Transfers from FFL to FFL..

M

markd

New member
How much does a regular transfer cost from one out of state FFL to another FFL? I just transfered a Beretta from Tenn. to my FFL here in San Jose,Ca and he charged me 15% of the price of the gun. He also bought the gun from the other FFL with his credit card and then I buy it from him. Does that seem normal to you guys? Seems a bit steep to me. Also the other FFL did not send the serial #'s so they can not start the 10 days until they recieve the gun. This whole process does not seem right to me. Please let me know what the normal fee you guys pay for this type of transaction.

markd
 
My FFL up a little north of you in Vacaville charges.

$25 to transfer it
$15 for DROS
$10 for paper work
CA sales tax for all purchases (even out of state)

The 15% is very steep, maybe next time find another guy, unless your gun costs less than like $150 or so, thats an ok deal. The waiting till the gun arrives to start the background check sounds normal to me.

Now did you initialize the transaction between the out of state FFL or did your FFL do it, if it was the later then your FFL buying it and you buying it off of him sounds ok.

If you have any problems or questions about what these guys are doing, call the DOJ Firearms Division up in Sacramento...they really know the laws and will tell you what is and is not legal.

~bamf
 
It's all up to the FFLs involved. My dealer charges me $20, some charge $35, some go by the cost of the gun (which is silly, IMHO, since you don't have to do any more paperwork based on price).
 
That's what I thought, I knew the guy was trying to make a fast buck on me. I told him that most people charge 20-30 for these transactions and he responed those are only for private party transactions, "I walk in with another guy who wants to buy it from me type deal". Well this is my first transfer from a out of state FFL and will be my last from this guy.

amrkd
 
The FFL dealer I use here in Oregon charges 20.00$ over cost for purchases (from Shotgun News or similiar), or transfers. The price of the gun doesn't figure into it. - Nate

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Train hard.
 
I don't know how your deal went down, but there is a dealer in Dallas who charges $10 for transfers. That price is only good if you do all the work, i.e. phone calls, payment, mailing, shipping arrangements. Sounds like your dealer did the deal for you, charging it on his card and making the arrangements. If he does any work then he gets paid more. If you called on the gun, made the arrangements with the seller, provided a stamped envelope with a money order to your dealer to put a signed copy of the FFL in, contacted the seller to make certain the FFL and MO arrived, got the tracking number for UPS (if he used UPS), then you were overcharged.
 
Markd,

You did not do an out of state transfer. You special ordered a weapon from a local gun dealer. If you paid the local gun dealer, he (or she, or it) was also obligated to collect California sales tax.

I know a "friend" who has purchased many guns from out of state.

He has paid the following in southern cal ...

FFL #1

Discretionary fees
$40 for FFL paperwork/storefront/dude to be there when UPS/Fex arrives
$2 for DROS paperwork
State Fees
$14 for DROS

FFL #2

Discretionary fees
$36 for FFL paperwork/storefront/dude to be there when UPS/Fedex arrives
State Fees
$14 for DROS

FFL #3

Discretionary fees
$50 for FFL paperwork/storefront/dude to be there when UPS/Fedex arrives
State Fees
$14 for DROS

Sales taxes are due next tax season on form 540, I'm sure all California residents buying items from out of state pay their USE taxes every year as required by law. :rolleyes:

My "friend" has also transfered a gun "locally" for $25 bucks total ($11 FFL + $14 DROS) through Turners Outdoorsman in SoCal.

To be fair, your FFL insulated you from possible fraud by fronting the money. He has some obligations for merchantibility once he becomes the seller of the weapon.

I have only had one FFL willing to special order a weapon and start the paperwork with the incoming serial number before the actual gun arrives.

You should run away from FFL's that charge a percentage fee IF:

You are only using them as transfer FFL.

1. You make the deal.
2. You pay for the gun.
3. You pay for the shipping.
4. You take the risk that the gun ain't what it was advertised as! i.e. 98% gun is in your opinion a 75% gun! owie!!

Percentage charges without a cap (10% on a 50 buck gun is fair, 10% on a 5000 buck gun is not!) when you do all the work and take all the risk is just unfair (IMHO).
 
Thanks guys. I was very unclear about the whole idea of transfers such as this. Talked to an avid collector friend of mine and he says that 15% is the going rate for guys that are willing to do the transfer for you, and they are not that easy to come by. Now I will know what to expect the next time I try this again. Should have planned it out before hand but I really just wanted to get the darn gun as fast as i could, very impatient when it comes to new toys. Thanks again for the responses.

markd
 
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