ATF and Gun Shops

[Lastgunshop]

In the U.S. in 1995 there was a total of all type of FFL 251,000 in 2006 only 41,000 and today on the ATF web site 19,000, This is not good.

[RobD]

At that rate, you may be the "Last Gun Shop" before too long.

[Joecool]

So any ideas as to why. I know at first it might be just lack of interest in guns but it could be that prices are so competitive now that you really can't make money?

Just wondering.

One comment about guns as a hobby, sport, protection etc... that I would like to make since I was recently trying to find a club and that is:

There are so many clubs out there that limit their membership so you have months to years to wait and are hard to get a hold of. It is no wonder that the hobby is going down as it is getting more difficult to find a place to shoot. The clubs need to stop being so elitist and start opening themselves up to new members if they want the hobby to thrive. Luckily I have a couple friends that are really into it and helped me out or I probably would have just given up.

[Paul]

I don't think that it many cases it is an elitist issue, I think it is a space issue. If you have a rush of people that want to join a club, it will soon become overcrowded. The members who have been there for a while are not willing to wait for times/lanes to shoot because dozens of new people want to join the range.

[LarryFlew]

Between then an now some major things probably changed. One I believe that made a big difference is the gov requiring an actual store at some point. Trying to get the guns out the back door thing under control I assume. Don't know but guessing the requirements and costs kept going up for the same reasons. Cheers to those who hung on.

[Joecool]

I don't think that it many cases it is an elitist issue, I think it is a space issue. If you have a rush of people that want to join a club, it will soon become overcrowded. The members who have been there for a while are not willing to wait for times/lanes to shoot because dozens of new people want to join the range.

Well I know that is the truth but if you want the sport, hobby etc... to continue you have to be willing to let new people discover and enjoy it. This mentality is hurting the sport. Not saying they don't have the right, just saying don't be surprised that now that you have wanted the place to yourself just don't be surprised to see that no one followed your footsteps.

[Paul]

I have heard from a couple of people that they dropped the FFL because the B.S. was not worth putting up with.

[Lastgunshop]

I don't think that it many cases it is an elitist issue, I think it is a space issue. If you have a rush of people that want to join a club, it will soon become overcrowded. The members who have been there for a while are not willing to wait for times/lanes to shoot because dozens of new people want to join the range.

Well I know that is the truth but if you want the sport, hobby etc... to continue you have to be willing to let new people discover and enjoy it. This mentality is hurting the sport. Not saying they don't have the right, just saying don't be surprised that now that you have wanted the place to yourself just don't be surprised to see that no one followed your footsteps.

[Squib Joe]

It isn't so much the number of places giving up their licenses as it is the number of people who can't get a license. It used to be relatively easy to get an FFL as a "kitchen table dealer" with no storefront, inventory, or regular business hours. Now it is all but impossible.

[1911fan]

The old regs worked fine for an awful long time but big box stores plus anti gunners conspired to put the kabosh on "kitchen table" dealers. It was a combination of anti competitiveness and anti gunners who made this happen. It used to be no harder than getting a C & R to have an 03 FFL.

Big box stores have killed the mom and pop gun stores as well as the mom and pop hardware stores, which were a major share of FFLs as well.

[Lastgunshop]

It isn't so much the number of places giving up their licenses as it is the number of people who can't get a license. It used to be relatively easy to get an FFL as a "kitchen table dealer" with no storefront, inventory, or regular business hours. Now it is all but impossible.

And zoning in many cities in Minnesota has block most everyone from opening a gun shop.

[Squib Joe]

The old regs worked fine for an awful long time but big box stores plus anti gunners conspired to put the kabosh on "kitchen table" dealers.

Well.. yes and no. I also wonder if the agents were tired of driving out to the sticks to audit a dealer who only sold ten guns in the last two years.

[rtk]

It isn't so much the number of places giving up their licenses as it is the number of people who can't get a license. It used to be relatively easy to get an FFL as a "kitchen table dealer" with no storefront, inventory, or regular business hours. Now it is all but impossible.

And zoning in many cities in Minnesota has block most everyone from opening a gun shop.

Spot on. Most cities dictate what is acceptable with zoning and planning. I think that places that sell guns are ranked right up there with whore houses and strip joints and pawn shops.

[R.E.T.]

It isn't so much the number of places giving up their licenses as it is the number of people who can't get a license. It used to be relatively easy to get an FFL as a "kitchen table dealer" with no storefront, inventory, or regular business hours. Now it is all but impossible.

In the 1990's the Clinton administration put pressure on the BATF to drive as many dealers out of business as possible.