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FFL Distributors for Home Based

56K views 40 replies 23 participants last post by  Notrighty 
#1 · (Edited)
Well as a home based FFL sometimes it was a little hard to find distributors or manufacturers that would work with me when I first started. I noticed more and more people asking about home based FFL so I put together my little list of those that will work with home based FFLs. Some have a minimum dollar amount for your first order but most do not.

Distributor/Manufacturer Website

Armalite www.armalite.com
Brownells www.brownells.com
Chattanooga Shooting Supply www.chattanoogashooting.com
Davidson's www.davidsonsinc.com
Green Supply www.greensupply.com
Interstate Arms Corps www.interstatearms.com
Lipseys www.lipseys.com
MGE Wholesale www.mgewholesale.com
New Frontier Armory www.newfrontierarmory.com
Olympic Arms www.olyarms.com
Palmetto State Armory www.palmettostatarmory.com
Rock River Arms www.rockriverarms.com
RSR Group www.rsrgroup.com
Shooting Sports Wholesale www.sswllc.com
Southern Ohio Group www.southernohiogun.com
Spikes Tactical www.spikestactical.com
Stag Arms www.stagarms.com
Williams Shooting Supply www.willshoot.com
Zanders www.gzanders.com
Graf and Sons www.grafs.com
DPMS www.dpmsinc.com
Noveske www.noveskerifleworks.com
Daniel Defense www.danieldefense.com
Yankee Hill Machine www.yhm.net
OMB Guns www.ombguns.com
Independent Sports Supply www.independentsportssupply.com
LM Burney Distributors www.lmburney.com
Tactical Gear Distributors www.tacticalgeardistributors.com
Gun Accessory Supply www.gunaccessorysupply.com
 
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#28 ·
As much as I would like to have a small shop, sit around the wood stove, drink coffee, and shoot the breeze with other old farts I just don't see the business model that would pay the bills. The kind of money the previous poster was talking about in a home-FFL business, you could make flipping stuff on ebay, and without all of the risks; financial, legal and personal.
It is like the old farmer when asked how long he was going to keep on farming. The answer was "until I run out of money."

I have seen so many small shops open, establish a hundred gun inventory and then be gone in less than 6 months. It looks like the small shops that succeed have a side hustle like pawns or bail-bonds.

Trying to compete with Wal-mart, Bass Pro, SOG, Centerfire, J&G , and the list goes on and on, calls for a lot of optimism.
 
#29 ·
i'd have to agree with that assessment. i could see doing it as a side line business, but as sole income generator, not so much. the couple of home-based gun dealers i know, have a regular job and do the gun sales as hobby or side line business.
 
#35 ·
A couple of things about this string. First, you do not need an outfit like Legal Zoom to get an LLC in most states. Simply go online to your Secretary of State's website and do your own LLC. The instructions are very simple. Secondly,if you want to apply for an FFL, go directly to the ATF website and fill out the multi-page application form. You'll have to get fingerprinted (I did mine at the Sheriff's office), get passport-type pictures taken, have your local Sheriff/Police Chief fill out the form that asks about past experience about you, if any. I had applied for a Class 1 license, so it was $200.00 for that alone. The application took about 8 weeks or so, with an ATF agent coming to my home and doing a face to face interview and discussing the laws I would have to abide by as a gun dealer (I was an online gun dealer). The whole process was surprisingly simple and in no time I was in business. Don't be afraid to get your feet wet, as it's very basic and you'll pick up tips quickly from others in the business. Best Wishes!
 
#37 ·
I totally agree with FFL01. When I started my home-based FFL business, I was still working my regular job. Now, being I just retired, I'm getting back into again. My original concept was that of a hobby business. I always made a profit, but not that kind of profit that would have supported myself and my wife. Unless you invest big time capital to make it large, all you'll have is a lot of fun working with gun people who have the same interests as yourself. I'm going to take it one step further now and run the gun show circuits in my state. I have plenty of time on my hands now and plan to take full advantage of it.
 
#38 · (Edited)
This is something I always wanted to do.
The rules were so changed that even the license is prohibitive at 600.00.
Brother is or was ordering guns through a small, perhaps hobbyist, Firearms Dealer. I did at one time, until the Clintonistas changed everything and he had to close, Not in a business zoned, area not a separate, building, legal postings,
Workman's comp and Self Employment taxes, quarterly earnings reports, depositing expected taxes into a business bank account and so on. All of it designed to drive the really small businessman and hobbyist out of business.
Including a guy who mad superior lures, informed on by a tackle Distributor, and driven out of business by IRS. Doubt he made more than 1,000.00 a year.
So I've been following this thread.
Back then you could buy a firearm, or several firearms, from the factory at a huge savings. Clintons changed that and you have to buy from a Distributor, which can add up to a third and they may not stock what you want.
All off it designed to make firearms more expensive, harder to get and drive everyone out of business except the big Retailers, The Govt can trust.
It should all be repealed as infringing on our Second Amendment and under Restraint of Trade.
 
#39 ·
Tinbucket, i fully suspect you have no idea as to what you are talking about most of the time, and this time as well.

you apparently have no idea what it takes to run a small business. everything you mentioned is part and parcel of running a small business or any business for that matter. we comply with every thing to operate a profitable and successful business.

the lure maker driven out of business by the IRS? rubbish Tinbucket! if he was driven out of business by the IRS, it was because he was making income that he wasn't paying taxes on. hey Tinbucket, here's a new's alert for you, that's called tax evasion and it's illegal.

and every city has zoning laws as to what can or can't be done in certain areas. a city can also have city ordinances that prohibit doing certain things in certain areas. and zoning laws can change at times and it's likely they changed and had nothing to do with the Clintons.

and most of the manufacturers started dealing with distributors on their own and it had nothing to do with the Clintons. unless you have some proof that shows otherwise, then by all means please share it.and just how does it drive out the small retailers? i have a cousin that has an FFL and operates out of his house, and he orders his guns through a distributor. usually one or two guns at a time. i also have another friend who operates a home based gun business, and he only buys one or two guns at time.

Tinbucket, not everything that goes on this country is a government conspiracy, or driven by the liberal Democrats to deprive us of our gun rights. sometimes the things you say make me question your level of maturity. they really do sir.
 
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#40 ·
Well as a home based FFL sometimes it was a little hard to find distributors or manufacturers that would work with me when I first started. I noticed more and more people asking about home based FFL so I put together my little list of those that will work with home based FFLs. Some have a minimum dollar amount for your first order but most do not.

Distributor/Manufacturer Website

Armalite www.armalite.com
Brownells www.brownells.com
Chattanooga Shooting Supply www.chattanoogashooting.com
Davidson's www.davidsonsinc.com
Green Supply www.greensupply.com
Interstate Arms Corps www.interstatearms.com
Lipseys www.lipseys.com
MGE Wholesale www.mgewholesale.com
New Frontier Armory www.newfrontierarmory.com
Olympic Arms www.olyarms.com
Palmetto State Armory www.palmettostatarmory.com
Rock River Arms www.rockriverarms.com
RSR Group www.rsrgroup.com
Shooting Sports Wholesale www.sswllc.com
Southern Ohio Group www.southernohiogun.com
Spikes Tactical www.spikestactical.com
Stag Arms www.stagarms.com
Williams Shooting Supply www.willshoot.com
Zanders www.gzanders.com
Graf and Sons www.grafs.com
DPMS www.dpmsinc.com
Noveske www.noveskerifleworks.com
Daniel Defense www.danieldefense.com
Yankee Hill Machine www.yhm.net
OMB Guns www.ombguns.com
Independent Sports Supply www.independentsportssupply.com
LM Burney Distributors www.lmburney.com
Tactical Gear Distributors www.tacticalgeardistributors.com
Gun Accessory Supply www.gunaccessorysupply.com
Since I am brand new at this FFL business, just 2 questions regarding working with Distributors. Please forgive me if this is addressed elsewhere, but my time is short to be looking.
Regarding Pricing
1. Do most or all distributors work off of the same MSRP for the same guns?
2. And do most or all ?? distributors sell for the same discounts to the dealers?
 
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