After about 3 months of being photographed, finger printed, interviewed, and lots of other stuff I'm finally a licensed gun dealer with all the credentials and government papers and license required to do business as a gun dealer. It should be fun, I look forward to the challenge and might even make a buck or 2.

If you don't mind my asking I have a couple questions...
1. How much does it cost these days to obtain an FFL (lost my FFL during Clinton's 2nd term so I'm out of touch with todays costs)
2. Do you have a commercial building to do business out of or is it legal in your jurisdiction to work from your home?
thanks
John

way to go strut, good luck with your venture

Good job Mr. Strut.
Chuck

Thanks Guys, I look forward to it.

8mm it cost 200 bucks when you apply and you can do business out of your home, I will work out of my basement until I can get a shop built which might take awhile. It took about 3 months to receive my FFL's, then there were tax papers and tax #'s and merchant license to run down, I think I'm finally done and ready to go.

Don't you also have to have set store hours or something like that? The laws are so convoluted about FFL's that it's hard to sort the fact from fiction.

I'm interested because I am going to gunsmithing school in October, and my end goal is to have my own shop where I do custom gunsmithing, but I'd also like to be able to sell newly built guns and actions to customers, which requires an FFL. I always thought it was crazy expensive to get the FFL, and there were so many restrictions it wasn't worth it unless you sold a lot of guns.

Mike

Thanks strut,
Good for you. Unfortunately for me, the FFL laws state that an FFL holder must comply with the local juristictional rules. In my case the city and township of Brighton, Michigan refused my request to re-up my FFL after Clinton was able to get some of the language changed. (No retail sales out of a residential neighborhood< and other krap) This resulted in a whole bunch of small time out-of-their-house dealers to give up their FFL's.
If you are lucky enough to live in a area that is friendly to the "gun-culture" or at least reasonably intelligent about it, you get to buy guns under a whole lot of scrutiny. My FFL books were flawless and accurate...the agent I turned 'em in to complimented me and told me it was a crock about the way the FFL's were being rescinded. But what the heck....I may make a go of it again when I retire in about 8 years.

Congrats Strut. I'm glad everything went through for you.I've thrown the idea around getting a FFL for 25-30 years now.I just don't want to deal with the Government and their good ol'e boys from BATF.Just make sure you keep your books current.I know of a gunsmith who had several rifles just for parts. He messed up not loggin those in or having them tagged. BATF came in found them and revoked his FFL.That's why I mentioned making sure you keep your books up.I was under the impression that Slick Willie made it where you couldn't use your residence as a place of business. I want to wish you the best.

Ruger Redhawk

Yeah Drift, you have to specify your business hours on your application, and there are alot of different locales and states that have their own firearm regulations that have to be dealt with. I guess I'm lucky to live in the area I live in.

Ruger, I thought the same thing until I checked into it.