Gun Store Transfer Cost Insanity

[Monkeybear]

So I sold a couple of rifles online. Now I just gotta find an FFL to send them out for me. First on my list of stores is the one I frequent the most, figure it will be an excuse to see if they have any of the guns near the top of my want list. I call and explain what I am looking for and after a few minutes a gentleman tells me that it will cost $90 each plus shipping to send them to another FFL. WOW! Thats even more than Collectors who only wants $70 and that includes shipping. They list tons of guns on Gunbroker so its not like they just don't want to go to the post office.

I found a nice courteous FFL who agreed to do it for $10 plus shipping but since it seemed like he was doing me a favor and that might not be his normal rate I'll not share his name. Thats right, $10 from a shop I have never visited.....yet. As of today I'll give him as much of my business as I can. As for that other shop, it dose not matter how near they are to me I will not darken their door ever again. They even have a gun on lay-a-way for me right now. They can keep the gun and the money.

Maybe they just don't want to be bothered with it, and thats fine. Jim Pruett's won't ship out. They tell you on their website; "Receive Only" and I respect that. What I don't respect is being jerked around. I know its their shop and they can charge what they want but come one, $90 each is a bit excessive.

 

[PPGMD]

You live in Texas? You don't need a FFL to ship hand guns or long guns.

 

[nalioth]

Nobody is jerking you around, it is not required for an FFL to ship to an FFL (unless you live in some state with weird laws).

Texas doesn't have any requirements on this that are stricter than the Federal laws already covering it.

 

[Monkeybear]

I know I don't need one but some FFLs won't accept firearms from individuals. Just their policy or sometimes even out of ignorance. I have yet to receive my buyers FFL information and and so I don't know if he is one of the ones that won't. I just like to have my bases covered.

Maybe "jerked around" isn't the right word but I have been as a repeat customer and I have always paid the asking price without any hassle to "support the local gunshops". I just asked them to take my rifles with theirs to the post office and they quoted me at twice what most everybody else said they would do it for.

Maybe this isn't such a big deal to the rest of you and maybe after I have had some rest from a long long day I will read this post and wonder why I caused such a fuss but I think its things like this that make me drive for 2 hours out to Tomball Pawn whenever I need a gun.

 

[nalioth]

I have yet to receive my buyers FFL information

... then you should not worry yourself until you do. It is the buyers responsibility to use an FFL that will receive from an individual, not yours.

 

[Mr White]

I certainly wouldn't let them keep the money you put on a layaway gun. I'd tell them to cancel the layaway and once you have the money in hand, then ask to talk to the owner or manager and tell him why and that you'll never be back.

They won't know the consequences of their greed unless you do.

 

[BANGS]

FFL's

You might post where you are and see if anyone in your area knows of cheaper FFL's. I know one in North Texas that receives for $10. If you need his info pm me, might help you out. The other option is get your own FFL, if you do too much shipping the license will pay for itself.

 

[Dismantler]

I wanted to send two handguns to my brother. (Shipping from NH to PA.) Many dealers do not accept guns from non-dealers. My dealer charged me $40 per gun, and the UPS freight. Other dealers in the area charge $40 per gun...for a piece of paperwork.

The dealers also charge $40 for a 4473 if I buy from or sell to an unknown party and want it legal and above board...even though person to person sales are legal in NH.

I agree with the original poster. It's too much for a 4473.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Man, where do some of these charges for transfers come from? The gun shop/range I go to charges $15 for members, another shop charges $19.95. All they do is a few minutes of paperwork and a phone call (and with a CCW, not even the phone call). Where the paperwork is more complicated (e.g., California where I came from), I can see a maximum of $35.

 

[gym]

$40 in South Fl, I just checked locally in Pompano last week

 

[nalioth]

Folks, this isn't about "receiving" transfer costs, this is about "sending". Some FFL holders evidently find this an onerous duty to perform and they charge accordingly.

My local ffl ( who I've visited and used for years ) put the nail in his own coffin in my book when I went to him to see what he'd charge to send a rifle to a Connecticut FFL. He told me $70 PLUS shipping for this. That, on top of other quirks he's been showing have sent me to another dealer for inbound transfers and when I sell firearms, I insist the buyer must use an FFL that receives from individuals.

 

[.cheese.]

same here in Hollywood, FL. $30-$40 depending on who you call. Or at least it was about 6 months ago.

 

[DMK]

What a scam. The receiving FFL won't accept a transfer unless it comes from an FFL. The sending FFL charges almost $100 to send it (plus shipping!), then the receiving FFL probably charges the transferee some outlandish rate. You're probably talking about $200 bucks by the time all is said and done, just to get the firearm from one person to another.

I realize the government created these silly rules and the paranoia, but guys like these are not helping our cause.

Untill the law tells me I have to, there is no way I'd use a dealer to ship a package that I can ship my own darn self.

 

[lvcat2004]

I have never sent a firearm via FFL, but received many through my FFL who charges $15 here in Las Vegas.

Is there something really complicated about sending a firearm, paperwork wise, that they feel that charging an outrageous amount of $$ is justified??

 

[TX1911fan]

My FFL charges $25 to receive, $16 if you have a CHL. I think he charges $25 to ship.

 

[oneshooter]

Try Jim over at the Shooters Shop. He is in the book.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

 

[jerkface11]

My guy charges $10

 

[JWarren]

I know this is about shipping and not receiving, but I just had to share.

I've used one shop for 6 firearms over the last year. Each time, they charged me 10% of the value of the firearm as a transfer fee.

I was OK with that. It was better than the place that charged a flat $75 dollars and acted like you were dirt for ordering anything that they did not stock.

Then I realized that I spent about $300 in transfer fees last year. As I was about to order another rifle that was going to cost another $100, I found a person in my community who does FFL work as part of their business for $25 flat rate.

This is in line with other places I've seen.


BTW--- the 10% place told me that they were doing me a favor because I did so much business with them. They said that they charge 20% to everyone but their good customers.

I doubt I'll remain in good standing for long.


-- John

 

[Atla]

I always thought of $25 as the 'norm' for this sort of stuff.

 

[btg3]

Varies from $15 to $35 in upstate SC, and no problem receiving from individuals. The transfer is somewhat easier if the buyer has a CCW permit which waives the background check (ie, no phonecall is necessary).

I sold a rifle last fall, and shipped USPS to FFL in TX, with no FFL on my end. Easy.

 

[PPGMD]

My old FFL charged $25 to receive that included the $5 for the FDLE background check. My current one charges $30 including the call.

 

[joplinsks]

If the buyer can find a FFL that will accept from an individual, it's PERFECTLY LEGAL to ship direct to them. Been there... done that a few times. Fedex Ground will accept rifles without any problems and are very reasonable, while UPS can be trouble depending upon who you face behind the counter. If you end up paying a FFL to send it, you're just eating up your profit.

 

[Kind of Blued]

I admittedly didn't read the thread in its entirety, but I know that www.atlanticfirearms.com has a link to a list of ALL registered FFLs in your area. The last time I checked, there were a few willing FFLs to do a transfer for $15. Check the site.

 

[Sir Aardvark]

There is a limit on how much is required from you to support your local gunshop...

Don't let them fleece you!

You can do it yourself for free.

 

[LawBot5000]

This is the reward for letting the gun retailers push congress to tighten up the rules on issuing and renewing FFLs.

This raising of prices for transfers is just the begining. The laws of supply and demand tell us that eventually transferring an ordinary gun will become more and more like transferring an NFA weapon as time goes on.

The solution is to push back and reverse this trend, though nearly no one in congress has the courage to propose any repeals.