Why do many FFLs dislike receiving incoming firearms from private parties?

[arakboss]

Question in title.

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[Andy54Hawken]

It takes up my salesperson's time...is what I have been told by the FFL nearest me.
Who , by the way , also charges $50 for a private party transfer.

While I won't argue that it does tie up a salesperson for a bit...
Ain't that what they there for....customer service...?
In any event...a BGC usually does not take that long to run...here in Washington at least .
( For the moment )

I think a bigger reason is that a private party transfer means that someone ain't buying a firearm from the dealer.
And they ain't happy 'bout that.

That said...
The above does not apply to all FFL dealers...
Andy

 

[Stomper]

It takes up my salesperson's time...is what I have been told by the FFL nearest me.
Who , by the way , also charges $50 for a private party transfer.

While I won't argue that it does tie up a salesperson for a bit...
Ain't that what they there for....customer service...?
In any event...a BGC usually does not take that long to run...here in Washington at least .
( For the moment )

I think a bigger reason is that a private party transfer means that someone ain't buying a firearm from the dealer.
And they ain't happy 'bout that.

That said...
The above does not apply to all FFL dealers...
Andy

Short answer, it's about MAXIMUM revenue, which I understand as running a business is TOUGH and expensive! Plus some FFL's could feel insulted by feeling like they're good enough to do a transfer, but not for buying wares from.


It's like me spending time comprehensively evaluating a potential client's equipment and giving them a detailed quote, only for them to take that information to their buddy, "Chuck in a Truck" (who invests ZERO time) and give him the job for 1/3 less than I quoted.


Fortunately for me these days, I leave out critical specs that'll "blow up" in the face of a dufus "handyman" and they wind up calling me back in anyway…. my quotes cost what they do for a reason……

You can pay me today, or you can pay me twice as much tomorrow!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Short answer, it's about MAXIMUM revenue, which I understand as running a business is TOUGH and expensive! Plus some FFL's could feel insulted by feeling like they're good enough to do a transfer, but not for buying wares from.

Having once worked for an FFL...
I understand that...even if I don't fully agree with it.
In any event...I would buy from the FFL doing the transfer...I will still need ammo and the like.
I know that ammo sales don't equal a firearm , however the volume of sales...is still the volume of sales.
But since my local FFL charges $50 for a BGC...it does not make me want to buy from him.

With that said...
If more firearms were made and stocked , as in on hand for sale...the way I like 'em...then I would be more inclined to buy new firearms.
I also understand that my likes in firearms ...ain't the most popular.
And that a retailer needs to sell the most popular / in demand items if they want to remain open.
Andy

 

[Andy54Hawken]

It's like me spending time comprehensively evaluating a potential client's equipment and giving them a detailed quote, only for them to take that information to their buddy, "Chuck in a Truck" (who invests ZERO time) and give him the job for 1/3 less than I quoted.

Having this happen to me more than once...be it as a retail sales person...or when giving advice on an antique or replica firearm...
I totally understand.

It is very frustrating and a waste of everyone's time...
Since the potential client is more often than not...getting shoddy service or less than idea advice , just to "save" a few bucks...
Or hear what they want , versus what they need to hear.
Andy

 

[NobullSKS]

Towards the middle of last year my FFL upped fees…. $45 long guns and $60 pistols. Not ideal. Owner flat out stated it does take some time and they aren't making money in them. Makes sense. With so many online dealers with deals…. The local FFL is loosing business. Understandable.
This particular FFL I still use; mostly because of location and convenience. I pay for my distain, driving more than 10 minutes in this town (off the clock) sucks. $$$ to facilitate my laziness? I guess.
This FFL provides other benefits I like though…. In house cerakote, Gun smith, laser engraving. And usually a great consignment selection and service if you're selling. Rarely decent ammo prices.
The customer service has been hit or miss over the years. Don't think they are fans of deal shopping or budget connoisseurs. The 2 new firearms I've purchased were MSRP and higher….. why did I do that? One special order and another fast impulse buy.
Also I bet the GREAT gun buy of the pandemic put a lot of new arrogant ignorant shoppers in their stores.
It's not the best place to go and I don't refer friends there. But I still go often enough. Though they seem to treat me like a new shopper every time. But that's my choice.
I hear of much cheaper transfer fees. But I'd rather not increase my rage on the road to save $25.

So it's your choice where you spend money, and what for. I do feel the pain too.

 

[Jay Walk]

Remember these FFL's as gun sales slow and
that place do not go.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

In regards to gun shops / FFL's....
Often it is a case of you take what you can get.

If you find a good one....Stick with him...refer him to others....
Buy from him and resist the idea of saving a few bucks and buying online.
Good gun shops / FFL's are tough to come by . So when you find one...do what you can to support him.
Andy

 

[Mikej]

Is the question about FFLs with a store front? Or home FFLs with no store front? I found a home based guy in WA, just over the bridge, that is happy as can be doing transfers for private individuals. Now being in Oregon I'm not able to run semi-auto guns through him though. And of course, if the dims get their wet-dream unconstitutional laws passed here he'll have to obey them.

His fee is $30.00. I asked him about it. How much work he has to do for a private party transfer, or ordering a firearm for someone. He gets your ID, you fill out the 4447, he calls into NICS, he enters it in his "Big Book". There's no work to it! If I were buying new-to-me guns a few/several times a year, those FFL store-front, or home based that charge $50.00+ wouldn't be getting anything from me.

 

[BanjoGeek]

The FFL I use in Keizer is very private transfer friendly. One I used here in Lebanon no so friendly and the private transfer fee is $110 and that seems to not be an isolated fee. These are store front dealers. A home based FFL here charges $20. There's a lot goes into the reason, greed and of course but store fronts have to pay the light bill somehow but the contrast in attitude betwixt the one here in Lebanon and the one is Keizer is 180 out wth Keizer being very user friendly.

 

[Nosferatu]

Because they secretly wish they were Pez dealers instead.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Maybe because they know the person is acting as an unlicensed dealer and they don't want to be associated with that or do the work for them cuz they have to pay insurance, building, deal with atf etc etc that ffls have to do. Such people should probably just get their ffl license.

Does not apply to regular folk who are not acting as an unlicensed dealer. I have never seen those folk ask this question.

 

[Aero Denezol]

My .02. There's an extra step involved, which means a little more paperwork, another box to tick, and another chance for something to go wrong. Mostly it goes smooth but sometimes people come in with a "story" about the gun (like they're not sure how their dad got it) or they want to know if the FFL can somehow broker the financing.. or they need to "run to the ATM", which wastes your time. Or people show up without ID and "have to go home real quick".

But yeah mostly what others said. When a big shop is busy they prefer to sell their own inventory. Just cut and paste easy stuff.

 

[oremike]

I think part of it is the "what if's" as in what if the gun is received damaged, or the buyer can't pass the background check or changes their mind. Also storage can be an issue, how many gun dealers were prepared to store every gun they sell for 2 months.

 

[User 1234]

I interpreted OP's post as asking about receiving shipped firearms. Many FFLs will only accept a shipped firearm from another FFL. The reason I have heard is that many private shippers don't include a copy of their driver's license for logging use or they don't include the purchaser's contact information.

 

[Mikej]

I think part of it is the "what if's" as in what if the gun is received damaged, or the buyer can't pass the background check or changes their mind. Also storage can be an issue, how many gun dealers were prepared to store every gun they sell for 2 months.

Well there is that. I wonder what the ratio is for screw-ups doing BGCs? If you listen to the media they want you to think there are hundreds of people not allowed to own guns trying to buy guns. I'll bet it was a small fraction.
As far as storage goes, from my limited experience, some FFLs have a lot of storage, others have none and make the seller take the gun home until the check is completed. It's not the people that effed up all the FFLs with a massive flood of buyers. It was the dimacrap's efforts to destroy the right to own firearms. Things ran pretty smoothly before that, just the way it was!

 

[Aero Denezol]

Well there is that. I wonder what the ratio is for screw-ups doing BGCs?

Almost zero for me. But I do comparatively few transactions. Usually when people know they are shady they start asking questions upfront ("can you do...") and they save themselves the embarrassment of coming in and being declined.

Milsurp rifles with obscure markings or very generic low serial numbers e.g., "3355" sometimes cause a hiccup because they cross reference stolen firearms serial numbers or firearms used in crimes. Manufacturers have reused many serial numbers over the last 100 years.

 

[Mikej]

Almost zero for me. But I do comparatively few transactions. Usually when people know they are shady they start asking questions upfront ("can you do...") and they save themselves the embarrassment of coming in and being declined.

Milsurp rifles with obscure markings or very generic low serial numbers e.g., "3355" sometimes cause a hiccup because they cross reference stolen firearms serial numbers or firearms used in crimes. Manufacturers have reused many serial numbers over the last 100 years.

Oh, nice. Are you home based? Not looking for anyone, that I know of right now anyway. My guess would have been home based FFLs probably have a lot less problems than store front FFLs.

 

[Aero Denezol]

Oh, nice. Are you home based? Not looking for anyone, that I know of right now anyway. My guess would have been home based FFLs probably have a lot less problems than store front FFLs.

We are a machine shop FFL 07 NFA mfg. This lets us bid on certain types of work for Uncle Sam. Not nearly as glamorous as it may sound. Mostly widgets. But here and there I can also do transfers for people, when I have time. I never have more than 2-3 guns in the shop at once. Right now there is zero.

 

[Member 53328]

……. Another one.