I`ve been looking at S&W auto police trade ins lately from CDNN and KY Imports. I asked my local gunshop about ordering one in for me and they said they`d charge the listed price + 20% + transfer fee/NICS to order it in. Maybe I`m wrong but that sounds like a LOT to me. What do you folks generally pay? How bout when you use gunsamerica.com and such? Marcus
Gunshop charges to order a gun?
- Thread starter Marcus
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GigaBuist
Member
I've never actually done it, but I asked a local shop what they charge for an FFL transfer and it's $40 flat. If you check gunbroker.com they have a list of FFL dealers in your area that are willing to do transfers. I've seen some as low at $15 or $20.
20% of purchase price + extra fees means they don't want to do them at all. That's probably a higher profit margine than on the things they carry in stock!
20% of purchase price + extra fees means they don't want to do them at all. That's probably a higher profit margine than on the things they carry in stock!
sturmruger
Member
Look around
CDNN is one of my favorite places to buy guns. I found a dealer who sells guns more as a hobby then anything. He is open everynight from 4-7. Whenever I go in there are about a half dozen good old boys sitting around talking guns, and politics. He only charges me $10 to do a transfer. Now I must admit that most dealers have quoted me around $40 so to find one that would do it for $10 is amazing! I would recomend using the FFL locater service on some of the larger online sales sites like Gunbroker, or Auctionarms.
The dealer you are working with just wants to stay in business. I am sure he normally marks guns up about 20% so that is what he is going to charge you. Look around and find someone that is willing to do it for less. It might take a while, but if you purchase allot of guns it will be worth it in the end. I have bought 4 guns now from CDNN and will buy from them over anyone else as long as they have what I am looking for.
CDNN is one of my favorite places to buy guns. I found a dealer who sells guns more as a hobby then anything. He is open everynight from 4-7. Whenever I go in there are about a half dozen good old boys sitting around talking guns, and politics. He only charges me $10 to do a transfer. Now I must admit that most dealers have quoted me around $40 so to find one that would do it for $10 is amazing! I would recomend using the FFL locater service on some of the larger online sales sites like Gunbroker, or Auctionarms.
The dealer you are working with just wants to stay in business. I am sure he normally marks guns up about 20% so that is what he is going to charge you. Look around and find someone that is willing to do it for less. It might take a while, but if you purchase allot of guns it will be worth it in the end. I have bought 4 guns now from CDNN and will buy from them over anyone else as long as they have what I am looking for.
Cortland
Member
The gunshop doesn't need to order it for you. CDNN will sell to anybody (not just dealers). You buy it directly from CDNN over the phone, then it just becomes a matter of an interstate transfer--and don't pay more than $35 for a transfer. I bought a Steyr M9 from CDNN about a year ago. Just go to a decent gunstore and tell them you'd like to set up a transfer. Most gunstores will probably already have a copy of their FFL on file with CDNN, if not they'll have to mail CDNN a copy before you can order. Once your gunstore knows to expect a package from CDNN for you, you place your order directly with CDNN.
Any dealer that wants to charge a percentage of a guns price for a simple FFL transfer is a grade A you-know-what. Look around for shops with low transfer fees. I've found that pawn shops, historic militaria shops, and other low-volume dealers tend to offer the lowest fees.
I pay $20.
Any dealer that wants to charge a percentage of a guns price for a simple FFL transfer is a grade A you-know-what. Look around for shops with low transfer fees. I've found that pawn shops, historic militaria shops, and other low-volume dealers tend to offer the lowest fees.
I pay $20.
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DMK
Member
A buddy of mine told me to do transfers through Pawn shops. Apparently they don't often get such an attitude about doing it.
Fortunately, I haven't needed to do one in a long while.
Fortunately, I haven't needed to do one in a long while.
45Badger
Member
Marcus- How "east" are you in SE PA? There are a ton of shops in west/northwest Philly burbs. \
I'm south of York, and have several FFLs that process for less than $25. My favorite charges $10 (buy a little ammo, and he'll love ya!).
I'm south of York, and have several FFLs that process for less than $25. My favorite charges $10 (buy a little ammo, and he'll love ya!).
keyhole
Member
In the experience that I have had in having to go thru the paperwork, some of the dealers here will do so for nothing. But then again, we do give them a lot of business in other stuff.
Mike Irwin
Member
I'm in Virginia, and I pay a straight $25 for the order/shipping, with $2 on top of that for the Virginia instant check.
20% of the list price simply means that they don't want to go through the hassle of ordering this for you.
If you order a $500 gun, that's an additional $100 they get for just picking up the stinking phone. I'm sorry, but that's simply predatory.
I can understand an additional fee for a gun that's still in production. They want to sell you one off their shelf. But if it's a gun that's no longer in production, or isn't easily available?
If I found a gunshop like that, I wouldn't order the gun through them.
Nor would I darken the door to that shop again.
20% of the list price simply means that they don't want to go through the hassle of ordering this for you.
If you order a $500 gun, that's an additional $100 they get for just picking up the stinking phone. I'm sorry, but that's simply predatory.
I can understand an additional fee for a gun that's still in production. They want to sell you one off their shelf. But if it's a gun that's no longer in production, or isn't easily available?
If I found a gunshop like that, I wouldn't order the gun through them.
Nor would I darken the door to that shop again.
michiganfan
Member
My local guy does the whole thing for $25 dollars.
blades67
Member
The dealer I work for charges a flat $25. What you were quoted was a robbery looking for a volunteer.
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
Nope. You're not wrong.
If it were me, I'd tell the dealer why a.) I'll take my business elsewhere, and b.) he's not going to get a second chance to rip me off.
JohnBT
Member
Around here there's a price difference in asking a gun shop to order a gun vs. asking a gun shop to do a transfer. I thought it was the same all over. Order = they do the work. Transfer = you do the work.
He asked them to order him a gun and was given a price. Sounds fair to me.
John
He asked them to order him a gun and was given a price. Sounds fair to me.
John
Yeah,it`s just as I thought. I like the guys at this shop and they have stuff nobody else nearby has but their prices aren`t the greatest. In fairness that price was for them to place the order but that`s an awful lot of money for calling some place on the phone! I`ll check around and then order it myself. Marcus
I like the guys at this shop and they have stuff nobody else nearby has but their prices aren`t the greatest. In fairness that price was for them to place the order but that`s an awful lot of money for calling some place on the phone! I`ll check around and then order it myself. MarcusMike Irwin
Member
"Order = they do the work. Transfer = you do the work."
Beg pardon?
The amount of "work" is roughly the same no matter which scenario is played out.
Either way it goes through the shop's bound books. Either way the shop has to make contact with the seller. Either way the cash register opens.
Beg pardon?
The amount of "work" is roughly the same no matter which scenario is played out.
Either way it goes through the shop's bound books. Either way the shop has to make contact with the seller. Either way the cash register opens.
JohnBT
Member
"Order = they do the work. Transfer = you do the work."
Beg pardon?
The amount of "work" is roughly the same no matter which scenario is played out.
__________
Hey, I'm just relating what I've run into. Nobody said retail was logical.
John
Beg pardon?
The amount of "work" is roughly the same no matter which scenario is played out.
__________
Hey, I'm just relating what I've run into. Nobody said retail was logical.
John
Tomac
Member
If I prepay the order my local shop charges a flat $20 transfer fee. If they pay for the order then I have to pay sales tax on top of the transfer fee. Needless to say, I prepay all my gun orders...
Tomac
Tomac
NICS is free, but several states have their own check that complies with Brady that may have an additional cost.
WI does "instant" NICS for longarms, and a 2 biz day wait + WI DROS check that costs $10 for pistols.
"Reasonable" for FFL transfers around here is $25-50, with most of the brick-n-mortar stores charging $50, while the kitchen table FFL's (That survived the past 10 years...) charge $25 for rifle, and $35 for handgun, to recoup the WI DROS fee.
WI does "instant" NICS for longarms, and a 2 biz day wait + WI DROS check that costs $10 for pistols.
"Reasonable" for FFL transfers around here is $25-50, with most of the brick-n-mortar stores charging $50, while the kitchen table FFL's (That survived the past 10 years...) charge $25 for rifle, and $35 for handgun, to recoup the WI DROS fee.
Shweboner
Member
My local FFL (gunsmith) charged $25+NICS ($9 in OR) I had done 8 transfers with him. On the ninth, he raised it to $50 without telling me until I got there. I was not very pleased to say the least.
I emailed him and explained why I decided not to do it. And he replied telling me some sob story about how 'he has to make money too' and to have 'good luck finding someone who will subsidize me in this manner' and basically acting like I asked him to build me a custom rifle for free. I ws shocked because hed always been a semi-decent guy to work with.
Also called me 'uppity apartment trash' even though that type of person makes up for about %95 of his customers. I guess he's happy to take their money for custom rifle work but not to do a simple transfer. I wonder if the rest of the local Tektronix / Intel crowd knows what he thinks of them?
BTW, He also decided that he's charging $10 for NICS not $9 ***?? I wonder if thats legal?
People like him (Don Norris Gunsmithing in Beaverton, OR) and our other local joke of a gunshop (The Gun Room in Portland, OR) are the reason I started my own gun business. Which I hope to have my FFL by this summer!
Good Times.
~Brian
I emailed him and explained why I decided not to do it. And he replied telling me some sob story about how 'he has to make money too' and to have 'good luck finding someone who will subsidize me in this manner' and basically acting like I asked him to build me a custom rifle for free. I ws shocked because hed always been a semi-decent guy to work with.
Also called me 'uppity apartment trash' even though that type of person makes up for about %95 of his customers. I guess he's happy to take their money for custom rifle work but not to do a simple transfer. I wonder if the rest of the local Tektronix / Intel crowd knows what he thinks of them?
BTW, He also decided that he's charging $10 for NICS not $9 ***?? I wonder if thats legal?
People like him (Don Norris Gunsmithing in Beaverton, OR) and our other local joke of a gunshop (The Gun Room in Portland, OR) are the reason I started my own gun business. Which I hope to have my FFL by this summer!
Good Times.
~Brian
Smoke
Member
What exactly is meant by "Order"
Are you asking the gunshop to obtain a gun from a another dealer, or individual? Or are you asking them to obtain from a wholesaler a gun they just don't have on the rack?
If the former. I'm not surprised by their stance.
If the latter. Find another dealer.
Smoke
Are you asking the gunshop to obtain a gun from a another dealer, or individual? Or are you asking them to obtain from a wholesaler a gun they just don't have on the rack?
If the former. I'm not surprised by their stance.
If the latter. Find another dealer.
Smoke
Baba Louie
Member
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2002
- Messages
- 3,831
Order it in? With his money or with yours? If its your money thats one thing. If its his money, thats another.
Or is this the term used for his "transfer" fee (20%)? ie, you order and pay for it, he sends his FFL to distributer, and logs in the 4473, etc.
Put yourself in his shoes for a second and ask yourself these questions...
A. He's gotta pay the bills and hopefully make a profit to keep his doors open, right? Whats his monthly business like cash flow wise?
B. Sounds like a lot of money ($50 on a $250 order) at first blush doesn't it?
C. Do you buy a lot of other stuff from his store? Ammo, Cleaning stuff, reloading, etc?
D. Is this your first of many such purchases through his store?
E. How long has he been in business? (Did he survive the Clinton years or is he relatively new?)
F. Does he want your business?
Having said all that and I don't know how you'd answer those questions, the two stores I mainly buy from charge wholesale +$30 or so + taxes and "Brady Fee" ($15)... which seems about right considering all of their competition. Another store in town charges MSRP on everything new, high Blue Book on everything used, so I hardly bother walking into their store.
Plus the fact that several thousand of my dollars has gone through those two stores, they tend to be friendly when I walk in. I usually walk out with a thinner wallet and something to play with tho.
It may be that once he gets to know you and your buying habits, he'll even start calling you when something he KNOWS you've just gotta have shows up (I hate it when that happens) and not shake you down as a one time customer.
But whadda I know?
Or is this the term used for his "transfer" fee (20%)? ie, you order and pay for it, he sends his FFL to distributer, and logs in the 4473, etc.
Put yourself in his shoes for a second and ask yourself these questions...
A. He's gotta pay the bills and hopefully make a profit to keep his doors open, right? Whats his monthly business like cash flow wise?
B. Sounds like a lot of money ($50 on a $250 order) at first blush doesn't it?
C. Do you buy a lot of other stuff from his store? Ammo, Cleaning stuff, reloading, etc?
D. Is this your first of many such purchases through his store?
E. How long has he been in business? (Did he survive the Clinton years or is he relatively new?)
F. Does he want your business?
Having said all that and I don't know how you'd answer those questions, the two stores I mainly buy from charge wholesale +$30 or so + taxes and "Brady Fee" ($15)... which seems about right considering all of their competition. Another store in town charges MSRP on everything new, high Blue Book on everything used, so I hardly bother walking into their store.
Plus the fact that several thousand of my dollars has gone through those two stores, they tend to be friendly when I walk in. I usually walk out with a thinner wallet and something to play with tho.
It may be that once he gets to know you and your buying habits, he'll even start calling you when something he KNOWS you've just gotta have shows up (I hate it when that happens) and not shake you down as a one time customer.
But whadda I know?
cratz2
Member
My guy charges $15 or $25 (depending on how good of a mood he's in) to do any reasonable number of transfers at one time... I received in three guns and he charged me $25 total. Two other decent shops charge $25-$40.
I think a lot of the fee (at least around here and in my experience) has to do with how often you buy guns from that particular shop. If I owned a shop, I'd be a lot more likely to do a transfer for $10 or $15 for a guy that was at least a semi-regular customer and had bought, say, 3 or more guns in the last year. Also, if you're ordering something that I carry, I'd be a bit less likely to make you a great deal on than if you're ordering something like the P7 trades.
I think a lot of the fee (at least around here and in my experience) has to do with how often you buy guns from that particular shop. If I owned a shop, I'd be a lot more likely to do a transfer for $10 or $15 for a guy that was at least a semi-regular customer and had bought, say, 3 or more guns in the last year. Also, if you're ordering something that I carry, I'd be a bit less likely to make you a great deal on than if you're ordering something like the P7 trades.
RobW
Member
There are still a lot of gun-shop owners out there VERY eager to get rid of their business. The biggest enemy lies within.
It is usual in Italian tourist-trap restaurants that you have to pay an extra $ 2.00 for the plate and silverware.
May be this "shop-owners" had a vacation in Italy?
It is usual in Italian tourist-trap restaurants that you have to pay an extra $ 2.00 for the plate and silverware.
May be this "shop-owners" had a vacation in Italy?
Doc
Member
an issue which was identified to me by a shop owner
(and I suspect other 'mom&pop' stores may agree)
is the low ball prices in some online and catalog vendors
which they may not be able to meet and stay in business.
Typically, my friend who own the gunstores tells me that
the price quoted in shotgun news or at CDNN is actually
"wholesale" or lower than he can order the gun from his
suppliers. And customers some times want the gun at that
advertised price, which would eliminate any profit for his store in the sale.
If such an ordered gun is ordinarily one they would stock in the store,
they are out any money they would have made (20% or whatever)
and I think you can see their point.
If the gun a customer wants to order isn't part of the store's usual
stock, you would think the store owner would be interested in ordering
and selling the gun for just a 'transfer charge'. BUT,
some store owners ARE their own WORST enemies; typically, if
a customer wants a gun they wouldn't/couldn't usually order &
stock, and hence wouldn't make that 20% on,
the store owner doesn't want to order it for less than the usual profit
so he won't do it.
Interestingly, my friend never says 'no', but if I don't order it myself, pay for it
and send his FFL, he just drags his feet and never gets around to ordering it
for me.
(and I suspect other 'mom&pop' stores may agree)
is the low ball prices in some online and catalog vendors
which they may not be able to meet and stay in business.
Typically, my friend who own the gunstores tells me that
the price quoted in shotgun news or at CDNN is actually
"wholesale" or lower than he can order the gun from his
suppliers. And customers some times want the gun at that
advertised price, which would eliminate any profit for his store in the sale.
If such an ordered gun is ordinarily one they would stock in the store,
they are out any money they would have made (20% or whatever)
and I think you can see their point.
If the gun a customer wants to order isn't part of the store's usual
stock, you would think the store owner would be interested in ordering
and selling the gun for just a 'transfer charge'. BUT,
some store owners ARE their own WORST enemies; typically, if
a customer wants a gun they wouldn't/couldn't usually order &
stock, and hence wouldn't make that 20% on,
the store owner doesn't want to order it for less than the usual profit
so he won't do it.
Interestingly, my friend never says 'no', but if I don't order it myself, pay for it
and send his FFL, he just drags his feet and never gets around to ordering it
for me.
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