I'm about to purchase my first gun through a web site (KYImports). Planning to call my local FFL dealer with the same question, I decided to ask it first here: I live in TN and don't know if I'll have to pay taxes on this purchase. Does anybody know what a reasonable charge for the transfer/paper work would be? Thanks.
Purchasing a new gun through FFL dealer-a question of taxes
- Thread starter Emin
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emin great question,
i just bought my first out of state gun and its been pleasant so far. I ordered a sigpro 2340 from R Guns in IL. the price of the gun was $399. i went to 2 of my local shops and they both wanted $50 to do the transfer for me. not bad i think (keep in mind $10 of that goes to the state police here in MD) so the total price of the gun came to 440 bucks. and i didnt pay a cent for taxes or shipping. if you buy it through your local shop they will charge u taxes. so send the money directly to the seller. and make sure u ask about taxes and shipping first. then make sure the total cost for the FFL transfer is agreed. pay for the transfer and send the money for the gun to the seller. all will be well.
what did u buy by the way ?
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TIM : )
i just bought my first out of state gun and its been pleasant so far. I ordered a sigpro 2340 from R Guns in IL. the price of the gun was $399. i went to 2 of my local shops and they both wanted $50 to do the transfer for me. not bad i think (keep in mind $10 of that goes to the state police here in MD) so the total price of the gun came to 440 bucks. and i didnt pay a cent for taxes or shipping. if you buy it through your local shop they will charge u taxes. so send the money directly to the seller. and make sure u ask about taxes and shipping first. then make sure the total cost for the FFL transfer is agreed. pay for the transfer and send the money for the gun to the seller. all will be well.
what did u buy by the way ?
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TIM : )
Tim, I finally decided on Sig P239 in 9 mm after I shot one at Range Masters in Memphis and loved everything about it except the handle. Its size is just right for my hands, but the shape is different from, say, P226 which I've held but haven't actually shot. The problem is the handle has a slightly square shape, especially in front where ones fingers wrap arround it as opposed to the more rounded handle of 226, and after about 50 round through the pistol I felt a bit uncomfortable. But as I was leaving the range, I talked to the salesman who carried the exact same pistol with Hogue rubber grips installed -- I tried it in my hand and what a difference! Felt extremely natural. I could consider 226 even without Hogues or, as I already asked in this forum, 229, but I may start to carry, and they're just too large. KYImports has P239 for $379. However, since I posted my question, I'd found Bachman selling the same gun for $357. I think it's a great price. I'll try to complete the purchase tomorrow. Thanks for the info.
[This message has been edited by Emin (edited November 16, 1999).]
[This message has been edited by Emin (edited November 16, 1999).]
I'm sure states have differing rules, but I'll pass on how it works here in Iowa.
I had a dealer in Nebraska(I work there) order a pistol for me. I paid him the negotiated price, plus actual shipping charges from his distributor to his shop. He delivered the pistol to an Iowa dealer. It's only a 5 mile drive so he didn't charge me extra for this part.
I followed him and picked up the pistol from the Iowa dealer, paid Iowa sales tax, plus a $15 transfer fee, and filled out the "yellow sheet". Most shops around here charge $10 to $25 for the paperwork shuffle.
Then I turned around, drove back to the Nebraska dealer(he has an indoor range) and started enjoying my new pistol.
Seems kinda silly sometimes, doesn't it?
Joe
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Go NRA
I had a dealer in Nebraska(I work there) order a pistol for me. I paid him the negotiated price, plus actual shipping charges from his distributor to his shop. He delivered the pistol to an Iowa dealer. It's only a 5 mile drive so he didn't charge me extra for this part.
I followed him and picked up the pistol from the Iowa dealer, paid Iowa sales tax, plus a $15 transfer fee, and filled out the "yellow sheet". Most shops around here charge $10 to $25 for the paperwork shuffle.
Then I turned around, drove back to the Nebraska dealer(he has an indoor range) and started enjoying my new pistol.
Seems kinda silly sometimes, doesn't it?
Joe
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Go NRA
I live in TN also, so here is what has worked for me. It is negotiable what you pay to your FFL holder in doing the transfer. Mine charges me $25 for the transfer and an extra $10 (the state gets this) for the instant check. He charges the same $25, no matter what the actual selling price of the gun is. I have known some that what 10% of the sale price. Screw them. You will not pay any sales tax because the actual sale was made out of state.
Do not forget to have your FFL holder send a current signed in ink copy of his license to whomever you are buying the gun from.
Johnboy
Do not forget to have your FFL holder send a current signed in ink copy of his license to whomever you are buying the gun from.
Johnboy
Greetings Emin, I recently purchased a handgun over the web. I live south of
you, in Bama. The dealer was located
in Illinois; my receiving dealer in
Bessemer, AL. The only fee I that I
had to pay; was a $20.00 charge for
use of a signed copy of the receiving
dealer's FFL. There was no sales tax;
due to this being an out-of-state
purchase !!!
Message edited by Dan H. Ford on 11-16-99
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Ala Dan
you, in Bama. The dealer was located
in Illinois; my receiving dealer in
Bessemer, AL. The only fee I that I
had to pay; was a $20.00 charge for
use of a signed copy of the receiving
dealer's FFL. There was no sales tax;
due to this being an out-of-state
purchase !!!
Message edited by Dan H. Ford on 11-16-99
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Ala Dan
Hi, guys,
Will repeat earlier advice. Make friends with your local dealers and buy from them. They will be much more reasonable when you want to use their services.
Get the service charge agreed on in advance. It is best not to use dealers who want a percentage of the sale price. Fifteen percent sounds good on a $69.00 tinkerer's special from SARCO; not so good on a $8000 double rifle.
The dealer should not be charging tax unless services are taxed in your state. He is not selling anything, and it is actually none of his business what the price was.
Jim
Will repeat earlier advice. Make friends with your local dealers and buy from them. They will be much more reasonable when you want to use their services.
Get the service charge agreed on in advance. It is best not to use dealers who want a percentage of the sale price. Fifteen percent sounds good on a $69.00 tinkerer's special from SARCO; not so good on a $8000 double rifle.
The dealer should not be charging tax unless services are taxed in your state. He is not selling anything, and it is actually none of his business what the price was.
Jim
I trully appreciate everybody's responses. My local full service range dealer openly stated that it was against their policy to allow for such transfers because they would simply loose money. He said they'd be happy to order a pistol for me themself but would add to the price whatever they felt was profitable. Yes, I know, many of you will tell me to screw them and to go to a different place. However, as I went on talking to him, and we started to discuss the actual prices, he showed me a P229 in .40 for about $680 which I felt was a somewhat fair price. Especially considering the fact that when I called both Bachman and KYImports, they were out of P239 in 9 mm. One of them had also said the prices should go up with the next shipment "with all the law suits arround". Well, I rented another P229 in .40 for I'd never shot this caliber and just to feel how it differed from 9 mm. After about 200 rounds through it, I loved it so much, and the grip was so good (even better than P239 WITH Hogues installed) that I ended up buying this beauty. I know, a somewhat premium price to pay; however, I honestly haven't seen it for much cheaper on the internet.
MLT, I really don't know if the R Guns' web site even exists.
Emin
MLT, I really don't know if the R Guns' web site even exists.
Emin
Emin, let me ask you something. If you buy a gun from someone out of state, send off the money order, take an addressed stamped envelope to the dealer to send the FFL in, and all they do is accept a shipment and transfer it to you, if they charge you a fee how do they lose money? I had a dealer in Oklahoma who charged me $10 for transfers. He ended up going to $20 on guns over $500. In one weekend between me and friends he made over $100 just for us standing there filling out 4473's. Took about 30 mins of his time to log the guns in and log them out to us. That is $200 per hour, I could live on that income. David Avery has the pistol listed for $589 in Shotgun News, he is cheaper at gun shows. I bought mine used with night sights and Hogue grips for $500, but I live in Texas and guns are cheaper here, if you live in Ca. or NY the dealers will take advantage of you. The lawsuit line is BS, the prices will rise after 12/11 when UPS starts charging full price for the gun shipments. The guns my eventually rise due to lawsuits but they are not making it to trial yet. The manufacturers are filing motions for dismissal and getting them.
Jeff, you're making a perfect sense, and I totally agree that this dealer I've dealt with would have probably profited more if he would agree to accept the shipment for me from an out-of-stated gun store. But that's what their policy is, no matter how unwise. I didn't ask him for any particular reasons for its existance, but I think that, at least in Memphis, not so many people buy weapons this way (I may be wrong, again). So, this dealer has probably figured, hey, nobody's coming with such requests, I might as well sell my own stock only. As the matter of fact, he told me it was against their policy to even give me a copy of their FFL. The guy, nevertheless, was fair enough to suggest going to a couple of different stores in town who might be able to do a transfer for me. Now, and it's kind of interesting, he also said that an exception to their "no transfer" policy would only be if, say, a friend of mine or a relative wanted to send a gun to me as a gift, then they would accept the shipment. Since that wasn't my case, I didn't even ask how much they would charge me for that.
I buy from the FFL that has what I want when I want it.I've seen some wait weeks (months) for the great bargin only to wait some more for a refund.My local FFL can't compete with the advertised prices in GUN LIST etc.but they make up for the few xtra bucks they charge in service, and at times great buys are available on trade ins.Returns are no problem,and are handled right there and then.
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