Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
I have no problem with a business charging a premium transfer/PICS fee for receiving firearms bought online. It’s kinda like Trump's tariffs. Why should they help you buy a gun from somewhere else if they can sell it to you...especially with new guns.
I also have no problem with someone going elsewhere to get your gun sent.
As for having to pay $5 for the transfer rather than having the business absorb it as a cost of doing business, I have two points...1j FFL's make next to nothing on new firearm sales and 2) If a $5 PICS fee is what pushes a gun's price into unaffordable, you probably shouldn’t be buying it in the first place.
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
gnbrotz
I understand there is a cost to the dealer for the check, but I think that more often than not, I think it's used as an excuse to pad profit. I don't think there is any reason it can't be factored into the price, and the local shop where I bought 2 firearms very recently does just that. I know how to figure sales tax, and I know the fee is attached to every sale and how much it *actually* is. Playing games with the fee makes me distrust you as a business person.
I didn't answer the poll, because I think it's worded poorly. I know a fee is mandatory, so I'm not opposed to it, but I don't agree with inflating it. If the question really is "Should the fee be included in the posted/sticker price?", them my answer would be "Yes."
^THIS.
Sorry OP but your Poll is poorly worded. Let me break this down for you. On average using a credit card costs ~3% to the retailer, which is why if you are familiar with using Gunbroker you will often see a ~3% credit card charge listed to sale price. If you buy in state you pay 6% sales tax. 6% can make a big difference when you are price shopping, and why many choose to buy out of state to avoid the sales tax. It is hard to compete with sales tax and low margins on guns in the first place.
Now if you are buying in State here is how the State charges for Background checks. $2 for PICS and $3 per firearm which the state calls a taxable surcharge.
Example: If you buy 4 lower receivers from me there is a $2 PICS charge and $12 surcharge that I have to send to the State. On the other hand if you bought those 4 lowers from AIM Surplus and had me transfer them to you the charge is $2 for PICS only as the lowers came from out of state and are non-taxable. Makes it damn hard to compete. That is why FFL's charge a transfer fee to offset their loss from out of state sales.
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
Just bought an out of state rifle that was transferred to my LGS on Friday. I was charged $50
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
Just bought one at grice on the 10th, receipt states, $2.00 pa instant check fee and uniform firearms act fee $3.00.
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
Just make sure the real PA fees are not sales taxed. They are non taxable.
I might give an "out the door" $ but will break it down on the bill.
But you buy if from me you just pay the mandatory fee, the rest is in the markup. Even on here for all the haters that god forbid I try to make $10-20 on something and not want to "sell it at cost to get it off the shelf"
Transfers are a different ball of wax.
Not making anything on the gun, my costs for opening an business getting State and Fed lic, and time to A&D it. Yea expect to pay some fees.
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
FYI, The $5 background check is untaxed so it should not be hidden in the total purchase. Every two weeks the dealer submits there state surcharge forms which is where your $5 goes to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
rellisonii
Pennsylvania charges 3 dollars for the back ground check and 2 dollars for the instant check system. I have bought from dealers that include in gun price and others that do not.
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bowkillpa
FYI, The $5 background check is untaxed so it should not be hidden in the total purchase. Every two weeks the dealer submits there state surcharge forms which is where your $5 goes to.
Untrue, for an instate purchase from a retailer both PICS and the surcharge are taxable. If it's a transfer PICS is not taxable
Correspondence received from Dept. of Revenue:
Quote:
If you are selling the firearm, then all associated charges will be subject to PA sales tax, whether the charges are separately stated or not. The bottom line is that if you are not the seller of the firearm, your service fee nor the background check is subject to PA sales tax.
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
When the store orders a firearm from the supplier a tax is paid on it. When a gun purchase is made in the store the customer pays a tax on it. When a pics is completed the customer pays a $5 fee which is not taxed. If you want to challenge that come to my storefront and my printed receipt of purchase is there for you to see.
ETA: Also if you do a person to person transfer in the store the fee in non taxed..
https://i.imgur.com/0HBRw6U.jpg
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
bowkillpa
When the store orders a firearm from the supplier a tax is paid on it. When a gun purchase is made in the store the customer pays a tax on it. When a pics is completed the customer pays a $5 fee which is not taxed. If you want to challenge that come to my storefront and my printed receipt of purchase is there for you to see.
ETA: Also if you do a person to person transfer in the store the fee in non taxed..
*EDIT UPDATE: I was wrong; Bowkill is correct and I apologize!
My updated response from Dept. of Revenue:
Quote:
Background checks, regardless of who does them, are not subject to PA sales tax, unless they are done in conjunction with a credit check. The only place that you will find this referenced is in Regulation 60.11, Credit reporting services.
http://www.pacode.com/secure/data/06...60/s60.11.html
Thanks for your inquiry,
Re: Fees when purchasing a new gun?
It's also stated in our secret PICS manual.