Handgun shopping -- please check my math

[winwithagrin]

I've been thinking about buying my first handgun (a sig p229) and I've been shopping around both local stores and out-of-state dealers. I'm trying to figure out how to compare the prices from each so that things are on an apples-to-apples basis. I've had trouble finding dealers out-of-state that stock the guns with 10-rd magazines so they usually have to exclude them for a tiny discount. Suppose the following:

Out-of-state:
$720 shipped, excluding hi-cap mags
+$100 DROS/transfer
+8.5% sales tax
=$890 final gun price, then +$70 for two factory 10rd mags ordered online
=$960 total package

In-state
$825 including two 10-rd mags
+$25 DROS
+8.5% sales tax
=$922 total package

Is this correct/reasonable? Did I take care of everything? With the high fees in the Bay Area it's hard to find a deal out-of-state that seems to make sense. Would you guys agree? Any comments appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[code33]

Sounds about right.
I always compare online prices and have always ended up purchasing locally. For the models that I've bought, they have always been about the same or within $50-$75 in the end.

[Noypi916]

I believe you do not have to pay Cali tax if you are buying the gun out of state. You could find an FFL with reasonable service fee like $25 + 25 DROS. I still consider buying gun online and save at least $100-120.

Check the dealer that you buying your Sig if they have the regular 10 round mags to switch. Also heads up CDNN releases new catalog and I think they have a bunch of Sig on sale and Cali compliant.

[code33]

CDNN does not sell handguns to CA.

[Noypi916]

CDNN does not sell handguns to CA.

hmmm... why would they put "Look for California OK'd guns" on their catalogs???

I just check the catalogs again. They have a lot of HK's and few Sigs.

[joel1316]

I remember CDNN used to put Cali OK tags on approved pistols, but unless they changed their policy, they do not sell pistols to CA.

Depending on your FFL, some will charge tax and some won't(leave that process to buyer)...

[rivviepop]

I've done the math on this before as well and came up the same (different firearm), so I went to the three local places and asked them "why do you charge such a high DROS fee?" ($100 at all three places) and got almost the same response as reason #1: they don't like having to fax their FFL doc to some unknown party out of state. The $100 is a way to cover their time and effort should something go wrong with this remote dealer they have no idea if it's a real store or some dude in his living room selling things out of a closet.

I take away from that they prefer to deal with their known good distributors and avoid any possible hassle, the $100 helps encourage you to just order from their shop.

[DRM6000]

some just see it as profit. they'd rather you buy something from their inventory. they don't want to be undercut.

[xenophobe]

DROS is not taxable.

[FortCourageArmory]

I believe you do not have to pay Cali tax if you are buying the gun out of state. You could find an FFL with reasonable service fee like $25 + 25 DROS. I still consider buying gun online and save at least $100-120.

Check the dealer that you buying your Sig if they have the regular 10 round mags to switch. Also heads up CDNN releases new catalog and I think they have a bunch of Sig on sale and Cali compliant.

I'm sorry to tell you, but you do have to pay CA sales tax on firearms purchased out of state. When the firearms get to your local FFL here, he SHOULD charge you the going sales tax rate. This is a mandated requirement by the CA State Board of Equalization. If the transfering FFL doesn't charge you, HE is required to pay the tax he didn't collect from you. I think this particular regulation sucks big time, but it is the law.

[dfletcher]

I've been thinking about buying my first handgun (a sig p229) and I've been shopping around both local stores and out-of-state dealers. I'm trying to figure out how to compare the prices from each so that things are on an apples-to-apples basis. I've had trouble finding dealers out-of-state that stock the guns with 10-rd magazines so they usually have to exclude them for a tiny discount. Suppose the following:

Out-of-state:
$720 shipped, excluding hi-cap mags
+$100 DROS/transfer
+8.5% sales tax
=$890 final gun price, then +$70 for two factory 10rd mags ordered online
=$960 total package

In-state
$825 including two 10-rd mags
+$25 DROS
+8.5% sales tax
=$922 total package

Is this correct/reasonable? Did I take care of everything? With the high fees in the Bay Area it's hard to find a deal out-of-state that seems to make sense. Would you guys agree? Any comments appreciated. Thanks in advance!

I don't think the DROS is taxable - and maybe those 10 rd mags could be had for less - but I don't find a whole lot to quibble about on your numbers.

For the sake of discussion, let's say your out of state cost is too high by $60.00 and in state too low by about the same - you could save about $90.00by buying out of state. Is that sufficient to cover any problems that may come up - UPS loses the gun, or it arrives with a scratch or a functional problem? I know these things usually don't happen, but they do happen.

And what's the cost of NOT building a good relationship with a local dealer? I have a few steady shops that I patronize, last time I bought a FAL they threw in a DSA scope mount. On a later visit - I hadn't even bought anything - they gave me an extended slide stop for a 1911.

[-hanko]

... they don't like having to fax their FFL doc to some unknown party out of state. The $100 is a way to cover their time and effort should something go wrong with this remote dealer they have no idea if it's a real store or some dude in his living room selling things out of a closet.

I take away from that they prefer to deal with their known good distributors and avoid any possible hassle, the $100 helps encourage you to just order from their shop.

FFL licenses can be legally scanned and emailed to a seller. Even easier, the ffl (or anybody else with internet access) can verify the licensee's address and license expiration date through the AFT's EZ-check (I think that's what it's called) system on line...all they need is a portion of the license number. That allows the dealer, if they want, to verify if "it's a real store or some closet dude". Even if it is a "closet dude", there's still no law that requires the shipper be a licensee, only the receiver of the shipment.

What your dealer is saying is that he's not going to undercut his profits by ordering a gun from out of state. Reaonable dealers will allow you to pay the out of state seller for the gun, and provide a copy of their license or use ez-check to accept the shipment.

Try and find a dealer that will accept an out of state transfer at a reasonable rate, and good luck

-hanko

[chickenfried]

I've never had a problem finding out of state sellers with ca legal models in stock. Plus you might be able to find a ffl that is ~$60 and doesn't charge sales tax.
So....
Out-of-state:
$720 shipped,
+$60 DROS/transfer
=$780 final gun price/total package

I've been thinking about buying my first handgun (a sig p229) and I've been shopping around both local stores and out-of-state dealers. I'm trying to figure out how to compare the prices from each so that things are on an apples-to-apples basis. I've had trouble finding dealers out-of-state that stock the guns with 10-rd magazines so they usually have to exclude them for a tiny discount. Suppose the following:

Out-of-state:
$720 shipped, excluding hi-cap mags
+$100 DROS/transfer
+8.5% sales tax
=$890 final gun price, then +$70 for two factory 10rd mags ordered online
=$960 total package

In-state
$825 including two 10-rd mags
+$25 DROS
+8.5% sales tax
=$922 total package

Is this correct/reasonable? Did I take care of everything? With the high fees in the Bay Area it's hard to find a deal out-of-state that seems to make sense. Would you guys agree? Any comments appreciated. Thanks in advance!

[rivviepop]

And what's the cost of NOT building a good relationship with a local dealer? I have a few steady shops that I patronize, last time I bought a FAL they threw in a DSA scope mount. On a later visit - I hadn't even bought anything - they gave me an extended slide stop for a 1911.

This is so very true -- what ends up costing more in the long run? The ammo (if you don't reload like me). Because I had jibber-jabbered with a local dealer and had previous purchases, I got in on an order they did for a pallet (50K rds?) of 147gr Federal HST 9mm and paid a little less than $10/box (50rd), half the internet price of $19. Sure it's -superb- defense ammo but at that price I'm using it at the range like candy. The 115gr FMJ 9mm they sell is $13 even...

[dfens]

Yeah the math is way off.

Out of state Sig 229 $720.00
No Tax $0.00
Transfer fee $25.00 cheapest-$40.00
DROS $25.00 some dealers charge an extra 10 bucks and disguise it as the true ammount. It's BS and they have to disclose it as a dealer fee not a state fee. Don't get screwed.
Shipping $10.00-15.00 is the going rate
Two 10 round mags make sure they'll swap them if not then don't order from that person. Most dealers would be glad to swap them and re-sell them for a profit.

Grand Total around $800.00 dollars or less out the door.

You don't have to pay tax on a out of state sale. I've ordered many guns out of state and have never been charged tax. Now I think your suppose to claim it on your taxes or something but who in their right mind is going to do that. They'll never find out trust me I'm pretty sure the IRS has bigger fish to fry.

Basically the reason your local FFL charges so much on transfer fees is because he's losing out on a sale and won't admit it. He knows he can't beat that price or doesn't want it to cut into his profits to match it, so by law he can charge whatever he wants on a out of state transfer. So why not make it so expensive that we as customers have no choice but buy it from him.

The thing to remember is this the most you can save is just the tax because of the high rates FFL's charge to do the transfer. The last time I ordered out of state the dealer had a sale and sold me a gun at practically cost and found me a dealer that charged 25 bucks. So out the door I paid 600 dollars on a gun that costs 750-800 before tax and DROS at a local dealer. So I had to buy it.