Ordering from Bud's?

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deanimator
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Ordering from Bud's?

Post by deanimator »

Not having found what I wanted at the Berea show, and Fin, Feather and Fur not being able to order it through their regular channels, I'm looking for an alternative.

Bud's has what I want and lists Fin as a dealer to whom they ship.

Does anyone know what the procedure for this is, and have you ever done it?
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by M-Quigley »

Not me personally but an aquantence of mine ordered from them. Despite what some idiot anti gun politicians say it is perfectly legal. He pre paid for the gun, and had to tell them what FFL to ship it to. They shipped it to that FFL and the FFl contacted him and told him it was ready to be picked up. Supposedly he could inspect the gun prior to transfer and if there was a problem the FFL would just sent it back to Buds, but he didn't find anything wrong with it. He filled out the form 4473 and the FFL called it in just as if he had bought it directly from the FFL. (this was before dealers could accept the CHL instead) Even if Fin will now accept a CHL I think you still have to fill out the form. Anyway he had to pay a transfer fee to the FFL for doing this. In his case he paid $25, but some FFL's wanted more or less than that. I heard this same FFL waived the transfer fee entirely for someone who was a regular customer of theirs, and they didn't have the gun he ordered anyway. In his case it took 3 days from the time he ordered it until it arrived at the FFL and they called him.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

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M-Quigley wrote:Not me personally but an aquantence of mine ordered from them. Despite what some idiot anti gun politicians say it is perfectly legal. He pre paid for the gun, and had to tell them what FFL to ship it to. They shipped it to that FFL and the FFl contacted him and told him it was ready to be picked up. Supposedly he could inspect the gun prior to transfer and if there was a problem the FFL would just sent it back to Buds, but he didn't find anything wrong with it. He filled out the form 4473 and the FFL called it in just as if he had bought it directly from the FFL. (this was before dealers could accept the CHL instead) Even if Fin will now accept a CHL I think you still have to fill out the form. Anyway he had to pay a transfer fee to the FFL for doing this. In his case he paid $25, but some FFL's wanted more or less than that. I heard this same FFL waived the transfer fee entirely for someone who was a regular customer of theirs, and they didn't have the gun he ordered anyway. In his case it took 3 days from the time he ordered it until it arrived at the FFL and they called him.
Thanks.

After I posted my question, I found details on the Bud's website saying that you don't need to contact an approved dealer (which Fin is) when ordering.

At this point, I'm just wondering if anybody's done this with Fin (fees, issues, etc.).

My last gun was purchased at Fin, and I have a generally good impression of them.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by rickt »

I haven't bought a gun in at least five years but every gun I bought over the Internet including a couple from Bud's went through FFL Mike Daubner. He is located in Middleburg Heights on Pearl Rd about a mile from Fin, Fur's location.

His fees were always fair and service excellent.

His number is 440-826-0655. His email is carbine [at] adelphia.net although I don't know if it is still good or not.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by ESAFO »

I believe FFF charges $50 for internet transfers i would call ahead of time to verify because that is a crazy fee.
If you have someone else you would rather use & is not entered on Bud's FFL shipping list, all they need to do is email or fax a copy of there FFL & your good to go.
Should be able to find someone close to you that will only charge $20 or possibly less.
I have ordered from Bud's myself several times.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by Aesinsp »

If you've not pulled the trigger @ Bud's yet, give Davidson's Gun Genie a try.. I'm rather surprised at at the number of local dealers that can sell thru them in my area.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by deanimator »

Aesinsp wrote:If you've not pulled the trigger @ Bud's yet, give Davidson's Gun Genie a try.. I'm rather surprised at at the number of local dealers that can sell thru them in my area.
https://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/powersearchnew.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Yeah, I'm not rushing into this. I haven't bought a gun in at least four years and don't want to get shafted.

I'll see what happens, since what I want is painfully specific, and I'd rather punt and buy something entirely different than settle for what I don't want.

Edit: It was a good idea. Unfortunately Gallery of Guns only has the 4 3/4" guns that Fin can get.

I'll have to think of something else.

Thanks for the suggestion.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by deanimator »

ESAFO wrote:I believe FFF charges $50 for internet transfers i would call ahead of time to verify because that is a crazy fee.
If you have someone else you would rather use & is not entered on Bud's FFL shipping list, all they need to do is email or fax a copy of there FFL & your good to go.
Should be able to find someone close to you that will only charge $20 or possibly less.
I have ordered from Bud's myself several times.
I just confirmed Fin's fee, which is ridiculous.

Ares in Fairview Park charges $25 and is also a Bud's preferred dealer. They're very close to me. When I pull the trigger, it'll probably be them.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by ESAFO »

Yes definitely rather support the local guy, good luck in your search.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by deanimator »

ESAFO wrote:Yes definitely rather support the local guy, good luck in your search.
Fin has a very reasonable price for the versions I DON'T want. I'm just not going to pay that price for something I DON'T want. I just doesn't make sense. I gave them a chance.

Now it's almost certainly going to be Bud's, shipped to Ares.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by ESAFO »

deanimator wrote:
ESAFO wrote:Yes definitely rather support the local guy, good luck in your search.
Fin has a very reasonable price for the versions I DON'T want. I'm just not going to pay that price for something I DON'T want. I just doesn't make sense. I gave them a chance.

Now it's almost certainly going to be Bud's, shipped to Ares.
Yes there is no sense in just settling on something that isn't what you want.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by JustaShooter »

ESAFO wrote:
deanimator wrote:
ESAFO wrote:Yes definitely rather support the local guy, good luck in your search.
Fin has a very reasonable price for the versions I DON'T want. I'm just not going to pay that price for something I DON'T want. I just doesn't make sense. I gave them a chance.

Now it's almost certainly going to be Bud's, shipped to Ares.
Yes there is no sense in just settling on something that isn't what you want.
Exactly - and their unreasonably high FFL transfer fee is simply their way of punishing you / extracting the profit from you for not buying it from them.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by deanimator »

JustaShooter wrote:Exactly - and their unreasonably high FFL transfer fee is simply their way of punishing you / extracting the profit from you for not buying it from them.
Which is kind of ironic, given that I went to them FIRST and they couldn't get what I want.

Oh well.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by deanimator »

I just ordered the Cimarron Frontier, Old Model, .45 Colt, 7 1/2" from Bud's. It's being shipped to Ares in Fairview Park.

Pictures when I get it.
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Re: Ordering from Bud's?

Post by Sevens »

JustaShooter wrote:Exactly - and their unreasonably high FFL transfer fee is simply their way of punishing you / extracting the profit from you for not buying it from them.
Hold up just a second... this doesn't have to get crappy in a moment's notice.

Small FFL's are at a disadvantage to BIG gun stores because big gun stores are not only able to invest big money in to a large stock on hand so folks can pick it up, handle it, fall in love and walk out with it, but because the big gun stores also have the sales volume, they get the guns at lower cost than small FFL's. And the online dealers (Bud's is an enormous one) has tremendous stock, sells a tremendous volume and gets their guns cheap so they can be extremely competitive in price.

A store like Fin Feather Fur doesn't have to be labeled as "punishing or extracting profit", quite simply... they do not not want and they certainly do not need to take on the hassle of transferring guns from God knows where to every guy that comes in. There is a lot of work that goes in to handling gun transfers, and much of it is annoying and time consuming and depending on the customer (and the inbound FFL), it's simply far too much hassle to do for little money. And that's when it goes as planned. When it starts to go silly (damaged gun, gun shipped to wrong place, wrong gun shipped, no contact info inside shipment... and the list goes on...) then the hassle and time spent climbs accordingly.

FFF or Vance's can sell guns to folks on the floor in the time that it takes to log inbounds, contact recipients, answer neophyte questions on the phone and still have to do the 4473/NICS on the person that eventually comes in to get it.

Small FFL's are fantastic for inbound and outbound transfers. It pays to develop a trusting relationship with one and open yourself to internet gun buys (from forums) and gun trades and Gunbroker and GunsAmerica and yes, places like Bud's and Grab-A-Gun and Palmetto and dozens of others. The small FFL doesn't need to keep a stock of new guns, he gets a shot at used and consignment guns, carries ammo and supplies, offers other services (and suggestions and insight) and is much needed resource for any gun lover. Meanwhile, the FFF's and Vance's of the world provide exactly what they do best, while not being bothered doing low-buck (and potentially high hassle) transfers. And there's no good reason they need to be slagged with labels like "punish & extract profit."

Fin Feather Fur, for example, is 100% absolutely the finest place in all of Ohio to buy smokeless powder. No brick & mortar store is on their level, but a shout-out to Sportman's Den in Shelby, who is undoubtedly #2 in Ohio.
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