quote:

Originally posted by Warhorse:
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!!!

Yowser!

My local gun Club charges $35 per transfer. I assumed it was per transaction. I had three lowers shipped to them from PSA, one complete and two stripped. Cost me $105 for the transfer. The stripped receivers were only $25. I looked over and saw that they were selling stripped receivers for $50. I just shook my head at myself. Buying online certainly didn't benefit me in that case.

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, only online, face to face, or family. Not sure what their purpose is anymore.

What does being a millennial have to do with it? I’m apparently one and have only bought lowers online, and prefer gun stores for all my other purchases. Hell, if my gun stores sold cheaper lowers, I’d buy those there too.

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

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.

Me either, especially if a salesman is taking time with you.

It isnt about not wanting to wait. It is the price. One local LGS will do transfers but charge $40. Also they will order for you but will not price match. They are several hundred over on glocks etc.
The other is a small shop, he does it for $15 and I always buy ammo from him. I even had a shotgun follow me home as well one day. Love visiting with him and he is a pleasant and knowledgeable fellow.

quote:

Originally posted by RAMIUS:

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, only online, face to face, or family. Not sure what their purpose is anymore.

What does being a millennial have to do with it? I’m apparently one and have only bought lowers online, and prefer gun stores for all my other purchases. Hell, if my gun stores sold cheaper lowers, I’d buy those there too.

It means you are raised in a life that included e commerce, so you are more likely to search around on the internet for the best prices.

For me more specifically it meant that all of my purchases or acquisitions prior to 10 years ago came from family or friends, and I have no connection with any LGS.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
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.

Me either, especially if a salesman is taking time with you.

Especially in that case.

I won't even go to a "local" LGS, about 45 minutes away, that discounts heavily after occupying salespersons' time at regular LGS'.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:

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.

Me either, especially if a salesman is taking time with you.

I will. If I am looking for something that is new to me and I want to see or handle some examples but am not willing to buy on the spot. I will certainly go and fondle their offerings, and if something fits perfect, buy it. For instance we went to local gunshop for wifes carry piece. We fondled many, crossed a number of her list of possibilities and talked to someone there for 15 minutes. That person deserves some kind of compensation for his time. Since we were not ready to make purchase we bought an holster, small car lockup case, and an auto loader from them. Things we could have bought online and saved $30-50, but it was my way of paying for the chance to fondle his guns and figure knock some off her list of guns. If they had the model she selected I would have gone back and paid a reasonable premium over online prices because I want them to stay in business.

I’ve never had one refuse or seem shitty about doing them; I can’t imagine why they would. $25 bucks for doing practically nothing is good money. If they got heartburn over me not paying $100+ for the same gun, I’d never go back and tell them exactly why. If the cost with shipping and transfer worked out equally, I’d save the time and get it there and East the taxes in trade fire ship/pickup time.

A transfer seems like nearly free money for the store. It took me less than 15 minutes to complete my last one.

If a gun is new, I’ll give the store a chance to compete. If they won’t, and I can get it significantly cheaper with a transfer (including the fee), then guess what? Welcome to capitalism.

My local pawn FFL does 25-30 transfers every single day at $15 each and is happy to do so. Do the math. The money is easy, quick, money.

These gun stores that dont accept transfers, or charge an outrageous fee for them, are shooting them in the foot. The market has changed. There is no money in firearms. The money is in the accessories and ammo mark up.

Do the transfer (with a smile on your face), make your $15, and sell them a few boxes of ammo and a holster to go with it. A person that never sets foot in your store buys nothing. A person that does set foot in your store, may or may not return based on how they are treated, and they may buy something today, and return next week to buy something else again.

I don’t think many gun shops make much on transfers, I think they do them in the hopes that you will become a customer there and buy their stock.

My FFL charges $10 for a transfer. I’ve turned a couple very happy ppl on to him. He also doesn’t charge any markup on new firearms or anything he gets for you. You pay what he pays, any shipping, and $10 transfer fee. What a deal. Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy yourself online if his distributor charges more. Other times, when’s it a higher ticket item he’s cheaper even paying sales tax. Now that more places are charging sales tax, he’s a better deal most times. Unfortunately, lately my transfers have mostly been out rather than in.
And to top it off he’s a great guy I highly respect, and a wealth of knowledge.

My LGS is over $50 now so I use a pawn shop for $25. They seem to do a lot of them

My LGS has a $10 transfer fee.

They know once I'm in the door that I'll replenish my ammo supply. A few boxes of ammo that aren't 9, 45, or 223 going out the door almost every time doesn't hurt either.

My preferred guy is $20 and I always give him first right of refusal on the sale. Email him to tell him what i want, he gives me his out the door price and then I either buy from him or online. He doesn't seem to mind.

quote:

Originally posted by PASig:
I don’t think many gun shops make much on transfers, I think they do them in the hopes that you will become a customer there and buy their stock.

If a shop charges $25 and it takes them <20 minutes, then they just made $75/hr for that period. Seems like a win if the alternative is that I go somewhere else and they get $0.

Granted, compared to a complete firearm purchase, it isn't much.

quote:

My local pawn FFL does 25-30 transfers every single day at $15 each and is happy to do so. Do the math. The money is easy, quick, money.

The pawn shop is probably counting their gun money as secondary income. I believe the story is different when a business is relying on firearm sales as their primary income.

Most people have no idea how much it cost to run a business. That $15 isn't easy money when it won't even cover the rent.

One large store was good about doing transfers for me. I also bought from them. One of their several shop and recieving people broke a $400.00 Palma rear sight on my target rifle. I dont know how I kept my composure. The big guy prolly weighed 3 times me and I wanted to go right over the counter after him. The hard part for me is I was a good customer and hoped to do more business there. I have another small FFL who will do transfers. I havn't bought a firearm sinse the broken Palma. Thats how much that transaction has bothered me.

Since the majority of my gun purchases come from the net (either GB, here etc) I have been very attune to transfer costs and really don't want to pay more than $20. When looking for a FFL it seemed like most of the shops around me charged at least 30 with some wanting a percentage of the sale price you paid, no thanks.

Most of what I have bought is used, or may be out of production so it is not like I can get it from the LGS. Also it seems that many of the LGS up here are very rigid on pricing and it is high to boot. I have asked my FFL about some new items and he is fair on his pricing if he did order it, haven't gotten there yet.

It is a side business for him and he is pretty easy to work with i.e. no problems accepting shipments from private citizens in other states so that's why I continue to do business with him

It's been a while since I ordered anything, but the last one, at my buddy's shop he said, hell, you paid less than I can get if from my distributor for, I would have lost money on the deal. With the transfer he made a few bucks.

and then GSG forked me on the rebate, but that's another story.