special order handguns

[Guest jcs71]

Hi there. I live in Mt. Juliet. I was wondering if there was any gunshops that would be friendly enough to order guns out of Shotgun News or websights like Gunbroker.com without practically raping me of my money?

It seems like when I talk to some local ones they are pretty one dimensional and would only go through their one distributer. That sucks because there have been guns I wanted to get in the past and couldn't get them through regular dealer channels.

If I mispelled anything please forgive me.

[2000silverz28]

You can buy them yourself and then have them shipped to an FFL. There is a fee though.

[Guest Steelharp]

www.eastsidegunshop.com ; tell Bill Mikey sent ya!

[molonlabetn]

Yeah.

There are many FFL holders who will recieve and transfer a gun for you, for around $20-$30, plus the $10 background check fee. Simply get their permission to have a firearm shipped to them, negotiate a price for their service, and then buy the firearm with instructions for where to ship it... Have the recieving dealer fax a signed copy of their FFL to the seller.

I've done a few this way. It's pretty painless. As a matter of fact, I'm waiting on one to ship to my dealer right now...

[Smith]

+111 for East Side Gun Shop. Bill Bernstein is great!

[DaveTN]

Contact Mike Patterson at The Saddle Shop in College Grove.

http://www.saddleshop.bizland.com/

If you email him a link he will let you know what the total would be picked up at his place. His email is mpatter2@bellsouth.net

[Donnie]

Any good gun shop that wants repeat customers should do this for people without charging them much more than the required state fees. If my local shop wouldn't let me transfer guns through them, I'd find a different gun shop.

[The Rabbi]

+111 for East Side Gun Shop. Bill Bernstein is great!

NAte and Steelharp, thanks. The check is going out this morning.

[The Rabbi]

Any good gun shop that wants repeat customers should do this for people without charging them much more than the required state fees. If my local shop wouldn't let me transfer guns through them, I'd find a different gun shop.

Repeat customers for what? Free business. I can get all the business I want giving things away. Do you think it costs nothing to operate a gun shop? I charge what I think is very reasonable amount to do this, but it is not without work or risk. I don't blame dealers who charge more. It's a free country.

[Donnie]

So Rabbi, are you one of the gun shops that charges 10% of the value of the gun to transfer it because you're pissed off that they didn't buy it directly from you???

Normally my local shop charges me $25 to do a transfer. I find that reasonable. I never said to do it for nothing, not much more than the state fees if I recall, but charge a decent amount for your time. I buy all my ammo through them (repeat customer). I buy new guns through them (repeat customer). I buy used guns from them (repeat customer). I buy knives from them (repeat customer). See a pattern here????? If they were to start charging me $100 plus the state fees to transfer an AR, I do believe that I'd go elsewhere. Like you said It's a free country.

[shaftbass]

I have used Bellshire Hardware for years to do my transfers.

$20 for transfer

$10 for background check

The owner's name is Phil and he is happy to do all the transfers you want.

860-4212 - He is on Dickerson Rd.

[The Rabbi]

So Rabbi, are you one of the gun shops that charges 10% of the value of the gun to transfer it because you're pissed off that they didn't buy it directly from you???

No because:

a) I wont transfer a gun that I can order in and sell myself;

It isnt anybody's business what someone pays for a gun. I provide a service and charge a flat fee for that. I dont need to see someone's invoice.

On the first part, the transfer exists (in my mind) to get guns that customers could not get through me. I'll never have a Colt Python probably through the shop. So if someone wants one, he needs to find it on line. Similar with new Kimbers, SIGs, Beretta doubles, and anything else that is dealer direct.

But I am not going to allow someone to transfer a new Taurus just so he can save 30 bucks on my back.

In fact, about 50% or more of customers who transfer through me end up either buying another gun or buying ammo or whatnot. So I guess I'm easy enough to deal with. In person, anyway.

[molonlabetn]

Repeat customers for what? Free business. I can get all the business I want giving things away. Do you think it costs nothing to operate a gun shop? I charge what I think is very reasonable amount to do this, but it is not without work or risk. I don't blame dealers who charge more. It's a free country.

You're absolutely correct. However, I'm sure you realize that in this competetive marketplace, consumers gravitate towards businesses which not only offer great service, but do so at reasonable cost. The seller may ask whatever price they please, but in the end, each customer decides the value, individually. And decides whether or not to purchase based on that.

An FFL who will treat me fairly during the transfer of a gun which they themselves could not have procured for close to the same price (or been able to find at all, for that matter), will get my business every time thereafter when they do have what I want in stock for a regular sale. I know many people who will go out of their way to buy available items locally, even if they are slightly more expensive (within reason)... I do.

I have no reason to believe that you are not fair, quite the opposite, based on the excellent reports by several here. My opinion is simply the perspective of a potential customer who weighs carefully how his money is spent.

[shaftbass]

I believe in the whole buy from your local dealer so local dealers don't go under philosophy. It would be a sad day when you can't go to a gun store and buy a gun on an impulse purchase . But seriously, I do like support local dealers.

I have bought my share of guns via FFL transfer, and also several guns through local dealers. The common denominator here is that I used who had the lowest price.

Obviously Rabbi can run his business any way he wants to. If I were in your position though Rabbi, I would not think of it as someone saving $30 bucks "on your back." Do you see it that way if the same person does the transfer at the dealer down the street? Instead of feeling like he should have bought your gun instead of having you do the transfer on the same gun, why not make the money off the transfers and sell the gun in your case to a walk-in customer? You could make a name for yourself doing FFL transfers as well as having good prices on in-stock guns. Several FFL transfers a day would add up pretty quick, plus you are selling to people who walk through the door for the first time.

I respect your position. I plan on checking out your store sometime soon.

[The Rabbi]

Yes, people are free to spend their money where they want. Business owners are also free to set whatever prices they need. Some business owners simply dont want to do transfer business, and price accordingly. I have no problem with that.

I do have a problem with people thinking they ought to be able to transfer a gun for the cost of the TICS check. Or people who think that because they can "get it online" for X amount, that is what they should pay. I made the mistake of falling for that one once with a customer who wanted a Ruger Alaska. I made all of $20 on it. That's when I decided I wasn't doing that anymore and I would provide the gun at a fair (actually excellent) price compared to what they were selling for here, not somewhere in Montana.

The thing that really makes selling vs transferring a problem is the sales tax. Really dealers should probably be collecting the sales tax that is owed to the state on the out of state transfer. Eventually I am sure some hotshot in Dept of Revenue will realize this and push it. But in the meantime I remind people they are responsible for the tax.

btw, the guy with the Ruger Alaska never came back.

[The Rabbi]

You could make a name for yourself doing FFL transfers as well as having good prices on in-stock guns. Several FFL transfers a day would add up pretty quick, plus you are selling to people who walk through the door for the first time.

I respect your position. I plan on checking out your store sometime soon.

What a concept!

Please stop by sometime, btw, even just to chat.

Phil at Bellshire is a stand-up guy and has been a real help to me in the business. I wouldnt blame anyone for patronizing him.

[BimmerFreak]

I would be happy to special order any gun you wish or if you wish to handle the purchase on your end; just have the gun transfered into my shop.

On pre-paid special orders, I normally am able to cut the margin pretty damn low!.

On transfers, we charge 20 bucks (plus 10 to the state) on the first gun, and will do two more for another 10 bucks per gun.

I realize there are buyers that like to find great deals, or weird/rare guns on the internet. (I know I do )

The least I can do is help them get the firearm into their hands in a

safe and cost efficient manner, and hopefully earn some of their "other" business while in the store

[SkWaShDeM]

Where exactly in TN is Winchester?

[shaftbass]

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=winchester,+tn&ie=UTF8&ll=35.710838,-86.11084&spn=3.969063,7.525635&z=7&iwloc=addr&om=1

[BimmerFreak]

Where exactly in TN is Winchester?

37398

We are 12 miles off of I-24 exit 134

[SkWaShDeM]

Hmm... maybe I'll stop by sometime. Once in a while I have to take I-24 between Chattanooga and Nashville.