In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

buying guns online...

espo28espo28 Member Posts: 44 ✭✭
edited May 2006 in General Discussion
Hello all, I'm very familiar with eline purchases on ebay etc, but am a rank novice here. Tell me, is it as easy as it sounds to purchase a handgun online? Are there any problems with finding a licenced dealer to handle the turnover in the purchasers home state?

And how much do the dealers charge for a service like this?

Just curious, your opinions and suggestions are very welcome.

Comments

  • scottm21166scottm21166 Member Posts: 20,723
    edited November -1
    it's easy to buy them from me....[:D]I hear the other guys make it a BIG PITA[:D]
  • kristovkristov Member Posts: 6,633
    edited November -1
    Before you get too involved you should line up your transfer dealer and find out EXACTLY what his fees are going to be, sales tax issues (if any) and whether or not he will accept shippments from any non dealers who's auctions you may participate in. Too many guys have posted here about all sorts of problems with their dealers after the fact.
  • D.S.COLED.S.COLE Member Posts: 611 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    kristov has got it right. you need to talk to your local dealer if you have one or find one and get it all in place before you bid. this will save you and the seller a lot of time and headache.
    We receive guns, bought online, for our customers all the time.
    our normal fee is $25.00 to receive and do the transfer.
    the laws vary a great deal from state to state ,a knowledgeable dealer where you live can tell you a lot about what you need to know.
  • JamesRKJamesRK Member Posts: 25,670 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Use this link and enter your zip code for a list of dealers in your area who are registered with GunBroker.

    http://www.gunbroker.com/User/DealerNetwork.asp
    The road to hell is paved with COMPROMISE.
  • espo28espo28 Member Posts: 44 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by JamesRK
    Use this link and enter your zip code for a list of dealers in your area who are registered with GunBroker.

    http://www.gunbroker.com/User/DealerNetwork.asp


    Thanks for your replies...based on the last post, gunbroker lists a great many dealers in my area that should be able to effect a transaciton I'm going to check out the closest to me and verify the cost etc.

    Thanks for your help everyone!
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    I charge $15 the first time, $10 thereafter.
  • espo28espo28 Member Posts: 44 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nunn
    I charge $15 the first time, $10 thereafter.


    I'm sorry you aren't located in PA!
  • nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 35,988 ******
    edited November -1
    Some states have fees attached to the transfer that the dealer must collect, over and above his fee. I am in Texas, and there is no state fee for the background check.
  • kimberkidkimberkid Member Posts: 8,857 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hey David-
    I know this isn't technically allowed, but my old "normal" transfering dealer gave up his shop and FFL ... a while back I asked him why he's still on Gunbroker's dealer list, he said he couldn't even edit it to change his fee nor could he get removed.
    If you really desire something, you'll find a way ?
    ? otherwise, you'll find an excuse.
  • matwormatwor Member Posts: 20,594
    edited November -1
    Find a dealer on your end that is willing to do it first. It shouldn't be too hard, just sit down w/ pen and paper and call all the local gunshops and pawnshops and ask them for their fee for firearm transfers. Around here it varies from 15.00-50.00.

    Good luck and have fun online firearm shopping.
  • sig232sig232 Member Posts: 8,018
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the link to gun dealers in my area "jamesRK". I have never heard of any of the listed dealers and did not know that there were several very close to my home.

    The guy I have used in the past charged me $50 to receive my Seecamp. Plus I had to drive almost an hour to get to him. Guess I was a green pea that just fell off the turnip truck!!
  • jimkanejimkane Member Posts: 1,534 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sig, 50 bucks? man you got hosed, not that I am against dealers making a bit of a profit, but at $10 a pop my dealer has almost made up his entire yearly FFL fee from me alone in transfers. $50 is just too much in my opinion
  • SperrySperry Member Posts: 5,006 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    To receive purchases, I use an FFL who is an officer at the local Field & Stream Club.
    This FFL [at the local gun club] charges $25 to receive and transfer to me.

    If it is a FTF deal, I use a shop about 35 minutes away. Again, it is $25.

    A closer spot wants $50 to handle a FTF transfer. I am not sure if the law says one must charge a set fee to facilitate a FTF transfer, but that is what they charge.

    When I was living in California, the local gun-shop charged $40 for the service, plus the State [
    Federal?] fee of $20 for the D.R.O.S. Sixty dollars total. Another shop charged $55 total, but went to $75 total while I was in residence.

    Some other California shops assessed a 10%-20% "Service fee" on top of the State $20 D.R.O.S. to handle a transfer. They based their fee on what they figured the firearm was worth.

    So a Match M1A, which you bought for $1650, might be appraised at $2200, at their discretion. These guys never saw my business.

    Before leaving California, I had eventually found a "kitchen table" FFL who charged $20, plus the D.R.O.S. It turned out to be $42.50 per transfer. That was the least expensive I had found during my residency in California, but I've heard of Pawn Shops having lower fees.

    An FFL, be it a Pawn Shop or Full Service Firearms Dealer, can apparently decide how much a transfer is worth their time, here in Pennsylvania, whether it is a FTF transfer, in-which both parties are present, or when receiving a firearm from in-state or out-of-state.

    This is a little different than California, regarding a FTF transfer only, in-which the fee seemed to be fixed.

    The Delaware County Field & Stream FFL, which I use as a receiving FFL, is a good deal for me, since he doesn't care whether the gun cost $100 or $2000. And a plus, he will sign me in as a guest when I receive a gun. His deal is getting all the business at the club, and selling ammunition to the newly armed transferees.

    As Kristov stressed, it is always best to have an FFL lined up before making the purchase. I have a stack of signed, valid FFL copies ready to facilitate my next dozen purchases.

    If the deal of the Century comes up, and you can not wait, go ahead and pay for it, making sure to get the serial number and complete description. Usually a seller can wait a few weeks for the receiving FFL paperwork as long as they have been paid. Conversely, my FFL [I call him "my", like someone will say "My plumber" or "My bank"] has a S&W 10-7 for me, and will hold it until I find the time to get it. He doesn't get his $25 until I pick it up, but he will make $20 or $21 when I do, and probably sell some [inferior, closeout] ammunition at the same time. Gotta feed the beast.

    One plus about this State's firearms laws: Long guns do not have to go through an FFL, so I can buy FTF with another resident without the FFL. It also works via the USPS, but as a buyer and seller, I am very careful to know with whom I am dealing.

    Picking up the Federal FFL Type 03 license, an C&R license, is a good $30 to spend.
    It covers you for three years, in purchases of firearms older than 50 years. You become a collector.
    And you get hefty discounts at Brownells, to boot!
  • DarkStar11DarkStar11 Member Posts: 1,557 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    espo28, what PA County are you in?
  • espo28espo28 Member Posts: 44 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by DarkStar11
    espo28, what PA County are you in?



    I'm in Northampton county, Bethlehem area.

    Thanks,
    Mike
  • espo28espo28 Member Posts: 44 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    BTW, for you gents who are avid gun collectors, wouldn't it be worth the trouble to get your own FFL? Or are the costs and paperwork too much to make it worthwhile?
  • warriorsfanwarriorsfan Member Posts: 1,061 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It's getting harder and harder to find deals on gunbroker. Most of the sellers are professional gun dealers and after you pay for FFL and shipping, you break even AND you have to wait for the gun to arrive! Whatever happened to no reserve auctions starting at $0.01? Let the marketplace determine how much your gun is worth!
  • Warpig883Warpig883 Member Posts: 6,459
    edited November -1
    quote:Let the marketplace determine how much your gun is worth!

    Gun dealers, manufacturers and the government set the price of guns. The free market has nothing to do with it.[}:)]


    Michigan[xx(]that explains it[:p]
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Warpig883
    quote:Let the marketplace determine how much your gun is worth!

    Gun dealers, manufacturers and the government set the price of guns. The free market has nothing to do with it.[}:)]


    Michigan[xx(]that explains it[:p]


    That's ludicrous. Unfortunately, the Internet seems to be setting the price of firearms...with little or no profit margin to dealers. A dealer has to be doing a large volume to make any money at it.
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,947 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:, for you gents who are avid gun collectors, wouldn't it be worth the trouble to get your own FFL? Or are the costs and paperwork too much to make it worthwhile?

    A lot of us have C&R FFLs, but BATF will not issue an FFL for the purpose of collecting. You must be a firearms dealer.
  • espo28espo28 Member Posts: 44 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    quote:, for you gents who are avid gun collectors, wouldn't it be worth the trouble to get your own FFL? Or are the costs and paperwork too much to make it worthwhile?

    A lot of us have C&R FFLs, but BATF will not issue an FFL for the purpose of collecting. You must be a firearms dealer.


    So I've come to learn...hey, do you live in T&T or just from there? Curious what the gun laws are like on an island nation like that!

    [:)]
  • ATFATF Member Posts: 11,683 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Quote by Sperry,"If it is a FTF deal, I use a shop about 35 minutes away. Again, it is $25".






    This FTF person are they from another state? If not why are you using an FFL? [:)]
  • He DogHe Dog Member Posts: 50,947 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ESPO it is kind of a long story, but a now gone poster on the boards here received some threating e-mail from some troll. A lot of guys suddenly edited their profiles and removed their states from their profile. My location was never on my profile, but I thought it was funny so I have been "living" out of the US ever since, changing locations periodically. There are several other posters who do the same.
  • Warpig883Warpig883 Member Posts: 6,459
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by ECC
    quote:Originally posted by Warpig883
    quote:Let the marketplace determine how much your gun is worth!

    Gun dealers, manufacturers and the government set the price of guns. The free market has nothing to do with it.[}:)]


    Michigan[xx(]that explains it[:p]



    That's ludicrous. Unfortunately, the Internet seems to be setting the price of firearms...with little or no profit margin to dealers. A dealer has to be doing a large volume to make any money at it.



    I was being sarcastic. Am I the only one who noticed warriorsfan does not believe in free market and supply and demand and in this one he is an advocate of it. Troll or a goober it is your choice.
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Warpig883
    quote:Originally posted by ECC
    quote:Originally posted by Warpig883
    quote:Let the marketplace determine how much your gun is worth!

    Gun dealers, manufacturers and the government set the price of guns. The free market has nothing to do with it.[}:)]


    Michigan[xx(]that explains it[:p]



    That's ludicrous. Unfortunately, the Internet seems to be setting the price of firearms...with little or no profit margin to dealers. A dealer has to be doing a large volume to make any money at it.



    I was being sarcastic. Am I the only one who noticed warriorsfan does not believe in free market and supply and demand and in this one he is an advocate of it. Troll or a goober it is your choice.



    Ooops...I can be a little slow at times[^][:)]
  • matwormatwor Member Posts: 20,594
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by He Dog
    ESPO it is kind of a long story, but a now gone poster on the boards here received some threating e-mail from some troll. A lot of guys suddenly edited their profiles and removed their states from their profile. My location was never on my profile, but I thought it was funny so I have been "living" out of the US ever since, changing locations periodically. There are several other posters who do the same.


    Don't let him fool ya ESPO, he likes the sand between his toes.
  • dogmandogman Member Posts: 177 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had not problems with my .17 HMR. Came in on time, no hidden costs. Really depends on who you buy from, I s'pose.
  • wizard78wizard78 Member Posts: 3,144
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by ATF
    Quote by Sperry,"If it is a FTF deal, I use a shop about 35 minutes away. Again, it is $25".






    This FTF person are they from another state? If not why are you using an FFL? [:)]






    Many states require sale of handguns (even between private parties) to go through an FFL. I believe Pa is like that. Long guns in Pa can be FTF without using an FFL.
Sign In or Register to comment.