Buying Regulated Firearm from Gun Shows

[powderhunter]

I have been to several gun shows this year both MD & VA, and bought firearms on two occasions. My question is when you are buying regulated firearm which requires waiting period , do you pay in full or do you just put down deposit as you would if you are dealing with your regular gun shop.

Most gun show vendors have physical business location, and somehow at the show, some of them would ask you to pay in full. This maybe a case by case situation or a universally accepted practice.

What are your experiences ?

 

[QuebecoisWolf]

You can pay in installments, but the paperwork won't be submitted until you've paid in full.

I can't imagine FFLs doing it any other way. On the off chance that you change your mind or don't pay, it would be a real mess. If you hadn't paid in full and the paperwork went through anyway, the gun would be legally registered in your name. In any event, the paperwork wouldn't be complete until the FFL completes the second part after the waiting period that finalizes the transfer and allows you to take charge of the firearm. How many businessmen are going to give you goods that you haven't paid for yet?

Also be aware that VA FFLs cannot sell you a regulated firearm unless it's first shipped to an MD FFL. There are some people here who are willing to handle the transfer for a very nominal fee, but many out of state dealers don't want to jump the hurdles.

 

[Boom Boom]

I always put down a low percentage. Typical is 25%-33%. Latest revolver I bought, I put down 20%. Balance paid when I picked it up 7 days later, after I inspected it. If for some reason I did pay the entire balance up front, it would be with a credit card so the charges could be disputed if need be. There is always the potential for bad things to happen to the firearm during the waiting period, especially if a dealer is foolish enough to let looky-loos monkey handle it. Stupid as that sounds, I've seen it happen, but not at places where I do business.

YMMV greatly. I am a repeat customer at most places I buy.

This doesn't apply to FFL transfer purchases, of course, where there is typically no choice but to pay the entire amount up front.

*** Correction to what I said first. I have in fact purchased firearms from the same dealer at several gun shows. I always pay them up front in full. They treat me well and are always professional. I trust them implicitly. ***

 

[powderhunter]

You can pay in installments, but the paperwork won't be submitted until you've paid in.

I guess, this part was not explained to me fully by the vendor. I wouldn't have mind at all, after all, I still had to wait to take possession of the firearm because of the waiting period.

But one experience I had, the vendor wouldn't even take a deposit to hold the merchandise! ($400 deposit on a $750 item)

 

[Boom Boom]

But one experience I had, the vendor wouldn't even take a deposit to hold the merchandise! ($400 deposit on a $750 item)

At a gun show or at the dealer's shop?

 

[QuebecoisWolf]

YMMV greatly.

A summary of gun shopping in Maryland in two words.

I can't imagine that there's an IP here would would refuse a greater than 50% deposit. Worst case scenario is that he makes $400 to keep a gun in his shortage facilities for several months.

 

[powderhunter]

At a gun show or at the dealer's shop?

This was at the show. I think, gun show vendors need to understand that most purchase at the show will be a impulse no planned purchase. Therefore, giving the consumer a little leeway in terms of payment arrangement, I say would be a good business thing to do.

I mostly deal with Engage for my regular firearms purchases and I make sure, the item is paid in full before the paper work is submitted.

 

[Boom Boom]

Dealers probably would refuse if at a gun show. Dealers have thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of people rolling through over the course of a gun show. If dealers allow people to essentially put guns on a layaway plan by way of a deposit, then what's going to happen is that schmuck buyers are going to put deposits down on as many guns as they can as fast as they can early in the show. Then the schmuck buyers will cherry pick which gun(s) they really want later on and try to back out on the other deposits, even by disputing credit card charges if they have to. In the mean time, dealers will have wasted lots of time and overhead costs on paperwork, and untold numbers of other potential buyers will have passed on by.

Granted, you may get special treatment at a show if you're already a customer of the dealer. But it shouldn't be expected.

 

[clarkcondor]

From my experience, I doubt most vendors at VA shows will accept anything less that full payment especially for a handgun that needs FFL transfer. I have purchased or put on layaway from several MD show vendors with a partial deposit usually less than 50% (last time it was $100 cash on a $600 revolver).

 

[Crow]

They should accept full payment

 

[Crow]

sorry