I'm kicking around the idea of starting a small shop for transfers, some cans, and some other accessories. What does your shop charge for a transfer on guns? I know some places I've worked charged more for form 4 transfer fees. I'd like to get an idea of maybe what the avg is or what is too high in most people's minds. Don't give me your butt buddy discount price either, lol. I want to know the actual price.
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What does your shop charge for transfers?
- Thread starter matleez
- Start date
$50 for an appetizer, $150 for a full course meal, $350 for dessert
YOUR local market will drive the price. For decades it was $40-50 around here, even before internet sales were really a thing. In recent years there were more and more guys doing what you're talking about, doing it for $25 That drove everyone else's prices down.
I think many/most of those guys gave it up for one reason or another. The prices are creeping back up, they're $40-50 again.
But things are tough, one friend who used to do them for me for free is even charging now.
I think many/most of those guys gave it up for one reason or another. The prices are creeping back up, they're $40-50 again.
But things are tough, one friend who used to do them for me for free is even charging now.
Yea, I didn't expect to make a shit load of money off of it. If I lived 2 miles further down the road zoning would allow me to run it out of my house. So im kicking some stuff around. I figured around 40-60 in my area. I haven't checked with the 2 local shops yet to see what their prices are.
Around here it's usually $25 to $35 anyone charging more than that won't get any business.
That being said, trying to base your business model on that is going to be pretty hard to making a living at / cover costs with.
You should make your business plan based on your costs / desired profit being covered by other normal sales and operations and then the transfer stuff is a bit of sideline extra business.
Unless this is like happening out of your garage and you are already at home / working from home and any extra income is a bonus.
That being said, trying to base your business model on that is going to be pretty hard to making a living at / cover costs with.
You should make your business plan based on your costs / desired profit being covered by other normal sales and operations and then the transfer stuff is a bit of sideline extra business.
Unless this is like happening out of your garage and you are already at home / working from home and any extra income is a bonus.
That's what I'm playing around with. This wouldn't be the full business model. And I wish my zoning would allow for an FFL ran out of the garage. Would make it easier. This is more so if I'm going to dive into a business, I'd like to include having transfers available.
Real range around here is from free to $50. No different on Class III that I have seen, but I haven't really searched that one out.
40. They earn it. With all the paperwork and dealing with logging in, etc.
I don’t begrudge them one bit of it.
Sirhr
I don’t begrudge them one bit of it.
Sirhr
25 at one gunsmith in town. 30 at Runnings fleet farm. And i think 30 at the cerakote place down the road.
There’s only one local FFL, he charges $25+tax if from an FFL and $50+tax if from an individual, but has a frequent flyer card that after you do six transfers the seventh is free. No NFA, just 4473’s.
Prior to using him I had stuff sent to a guy about 50 miles away. He had a convoluted pricing setup where your first transfer was $10 and after that they were $15. Or you could pay $75 and have unlimited transfers for a calendar year.
Prior to using him I had stuff sent to a guy about 50 miles away. He had a convoluted pricing setup where your first transfer was $10 and after that they were $15. Or you could pay $75 and have unlimited transfers for a calendar year.
$20.00 No joke. Runs the shop from his residence. Last time I scooped up a pistol he says he would accept cigars or beer in lieu of money as the dollar is losing value. I gave him a bottle of Dewars. He was stunned and grateful. Best of luck to you!
Yea kicking around the idea of getting back into the industry. I managed a shop for a while and worked at 2 for about 4 years. As long as you don't have retards doing the paperwork you won't fail and audit. So doing it myself would make it less likely of an error.
My LGS in Socal..... It is $125 per firearm for FFL Transfers. Additional Firearms are $50 Per Firearm. The $125 DOES NOT include the state DROS Fee, Tax,
When I lived in Alabama it was $20 per 4473 form, so 1 2 or 3 items on one transaction $20
Now that I am in central VA, I found a guy that does transfer for $15 (have not asked the cost of multiple)
I will say most I see around me are $25-$35, but you see $50 and up here and there, those guys are telling you they do not want the business.
Now that I am in central VA, I found a guy that does transfer for $15 (have not asked the cost of multiple)
I will say most I see around me are $25-$35, but you see $50 and up here and there, those guys are telling you they do not want the business.
Market rate is good but also or mostly: do. The. Math.
Figure out how much this costs you. How much time and what is your per-minute shop cost. If you don't know your hourly COST (then divide by 60) start there.
LOTS of businesses screw up these cost analyses. It is why restaurants go out of business. They don't accurately run costs, so are confused as to where the money goes.
A good specific example is the belief that credit cards are expensive because of the fees charged. But do the math. How long does it take to accept cash vs them swiping a card? How much to balance the drawer at end of day? How much time and gas to drive it over to the bank? Etc. Oh, it turns out it usually costs more to accept cash than cards, it's just a hidden cost.
So: don't accidentally, secretly, loose money doing this.
A place down the street from me used to be my go-to shop and they happily did transfers, for pretty good prices. Like... want to say $35/45/55 based entirely on size (shipping mostly), add $5 for NFA, and that was WAY lower than others because: they had an office guy who only did this. Comfortable on the computer and familiar with the rules and laws so fast at it, no rework, and only in the back office so no retail walk in to distract.
They did this so much that when he was out for vacation or so on: no transfers. They would NOT ruin their model by having to flop between retail and paperwork. So, also keep in mind that processes are there on purpose, stick to them or again costs will spiral out of control without you noticing.
Figure out how much this costs you. How much time and what is your per-minute shop cost. If you don't know your hourly COST (then divide by 60) start there.
LOTS of businesses screw up these cost analyses. It is why restaurants go out of business. They don't accurately run costs, so are confused as to where the money goes.
A good specific example is the belief that credit cards are expensive because of the fees charged. But do the math. How long does it take to accept cash vs them swiping a card? How much to balance the drawer at end of day? How much time and gas to drive it over to the bank? Etc. Oh, it turns out it usually costs more to accept cash than cards, it's just a hidden cost.
So: don't accidentally, secretly, loose money doing this.
A place down the street from me used to be my go-to shop and they happily did transfers, for pretty good prices. Like... want to say $35/45/55 based entirely on size (shipping mostly), add $5 for NFA, and that was WAY lower than others because: they had an office guy who only did this. Comfortable on the computer and familiar with the rules and laws so fast at it, no rework, and only in the back office so no retail walk in to distract.
They did this so much that when he was out for vacation or so on: no transfers. They would NOT ruin their model by having to flop between retail and paperwork. So, also keep in mind that processes are there on purpose, stick to them or again costs will spiral out of control without you noticing.
- Nov 3, 2010
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Been averaging 35 - 40 dollars for firearms. I just got another one a few weeks ago but it was a case of a store that carries plenty of models in inventory. You order from their website and if you transfer at their store, they waive the transfer fee.
Order the gun in the store, or it's something unique, old, not really available and it's free.
Order a Glock online and there's 5 in the case for $25 more than you paid? 10% of what you paid.
LGS doesn't charge me because I'm in there buying plenty of stuff, and I ask him if he can order anything I need first.
Only had a few that he flat told me "I can't get them for 6+ months, find one in stock and it's no transfer fee".
Order a Glock online and there's 5 in the case for $25 more than you paid? 10% of what you paid.
LGS doesn't charge me because I'm in there buying plenty of stuff, and I ask him if he can order anything I need first.
Only had a few that he flat told me "I can't get them for 6+ months, find one in stock and it's no transfer fee".
$500 for most transfers.
No, just kidding. $40 for the masses, but I get the good guy discount, so mine are $20.
No, just kidding. $40 for the masses, but I get the good guy discount, so mine are $20.
Non NFA is $25-$40 for FFLs that actually get business doing transfers. There are some that charge $60-$100 but no one transfers with them and I’m sure they have those prices so that no one will.
Not that long ago the norm was $20.
One shop was doing $10 transfers until Covid shut them down.
Not that long ago the norm was $20.
One shop was doing $10 transfers until Covid shut them down.
The store I manage charges 30$ per gun , no NFA. I can be flexible depending on what you buy while picking up gun. Had a guy last week had an AR transferred in and he bought a scope, bipod, sling and plenty of ammo, asked me he owed for the transfer? I told him we appreciate him spending money with us and he didn't have a transfer fee.
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