S&W 64 $199

[EJSG19]

Wouldn't the seller have to run a background check on each of the buyers anyway?

I kind of thought the FFL holder you transfer the gun to might be swell and take care of that.

Ok smarty, you're right. Either way, somewhere at some point, each person is going to have to get one done. Before that, somebody is going to have to take this thing by the beach balls and make it work.

If we have trouble getting an ammo can group buy going, a group buy on handguns is a whole new ballgame.

VoR has no dog in this fight, just saying. I pass out worthless advice $0.02 at a time.

[plblark]

you know ... IF one were a local FFL ... Say located conveniently in MPLS, they could just whistle up 10 or 20 of these things, have them shipped in, and accommodate the group buy for a minimal transfer fee....

Too bad we don't know anybody like that around here

[beenji]

Us money order, it will not bounce. cost? like like $2.00 + .44 Stamp. Lets figure out who wants to place the orders and the total price.

[tacticalninja32]

1.59 at SA

[onebohemian]

you know ... IF one were a local FFL ... Say located conveniently in MPLS, they could just whistle up 10 or 20 of these things, have them shipped in, and accommodate the group buy for a minimal transfer fee....Too bad we don't know anybody like that around here

This has come up before, but I've kept silent on my guess as to what this says about us. Because it's front and center again, though, here's my two cents. I think it's telling that we have never been able to find a local FFL that frequents this (or the other) board that is willing to volunteer to assist in group buys like this. Leads me to believe that we're seen as somewhat of a liability, whether on the front end via the risk of not getting paid in advance, or on the back regarding expectations that there may be transfer problems. I'm not pointing any fingers at anyone. Everyone has to conduct their business as they see fit. But I just don't get it in this case as, although we've got a strange bunch, I do not believe we exhibit behaviors that would indicate we are not worth dealing with on group buys. What am I missing that keeps FFLs away from jumping on this type of business development, whether on this board or others?

[westberg]

I am not an FFL holder but as anyone who has been involved in any of the group buy's it takes a lot of time and it's like herding cats. On top of that your looking for discounted pricing as in this case the transfer fee, which ends up being more work for less money. Plus your not helping him by buying any of his stock he has on hand. I don't see any real incentive for them.

[1911fan]

Bank wire is easy and fast, and it can be done with an escrow delay, Guns get to the dealer, he looks them over and says, yes, they are as advertised, and releases the money. or he gets them and says, oh hell no, this one has no cylinder, this one no barrel, (kidding of course) and denies the shipment.

I have done this with boats, its easy, fair, and banks are involved which means people play fair.

[onebohemian]

I am not an FFL holder but as anyone who has been involved in any of the group buy's it takes a lot of time and it's like herding cats. On top of that your looking for discounted pricing as in this case the transfer fee, which ends up being more work for less money. Plus your not helping him by buying any of his stock he has on hand. I don't see any real incentive for them.

There are a number of FFLs that don't have inventories of guns. We want one of those. At 25 or even 20 bucks per transfer, that's 150 to 250 bucks for 7 to 10 guns for a little effort. I know I for one would throw more business the way of the particular FFL after this too. Good will goes along way in a competitive business like this.

I've run a couple group buys on mags and loaders before, and I agree it's like herding cats. Never fails that somebody doesn't follow-through, but we could help with the herding part if the FFL asked so as to eliminate this risk and burden.

Honestly, I think the hardest part may be diding up the guns once they arrive. We wouldn't want a fight about condition or a race to the ffl for transfer. I think a way to solve that potential problem in advance would be for the buyers to agree to a drawn number ordering. We allow one of us to simply draw the buyers names out of a hat. Where you end up is your number, 1 through 10. The FFL then randomly puts a 1 through 10 on the boxes when they arrive, before inspection by us. You pick your numbered gun up at your convenience.

[westberg]

well good luck with it, I hope you guy's find someone. But one or two gun's left behind he may be losing money or stuck with moving guns he didn't want.

[justaguy]

I don't want in on this group buy, but if somebody backed out I would buy a S&W for $200, you know just to help out. I don't think it would be a hard sell for this price.

Remember what you paid for this information.

[45usp45]

I could also take one if someone backed out.

[onebohemian]

well good luck with it, I hope you guy's find someone. But one or two gun's left behind he may be losing money or stuck with moving guns he didn't want.

This can't happen. No way can any FFL we engage get stuck with a gun that hasn't been prepaid for. To make this worth everyone's time--whether for this project or another--the process has to go as follows. One of us collects all the money, or we require the money be prepaid to the FFL ahead of time. In addition, the FFL has to be paid in advance the transfer fees, i.e. before the order is placed. A date needs to be set by which all money is due. You miss the date, you're out of the buy. The day after the due date, the money holder places the order, with shipment set up for the FFL's business address. Maybe the best person to place the order is the FFL, so that no one later accuses anyone of straw purchase (although I really don't think the facts would support such a conclusion). We do the number draw described above before the shipment arrives so there's no problems when we accept our individual guns and the FFL does the NICS and transfers.

[selurcspi]

If we want to get together and prepay, I have an aquaintance who has an FFL who charges $20 per gun for a transfer.
Let me know if you want me to make this happen!

B

[beenji]

A straw purchase would be if I where to go to an FFL and buy a gun for someone else. Anyone Evan a felon could buy and order guns Online. They would need to be shipped to an FFL there after the NICS check they would discover that he/she cannot own a gun and no transfer would take place. Any one of us can collect the funds and place the order. Lets just figure out the total per gun and pick someone to place the order.Everyone can just get a money order and mail it to the designated money handler. Order placed. Done and Done! On to the next group buy.

[onebohemian]

I went back through the thread and counted 8. Somebody should check my count though.

Appears that shipping on 8 is going to run 95.00. Figure 12.00 per gun.

Prepay of the transfer fee puts us at another $20.00 per gun, if Selurpi's guy is a go.

That is going to come out to $232 per gun.

Any volunteer(s) to contact the FFL to explain what we're attempting to accomplish, and then lead the charge on collecting the Money Orders and placing the order??????????