Cost of Background Check

[Andy54Hawken]

Just was wondering what other FFL's are charging for a BGC / Transfer fee for a private sale.
I am asking 'cause I recently did a trade ( straight across ) and the dealer that I used ( closest one to my home ) charged $50 for the transfer.

I paid...'cause I really like the rifle...but $50 seems a bit excessive.
I understand that I am taking up the store's time / clerk's attention...and the store needs to pay for lights , heat , inventory , etc...
But damn...$50 seems a lot for what little was done.

In any case , Just wondering if $50 was actually a good or "normal " price for this service.

Please note that I am not in favor for BGC's for private sales...I voted against it.
Andy

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[EUGENE the REALTOR]

I usually go to A Cut Above Pawn in Beaverton. They charge $25 total. Very friendly employees there too.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I can certainly understand your frustration here, having done several transfers in the last few years, I have also noted the increase in prices charged. Normally, a $25.00 seems reasonable, but I have run into shops that charge three times that, so they don't get my business! I'm ok with the $25.00 charge, but feel like i'm getting taken advantage of if it's more!

Now, I need to add: The $25.00 is good for a face to face where a buyer/seller and I are just using the FFL as a place to do the deal, the FFL not really having to do anything but make cofveve and enter the info and wait for the clearance. If we are shipping a firearm, that's a different kind of situation, and I strongly advise asking your preferred FFL what they charge and why. I understand having to hold the firearm, do an inspection of it's SN, and all that, but $100+ for shipping and handling at the FFL on top of what I had to pay to ship it, this is redonkulous in the extreme! Again, make sure you ask so you don't find out the hard way that there are hidden charges!

 

[TTSX]

I find that between $30-50 is the normal range. I tend to use mom and pop stores I like and pay whatever they ask because I'd rather support the little guys. I believe the last transfer I did, I was the seller and the buyer paid $30 OTD.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

My preferred FFL does not do transfers unfortunately .
In the neighborhood of $25 was what I was expecting to pay.

Well I will look into other shops for sure , for my next trade / private sale....sigh.

This is what I get for getting a modern gun...modern here by the way is a rifle that was made between 1937 and 1939...
Andy

 

[SrMachoSolo]

-Robert

 

[clanhanson]

This might be a dangerous way of thinking, but even an exorbitant charge of $100 is nothing if amortized over the life of the firearm.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

This might be a dangerous way of thinking, but even an exorbitant charge of $100 is nothing if amortized over the life of the firearm.

I would disagree...
I have to pay for a BGC and a transfer fee , a BGC and fee that I don't like , don't agree with , and didn't vote for.
$50 seems a high price to pay for the short amount of work and time put in....$100 I wouldn't do at all.

In any event...I won't use the shop I went to again for a so called private transfer.
Andy

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

I cannot recall which, but back when I picked up a PA10 I called around Salem.. some shops (x2-3) quoted $75-$100.
Thats insane. $25-$40 is what I expect.. anything beyond that seems excessive.

 

[clanhanson]

I would disagree...
I have to pay for a BGC and a transfer fee , a BGC and fee that I don't like , don't agree with , and didn't vote for.
$50 seems a high price to pay for the short amount of work and time put in....$100 I wouldn't do at all.

In any event...I won't use the shop I went to again for a so called private transfer.
Andy

That's fair. And like I said it's a dangerous way to think... it's how I end up with $1000 optics rather than $200 ones since it's *only* about $2 a month more per month to own over 30 years...

 

[raftman]

From what I'd heard, FFL's that charge the heftier fees are often doing so to incentivize people to buy from them rather than buying online. On one hand, I understand because I've heard stories about gun shop employees taking considerable time answering questions, explaining features, allowing people to see if they like how a certain gun handles and fits one's hands, and then having that person leave and order the same gun online for $35 less and have the shop do the transfer. On the other hand, it's not quite fair if you're buying something online that the shop doesn't have. I've heard of some shops resolving this conflict by only doing transfers on things they don't carry.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Pretty sure my new to me rifle won't be on too many shelves...
It is a Pre-War Mauser Model ES340B .22LR single shot rifle....
Not pristine collector shape...but in great shape for a used rifle of the period...with a bright and shiny bore.

I could see charging $25-30 odd dollars for the less than 10 minutes it took to do the BGC...Just not liking the $50 spent.
Andy

 

[EUGENE the REALTOR]

This might be a dangerous way of thinking, but even an exorbitant charge of $100 is nothing if amortized over the life of the firearm.

That is very dangerous. That's how they get you with extended warranties, higher interest rates, etc.

 

[clanhanson]

That is very dangerous. That's how they get you with extended warranties, higher interest rates, etc.

For sure. That way of thinking only applies to interest free and small sums in my case

And the only extended warranty I'd ever bought was for a Ford Escape. I cashed out the warranty to help pay moving costs then a month later the transmission failed at 85k gentle miles. I now purchase extended auto warranties and keep them.

 

[titsonritz]

$25. $50 is a deal breaker for me to ever use/buy anything from that FFL.

 

[TTSX]

From what I'd heard, FFL's that charge the heftier fees are often doing so to incentivize people to buy from them rather than buying online. On one hand, I understand because I've heard stories about gun shop employees taking considerable time answering questions, explaining features, allowing people to see if they like how a certain gun handles and fits one's hands, and then having that person leave and order the same gun online for $35 less and have the shop do the transfer. On the other hand, it's not quite fair if you're buying something online that the shop doesn't have. I've heard of some shops resolving this conflict by only doing transfers on things they don't carry.

Usually I solve this problem at my preferred FFL by stopping in and seeing if it's on the shelf, if not I ask if they can get one (their prices for me are always competitive to online anyway) and if they can't, only then do I find it online myself. I like to give as many chances as possible to buy from them rather than have a personal paper jockey

 

[Savage Jav]

This might be a dangerous way of thinking, but even an exorbitant charge of $100 is nothing if amortized over the life of the firearm.

Some people like to try a bunch of guns, that's $100 you didn't spend on ammo,...the list goes on and on.
Its easy for us who have the mean and are into guns to justify the cost. However, the biggest detractor is for a first time gun buyer or the people without the means. Hard to justify $100 on a $300-400 gun

 

[Member 53328]

If I had an FFL I wouldn't even bother with private party transfers unless it was worth my time (monetary value). I'd strictly sell what I had in inventory and tell people to take private party transfers elsewhere.

 

[raftman]

Usually I solve this problem at my preferred FFL by stopping in and seeing if it's on the shelf, if not I ask if they can get one (their prices for me are always competitive to online anyway) and if they can't, only then do I find it online myself. I like to give as many chances as possible to buy from them rather than have a personal paper jockey

Agreed. A few years ago when my town still had a proper local gun store, I almost never transferred anything in because they either had what I was after or could order it in (of course it helped that private sales didn't need a transfer). Since they've closed shop I've had to rely on a pawn shop. They're far less likely to just happen to have what I'm after (though I do still check, just in case) and they don't really order stuff in, either... so it's no coincidence they have the best-priced transfers in town and are pros at conducting them.

 

[Savage Jav]

If I had an FFL I wouldn't even bother with private party transfers unless it was worth my time (monetary value). I'd strictly sell what I had in inventory and tell people to take private party transfers elsewhere.

And from a business side I completely understand that. It's something the legislators didn't think about when they passed mandatory background checks in Oregon. Its either pay more or go to jail.