I Have Decided to Get My FFL...

[joatesiii]

I would appreciate hearing comments from those of you that have done so...your positive and negative experiences...thank you in advance.

 

[no sheep]

EDIT: move along, nothing to see here.

 

[johnmed3]

I took the class about a month ago with my girlfriend, still waiting for the license (NM is way slow). The class was good but boaring with all the law the first day. The second day was the fun stuff, talked about holsters situations, verbal defusers, etc. then went to shoot. I though about doing my ccw for a few years after having a gun pointed at me and almost being car jacked and finally did it. My recomendation is now is as good a time as any to protect yourself and your family the LEO's cant be everywhere you go.

He's talking about ffl (federal firearms license) not ccw.

 

[no sheep]

He's talking about ffl (federal firearms license) not ccw.

yep I blew it, thanks.

 

[johnmed3]

He's talking about ffl (federal firearms license) not ccw.

yep I blew it, thanks.

No problem bro. How do you like having your ccw. Do you carry most of the time now? I carry always everywhere were legal to do so

 

[no sheep]

No problem bro. How do you like having your ccw. Do you carry most of the time now? I carry always everywhere were legal to do so

still have not got my license, but I carry in my car everywhere except work (on base) have for the last 7 years. And open carry on ocasion. When i get my license (12th past never in NM) i will carry everwhere its legal (not work).

 

[Blackthorn]

Make sure your ducks are in a row. Then ask yourself why you really want one. Having one opens you up to intrusions by both Federal and local law enforcement. Are you willing to deal with that?
If you are opening as storefront gunshop or a trained gunsmith you'll probably have few issues with the BATF or your local LEO as you will already be aware of local zoning laws and have a business front that is easily accessed by the public. If you are going to use it from you residence you might want to review a few things. If you are using the FFL to receive for you buddies and yourself it will probably not go well. The BATF is really sticky about when you are open and if you are open to the public. Do you have public access to your residence like a side door into your garage? If this is the case you might have to close off the garage and make it into your shop or a particular room in your house. I don't recomend having any office inside the residence as it gives the BATF access to inside your residence. Do you have a large safe where you can keep firearms while waiting to be picked up? Then there is the logging in and out of firearms. Upon a BATF visit every gun in your possession must be accounted for and the paperwork correctly filled out for those you have sold or received for others. Your personal stuff needs to be kept seperate. Of all the fines that the BATF writes it is for bad or shoddy paperwork. If they see a lot of personal transfers they may pull your license. To the BATF it is a business and one you should be making money from. They don't care how much but they want to see something. Then the IRS becomes involved as now you have income. The other thing the BATF is allowed to do is visits. They can call you and say they are swinging by or the can just show up. The last thing you will need to do is contact the local sheriff's department and see if they have any issues with you selling guns from your residence. There may be local ordinances that prevent home gun sales. This might be something you want to check into prior to sending that check to the BATF. They don't care about your local ordinances if you clear all their hurdles. They will be more than happy to cash your check. There are no refunds when the locals say sorry but you can't sell guns from your home.
I am not trying to discourage you in anyway but just advising you to check everything out before you apply. Research is cheap. A C&R license might be a better way to go if you are a collector. It is less expensive and has less restictions as they know it is being held for personal collecting purposes. Paperwork is still a evil and they will hold you to it.
Good luck.

 

[S&W645]

Make sure your ducks are in a row. Then ask yourself why you really want one. Having one opens you up to intrusions by both Federal and local law enforcement. Are you willing to deal with that?
If you are opening as storefront gunshop or a trained gunsmith you'll probably have few issues with the BATF or your local LEO as you will already be aware of local zoning laws and have a business front that is easily accessed by the public. If you are going to use it from you residence you might want to review a few things. If you are using the FFL to receive for you buddies and yourself it will probably not go well. The BATF is really sticky about when you are open and if you are open to the public. Do you have public access to your residence like a side door into your garage? If this is the case you might have to close off the garage and make it into your shop or a particular room in your house. I don't recomend having any office inside the residence as it gives the BATF access to inside your residence. Do you have a large safe where you can keep firearms while waiting to be picked up? Then there is the logging in and out of firearms. Upon a BATF visit every gun in your possession must be accounted for and the paperwork correctly filled out for those you have sold or received for others. Your personal stuff needs to be kept seperate. Of all the fines that the BATF writes it is for bad or shoddy paperwork. If they see a lot of personal transfers they may pull your license. To the BATF it is a business and one you should be making money from. They don't care how much but they want to see something. Then the IRS becomes involved as now you have income. The other thing the BATF is allowed to do is visits. They can call you and say they are swinging by or the can just show up. The last thing you will need to do is contact the local sheriff's department and see if they have any issues with you selling guns from your residence. There may be local ordinances that prevent home gun sales. This might be something you want to check into prior to sending that check to the BATF. They don't care about your local ordinances if you clear all their hurdles. They will be more than happy to cash your check. There are no refunds when the locals say sorry but you can't sell guns from your home.
I am not trying to discourage you in anyway but just advising you to check everything out before you apply. Research is cheap. A C&R license might be a better way to go if you are a collector. It is less expensive and has less restictions as they know it is being held for personal collecting purposes. Paperwork is still a evil and they will hold you to it.
Good luck.

If you are not doing it to be a profit making business, it even says in the paperwork not to send it in to apply. Also, they now check for alarm systems along with safes. BATFE in your home?:fie:

The rest you got right except you can also have personal guns in the same safes as long as it is so tagged. But if it isn't tagged, you get dinged for failure to keep proper records. It is better to keep them out of there though. You can now also remove guns from the storefront to a more secure location with 24 hours notice to BATFE in times of a possible disaster. Better have the books with them as you don't need dinged for that either. Dings result in warning letters. Too many dings and you'll be sitting in the local BATFE office having a meeting. Which could result in the loss of your FFL. BATFE has the right to do a compliance check once a year during regular business hours. And they will check your records.

 

[Rabbitcreekok]

Sorry, but they do not care if you have an alarm or a safe. They do make an onsite inspection before issuing the FFL, but they never got outside of my office, where I conduct my sales business. The chances are if you are a FFL holder in your home, you will never see the BATF agent. My BATF agent is very helpful and quickly answers questions when asked.

I have many built in cabinets in my office that my agent said would be fine to store guns. Of course I do have a gun safe but it is not in my office. Security is not their concern, it is your concern, and your insurance company's concern.

 

[S&W645]

Sorry, but they do not care if you have an alarm or a safe. They do make an onsite inspection before issuing the FFL, but they never got outside of my office, where I conduct my sales business. The chances are if you are a FFL holder in your home, you will never see the BATF agent. My BATF agent is very helpful and quickly answers questions when asked.

I have many built in cabinets in my office that my agent said would be fine to store guns. Of course I do have a gun safe but it is not in my office. Security is not their concern, it is your concern, and your insurance company's concern.

We just completed the check a couple months ago. They did note on the inspection form the safe and alarm system. We got tipped off on the alarm system by the local ATF liaison for the city. It is a concern of theirs as any guns stolen from an FFL dealer is investigated by the BATFE as it is a Federal crime. As you said, ours was very helpful. Even to the comment that she wanted us to make lots of money, legally. But we also know she is a stickler for the paperwork being done right. The day of the actual transfer to us of the business she was in and out in 20 minutes with no faults found on our paperwork.

 

[SR40c]

I would appreciate hearing comments from those of you that have done so...your positive and negative experiences...thank you in advance.

I really don't know much about it but...

Was thinking about doing the very same thing a couple years ago. Talked to a good friend who had one for several years. He finally let it lapse because he felt that it gave the government way too much leverage on him. His position basically, was that it's not worth it unless you intend to make a living at building and or selling firearms. I guess it wouldn't really matter as much now though... because these days, the government can kick in anyone's door, at any time, for any reason, without a warrant.