Trying to get my FFL...... Any tips?

[Jrabbit771]

I'm in the beginning process of getting my FFL....I've talked to the police captain, city officials, etc....It shouldn't be an issue with them granting me permission to sale from my house....Most people are denied getting their home FFL due to zoning issues....or they are just wanting it for their personal use.....From what I've read....please correct me if I'm wrong...ATF isn't trying to weed out the home FFL dealers...they are trying to get rid of the home FFL dealers that are doing nothing but getting their stash count up...We are fortunate in Oklahoma that we don't have real strict firearm laws...
I have all the paperwork printed out....I'm just waiting for the city dude to get back in town so I can get the "Home Occupation" sheet going and make sure nothing is wrong with the zoning.....it shouldn't be an issue...I know several people that deal out of their garage, shop, etc... I will have to get fingerprinted, provide 2X2 pictures, blah blah...If everything goes well...by law, the ATF has to grant me the FFL license.....Main thing is getting it approved by the city......I have nothing on my record at all that will throw a red flag. I do plan on running this as a business and helping out whoever I can...This town doesn't have anything to offer at all....Especially when it comes to tactical weapons. Me, along with a lot of other people, are sick of going to OKC, Tulsa, Wichita, etc. Not for sure if I have to check in with my home owners insurance or not.....I think it would be wise to do so...
As long as I have all of my ducks in a row, I will be fine.....I hope?!?!?!....The actual ATF FFL application isn't too bad...Really not much to it.....OH....One last thing.....I would like to kick Bill Clinton in the nuts for making it our 2nd Amendment right even harder

Give me some feedback guys....I'm trying to separate the facts with the "opinions" so ....not trying to sound like a @ickhead....but factual information only please..I have to make damn sure there isn't one mistake during this process

If any of you have your FFL, hit me up and let me know how the application process goes, along with the ATF Agent interview/inspection...

 

[mike cyrwus]

Jeremy,

A quick search turned up 21 ffls in Ponca city

http://fflgundealers.net/gun-shops-near-74602



Id be damn careful who you let know your address; especially if you have a family that lives in the same building you keep guns.

That risk isnt worth the small amount of $ a transferer will make.

also, Homeowners insurance wont cover any of them, at least what Ive found.

The one thing I hate about what I do is doing transfers.
.

 

[charger arms]

I agree with what Mike said. I used to print my address on my business cards. I would have them all over the table at the Wichita Shows. Then I noticed that people would just pick up a card and not talk to me. So, I decided it was time to get new cards .
I have not had a problem getting my ffl back in 2007. One thing I recommend is "intern" under someone a few times to see how they keep track of things. This was a huge help learning how to file, sort and organize all the records you have to keep. I ended up using a electronic bound book for my store and it makes life real easy (even more so if your hand writing looks as poorly as mine). I also built a excel spreadsheet to keep track of the guns, what I paid for them and what they sold for and how much I owed in sales taxes. I had no idea going into it that I would end up moving as much product as I did and I am glad I planned ahead. Keep all reciepts. Even the fees charged to you for finger prints and postal fees. These come in real handy during tax season.
Also, a simple home security system is nice. You will always end up needong more space than you plan for.

 

[Jrabbit771]

Thanks guys....I just looked up the zoning info for Ponca City....no problem with that....Now the down side.....I work shift work as a refinery operator....I do have a warm fuzzy about my address being published....wife and 2 yr old son(another on the way) the way my house is set up....they would enter through the utility room and go straight to the garage area....I talked to a few FFL dealers today....One of them works at the refinery with me...Once I get all the paperwork completed and get approved I'm going to head out to his place and go over all the paperwork, etc...
Another thing I worry about....The ATF doesn't really have a good track record ( Waco, quite a few incidents where people were literally shot, abused, etc by the ATF) don't know what all is true...but I was told to respect them, but never turn your back on them or think you are friends with them...later on down the road I plan on getting a shop away from my house. Right now I have a German Shepherd, Gun safe (tractor supply Cannon model....yeah I know).. I plan on beefing everything up around the house....

A few questions.....1) Will my local police department provide me with the fingerprint cards?
2) Im wanting to put my wife on the application so she can act as a responsible member(for when I'm not here.)
From what I read....all she will need to so is provide a 2X2 picture and finger prints....On the pictures....is it just
A face shot or more of a waist up picture? Let me know if this sounds correct.
3) My last question.....Do I send ATF copy 1 and ATF copy 2 along with the other compliance form, finger prints,
and pictures. Is this all they will need? Do I need to send them anything showing them the approval from my
City for running a business out of my residence or will they check into this?

I really want to get it right on my first try. I'm going to take the CLEO in today. Get finger printed, the run to city officials office and fill out that paperwork....Only thing left after that is sending the correct papers to the ATF. Do I need to send anything to the FBI for my background check or does the ATF take care of this.....So for so many questions....just double and triple checking everything....

I won't have much of an inventory at first and I don't plan on advertising hardcore to everyone....due to the fact that my family lives here....Alarm system will be in the works.....Safe is bolted down to my house slab in the garage...it's a pain in the ass to get your FFL but I think it will be worth it.

Final question I promise...lol.....Preparing for ATF interview/inspection.....What needs to be done in my garage to make sure it's up to ATF standards?

Thanks for the feedback guys...I'll keep you updated on my progress....

 

[mike cyrwus]

You want your wife to do business with customers when youre not there? That would scare the poop out of me.

Im ready 24/7 for a mexican cartel to attack

 

[honeybee]

The feds require that you establish a gun business to make money, thats the difference in the old rules and the new one.
If you are just collecting or doing transfers then they don't want you to have one, If you are working on guns or selling them then you are allowed your FFL.

Your first inspection is just for going over the paperwork that you have to keep, posters you have to display and procedures to keep legal, they will not "inspect" your house, look at your guns or anything like that.
Some of the requirements like being able to secure your weapons or keeping your logbook straight won't even come up until some future inspection.

by the way you have buy your own log books (brownells has a good one) and if you want to keep it on computer then you have to get written permission and use approved software, and you should keep a written backup anyhow because if your computer goes down you still have to be able to show those records.

 

[honeybee]

The application packet you get from the Feds will have Fingerprint cards for you, not your wife.
you will need to have your fingerprints taken by the sherrifs office (they will have cards for your wife)
Photos are the same as for your CCW, you can get them from Walgreens or anyplace that takes passport photos (they will know the rules for the pics)

I don't remember who gets what copy but it says right on the form who gets what.

you did get an application packet didn't you? That takes a few days just to get it in the mail (and they will only send out one.)

You will get a printed copy of the FFL regulations when your get your first inspection.

(they did my last inspection through the mail and never came in person)

 

[Jrabbit771]

I printed everything off online...I went ahead and ordered the packet online last night along with some 4473 so I know what they look like....as far as the wife...I thought it was required since she lives here....but there will be NO business going on if I'm not present. Very good point...I'm not going to include her. Thanks for pointing that out. I will be doing this for business.....I dnt have the money to stock up on my private stash, lol....I still have a lot to learn....but I'm dedicated on learning all the tips and secrets of the trade....I've been around firearms all my life....Tactical weapons is something that I just got into 3 or 4 months ago.....I just started reloading, and it's going really well also. I do it for personal use.
I was just worried about what I need to do to my garage area to be prepared....My safe is already bolted down in there...I guess I will start making it look like a business...I have time, being it takes awhile for the application process to push through....I havent started on any paperwork yet.....I printed out the 270 some page manual from the ATF website and have been reading thru it..it will prob be next Friday when I send the applications in.

The only thing I planned on my wife helping me with was paperwork, inventory logs, etc....can she do this legally without sending in any fingerprints, etc? If she can't then I would rather leave her off.....I don't need people coming over when I'm not home....I work shift work....so I don't know how I'm going to post my hours of operations...I could print off my work schedule for the whole year and highlight the days I'm off.....basically I work 14 days a month and would do business on my days off and for a few hours in the evening when I work daylights....I think that's what I'll do....Print off my schedule for the year, and highlight my days off and hours of operation....Hopefully they won't have a problem with that.
Again,,,Thanks for all the help...I'll wait for the packet to arrive in the mail and use it rather then the online forms I printed.

 

[charger arms]

You no longer need a variance for using the computer based bound book as long as it complies with what is required. What part of the refinery do you work in? My father works out there. He came from Total in Ark City years ago.

 

[Jrabbit771]

I work in North Plant.....Clean fuels....as in low sulfur gas and ultra low sulfur diesel Hydrotreater...2 Hydrogen Plants, Isom unit, Benzene Reduction unit.....also with the North Plant we have the power plant....which is 600# steam boilers, air compressors, we did have 3 steam driven generators....they let them go...but there is plans of getting ine back going ....considering how 1 single storm caused us prob 50+ million....it knocked the whole refinery down....OG&E got hit....we fell straight down.....But if your in our shoes we laughed....they dont want to fix anything then that's their own fault....haha.....enough about that place...)

On to more serious stuff


Ponca City permits all residential housing to do "Home Occupations.....I couldn't find anything saying firearms aren't allowed....there is some restrictions on parking, signs, stuff of that nature... I see no reasons why the ATF could possibly deny my license....I know other states have a very hard time getting home FFL's.....Being Oklahoma is a very strong state towards the 2nd amendment should help me out....Today is my first day off. I just got off work,,,,I plan on getting a few hours of sleep then head down to the Police Department, and pick up my stuff from the city....

Will I need to get any sort of permit from the State? Not for sure if it's required or not...as in tax permit and stuff like that....I'm going to get everything finished before the interview happens....I want every permit, license, etc in my hand so I can show the ATF agent upon his or her arrival. I'm borderline nervous about this....I don't know why....By law....it shouldn't be a problem....Bur **** never works out easy for me....

 

[charger arms]

I don't know what Oklahoma might require for your small business, but Kansas just wanted to make sure I paid their sales tax on time. So all I had to do was get my sales tax id and I was good.
Make sure you know what you can and can't sell. I have seen some stupid stuff and you can pm me for more details. Get familiar with what class weapons fall under. This will save your ass at the tulsa gun show.

My dad works at the south plant.