D.C. FFL will process handgun transactions

Washington, D.C. federal firearms licensee Charles Sykes is the only FFL currently willing to perform handgun transfers in that wretched city:

While handguns have been legal in the District for a month, residents are still unable to purchase guns because there are no gun stores in the city. Charles Sykes is the only licensed gun dealer in the city who is willing to facilitate the transfer of handguns from out-of-state dealers into the District. Sykes, who has been transferring handguns for security firms since 1994, is waiting for the ATF to approve his change of address before he can start doing business again.

Sykes tells WTOP he met with ATF inspectors on Tuesday.

"They inspected my office. They say it should be only a few weeks now, then I'll get my license from the District police and I'll be back in business."

Sykes says he will be charging a $125 fee to transfer each handgun. Since Sykes is the only dealer in town, he can charge whatever he wants. $125 might seem like a lot. In my case it's 50 percent of the purchase price for my $250 Smith & Wesson. Sykes says he gets between 1 to 2 calls a day about transferring guns.

Article here. What a ripoff -- $125 to process a transfer. That's what happens when you're the only game in town. Hopefully more FFLs will set up shop in D.C. Competition is a good thing for consumers.