PICS Charge?

[glocke12]

Swung by a local shop last week to pick up a rifle they had in stock that I'd been looking over a year for.

I just now looked at the receipt as I was filing it away, and noticed that their PICS charge was ten bucks. Seems a little steep, but than again I haven't bought a gun off the shelf in well over a year..everything has been mail ordered and transferred through a different shop that charges 25 bucks per transfer.

For some reason I was thinking that the PICS charge was no more than a few bucks.

[Noah_Zark]

The actual PICS background check is $2.00. There is an additional surcharge of $3.00 per each firearm associated with that particular background check.

Example 1 - You bought a rifle; one firearm. The FFL dealer collects $5 ($2 + $3) and sends it to the PSP every two weeks when he (she) completes the mandatory two week report.

Example 2 - You bought at fhe same time a rifle, handgun, and shotgun; three firearms.The FFL collects $11 ($2 + $3 for each firearm and submits it to PSP.

That's the law; however, the FFL is NOT prohibited from charging more to offset the time required to do the paperwork AFTER the buyer takes his gun(s) home - the tike investment that the buyer never sees.

Some dealers don't quibble over $5 in the grand scheme of things - they just deduct it from the sale proceeds and submit it.

Some dealers do charge more, one semi-local dealer charged $25 for EACH background check. He's out of business, but mainly due to being an asshole.

HTH,

Noah

[300plus]

Three local gun shops with very good firearm prices charge $8 or $10 for the PICS check, while several other stores with significantly higher gun prices charge either the $5 or nothing. You are paying the fee one way or another.

[SevenMilePete]

Swung by a local shop last week to pick up a rifle they had in stock that I'd been looking over a year for.

I just now looked at the receipt as I was filing it away, and noticed that their PICS charge was ten bucks. Seems a little steep, but than again I haven't bought a gun off the shelf in well over a year..everything has been mail ordered and transferred through a different shop that charges 25 bucks per transfer.

For some reason I was thinking that the PICS charge was no more than a few bucks.

Usually 5 bucks, even at Gander.

[God's Country]

They charge what they want. $0 on up.
I agree $10 is a little steep for an in-store purchase.

Personally I find it deceptive when a shop has good prices and makes it up on the back end.
IMO in house sales should include pics on the the tag.

I had a shop try to charge me $25 for an in store purchase. Walked out, never went back, never will.

[kcb38]

Yeah, I noticed my favorite shop was charging $10 too. What bugged me was that when I bought 2 at a time, they charged 10 apiece instead of just adding 3 bucks to the initial fee. I get that they have to pay someone a wage to process these things but I don't like when places advertise a lower price only to make it up in fees elsewhere. It didn't help that they wouldn't honor a price quoted on one of the guns only a few days prior either. In the grand scheme of things the extra money isn't a big deal, it was just the principle.

[MARINE DIVISION TWO]

I know of the shop that charges $25 ! I have educated him somewhat over the few years he has now been in business.He can charge what he pleases but return customers who buy from him and get charged that $25 are nil to non existent. Most I get charged elsewhere is $2 ! JMO/MDT

[Xringshooter]

Most dealers I know just build it into the cost of the firearm and the purchaser never sees it anyway. Adding it on after the fact is going to hurt them in the long run unless they only charge what the PSP charges them.

I also don't see why a brick and mortar business charges more than $10-$20 for doing a transfer. Keep the transfer charge low and it gets people in the door. Then you can sell them accessories and that is where a gun dealer makes money.

[flabbydan]

I wasn't charged anything for the PICS check at EuroOptic on Friday. Just the listed price of the rifle plus sales tax.