I typically buy my brother guns for gifts. The last few have been rifles, so it’s easy to just buy it, wrap it and surprise. When I was still in Oregon, I would send him pistols that he would have tondo the FFL stuff on, plus pistol registration.

I want to buy a pair of matching pistols for us.

What is the easiest way to transfer these, ideally without ruining the surprise?  Also, while saving the extra cost of doing a second transfer fee.  

Ideas?

You buy them and register both of them in your name with your local PD.

When you decide to gift them to him it depends on whether he has a CPL or not.

If no CPL he has to get a purchase permit from his local PD and then you transfer it to him as the seller.  (Form RI-010, IIRC)

If he has a CPL you fill out Form RI-060 and sign it as the seller.

This is correct for Michigan.

Yes, asked and answered  

We both have CPL’s.

I’ll go this route then.