Re: I'm thinking of getting FFL
My friend called me the other day, and in the course of chatting told me about a shop in his area that charges MSRP + 25%... my jaw hit the floor. Dealers don't pay MSRP, fuck I don't even pay MSRP as a retail customer. Talk about crooked business.
I've given some thought to getting my license just so I can ship/receive without hassle. In my state, those who hold a CCW permit are exempt from the NICS call, so that makes life even easier some of the time.
I think I would charge $25 per transfer, though I could see doing it for less for repeat customers. Several folks in town just run out of their home, and that is what I would do as well since I don't have the capital (or desire) to compete as a gun store in town.
As it is, I go through a shop that charges $35 per transfer, but he has done right by me on direct sales so I stick with him. There are a couple others in town, but one I refuse to do business with and the others are not much cheaper... and I don't know their track records (most are unknown to me, and the big "gun specialty" pawn shop just got ripped off so I don't want my stuff sitting in there too long).
Unfortunately, the one I can't stand is the local C3/SOT, so that hampers NFA stuff for people who don't know about the others around here (not in the phonebook). This joint once quoted me $300 in dealer fees PLUS the price difference on a GemTech can, even though I was getting a smokin deal on the GemTech. If I have to pay the difference to the dealer, then it's not a deal anymore. Same joint tried to rip me off on a headspace check too. Told me $10, then wouldn't give me change for a bigger bill. He finally did when other customers started turning to watch the argument, if only to shut me up.
Anyway, the point is just to be careful and don't turn into one of those joints that gives the gun industry a bad name.