If I can't buy from them directly, am I doing them any favors by sending my transfer business to them? Is the $25 fee more of an annoyance than a benefit?

I always try to but from a local store. I like the owners and I always start there first, but he can't come close to online prices. I purchased a rifle online for $625 shipped, and the best he could do was $875 plus taxes. I have been to the store a dozen times in the last year, but never buy from them. I end up purchasing online and use him for the transfer.

It's a good question. I've wondered the same myself.

Depends. I know I asked one that also had an indoor shooting range I used often about it and they said they would do any transfers unless you were buying the gun there.

I had bought stuff there before and used their range. This was also a gun they couldn't get as it was a custom-built gun. I haven't given them any business outside of the range fee since then.

I think it depends on the shop.

There is one local to me that I will never purchase a thing from again because they refuse to do transfers for any gun they sell. Also that same local place won't negotiate on pricing. I said hey I can get it online for $200 less than you are selling it for meet me in the middle and take a $100 off and you have yourself a deal, nope.

I'm just a tad older than a millennial so I've actually never bought a gun from a gun store, only online, face to face, or family. Not sure what their purpose is anymore.

The FFL that I use doesn't have a store, they work out of their house. They seem happy to do transfers. A store used by my brother charges $50 transfer fee. To me the in town dealer is a way better deal and they are happy to get my business.

i've bought from several lgs in my area & xferred many more in because they weren't in stock or lgs wasn't willing to order.

Depends, often not.

I always look to find a dealer who does a lot of transfers and appreciates the quick $25-30 for 30 min of paperwork with no capital in the weapons.

quote:

Originally posted by Skins2881:
I'm just a tad older than a millennial so I've actually never bought a gun from a gun store... Not sure what their purpose is anymore.

Instant gratification - ie, I need it TODAY.

Like most local stores.

Here's how I look at it.

If you don't want the business, don't offer the service.

If you don't offer the service, someone else will.

In doing tranfers, you get the customer in your door. Once inside your shop, there is a chance they may find something else to buy- holster, ammo, etc. If the person never comes inside, no chance for a sale.

The place I use does appreciate the business and takes advantage of it by offering lower prices than any other local place has, other than private individuals (kitchen table dealers.) Many people prefer to use an actual shop.

I use a local pawn shop. They charge $25 and are glad to do the transfers. I think they do a bunch every day.

There's a guy up the street that does transfers from his wife's aloe store. $25. 5 minute drive. He says buy as much as I want, he'll do the transfers. So guess he doesn't mind.

My regular FFL doesn't charge me but he's 45 minutes away, so if I buy a lot at once, I'll send them all there and wait to go get them at once. He's sitting on two lowers and one handgun now. I'm waiting for my second suppressor to get to him, then I'll make one trip to get the lowers and handgun and do the form 4 paperwork. 45 minutes each way, but no charge and he'll feed me and my kids (he owns a pizza shop too). Worth the drive.

All my LGS' will do transfers. A couple want $25, a couple want more. I think one wants $45. I rarely do transfers. If one of my LGS' sells it, I buy it from the LGS.

One thing I'd never do is look at guns at my LGS', then go buy on-line. I don't do that for any product of any kind. Period.

The shop I work part-time in doesn't appreciate transfers. They charge $50 to do them and don't accept transfers from Buds, Grab a gun or CDNN.

The owners view is that these big volume dealers squeeze out the brick n mortar stores. They WILL order you a gun if we don't have it in stock. But most folks don't want to wait the 3 days for us to get it from the distributor. Regards 18DAI

I do some of both. Some things they don't have, can't get (ex: ordering a custom piece online, shipped in is better than some part of the customization being miscommunicated), or can't match the price I can get through contacts. In my case, the LGS is my local range, so I use that frequently, too.

I use a pawn shop as well, no weird LGS vibe, they don't care and it is also really close to my house.

I briefly looked into opening a gun store and was quickly shocked at how low the margins are. They have to sink many tens of thousands (hundred plus?) into inventory plus all the overhead of a brick and mortar store for something like a 10-15% profit margin.

Ammo and accessories is a lot better margins...but then anyone can order that stuff via internet with going through an FFL.

While I have never asked them directly, my favorite LGS in Slatington, PA is very accommodating and helpful when transferring weapons from sales outside of their own.

They'll call me as soon as something that I've purchased elsewhere arrives, and unless they are super busy or it is a day that they close early, they usually have the weapon logged and ready for pick-up by the eod of its arrival.

I usually also see if there is something else I can purchase from their shop, like ammo or targets or household hardware goods, etc.

So yes, I think they do appreciate the business.

My guy does provided, that if it's a new gun, he gets a chance to do the deal before I order.

Other than that, he's glad to have me in the shop to see what he has laying around, and I always look over his used inventory when I am in doing a transfer, and will often buy something.

Local shop I help out occasionally at does a lot of transfers. He is a brick and mortar with limited hours five days a week. Being a small store he cannot compete with the big box stores. I'm privy to what his suppliers sell to him for. For instance,a guy came in to buy two Ruger SR22's, one for him and one for his wife. Big box down the road ten miles sold them for less than the local shop could buy them for. I also know the margins that he marks up used guns, he's definitely not making a grand slam on them. Customers will come in and offer half of what a gun is tagged for and think that the shop is still making money at that. I can tell you that is not the case.

It's hard for a small shop with low margins. His biggest supplied closed the doors a couple of months back. While their pricing was not fantastic it still was not bad. It's getting harder for him to find add on parts and accessories, I've searched online from home for items he has needed. Fact of life, volume trumps all. A transfer is income, better than nothing.

He is mainly used and consignment guns, emphasis on antique, C&R eligible,and and military guns. And odd calibers. Go to Dunham's or Wal-Mart and see if they have .218 Bee or .35 Remington. They don't, he does.

My local to me LGS, where I also have a membership which allows me unlimited use of their indoor range, offers a 5% discount on ammo, and accessories, is willing to do transfers (wait for it) for $90, yes you read it right...$90 freaking dollars!!!

I used to go to a Pawn Shop as a regular route but they sold out, it was $20.
Then went to a local gun shop but they gave me a hard time and it $35 so I dumped them.
Found a local guy out of his house for $20 (now $25) and have done a shitload of transfers with him no problem.
If you are using a shop that also sells guns you need to test the waters on their attitude.
Some are gung-ho Pro2A guys and welcome you and others look at it as a PIA part of business - those you want to avoid.
If they don't want you all they have to do is price it way out there.
For me $20-25 is right but no more than $35 in an emergency, beyond that forget about it.
Get references or ask questions or look at reviews if available.
I won't use anyone with a bad attitude or a high price.
Period.