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

[Mark K]

If your shop is going to overcharge and whine about a private transfer… Look elsewhere, don't put up with crappy customer service.


BTW, Precise Shooter in Woodinville, $30, and a great bunch of guys!

 

[deadeye]

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

Not all shops carry lock, stock and barrels............oh and flints, can't forget the flints.

 

[billdeserthills]

Question in title.

It's hard to ID the person when they send an FFL a gun in a box with just their return address to go by. I wound up calling the ATF & they weren't happy about it.

What am I supposed to put in my bound book when all I had to go by was the buyer, swearing as to the seller's name?

 

[arakboss]

It's hard to ID the person when they send an FFL a gun in a box with just their return address to go by. I wound up calling the ATF & they weren't happy about it.

What am I supposed to put in my bound book when all I had to go by was the buyer, swearing as to the seller's name?

A copy of drivers license would be helpful for seller to include.

 

[DirectDrive]

A copy of drivers license would be helpful for seller to include.

Yep.
That's usually a requirement by the receiving FFL.

Back to the original question, I think it's because when receiving a firearm from a non-FFL more things can go wrong and it takes more time to get it right in the first place.
With a non-FFL there would be more management (checking/coaching) which takes more time.
Proper packaging
Proper ID
Checking S/N through stolen database
Checking non-FFL for any police records

 

[oa98pistol512]

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.

I had a issue with a stolen serial number gun that matched my completely different gun took a few days to get it straightened out.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

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!

Most the time I can order one and get it cheaper and I'm not looking for a Taurus G3 or police turn in Glock 22's at $499 !

 

[Hueco]

My feeling is, if you don't want my business on a transfer, you ain't getting it for a gun.

 

[thorborg]

Bring your lunch to my diner, use the salt and pepper, ask and water too!

Quite some time ago I was @ the pawn in Aloha to meet a guy and do a transfer. Don't know about now, but then, it was a very low fee to do so.
Another was ahead of me doing the same. The whole time he loudly bubblegumed to the employee about the fee, having to fill out all the paperwork, having to wait, finger print etc. As if all that crap was the pawn shops fault. Somehow the employee was able to tune him out. Something I've never been able to master. Instead of tune out it would have been throw out. Mean while, while I patiently waited, he thoughtfully gave us paperwork to do, there were three non related gun others, perusing the pawn stuff for sale not being attended to.
Personally, if the jerk ahead of me represents even a small percentage of their transfers, I'd either refuse to do them or charge for the headache.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Bring your lunch to my diner, use the salt and pepper, ask and water too!

Quite some time ago I was @ the pawn in Aloha to meet a guy and do a transfer. Don't know about now, but then, it was a very low fee to do so.
Another was ahead of me doing the same. The whole time he loudly bubblegumed to the employee about the fee, having to fill out all the paperwork, having to wait, finger print etc. As if all that crap was the pawn shops fault. Somehow the employee was able to tune him out. Something I've never been able to master. Instead of tune out it would have been throw out. Mean while, while I patiently waited, he thoughtfully gave us paperwork to do, there were three non related gun others, perusing the pawn stuff for sale not being attended to.
Personally, if the jerk ahead of me represents even a small percentage of their transfers, I'd either refuse to do them or charge for the headache.

My guess is you are probably close to the mark there. Especially let's say someone were acting as an unlicensed dealer or something and going there all the time. That may get old to the business owner pretty quick.

 

[Ginocide]

I think we're all looking at this through the wrong end of the telescope. We already knew FFLs would hate this before it got foisted on everyone via law. Everyone in the gun community alongside the politicians both knew this would create a huge workload for FFLs that they would only do begrudgingly as a low-income side activity. Everyone knew this would give unscrupulous FFLs complete control over captive markets and charge exorbitant fees on people who are unable to travel long distances. Everyone knew that the ultimate goal never had anything to do with safety; and that it was another method to make one of a thousand more cuts on individual 2a rights by wrapping the issue up in more red tape, more time, more inconvenience, more expense, and generally more BS. Then add to that all the 114 background check madness further complicating the issues in a way that might require FFLs to carry this inventory while the background check is stuck in a pending-status black-hole, inventory that adds to their own time and expense in managing. Then add on top of that the state conveniently announced it would no longer be giving queue priority to known and vetted individuals holding a CHL, and that even the transfers for those people would also be lumped into the same black-hole, further complicating the services good FFLs wanted to help out with.

So with all that in mind, are we really surprised that FFLs aren't too keen on it, or that some FFLs want out of the business altogether which only further complicates the issue by giving more power to unscrupulous FFLs to charge more?

I'm not surprised at all, it's all working exactly as intended.

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Question in title.

strange things happen from time to time. I know one of our local ffls does not do it because of the loaded pistols that would come in. In fact I have seen that happen.

 

[Member 53328]

Because they run a business to make money…

They assume all the risk. All the headache. All the reliability. The overhead. The storage. The booking. The ATF. The flaky customers. The poor attitudes. I could go on and on.

It's not worth it. If I owned a shop I wouldn't do private party sales period. Not in person or via the mail. Especially for some nobody off the streets.

 

[Meridian7750]

Because they run a business to make money…

They assume all the risk. All the headache. All the reliability. The overhead. The storage. The booking. The ATF. The flaky customers. The poor attitudes. I could go on and on.

It's not worth it. If I owned a shop I wouldn't do private party sales period. Not in person or via the mail. Especially for some nobody off the streets.

Waiting for heads to explode in three…two…one

 

[Member 53328]

Waiting for heads to explode in three…two…one

Some of my opinions don't align. But it's my opinion and I simply don't care if I step on a few toes. The OP has me on his ignore list anyway. Lol.

 

[Meridian7750]

Some of my opinions don't align. But it's my opinion and I simply don't care if I step on a few toes. The OP has me on his ignore list anyway. Lol.

Trust me, you and I are running parallel on a few things.
Carry on…

 

[Member 53328]

Trust me, you and I are running parallel on a few things.
Carry on…

Tracking. Haha.

 

[billdeserthills]

A copy of drivers license would be helpful for seller to include.

I actually requested a copy of the seller's driver's license & he refused. He left me with no alternative but to refuse all future shipments of guns from non-FFL's

 

[TTSX]

None of the FFLs I've worked with have ever had a problem with it. Though that's probably because I always ask first, buy from their display cases often and never, ever go back on a deal I make with them. I suppose that's just one of numerous benefits to being a reliable and loyal customer

I could see why they might not want to receive from "you" (read as general public), though... One bad customer could really land a turd in the punchbowl

 

[Pepe-lepew]

FFL do business for different reasons or specialize in certain services. Similar to restaurants. McDonolds has fast service and poor quality food and service. They don't ask to refill your drink. Bars specialize in drinks but food is not typically a priority. Nice sit down restraints have good service and food but don't cater to fast service or provide a full mix drink menu. Don't assume a FFL is full service or they prioritize the services they offer the same.