Victorian gun dealers transfer fees

[marksman]

I have had all different charges quoted to me over time for transferring firearms into my name by different gun-dealers,
lately I was charged $100 to send a rifle from nsw to vic, apparently a normal fee, I did choke at it as I know it costs $22 to send by post with insurance
lucky that my gunsmith does not charge for the 5 minutes of paperwork to do the changeover
here is what it says in the Victorian firearms regulations 2008

14 Maximum fee for licensed firearms dealer acting as
agent
For the purposes of section 97 of the Act, the
maximum fee that a licensed firearms dealer may
charge when acting as an agent must not
exceed $25.

[Mr.Seacucumber]

Ay you in Ballarat? Cause I think I know which dealer you are talking about haha

[juststarting]

marksman, there's the in-state transfers. That's like $25 or something. Then there's the interstate transfer, that's $80+

Plus shipping, PTA and whatever shop adds on-top of that. Surprisingly, Mialls in Frankston, that I recon is easily the most expansive shop in Melbourne, has the most sensible transfer fees (also as of late, very pleasant customer service).

[Dunxy]

Theres a difference between the transfer fee, which is normally $15-30 (perfectly reasonable) and the fee to receive a firearm from an interstate dealer, pretty sure theres no regulations applying to that.My understanding $75-100 is pretty standard.My LGS charges $83 to be precise, Ive never actually payed that much, they look after me well.I think the higher amounts just to receive a rifle are a bit heavy, but the actual prices i have been paying are reasonable $20-50.It takes time and effort to receive , process and store goods, businesses are there to make money not do things for the cost as it seems a lot of people seem to expect.If guns just handed over counter they charge nothing but the transfer of about $15.
In terms of shipping fee's, im not sure on what the actual fees are for firearms,if they are any different to anything else? However they are pretty long and heavy, $22 sounds a wee bit optimistic to me,ive shipped much lighter 2 piece fishing rods that would cube out the same to every state in the country and more often than not they have cost more. When buying guns interstate Ive paid $40 for 2 in 1 pack and $75 for (much faster shiping )single rifle, both from QLD to Melbourne.

[marksman]

the regs state as written $25 maximum fee for acting as agent in Vic so why the markup, if its a same state transfer or an interstate transfer makes no difference 5 minutes of paperwork and dealers are making there own mind up on what they charge because you have to pay if you want the firearm
the buyer doesn't know any better or puts it down to its just the way it is,
its ripping people off, stealing really as the regs state how much can be charged by them
what I'm talking about is that you get stung $100 from one end and bitten whatever at the other and these dealers call you friend as you empty your wallet into there's,
think about the next time you get an interstate transfer and think you got such a bargain or get overcharged more than $25 with a same state transfer
I have sent firearms interstate for $22 insured after a dealer has put the firearm into his books on a few occasions,
you do not have to be a dealer to send a firearm in the post but it has to go through a dealers books to a dealer
just so nobody thinks what I'm saying is anecdotal have a look at part 3 - fees 14
http://www.legislation.vic.gov.au/Domin ... orised.pdf
there is one nsw dealer who I have had contact with that does not charge more than the postage for a firearm to be sent interstate so its not a normal fee
it seems to me to be a "whatever they feel like today price" must be a non binary sales price depending on how they feel

[Member-Deleted]

I took the 0ld 303 in to the gun shop on Wednesday to get numbers checked for transfer to me and they done the lot for $11 done
it took 10 minutes although they never used to charge but new owners now

[Corn]

I was charged $25 for a transfer fee last weekend at my LGS (located somewhere between Springvale & Huntingdale )
Both of us (seller & purchaser) at the LGS at the same time with a PTA in hand.

I did call the day before just to be sure they were happy to do it etc and I was informed of the cost during that call, so I was fully aware prior to going in.

[Octane]

the regs state as written $25 maximum fee for acting as agent in Vic so why the markup, if its a same state transfer or an interstate transfer makes no difference 5 minutes of paperwork and dealers are making there own mind up on what they charge because you have to pay if you want the firearm
the buyer doesn't know any better or puts it down to its just the way it is,
its ripping people off, stealing really as the regs state how much can be charged by them

No, you're talking about 2 different things.

A 'transfer' is transferring the registration from one person to another, doing the paperwork.

This is NOT shipping and handling.

If 2 blokes want into a shop together the dealer does the 'transfer' paperwork.

Your dealer is doing the transfer, and packing and shipping it interstate. Hence the additional cost.

[marksman]

No, you're talking about 2 different things.

A 'transfer' is transferring the registration from one person to another, doing the paperwork.

This is NOT shipping and handling.

If 2 blokes want into a shop together the dealer does the 'transfer' paperwork.

Your dealer is doing the transfer, and packing and shipping it interstate. Hence the additional cost.

with all due respect Octane, I discussed this with my dealer who was amazed at the cost as he would only charge for postage and insurance as he does not charge for acting as an agent which is set in the Vic regs at $25 max for less than 5 minutes work, probably why he has loyal customers
the postage for a firearm is around $20 and insurance is $1.50 per $100 insurance, as for the handling that is where these guys are getting greedy and it is a rip off that they have made up themselves, they have interstate buyers by the ball bag if you want to buy a firearm from them so with usually under $25 to post how can you say $100 is reasonable? and that is why not every firearm dealer charges like that, my dealer is not the only dealer that does not charge his customers for 5 minutes work, don't know about anyone else but I like value for money and I wont just shut up because they have made it ok to the sheeple
if I buy from America I don't get a handling charge and that is for firearm parts that need an import permit that goes through a firearm dealers books

[Die Judicii]

Well after reading the "$100 fee bit", I don't feel so bad.

I sold a firearm this morning, and shuddered when told the cost that I had to pass on to the buyer.
$50 transfer, and $35 postage and handling from Qld to NSW

[bigpete]

s**t I've just gone through the process of buying a gun from Queensland and getting it sent to SA. The mob in Queensland have charged me $45+$90 in transfer fees and postage,and a further $45 will be charged by my gunshop when it arrives ! OK I can understand a nominal fee for taking care of paperwork, but $45 seems a bit steep. And $90 for postage when I've been quoted $50 for the same distance from my local seems a bit ****** too. But better than the seller was quoted from a gunshop in Bundaberg ! They wanted to charge $300 postage plus the transfer fees ! Talk about daylight robbery !

[Stix]

the regs state as written $25 maximum fee for acting as agent in Vic so why the markup, if its a same state transfer or an interstate transfer makes no difference 5 minutes of paperwork and dealers are making there own mind up on what they charge because you have to pay if you want the firearm
the buyer doesn't know any better or puts it down to its just the way it is,
its ripping people off, stealing really as the regs state how much can be charged by them

No, you're talking about 2 different things.

A 'transfer' is transferring the registration from one person to another, doing the paperwork.

This is NOT shipping and handling.

If 2 blokes want into a shop together the dealer does the 'transfer' paperwork.

Your dealer is doing the transfer, and packing and shipping it interstate. Hence the additional cost.

Hi Octane, my understanding is dealers do NOT transfer firearm rego mate, they simply witness the correct firearm changing hands from the licenced owner to the new licenced owner...as they are a dealer, if they 'recieve it' in (say through the post) they have to log it in their system/shop for auditing/legislative reasons.

They can do it for free if they like...

[Stix]

The coppers then send the new firearm owner rego papers after they have registered it.

[Stix]

Yes Marksman & bigpete...its an utter rort...
I think what they charge os abhorrent...!!!

I use a small local dealer for interstaters ive done-- he's $25 or under & I'm happy with that considering his paperwork & storing the firearm until i get pta....
But because of his reasonable charges i go back every time...f**k the other greedy turds...!

[Die Judicii]

I think that a lot of the fee charging and outright money grabbing originally stems from the advent of sites like "Used Guns"
When it first came about, the idea was novel, quick, and easy to sell f/arms.
So much so that the dealers weren't King Dick any more, and customers dropped dramatically.

Back then if you dared mention the site "Used Guns" within earshot of dealers, many of them used to get a bit nasty and at best pretty touchy.

Well, the old saying came to the fore,,,,,,,,,, "If you can't beat em,, join em"

Now the average private ads are very quickly swamped by the sheer volume of dealer ads.

As well that was about when the fee charging game started its erratic climb.

[Octane]

with all due respect Octane, I discussed this with my dealer who was amazed at the cost as he would only charge for postage and insurance as he does not charge for acting as an agent which is set in the Vic regs at $25 max for less than 5 minutes work, probably why he has loyal customers
the postage for a firearm is around $20 and insurance is $1.50 per $100 insurance, as for the handling that is where these guys are getting greedy and it is a rip off that they have made up themselves, they have interstate buyers by the ball bag if you want to buy a firearm from them so with usually under $25 to post how can you say $100 is reasonable? and that is why not every firearm dealer charges like that, my dealer is not the only dealer that does not charge his customers for 5 minutes work, don't know about anyone else but I like value for money and I wont just shut up because they have made it ok to the sheeple
if I buy from America I don't get a handling charge and that is for firearm parts that need an import permit that goes through a firearm dealers books

No mate, I'm not saying it's reasonably, I'm saying lets keep the waters clear on what we're talking about.

You keep mentioning the regulations limit of $25 for a transfer, then talking about the postage/handling and how much in excess of the $25 it is.

If you did a transfer in the store with another local shooter, where they just witnessed the serials etc. and did the books would they charge you $100? No. They'd just charge you for the transfer.

In the scenario you're talking about you're paying additional cash for postage/handling which is not covered by the regulations, just a fact.

If you think their postage/handling fees are excessive, that's fine (not saying you're wrong), but it's nothing to do with the regs.

Likewise, what dealer X in the USA does or does not charge you to send something isn't relevant either.

I never said "shut up" and be a sheeple. If you don't like it, vote with your wallet and have somewhere else do the transfer for you. That's the solution.

[Octane]

Hi Octane, my understanding is dealers do NOT transfer firearm rego mate, they simply witness the correct firearm changing hands from the licenced owner to the new licenced owner...as they are a dealer, if they 'recieve it' in (say through the post) they have to log it in their system/shop for auditing/legislative reasons.

They can do it for free if they like...

You'll have to dig up something for me on the definition of what a "transfer" is then mate.

If the dealer submits the paperwork/digital submission taking it off one license and putting it on another, I don't know what that is other than a transfer.

Of course a store could do it for free. But why would they, and why should they? A baker could make you bread for free, a barber could cut your hair for free, but no one would ever ask them too, because they understand they are businesses.

Firearms dealers are business too. They have expenses for rent, bills, the person doing the transfer/paperwork for you is being paid a wage. It costs to be there and provide that service. Why would anyone expect them to work for free for you when you would expect the baker or barber to?

It's perfectly reasonable for them to charge for their services.

If you think they're charging an excessive amount, that's a different story. But getting in a huff on principle because a business is charging something for their services is just silly.

My 2c on the subject