“(Universal background checks are) something that existing dealers like because they get traffic. A lot of dealers make most of their money off of accessories.” – The Brady Campaign’s John Lowe in Universal Background Checks Shine Spotlight on Gun Stores [via time.com]
Is that like saying the Brady Campaign makes the most donations by waving the bloody shirt after a tragedy?
Wes Morosky, president of Duke’s Sports Shop in New Castle, Penn. just flushed his business down the toilet.
Wes Morosky is the new poster boy for greedy and stupid gun store owners.
I’m glad the stores I visit do not think like this. They know it’s all garbage and will not help their business in the long run.
Accessories? Like detachable box magazines, pistol grips, and barrel shrouds?
And the shoulder thingy that goes up.
How does that even make sense? If most of their profits are from accessories, which don’t require background checks, why would they support a UBC? It’s just more red tape bullshit that takes up their time.
1) They can charge for the paperwork. Typically $20-$50 currently. There was talk of making the paperwork fee a set rate by law.
2) They get people into their stores. If you are in doing a transfer/private sale you are more likely to browse and pick up one of the latest tacticool accessories.
3) If you are in the store doing a private transfer you might buy a weapon from the store.
The NY SAFE law places a limit of $10 on FFLs who do background checks for private/F2F sales. Plus, there is record keeping.
I don’t think anyone is doing it for $10. I think they’re charging their normal FFL transfer fee.
$10 kind of gives FFL dealers the shaft. They’ve got to be able to charge what it’s worth for them to do it and let free market competition moderate what they’re willing to do it for. They have to do the paperwork, store it forever on behalf of the Gov’t, be accountable for it, wait on the phone to get through to NICS, deal with the delayed or the denial paperwork if that happens, put themselves in the trace chain and deal with ATF if there is a problem with that gun later on, etc… and they don’t even make their nominal markup on the firearm sale. People start gun shops to sell guns and accessories, where there is earning potential. Functioning as an a la carte secretary for the state and fed government doesn’t pay.
Around here the normal rate is $20, $10 if you have a CCW. How much are you guys paying for a transfer ?!?
He probably looks at this way. It will require more store traffic for those doing transfers which means more sales and because it is a pain in the ass, he will charge $75 for the effort just like some gun shops do today for FFL.
I’m sure this is being HEAVILY spun by the Brady campaign. Most of his comments were likely taken out of context. They’ve been twisting words (when twisting arms doesn’t work) to legitimize their agenda since Newtown.
I wonder if dealers know that the pending federal legislation (HR 137) that would mandate universal background checks on almost all firearms transfers between non-licensees creates a $15 price ceiling for transfers.
“Processing Fees- A licensed dealer that processes the transfer of a firearm under this section may assess and collect a fee, in an amount not to exceed $15, with respect to each firearm transfer processed.”
My FFL only charges $15. Works from his home. In and out in 5-10 min. Plus he is on email and is very responsive
Good for you. I think I am correct in saying that your dealer is an outlier.
Yeah, mine just charged me $40 for a transfer!
There’s a home based FFL around the corner–he charges $75 for every transfer, but will sell to you at his cost for the firearm. There are still a few who will do a $25 transfer; most of the others at $35-45. One store is $37.50 if you buy from them, $65 for a ppt (including guns purchased through the internet). And this is Podunc California. California requires all transfers to go through an FFL
I can’t imagine what kind of markup dealers do in your area to make wholesale plus 75 look like a “good deal”. Markup on mid range guns bought from a store plus about 5 bucks for NICS is usually less than 75.
I, personally, will never sell a firearm without transferring it through an FFL. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if one of my pistols ended up in the hands of a felon. My choice, I guess.
The obvoius point is that this dimwitted law is intended to prevent transfer of firearms to people you know. No some skull you meet on facebook.
You go to your FFL to sell or five a gun to your daughter, grandson, nephew, wife, mother-in-law, friend, guy from work? This is the point the anti’s legislation. They want to stop gun transfers (except turnins).
good points!
Actually, HR 137 provides an exception for a “bona fide gift between immediate family members, including spouses, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren.”
Not that the bill isn’t terrible, but let’s make sure that our objections are factually correct. Objecting based on false information just allows the other side to dismiss your objection without addressing it.
Let’s never forget, gun store owners are businessmen. They’re looking for any advantage, just as any business man would. They’re trying to get my money, just like the barker at the carnival.
Well with that logic, we should do away with background checks in general. I’m sure the gun store owners would lover THAT even more!
Seriously though, that’s just dumb! To say UBCs would create more foot traffic for gun stores is to imply three things. 1) that the vast majority of sales happen outside of gun stores (which they don’t) , 2) that there is no association between the need to get a background check and being in the market for a firearm, and 3) that people are unaware that they can purchase firearm accessories at, of all places, a gun store.
With no ammo or guns to sell, they have to make money somehow.
This statement is just another Brady Campaign half-truth (not exactly a lie, but implying something that is not true). I saw on some other site (ammoland.com, I think), that the majority of gun store owners oppose Universal Background Checks.
This supposition by the Brady Campaign’s John Lowe seems to be factual, because his subsequent argument seems to support it. However, an actual survey of gun store owners finds that the exact opposite is true.
More of the Brady Campaign’s lies, half-truths, faulty logic, innuendos, and useless anecdotal evidence. To use one of their own slogans against them, “We (gun owners) are better than that.”
Universal background checks are the first step towards gun registry. I’m surprised that an owner of a gun shop would be in favor of them. Just goes to show you how greed can cloud your judgment. Apparently Wes is just like his father, a greedy human being. That shop will never get another dime off of me, too bad there are a few really good guys working there that know their stuff. I’ll shop on line from now on. Duke’s can watch their business go down the toilet. To hell with you Wes, your a sellout!
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