Gun Cleaning Business-FFL?

[keano44]

If someone decided they may want to run an add in the Classifieds, to clean guns, install scopes, and sight in rifles, for extra money, would he need some kind of license to do that sort of work? FFL?

 

[Tinker2]

Short answer is yes. You need the license.




Tinker2

 

[dfariswheel]

If you're taking money to do any work on guns, ESPECIALLY if you keep them overnight, you are required to have a Federal Firearms License (FFL).
The Federal BATF is stone cold serious about this.

If you're working on guns, you BETTER have some kind of insurance.
ANY trouble, even if its the owners fault, YOU'RE responsible and WILL be sued.

 

[nitetrane98]

I certainly don't know but I've heard that if it's a "while you wait" type deal you wouldn't need a license. But I doubt that's what you had in mind. A few calls to BATF ought to give you several different answers to choose from, presuming you talk to different people there.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

If you do it for compensation, you need the FFL. And insurance, decent place to work without interruptions, customer parking, properly zoned building (for increased traffic), a safe for overnight storage, alarm system, business license, space for paperwork storage, bound book,

 

[krs]

Nitetrain, the "while you wait" stipulation has to do with repairs that a licensed gunsmith is able to complete and return to you while you wait or same day.

It doesn't mean a license is not required it means that the gunsmith need not perform a 4473 record or enter the gun into his bound book as being in his shop.

 

[triggerman770]

ffl

KRS, that's the way I read it too. On the atf website's FAQ's it says sayme day returns need not be logged in the A&D book, and when the ATF was here on my site inspection they indicated the same and I had to make it CLEAR that I have NOT engaged in business yet as I have not received the license.
When in doubt call them they will be most happy to give you THE correct answers

 

[Jim K]

Weeelll, maybe. BATFE, like the IRS they used to be part of, will answer most questions but if pressed will admit that a neither a face-to-face reply from an agent nor a telephone response is binding on the agency.

If you have a really serious question (of the "go straight to jail" type), write the Washington HQ, not a field office, and get a reply in writing.

Jim

 

[Mac's]

I don't know if it still is legal but it was twenty years ago. If you were not shipping, have no advertising and it was not your primary means of income, it was considered a self supporting hobby and no license was required. I started out that way a looong time ago and it was 100% legal.

But be carefull! If you build a little gun fun web site on the space your ISP gives you or you post a notice on the bulletin board at the local laundromat, etc. you're advertising. You can get yourself into trouble.

An alternative to high priced insurance is to form a small corporation called an LLC...Limited Liabilty Corporation. What an LLC does is to limit your company liablity to the company...meaning if you're sued, the most they can get is your company. They can't touch you or your home, car, first born, etc. Form your LLC and have it checked by a corporation attorney just to be sure you did the paperwork right. Then just regularly transfer cash out of your business account into a personal account. (LLC's are not allowed in all States) Keep yer powder dry, Mac.

Tuff-Gun Finishes. The Name Says It All.
Mac's Shootin' Irons
http://www.shootiniron.com

 

[rodinal220]

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faqindex.htm