FFL

[ranger00133]

Hey guys, I'm trying to look into getting my FFL and would like to know where to start. I have been into firearms for a long time, I'm prior service army would like to help defend and promote our 2nd amendment rights. Any info would be helpful. thanks

[yukonjasper]

Google is your friend.
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/apply-license

[Scratch]

First step, are you planning on being home based or brick and mortar shop? If HB, make sure you can have a business in your home. Doesn't matter if it's guns or a hair salon. If you can have a business, you're GTG.

I bought one of those kits to help me get started, can't remember which outfit though... You really don't need to pay for someone to walk you through it, but it was like 40 bucks for me and I'm glad I did. They tell you where to get forms, fingerprint cards, give you a starter bound book, give you tips, etc... Again, you really don't need it, but it saves you asking a lot of questions.

If HB, are you planning on doing a lot of transfers? Do you have a full time job? Someone has to be home to sign for all deliveries from UPS, USPS, FedEx Home, FedEx Express, and sometimes Speedy Delivery... And they deliver all at different times of the day. Then you also have to be home to do transfers.
Sometimes it feels like you can never leave the house.

Don't even get me started on taking a 3 day vacation....

[ranger00133]

I'm thinking of starting at home with doing all the paperwork HB and if business takes off then opening a store. The only thing is I have been told in order to have an ffl in MN you have to have a storefront. Is this true? I can't seam to find anything that says you do.

[Sigfan220]

I'm thinking of starting at home with doing all the paperwork HB and if business takes off then opening a store. The only thing is I have been told in order to have an ffl in MN you have to have a storefront. Is this true? I can't seam to find anything that says you do.

Plenty of guys run FFLs out of their houses. Call your city and get a zoning letter. This is step 1. The letter must state that you may operate a FFL in your home with the specific address listed on the letter. The ATF will ask for this. If you rent or lease you need the same letter from your landlord. This applies more to stores that lease space. Once the letters are in fill out the app and send it with your check. They will come for a visit prior to approving the FFL. It's no big deal, they just ask a lot of questions.

[Scratch]

I'm from Wisconsin so I can't completely help you out with MN laws, but all the ATF wanted from me was to know if I could operate a "business" out of my home. They said it shouldn't matter what kind of business it is, just that you can operate a business out of your home.

I suppose it's possible that some cities, townships, whatever... may differentiate a home based gun dealer, from a home based welding shop, so you'll have to check on that.... For me it didn't matter.
And yes, the ATF wanted to see proof that I could run a business from my home.

The 3 hour "interview" that I had with the ATF wasn't a big deal at all. In fact he told me right up front that it's not an interview, he said "if I show up at your house, you're getting your license." All he did was show me, in explicit detail, how to fill out each and every question on all the forms I needed. I was the one asking the questions, not him. He was there to teach me how to be a dealer, so when they come back for inspections, I've done everything correct.

If you do end up doing it, once you get your FFL, sign up at FFLSONLY.COM it's a great place to ask stupid questions, network, learn stuff, and BS about all the crap that comes with being a gun dealer.

[ranger00133]

Thanks for all the info folks! To all the guys that do have the FFL is it worth it to do it? I mean financially? Can you make enough to support a family after some time? Also how hard is it to get in with specific manufactures to become a dealer? Sorry for all the random questions I'm trying to decide if its even going to be worth all of the headache. Thanks a million friends all of you are a huge help.

[Sigfan220]

Thanks for all the info folks! To all the guys that do have the FFL is it worth it to do it? I mean financially? Can you make enough to support a family after some time? Also how hard is it to get in with specific manufactures to become a dealer? Sorry for all the random questions I'm trying to decide if its even going to be worth all of the headache. Thanks a million friends all of you are a huge help.

Margins on guns suck if you are dealing in low volumes. I don't know how guys make money. If you are doing gun shows it's a ton of work too. You can always give it a shot but it's a lot of work if you ask me. buying from distributors isn't as cheap as you'd think.

[Scratch]

Thanks for all the info folks! To all the guys that do have the FFL is it worth it to do it? I mean financially? Can you make enough to support a family after some time? Also how hard is it to get in with specific manufactures to become a dealer? Sorry for all the random questions I'm trying to decide if its even going to be worth all of the headache. Thanks a million friends all of you are a huge help.

I'm very small time. All I do is transfers. I don't buy or sell guns anymore as it seemed to be more of a pain to deal with...

Which guns should I buy?
How much is that order?
Are they gonna sell?
What do I do with the ones that don't sell?
Which ones should I buy next?
This guy got denied... And he's in my house?
Do I really want people spending an hour in my house figuring out which gun he likes, only to have him search, and buy it online for cheaper, wasting my time?

It seemed to be a lot of my time wasted, so I don't even special order for people anymore. I only do transfers. People buy a gun on GunBroker, they pay for it, then it gets shipped to me, I have them come over, spend about 10 minutes doing paperwork, then they leave and pay me 20 bucks. I never even have to leave the house! Which is fine because whenever I do... It seems I miss a delivery...

I have an advantage living in Hudson too. People work across the river, and shop at Gander Mountain, Sportsmans Guide, and Cabelas on their way home. They buy handguns and AR's there, but they can't bring them home.
By chance... I got lucky and got in with all of them, and now I do most of their Western Wisconsin transfers... which is nice. I still get more transfers from Gunbroker sales though, but working with those stores is nice for the both of us.

Plus the guy who comes to me, has already paid for his gun. He's pretty serious, and he KNOWS he's gonna have to pass a BC or he has to deal with someone out of state to get his money back. I just recently had my very first denial after about 5 years, and he's in the process of appealing it now. (Although it might be a year before they get to him). I'd say 95% of my customers are repeat customers. They buy a new gun every month or so. Oh to be that lucky...

Margins do suck on firearms though. I thought something was seriously wrong when I first found out dealer price on guns, but nope.... Margins just suck. I think you have to buy and sell a lot, to make a lot of money.
Like I said... I'm very small time. I don't make much money doing this, but I needed something to do from home as I'm disabled and can't drive a car. I needed something easy to do, keep me from being bored out of my skull, where I don't have to drive.
With this, I can still get discounts on stuff I might want to buy personally, plus... I can make a little bit of money from it! I get to see a lot of really cool guns coming in.... But I also get to see those really cool guns walk out my front door.
I could probably make more money if I tried, but I'm I'm ok with my little "business" as it is.

Getting hooked up with wholesalers is easy though. Send them your FFL and they'll start sending you emails. No specials really, just lots and lots of emails...

I think getting an FFL and doing it from home might be worth it if you don't have a full time job to go to. I took over for an old timer who had been doing it for 51 years in my town before he retired. He was extatic to find someone to take over for him, and I remember the last time I saw him, he said something like: "I hope you like not leaving the house!"

[Hmac]

Thanks for all the info folks! To all the guys that do have the FFL is it worth it to do it? I mean financially? Can you make enough to support a family after some time? Also how hard is it to get in with specific manufactures to become a dealer? Sorry for all the random questions I'm trying to decide if its even going to be worth all of the headache. Thanks a million friends all of you are a huge help.

You won't likely be dealing much with manufacturers...you'll have a few distributors. You'll be a little stymied because they have a markup too, so your prices will have to be low to compete with the other local stores and with the Internet. Your margins will suck. Your only way around that, like any store selling at low margin, is volume. That's tough sledding for someone starting out with a home business that doesn't have the capitalization to start a real business with real inventory. You'll also have to sell accessories, a huge morass that will be even harder to compete with the Internet. Most firearms accessories I can get off Amazon and have it delivered to my door in less time than I can arrange a drive to my local FFLs.

I can't imagine supporting a family, especially in the early stages. I can see it as an interesting hobby and a convenience that might allow me offset some of my firearms costs. But that's about it unless you're willing to go all-in, get the loans, and do it full time. IMHO, that's a risky investment in a future that Hillary Clinton and her Supreme Court will be utterly committed to destroying.

[Ghost]

If you go through with it make sure you are one of the FFL's that shows on Davidsons website.

[george]

Unless you're a brick-and-mortar stocking dealer Davidsons will not list you on their site in Gun Genie. Good luck.
GO FOR IT !

[Ghost]

Unless you're a brick-and-mortar stocking dealer Davidsons will not list you on their site in Gun Genie. Good luck.
GO FOR IT !

That sucks, guess it's something to work for.

[Scratch]

The big ones you need to get listed on is GunBroker and Buds Gun Shop...

[grimbeaver]

Unless you're a brick-and-mortar stocking dealer Davidsons will not list you on their site in Gun Genie. Good luck.
GO FOR IT !

You sure about that? When I've punched up options I've seen several options that have shown up that are residential. Or are they just grandfathered in?