence, but concealed carry requires the licence. Schools, licensed premises and posted private property remain restricted.
New Mexico allocates nearly all big game through a public draw, with the application deadline for deer and other species in mid-March for the following licence year, and leftover licences sold in early July. Licences are issued for a specific game management unit, weapon type and set of dates, with standard and quality hunt types and separate rifle, muzzleloader and archery options. Private-land-only licences are valid only on private property with written permission. Read the current hunting rules and information booklet.
Bernalillo County sits against game management unit 8 in the Sandia Mountains, and New Mexico mule deer tags come through a spring draw rather than over the counter. The Cibola National Forest starts at the city's eastern edge.
The Cibola National Forest on the Sandias and the west mesa public land are where most local shooters and hunters go, and mule deer and elk draw applications drive the rifle season here.
Every range below is operated or published by a state wildlife agency, a state forest or the Forest Service near the cities we serve. Most need a hunting licence, a range permit or a small day fee, and seasonal hours change without much notice, so check the agency page before you drive out.
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 Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Bernalillo, Albuquerque or anywhere in Bernalillo County, and we ship the firearm to them. You fill out ATF Form 4473 at their counter and they run the background check.
Yes. A seven-calendar-day waiting period applies to firearm sales and transfers. Parts of the law have been litigated, so check the Department of Public Safety page for the current position.
Yes. Concealed carry requires a New Mexico concealed handgun licence from the Department of Public Safety, including an approved training course and a fingerprint check.
Through the spring public draw, with the application deadline in mid-March. Leftover licences go on sale in early July, and each licence names a unit, weapon type and dates.
Read the firearms section of the current deer regulations for the county you will hunt. Some states allow any centerfire rifle, some allow straight-wall cartridges only, and some restrict rifles entirely in farm counties.
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 New Mexico Department of Public Safety (concealed carry unit) or a local attorney about your own situation.