FFL Transfer fee?

[Ingomike]

I think the idea is that if someone buys a gun, at near cost.. they will want ammo/accessories that may have more margin on them.

Some of the less scrupulous places will mag skim the extra mags sold with new guns. Then sell those separately.. pure profit on those. I am not going to out which places do that.. but its not any I know of in this thread

So using the gun as a lost leader, I can see some of that. What percentage of gun buyers would we believe buy $200 in accessories that result in $100 gross profit from the 100% markup?

Some will do anything to make a buck…

 

[bowhunter911]

So using the gun as a lost leader, I can see some of that. What percentage of gun buyers would we believe buy $200 in accessories that result in $100 gross profit from the 100% markup?

Some will do anything to make a buck…

i read a while back that is what gas stations do, they only make a couple cents per gallon on gas, but have hopes that you will go in and buy drinks, smokes, snacks and thats where they burn you.

 

[penguinship]

I fail to see how a $25 charge is enough for the work, record keeping, and liability. Certainly not in my value system. In a previous thread we discussed and laid out the legal steps to be followed by the FFL. For example, when the typical HVAC contractor wants $150-$200 to just show up at your house to diagnose your problem $25 bucks seems small to me.

By itself, you're right, it isn't. But your transfer is not the only record an FFL has to keep. They already keep a bound book, paper forms, etc. Since they're already set up for it, I'd guess that adding another record isn't a big deal.

 

[R3p1lc3]

Then give me another opinion, that is the topic of discussion

I did. It's purely discretionary. If they are comfortable doing it for 20$ it's their business.

If I don't like the price of (gun/xfer/etc) I go elsewhere.

 

[WebSnyper]

I fail to see how a $25 charge is enough for the work, record keeping, and liability. Certainly not in my value system. In a previous thread we discussed and laid out the legal steps to be followed by the FFL. For example, when the typical HVAC contractor wants $150-$200 to just show up at your house to diagnose your problem $25 bucks seems small to me.

I'm guessing for most ffls that like to do transfers it's extra cash flow for stuff they are already doing (or have an employee doing) with no additional overhead or out of pocket. It helps pay the bills or provides some extra cash.

 

[2tonic]

NO kidding lol. I was reading along and was like wtf 2012? Who does $10 transfers? Funny though I still use Front Toward Enemy in Demotte. Just talked to Matt this week in fact...

I have utilized the services of Matt, and his swordfighting, snake killing daughter before.
Is he still active here? I wanted to use him for a pair of pistol transfers a year ago, but a member search came up empty. Would love to re-establish contact if he's still out in Demotte.
Kind of guy Matt is?
First time I met him, 12 or 13 years ago, I transferred in a DW Bobtail Valor. When I get to his place, before the paperwork and money, he says "Wanna try it out first?"
Sure.
He grabs a handful of loaded .45acp mags and heads out the door toward his range, with me in tow.
His mags.
His ammo.
One of the guys from (sadly defunct) Huntertown Arms was back there measuring SPLs from some new suppressors. I think his INGO name was Semper Fi, or similar, very nice man as well.
End result was I came for a 10 minute transfer and spent the rest of the afternoon learning to love my DW, shooting and giving my opinion on a multitude of suppressor/gun combinations, with some of the most pleasant gentlemen you'll ever find.
And on their ammo dime.

 

[JAL]

Yes most places if you buy from them or thru them don't charge a transfer fee. View attachment 334976

Last I checked, Rural King won't do an FFL transfer unless you buy from Rural King in the store or from RK Guns online. They won't do transfers from any other online sellers.

 

[WebSnyper]

Last I checked, Rural King won't do an FFL transfer unless you buy from Rural King in the store or from RK Guns online. They won't do transfers from any other online sellers.

Nor can I imagine wanting to transfer in something from anyone else to them. It's a poor enough experience (at least in my own experience) transferring something you bought through their own website at their stores. (Don't want to let you check it out before transfer, taking forever with their 4473 computer kiosks being down, perp walk, etc)

 

[JAL]

Nor can I imagine wanting to transfer in something from anyone else to them. It's a poor enough experience (at least in my own experience) transferring something you bought through their own website at their stores. (Don't want to let you check it out before transfer, taking forever with their 4473 computer kiosks being down, perp walk, etc)

That may be dependent on the store and their staff. The couple times I dealt with my store, they were good, and I could inspect the barrel, and cosmetics, but they didn't want someone overly manipulating the action as it would create wear marks making sale more difficult if refused.

 

[WebSnyper]

That may be dependent on the store and their staff. The couple times I dealt with my store, they were good, and I could inspect the barrel, and cosmetics, but they didn't want someone overly manipulating the action as it would create wear marks making sale more difficult if refused.

Being able to pull the trigger and make sure it resets is kind of an important basic check on a transfer. I finally convinced the counter guy to at least do that basic check for me himself as I couldn't be trusted to do it.

 

[bigretic]

I have utilized the services of Matt, and his swordfighting, snake killing daughter before.
Is he still active here? I wanted to use him for a pair of pistol transfers a year ago, but a member search came up empty. Would love to re-establish contact if he's still out in Demotte.
Kind of guy Matt is?
First time I met him, 12 or 13 years ago, I transferred in a DW Bobtail Valor. When I get to his place, before the paperwork and money, he says "Wanna try it out first?"
Sure.
He grabs a handful of loaded .45acp mags and heads out the door toward his range, with me in tow.
His mags.
His ammo.
One of the guys from (sadly defunct) Huntertown Arms was back there measuring SPLs from some new suppressors. I think his INGO name was Semper Fi, or similar, very nice man as well.
End result was I came for a 10 minute transfer and spent the rest of the afternoon learning to love my DW, shooting and giving my opinion on a multitude of suppressor/gun combinations, with some of the most pleasant gentlemen you'll ever find.
And on their ammo dime.

I don't believe Matt is active on here - busy guy. But he is still doing his thing and still in the same place. Text him. https://www.front2enemy.com/contact

 

[patience0830]

I'm seeing some good prices on the Internet. But, they only ship to FFL addresses.
What can I expect in tranfer fees from an FFL?

$25 to $100 depending on how badly they want you to buy through them. My last was $40 at Honeycreek in Bargersville. Searching for cheaper.

 

[Ingomike]

$25 to $100 depending on how badly they want you to buy through them. My last was $40 at Honeycreek in Bargersville. Searching for cheaper.

He got another one.

Someone with 8 posts resurrected a dead thread. The post you responded to is nearly 12 years old. There are more current posts in this thread than in its original incarnation. The guy you replied to has not been on here in over a year…

 

[patience0830]

He got another one.

Someone with 8 posts resurrected a dead thread. The post you responded to is nearly 12 years old. There are more current posts in this thread than in its original incarnation. The guy you replied to has not been on here in over a year…

I saw that. Topic is always good for research. Consider me "not got" but simply bringing research to the fore once again.

 

[arty8]

I'm seeing some good prices on the Internet. But, they only ship to FFL addresses.
What can I expect in tranfer fees from an FFL?

$35 at copperhead ridge in Avon, good, small, shop though....I'm happy to pay it.

 

[mike4sigs]

I would not know as I have never been involved in any part of a transfer. I am trying to understand why from a business perspective, I just cannot see a logical business reason why any LGS would do them other than for good customers.

Probably can see mire reason for RK than most since their product spread is so great it can be a lost leader.

in my opinion !
$20- $30 for paperwork and time spent on the pc to do the nics.

 

[mike4sigs]

I'm guessing for most ffls that like to do transfers it's extra cash flow for stuff they are already doing (or have an employee doing) with no additional overhead or out of pocket. It helps pay the bills or provides some extra cash.

bingo

 

[Ingomike]

in my opinion !
$20- $30 for paperwork and time spent on the pc to do the nics.

So Indeed says starting positions at gun stores are $20 an hour so an employee costs $35 an hour minimum. A $30 transfer must be done in less than 51 minutes just to cover labor cost. Assuming we are discussing a real shop, not a kitchen table operation, it must be received, checked in, stored, retrieved, shown to customer, run background checks, before handing over. There is no accounting for any overhead or liability insurance, which I suspect is not cheap.

When I say I can’t figure it out it is because the numbers don’t work out profitably. That leaves lost leader as the best explanation.

 

[rbhargan]

So Indeed says starting positions at gun stores are $20 an hour so an employee costs $35 an hour minimum. A $30 transfer must be done in less than 51 minutes just to cover labor cost. Assuming we are discussing a real shop, not a kitchen table operation, it must be received, checked in, stored, retrieved, shown to customer, run background checks, before handing over. There is no accounting for any overhead or liability insurance, which I suspect is not cheap.

When I say I can’t figure it out it is because the numbers don’t work out profitably. That leaves lost leader as the best explanation.

True. Except, the employee is being paid whether they are doing anything or just sitting *waiting* for something to do. Doing an FFL transfer can fill in slack time and generate money from time that would otherwise be unproductive. Of course, if the shop so busy that there is no "down" time, then this would not be the case.

 

[Ingomike]

True. Except, the employee is being paid whether they are doing anything or just sitting *waiting* for something to do. Doing an FFL transfer can fill in slack time and generate money from time that would otherwise be unproductive. Of course, if the shop so busy that there is no "down" time, then this would not be the case.

You are not the first to say this, I never worked in a gun store, do they sit around doing nothing a lot? Knowing human nature I doubt the transfer customer comes in during the wasted time, I would expect them to typically come in when it is busiest. LOL