Where to purchase: online or local store?

[kwesi]

Could use some help here:

1. what is the fair FFL fee if purchased online
2. is the xtra $ worth the dealer so they can deal with the manufacturer if there is a problem & return
3. can you trust the online stores

Seems like the sales tax savings will about cover the FFL fee.

Thanx

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[P95Carry]

FFL fee? - wow that one can vary - a lot!!!! I have paid $10 to my FFL for ages and now give him $15. But I know of some dealers who go on % - gun is $500 and they want 10% sometimes!!!! Your transfer fee is $50!

This is IMO totally down to individual dealers - and how well they know you etc.

I do prefer dealing with my guy even if cost up a bit - but he has cut me some very fair deals. There is that customer/factory liason bit that a dealer can help with and circumvent sometimes.

Trust? - that is down IMO as ever to ''Caveat Emptor'' - there is always risk and a few scams but on balance I have found most online reputable companies to be OK and most private deals too. But there is always that risk of being ''had'' - and so a small extra cost can often be worth it - if a dealer has what you want.

['75scout]

I doubt I'll ever buy a gun online, unless it is a rare find. I prefer to support the local shop as best I can and will develop a relationship. That alone might get me some savings in the future. The online sales I see are usually the same or more than the local prices and its much more hassle.

[cagueits]

I have purchased two guns online from topglock.com (who I think belongs or is part of the "thegunsource.com"), sold two online in gunsamerica.com; FFL fees vary a lot - I had to pay $100 per gun on 3 of the transfers (local in Puerto Rico), $15 on the other one (local in North Carolina).

Find a good online dealer, and shop around for a good FFL fee (try pawn shops - they seem to be the cheaper ones on the FFL fee in my experience; tell them you have x pawn shop doing an FFL transfer for so much and you want the cheaper deal or you are taking your business elsewhere - it started at $50 and every other place I called lowered the price until it reached $15).

[estimber]

Any gun I find on the internet, I add about 60.00 to the price for transfer fees and shipping. I use this to compare against the same gun locally to determine of I want it. Usually it is cheaper to buy it locally. What you can find on the internet that you can't locally are the hard to find guns. Recently I wanted a Ruger SP101 (SPNY, a version made especially for NYPD ). The only place to find it is on the internet. In this case the shipping and transfer fees are a moot point since I can't buy this gun anywhere locally or within driving distance.

It boils down to what you want. If you want a Glock, Springfield, etc then buying it locally, even if it is a bit more is probably a better choice becasue if anything goes wrong then you have a shop locally to take it to for service, etc. I have seen people save alot of money on internet purchases only to spend what they saved and more in time, shipping, etc. getting a problem resolved with their weapon.

[Ben Hennessy]

Only bought a gun once over the internet and I'll never do it again. I was totally ripped off. The dealer had a ton of good comments on him and only one bad one, so I made the purchase. After having my money , it took over a month to recieve my gun and he never sent the extra's. After multiple calls that he would not take and multiple emails to him that he would not reply to, I left a bad comment for him at gunbroker. Being that there is only 2 bad comments I'm sure it did not hurt his bussiness but it sure did stop me from buying anymore on the internet.

[Fragman]

These local gunstores are an important cornerstone in exercising and keeping our 2A rights.

If they close down, it makes it that much harder to buy your guns. If you don't have a local gunstore, you don't have a local FFL, so buying on line is not as easy an option as you might think.

So,where possible, I buy from guns from real people, face to face.

[rodc13]

I tend to buy my guns at our monthly gun show, from the regular dealers. Just as with a storefront, you can build a relationship and gain the advantages of a repeat customer. I do like the direct contact and the ability to negotiate. I have purchased one pistol online and the local FFL charged only $10 for the transfer. Out of appreciation, I purchased a few items from him, so he could make a bit more out of the deal.

[obxned]

I always try to purchase local - guns, cars, or whatever. Keep the money in your community. Keep your local stores open. We now have our first and only in-county dealer in pistols (have a Wally but only long guns) and we will buy a gun or two from him in the near future.

[Echo_Four]

Lots of talk about supporting the local stores. There are no local stores, just pawn shops that will handle FFL transfers for me and have the usual pawn shop type of guns, with a few new guns from smaller makers.

That said, I have now developed a fondness for ordering online. I am not limited by what is in a given store so I almost always get exactly what I am looking for. That wasn't the case when I was shopping in a traditional store.

[whw]

I'm with all the folks that like to deal with the local guys. If we put them out of business, you won't be able to actually handle the latest and greatest. The local gun store plays a big role in the protection of our 2A rights. Support them.

whw

[raevan]

I always buy from the local stores,That way I can examine the firearm and usually get a better deal, plus a gun that works.

[Pete]

Local store.

I trust my life to the integrity of my vehicle but I wouldn't buy my next truck online.
Even if I saved a dollar or two.

Anyway, I like the guys at my store, they're open 7 days a week, have a range in the basement and let me BS with them when they aren't selling something.

I like them being there so I will continue to fund their pensions.

[SIXTO]

Support you local shop. Where else can you run in for a box of ammo on sat. for a range date on sunday? Walmart isnt going to sell gun stuff much longer.

[USPnTX]

I have to say that going to my local gunstore is somewhat like visiting this site. Most of the folks in there are very gun savvy and usually a hoot to talk with. I know you can probably save a little by using the web or going to one of the big-box retailers, but I would rather help the little guy out with my business.