Buying from ffl dealer

jtescher

Inactive
I'm new to this so, please bare with me, ha. I been looking at some firearms o websites like gunbroker and guns America. If they are a registered ffl dealer, does that mean they are able to ship directly to my home?

I know if they aren't, you must have the gun shipped to a licensed ffl dealer in your city, than having to pick it up. but it does not give me information on how the process will go through if "they" are already an ffl dealer.


thankyou.
 
Welcome to the site!

No, they cannot ship to your home.

If you win a firearm from an auction site, you will need to have your local FFL dealer send a copy of his FFL license to the seller's FFL dealer. Once your local FFL dealer receives the firearm you will pay your local FFL dealer a transfer fee for use of his license. Your local FFL dealer will require a face-to-face transaction where you will have to fill out BATFE form 4473 and any other paperwork/background check required by law. Once all of that has taken place and any applicable waiting period has passed, you can take possession of the firearm.

Gun transactions are not as easy as the leftist news media makes them out to be...
 
gah thats ridiculous. Guns are already overpriced on the internet, plus shipping and the transfer fee, its alot. I've been trying to obtain a makarov and im not willing to pay 250 extra dollars :(

meh, ill just wait till the next gun shows and pray someone has one.
 
I'm currently residing in Philadelphia, PA. I've read a ton of reviews on the gun shops around here and they are awful. Alot of them are in not that great of neighborhoods too. I'm really interested in a makarov with the adjustable sights but if i can get a makarov cheap enough, it doesn't matter.
 
gunbroker.com has a list of FFLs by zip code. Might give that a try, possibly find a kitchen table FFL (that is, one without a store front. They often run it out of their home) with more reasonable rates.
 
jtescher gah thats ridiculous. Guns are already overpriced on the internet, plus shipping and the transfer fee, its alot. I've been trying to obtain a makarov and im not willing to pay 250 extra dollars

Where did you get the idea that it would cost you $250 extra?:confused:
 
maks on the internet are very ovrrpriced to begin with even the bulgarion models. plus shipping and the ffl tranfer feed. its just too much. i love maks but paying all that extra money isnt worth it espically when ot doesnt come with a holster, extra mag and the box+manual
 
Guns are already overpriced on the internet, plus shipping and the transfer fee, its alot. I've been trying to obtain a makarov and im not willing to pay 250 extra dollars

Man, I don't know where you're looking, but many of the online shops such as Bud's are competitive with anything you'll find at your local shops. Many local shops will reconsider their asking prices if you tell them what you've seen online for price.

Transfer fee? Of course you'll have to pay it, and sales tax... but you would anywhere, local or on the web. Shipping is free with Bud's.

Gunbroker and Gunsamerica prices do tend to be a bit high... I'll agree with you there. If you're looking for something of the imported/surplus nature, you might be better off looking for a private sale. Still, you WON'T pay 250 dollars extra, unless you want to. ;)
 
Last edited:
Where did you get the idea that it would cost you $250 extra?
Related follow-up question: jtescher, how much (or little?) are you expecting a Makarov to cost?

If you're expecting to pay $120 for one, those days are long gone. The secret is out. :rolleyes:

GB is full of egregiously overpriced guns offered by sellers fishing for suckers; you must learn to ignore these sellers. Do an "Advanced Search" for completed auctions where the gun sold, and pay particular attention to auctions with lots of bidders and/or low starting prices. (The best auctions have both; look for lines like "MUST SELL - $1 START".) These auctions will give you an idea of fair market value.
 
Last edited:
Why are your FFL fees so high?

I'm reading here that you estimate that your transfer fees will amount to nearly $250?
That seems really, really high. I'm curious how did you come up with that figure? Most receiving FFL's only charge a single fee to receive and log a transfer, and then call in the Form 4473. Follow the FFL list on gunbroker mentioned earlier, and call the FFL's on the list to get their prices for transfers. It might take a few hours to get the answers you need, but the time spent searching will be well worth the investment.
Mine only charges me $10 for incoming transfers, and $10 + shipping for outgoing. I drive 1.5 hours each way to get to him, but it's still cheaper than anybody else in this part of the country.

I'm purchasing a couple of long guns from a guy in NJ. (One of the worst unfriendly gun states) I agreed to pay his transfers for both of them. The total to transfer both guns is only $106, and I think that's still way too high. But, what am I to do but pay them, since I want these guns.

If you know if a local supplier for your Mak, as mentioned earlier, you might be able to negotiate the price some, if you let them know you've seen them priced for $XX online. Figure out what the total cost to you online would be, including all the shipping and transfer fees and use that as your bargaining price if they're still higher.

I truly wish you are able to get your gun affordably and soon. Waiting is the worst part if the whole transaction.

Regards,
Gearchecker
 
I believe he meant that the price of the Mak and the transfer would be around $250.00. Although I may be wrong.
 
I believe he meant that the price of the Mak and the transfer would be around $250.00. Although I may be wrong.

I don't get that from his post... sounds like he expected to pay 250 dollars extra above the cost of the pistol, for shipping/transfer fees/taxes, etc. But I might be wrong.

$250 for the whole package? Not that bad, if you ask me. If you want it, you'll find the cash.
 
im at work atm on my cellphone thus the errors. anyway i didnt get to read All your guys posts but i meant 250 above the cost. if i could get a mak for 250 itd be in heaven. but like i said i have a thing for adjustable sights and am willing to pay more for but 400 plus shipping and fees is a little steep for a used surplus weapon.
 
jtescher, all Maks with adjustable sights are commercial production pistols imported into the USA in the early 1990s under a variety of brand names (Baikal / Izhmash / Big Bear / etc). They have little or no value to collectors; most of these people are only interested in the military surplus Makarovs, all of which have fixed sights.

You should be able to find plenty of IJ-70s in the $200-$250 range. These pistols rarely sell for >$300, even LNIB. Again, ignore the GB "fishermen". :rolleyes:

A transfer on your end should only cost $10-$50, typically $25 if you do some searching. Some FFL dealers charge outrageous prices for this, but it's only because they want you to buy from their retail stock; you should shop elsewhere. :rolleyes:

Shipping from an individual will cost up to $75-$80 because it must go UPS or FedEx Next Day Air, but if the seller is smart enough to use his or her own FFL, it should only run $30-$60 because a FFL can ship in a USPS Priority Mail Flat Rate Box for ~$15-$20 insured. (It is illegal for unlicensed individuals to ship non-antique handguns via USPS.)

This purchase should definitely be doable for less than $300. :D
 
see now theres the problem. i cant seem to find a russian commercial variant with adjustable sights for that price range.
 
Back
Top