Moral Dilemma-Internet Purchase vs. Your FFL

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psyopspec

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I went on a spontaneous shopping trip for a pocket gun last Sunday. After browsing a few chain stores (my local pawn shop/FFL is closed on Sundays) I decided I liked the look and feel of the Kahr PM-9. The chain store price for a new Kahr was $539. I always research a purchase, and after getting home from the chain store I checked out gunbroker.com. I found the same product for $480 and made the purchase. This morning I went into my local FFL (a pawn/gunshop) to get a copy of his license and send off to the gunbroker seller.

I got a dirty look and a bit of chop busting from the manager. Turns out they sell the same pistol I bought online, but for $630. He asked what I got mine for and I told him. He was amazed at the price, and said that they usually don't transfer firearms that they sell but he could make exception for me this one time.

Obviously I'm in the process of purchasing the gunbroker pistol, but my question is this: How much more do you spend to support your local shop as opposed to buying elsewhere for a lower price? Normally I wouldn't be afraid to go +$50 to buy local, but with the $150 price difference I don't feel so bad for having bought online instead.
 
If they hassle you for paying them $20 to receive a package and log the gun take your business elsewhere.

Where else can you earn $20 for about 10 minutes of work?
 
Psyopspec......That FFL dealer made $20 off you for the following:

1) Having you fill out a Form 4473
2) Making one phone call.
3) Writing down the transaction in a "bound book."

Hey, I wish I could make $20 a pop for that all day long.

Even when I do CCW renewals for $30, I wind up doing a full hour's worth of range safety officering, instructing, setting up different targets, and filling out state government paperwork.

Sometimes I have to play counselor and sports-pscyhotherapist to those who aren't confident about their shooting abilities, or put up with gruff demeanors, bad jokes, body odor, or all sorts of things like that.

And afterwards, I pick up all the brass from my backyard range.

If that FFL can't deal with making $20 for nothing, find someone else.

But here's a hint. Before purchasing one off the Internet, have an FFL ready to go with the transfer.

Ask around. Use the phone.

I've got several FFL dealers who willingly do transfers for $10 a pop.

I just make sure to not over-use any of them, so I spread out the $10 bills amongst them.

But you aren't "hurting" any FFL by giving him what amounts to free money on transfers.

hillbilly
 
My FFL has done many t'fers for me ... $10 a pop. If I buy private (here or elsewhere) then he does the t'fer. For new tho I will go to him most times ... even if it costs a bit more. He actually cuts me a very fair deal ... and even throws in oddments sometimes like a scope mount in a deal. This is all in a sense a loyalty thing ... he helps me and I help him.

Heaven knows, the FFL numbers have dropped so much that it may not be long before even a County town like mine no longer has a dealership - I'd like to help keep this one running.
 
Heaven knows, the FFL numbers have dropped so much that it may not be long before even a County town like mine no longer has a dealership - I'd like to help keep this one running.
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Precisely my mentality. I go to this FFL for all my ammo needs and most of my holsters and other shooting accessories. I've never purchased a firearm from his shop simply because he's never had what I've been looking for. But all the same I would hate to lose that local place where I can pick up shooting supplies and BS with other local shooters.

Great input so far, thanks.
 
I've never purchased a firearm from his shop simply because he's never had what I've been looking for.
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That reminded me - my guy does not always have that huge a stock - handguns anyways. He serves the rifle/hunter fraternity much more. But - once having decided on a purchase I get him to order it and get it in. My new 226ST was there inside 48 hours from ordering - and as he knows me well, no deposit or preliminary hassles at all.
 
Once he gave me the dirty look, I would've went somewhere else. Not only that, I would've taken my purchases of anything from that point on somewhere else. Then I would tell everyone that I know.

The dealers here in IL around me are outrageous about doing transfers. They want to charge $50 or 20% of the sale price, whichever is greater. They don't get any of my business in any way, shape or form.

I found a guy who does FFL's for $20 and guess who I recommend for transfers?
 
I'll ask my dealer what he can get me a particular moel for and let him know what I can buy it for elsewhere. If he's within 30-50 bucks I'll buy from him. I'd rather give the little extra to a local guy than someone I've never met and is miles and states away. I have actually been told by a large shop here to buy the model elsewhere cause they couldn't come close to the price I'd found online.
 
What garyk/nm said.

The TRUE cost of an online purchase is the price plus shipping plus FFL transfer fees. Plus sales tax if you have to pay it.

The TOTAL cost of a local purchase is the price plus sales tax.

If the two are within 10% or so, I'll go with the local guy every time. But I am NOT going to spend $200 for a K-31 at a gunshow when the TRUE online cost is around $116.
 
How much more do you spend to support your local shop as opposed to buying elsewhere for a lower price?
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About $5. If they want to stay in business, they're going to have to compete. I'm thoroughly sick and tired of jerk-water F.F.L.s who think they're entitled to the sun, the moon, and the stars because they've got a handful of popular guns in stock. Not coincidentally, I'm sure, they tend to be the same F.F.L.s who think they can make up flaky answers to questions, condescend to customers, and accidentally forget to include second magazines in purchases.
 
About $5. If they want to stay in business, they're going to have to compete. I'm thoroughly sick and tired of jerk-water F.F.L.s who think they're entitled to the sun, the moon, and the stars because they've got a handful of popular guns in stock. Not coincidentally, I'm sure, they tend to be the same F.F.L.s who think they can make up flaky answers to questions, condescend to customers, and accidentally forget to include second magazines in purchases.
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Wow, I thought we had it bad in the Cook County area.
 
Once he gave me the dirty look, I would've went somewhere else.
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Not to give the wrong impression about this place; generally it's a good shop, I shoot with a couple of the employees on a regular basis, and any ribbing we give eachother is both mutual and only in fun.
 
When I was purchasing a large lot of ammo I looked around for the best price. Cheaper Than Dirt had what I wanted for $12/box. My local store had it for $13.50. I told them what I wanted and how much I could get it for and, suprisingly, they matched it. Maybe by buying 6 cases at once he could get a better price too, but they wanted the business.

When you find a "deal" ask them what they can do and give them a chance to get in the game. You may get the best of both worlds and your dealer gets a reality check on what is available outside his doors.
 
Cook County, IL...or anyone else

if you go tovwww.gunsamerica.com they have a spot where you can type in your zip code and a bunch of local transfer FFL's pop up, along with the price they charge for a transfer. Nice to have options.

In the Cook County area, try D&J Guns in Lakemoor. Good folks.

We lived up there until six months ago.

Best luck, Rich
 
The gunsamerica.com list is OKAY but it isn't kept up to date. About half the guys on the list for the OKC area are no longer in business and/or haven't been for quite a while.

Still it's a good place to start if no other resource is available.
 
I find the best price I can online, add in shipping (~$20) and transfer ($20-$35), then take that price to the local store.

"I want this. I can get it for $X. I'll give you a little more because I like to support you guys and I get to look at the thing before I buy it, but I'm not gonna pay a whole lot more. What can you do?"

That works at Palmetto, not so much at Shooter's Choice. The guys at Palmetto know me, know that I won't hesitate to order something off the net, and they aren't offended if they can't compete with a price I find. They'll just say, "no, I can't compete with that - get it from the other place." They don't care, because I've already bought about 5 guns from them in the past few years, my brother has bought 2, my dad 3 or 4, and I send them other business fairly regularly.

Wateree Arms, on the other hand, is awful. Their prices are stupid and they won't negotiate. I bought a box of ammo from them once, that's it. You're gonna charge me $700 for the same pistol I can get on the other side of town for $625 and then tell me that you're not making any money off of it even at $700? :rolleyes: The only way they can possibly stay in business is to cater to the crowd that has no idea what guns cost and what they're worth.
 
Let me recollect the last gun I bought from a local dealer- was it the Kimber? No... The Mossberg 590A1? No... Oh yeah- it was Springfield 1911A1 mil-spec, and that was only because he did a price-match for $419.

That was 2 years (or 4 guns) ago. My next gun is going to be online as well, and pretty soon I'll have my C&R and I will be concentrating on old guns anyway. I love the idea of just having stuff mailed direct to me!

Besides, my first purchase from a local dealer (Dec. 99, just before the Cali ban) was a Bushmaster lower for $499. As you can imagine, I don't think too much of him anymore.
 
As been stated, let your money talk. Gun dealers who don't appreciate their customers, won't have any customers in this day and age, especially with the online auctions. I pay $10 for a simple firearm transfer, and $20 if I order a gun from the same dealer. He'd rather have me do the work. I buy ammo and supplies from him. And he always gives me a reasonable price on any guns he has in stock. I have paid $20-30. more a few times for new rifles from him, but I'm a lefty, and its worth the time, if its exactly what I want. Another dealer 3 blocks down charges $50 for a transfer, and most of the firearms that he orders and has in the display case, are at least $100. overpriced. The only reason I step into his store is to try the fit and check over the guns that I'm interested in.Then I either go online or order it from the other dealer.
 
That reminds me of one scenario that got me really torqued.

I see the term "my local dealer" used quite often. Thankfully we have 4 or 5 gun shops that can choose from locally.

I had actually found a firearm online that caught my eye and was about to push the "Buy It Now" button when I decided I'd better call one of the local shops to make sure the shipping and transfer would be a smooth one. I spend a fair amount of time in all the shops in my area but this was my first online purchase so I wanted to assure a trouble free transaction, both for me and the seller.

I called and told the owner that I wanted to check on his transfer price and get paperwork details. He asked what I was buying and I told him (it was an AR15). He stated that he sold AR15's. I told him I was aware of that but this rifle had some unique upgrades and accessories and that I thought it was a good deal for the price they were asking.

He pretty much interrupted me and went on a tirade on how he was tired of "playing this game". Guys ordering online all over the internet and having it shipped to him just so they could avoid paying taxes!

I stayed calm and told him I would not be doing business with him in the future and would do my part to assure my local shooters knew his stance on this issue. And to think he charges $35 to receive the firearm!

Owners are entitled to set their price and I probably would have paid $35, but I will not do business with someone with such a pi$$y attitude.
 
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