Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
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    Default selling - internet transfer

    Selling some firearms at gunbroker. Used to use a local FFL to ship (Shooter's Bench in Russellton, PA but they went out of business). Don't want to deal with shipping policy hassles at Fedex / UPS / USPS or requesting copies of the buyer's LGS FFL license. Found it much easier to arrange a dealer-to-dealer transfer.

    Anyone know of a gun shop north or east of Pittsburgh who would be willing to ship a gunbroker sale for a reasonable fee?

    Thanks.

  2. #2
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    Try to justify your idea of 'reasonable fee'. How much time will they have in handling the merchandise? What's their time worth? What's your time worth? Do you feel as though their time is worth less than yours? What percentage of those dealings go south and how much time do they cost? They have to factor that into their cost of doing business as well. I frequently hear guys balk at a $35 transfer fee over a $25 fee, then I've seen paid employees spend an hour or more just waiting for a PICS check to go through. I just don't see a lot of fat in transferring firearms. Maybe I see it wrong.
    Gender confusion is a mental illness

  3. #3
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    Quote Originally Posted by Walleye Hunter View Post
    Try to justify your idea of 'reasonable fee'. How much time will they have in handling the merchandise? What's their time worth? What's your time worth? Do you feel as though their time is worth less than yours? What percentage of those dealings go south and how much time do they cost? They have to factor that into their cost of doing business as well. I frequently hear guys balk at a $35 transfer fee over a $25 fee, then I've seen paid employees spend an hour or more just waiting for a PICS check to go through. I just don't see a lot of fat in transferring firearms. Maybe I see it wrong.
    Not at all. Shooter's Bench charged $35 for long guns and $55 for handguns (2nd day shipping). I thought their fees were reasonable.

  4. #4
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    Quote Originally Posted by TonyF View Post
    Not at all. Shooter's Bench charged $35 for long guns and $55 for handguns (2nd day shipping). I thought their fees were reasonable.
    And that does sound cheap, particularly if it includes shipping fees.
    Gender confusion is a mental illness

  5. #5
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    If you just have the receiving FFL's name and address, you can find them here: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/listing...arms-licensees

    Don't know if that would change your mind to ship yourself or not. I'm sure you know handgun shipping sucks though, as carriers require overnight, which is like $100. It's helpful to the buyer if you use the FFL. I'd say most will do it for less than half that since they can use USPS.

  6. #6
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    As asked, what is your "Reasonable Fees"?

    Shipping fees by a FFL are going to vary a lot depending on what you want done. How fast do you want it to get there? Do you want it insured? Do you want a return receipt? (proving the receiving FFL got it) Do you want them to pack it a certain way? How long is the rifle (that will determine the size of the box it goes in and the bigger the box the more it costs). Also remember that all shipping or mailing costs have gone up, the days of a $25 shipping cost for a handgun or $50 for a rifle is long past. With insurance (and the more insurance you want the more it costs you) I normally charge $50 to pack/ship/insure a handgun, $100 to pack/ship/insure an average rifle and that is with insurance of up to $600. Over than the fee goes up. I shipped a Daniel Defense DDM4V7 with a lot of extras on it and the seller wanted $3000 of insurance and special packing for the accessories and my fee was $180 - due to the extra work to do what he wanted and I didn't make al that much on that shipment. Remember the packer/shipper has costs that have to be paid - box, packing material, transportation to and from the shipping company, and the TIME it takes to do all this. I ship almost exclusively USPS (in 20+years I have NEVER had a firearm go missing or stolen). Ammo always goes UPS as does multi rifle shipments in one box, due to the size and weight.
    Ron USAF Ret E-8 FFL01/SOT3 NRA Benefactor Member

  7. #7
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    If you're willing to drive to the Cranberry/Zeli area, Rob @ Hot Metal Transfers is worth reaching out to. rob@hotmetaltransfers.com
    -Brandon


  8. #8
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    Quote Originally Posted by esh21167 View Post
    If you just have the receiving FFL's name and address, you can find them here: https://www.atf.gov/firearms/listing...arms-licensees

    Don't know if that would change your mind to ship yourself or not. I'm sure you know handgun shipping sucks though, as carriers require overnight, which is like $100. It's helpful to the buyer if you use the FFL. I'd say most will do it for less than half that since they can use USPS.
    My experience in some cases has been that the buyers FFL Dealer has refused to send me a copy of their license and I can sympathize with them. I had one experience where a buyer sent me a copy of their Dealers license and I came to find out that after he received the first copy from his Dealer that he continued to make copies and was having firearms purchases he made shipped directly to his residence. Whether he ultimately took said firearm to his Dealer to have it lawfully transferred I don't know.

    I thought something was suspicious so I contacted the Dealer myself and they informed me that they did not give him permission to keep making copies. They thanked me and I'm sure they contacted federal LE. From that experience I learned why some Dealers were reluctant to send out copies of their license to anyone other than another Dealer. In fact, Shooter's Bench had the same policy. That's why I don't even want to request copy of a FFL license. I'd rather keep the transfer transaction completely between the seller's and buyer's respective Dealers.

  9. #9
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    Quote Originally Posted by pens87pgh View Post
    If you're willing to drive to the Cranberry/Zeli area, Rob @ Hot Metal Transfers is worth reaching out to. rob@hotmetaltransfers.com
    Thanks. I'll look into that.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: selling - internet transfer

    Another option is to see if there are any dealers near you that have a good following on gunbroker and will sell it for you (minus their commission). Even though they will charge a hefty commission you still might come out ahead in the auction if they are trusted and you are a private seller with only a handful of sales.

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