Future Gun Control - Are the FFL's our worst enemy?

[Flame Red]

While in line at the last fun show, the topic came up of future gun control with the expect change in administration. (Hillarity will be taking care of all of us I am sure).

Amoung the many topics we discussed were the closing of the fun show 'loop hole'. The Anti's had targeted this for a very long time - as far back as I can remember. But an interesting point was brought up in the conversation. The theory was that the FFL's would not want to see the fun shows closed, after all, they still make big bucks selling there. Certainly the promotors don't want to see them closed down.

Here is Florida, most counties (not all) permit a firearm to be sold to any other state resident as long a proof of residency (driver's license) is presented and it is 'stated' that the buyer is not legally restricted from owning a firearm.

The point was brought up that the dealers might like the Anti's idea of making all sales at the fun shows go thru an FFL, weither in state or not. Certainly there are some questions as the validity of a federal rule infringing on state's rights here. That aside, if such a rule was inacted, it would be 'easy' money for an FFL to fill out paper work. It also will cause more traffic to head to their tables and might result in more sales. It eliminates some compitition by increasing the cost to the private sellers for current production firearms.

Could there be a silent acceptance of such restrictions by the FFL's - with no protest? After all, the ATF has made it all but impossible for 'home' FFL's to be approved anymore (thanks Klinton). And around here, the FFL's think they are in a higher cast, and love to charge high fees to do transfers (out of state) - those few that even bother to do that anymore. And they are in a higher cast, as the regulations have created high entry barriers into their business.

I could see a business opportunity of renting tables at the fun shows setup just to do transfers between private parties! It would be nothing but pushing papers. Perhaps that is my way of getting into the FFL game?

Sound plausable?

 

[Animal Mother]

I think the vast majority of FFL's are able to look past making a few extra bucks in transfers and generally don't support any additional (read unconsitutional) restrictions on our second ammendment rights. They know better than most how the antigunners want to wipe us out. If you think that FFL's would believe that the antigunners will leave gunshows alone once they close the so-called loophole of private sales between individuals, you'd be wrong.

 

[El Tejon]

Untrue, gun dealers have been key proponents of gun control for many, many years. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/833829/posts

The National Alliance of Stocking Gun Dealers worked hand in hand with the federal govenment to eliminate the "kitchen table dealers", e.g. dealers with low overhead, the competition by creating additional red tape for FFLs, reducing their numbers.

NASGD has also favored eliminating private transfers and registration (FFL fee per gun, of course).

The stool sitting, NO yellers have long been our enemy.

 

[fixyurgun]

They forgot to send me my invitation to the "FFLs Take Over The World" meeting. Anyone that truly belives that gun dealers go into this business to sit on our butts & tell you NO! needs to check the fit of their metallic headwear. The gun control that I'm in favor of results in nice groups on paper or meat on the table. jim

 

[El Tejon]

No need, just need to check Kirk's Law.

 

[Car Knocker]

I think that anyone who believes that a lot of FFLs wouldn't support closing the "gunshow loophole" needs to adjust his metallic headwear.

 

[waterhouse]

I'd be happy as a clam if they passed legislation tomorrow that said all citizens could order a gun over the internet directly to their door step without an FFL.

I think every gun owner should apply for an 01 FFL. If your locality allows it, and you have everything in order, the ATF might give you one. The more the merrier, I say.

After all, the ATF has made it all but impossible for 'home' FFL's to be approved anymore (thanks Klinton).

People tell me this all the time. All I did was fill out the paperwork a write a check, and the nice Agent (I'm not being sarcastic or facetious, he really was a nice guy) showed up at the house to do a sight tour. A little while later they sent me a license.

The same people had me believing that getting a suppressor was "a lot of work" and "nearly impossible." Then I tried it. Getting fingerprints on my lunch hour was the most time consuming part.

It was a lot more "work" to get my CHL then either my FFL or suppressor approvals.

Could there be a silent acceptance of such restrictions by the FFL's - with no protest?

Despite the little piece of paper on my wall that says 'Dealer in Firearms . . ." your vote counts as much as mine. If it were a single issue, I'd bet some FFLs might support getting rid of private sales. I don't know any FFLs, however, who would vote for the people that get to propose such laws. We'd lose far more business by putting those same people in office, since they seem to have a nasty habit of limiting the types of arms we can sell.

Your Poll is worded to skew the answers. Name me any industry that this doesn't apply to: "Yes, Industry X would like less competition."

 

[ilbob]

After all, the ATF has made it all but impossible for 'home' FFL's to be approved anymore (thanks Klinton).

This is sort of a misunderstanding of what actually happened. The BATF will no longer issue you a dealer FFL unless you have an actual place of business. A lot of the FFLs that lost their licenses did not have an actual business. In fact, they were using the license for personal rather than business purposes.

Many had no business license, and clearly were not in any kind of business. A lot of times, they could not have even gotten a business license because in many localities you cannot get a license that allows you to do business in a residential area.

The Clintons really just enforced the existing rules, as much as anything.

It is still very possible to get an FFL and run a gun business out of your home IF you plan to actually run a business. I know several people who do so. You do need a dedicated space for your business, and I think a dedicated entryway to that space. I am told they also require you to have the various licenses needed to run a business in hand before a dealer FFL will be issued.

 

[Cosmoline]

I've certainly heard the rumors about FFL support for crackdown on kitchen table dealers, but I think openly attacking the gun shows would be another matter. The dealers don't want to pull a Zumbo. What I've seen happening at the gunshows is fewer and fewer private collections being sold and more and more local gun stores. This is why I rarely go to the shows anymore. The only good deals I've gotten from them in the past five years have been from guys I know who have a few C&R's for sale. 90% of it is either dealers selling their overstock or oddballs selling crud from their basement. And then there's the guy who sells rubber band guns and the political tables. And a couple of knive guys.

The real issue has never been about gun shows, anyway. It's about shutting down private sales. And while I'm sure the dealers would benefit from forcing every transaction to go through them, it would ultimately reduce the aftermarket value of open market firearms, encourage hording, limit the flow of commerce and cost them sales.

 

[Zundfolge]

Amoung the many topics we discussed were the closing of the fun show 'loop hole'. The Anti's had targeted this for a very long time - as far back as I can remember. But an interesting point was brought up in the conversation. The theory was that the FFL's would not want to see the fun shows closed, after all, they still make big bucks selling there. Certainly the promotors don't want to see them closed down.

In general closing the "fun show" loophole doesn't mean shutting down gun shows, it means eliminating the right to sell your private property to someone else without some form of government agency involved ... FFLs would actually BENEFIT from this as it would give them a little cut of every gun transaction that goes down.