The HOME FFL dealer:

Remember these?

This was the guy that was usually a serious hunter or competitive shooter that bought so much stuff he decided to be a FFL dealer to supplement his activity. He had tons of stuff and all the serious shooters knew him. He didn’t advertise though, except for word of mouth. You found out about him from the recommendation of other shooters at the range.

You would to go to his house, mostly on the weekends. And his “shop” was usually the basement or a den converted to an office. Then you would pour through the catalogs to find what you wanted. He couldn’t keep an inventory due to code and zoning regulations but he did own about 80% of the stuff in the catalogs so you could usually see what you were gonna order.

And he would save you time, money and trouble too. He knew if something was junk and a waste of money and would tell you.  He also told you if something was overpriced and told you about the better buys.  And he had experience, he could tell you what “most” people prefer and what he prefers and why. In the end he saved you tons of cash.

And while you were looking at catalogs and checking out the one “he” owned to help make your decision, you were usually drinking a coke he gave you out of his fridge. If you were a well know customer, sometimes you got a beer. And at the same time you were kicking back and shooting the shit. The game was usually on TV in the background and a bowl of chips nearby. There also might be a couple regulars just “hanging out.”

And talk about customer service. You can’t decide between two similar models? Well hell, if he owns both he makes an appointment to meet ya at the range on Wednesday. You can shoot both of them then order you favorite. And he can tell you about all the little features that might help make your decision. He can tell you what situations he prefers one over the other and why.

He did all this because he likes you. He understood you drove an extra mile and a half to him passing Kmart on the way. He knows you are paying $25.00 above the Kmart price for the same gun. Hell sometimes you even pick the gun out at Kmart then drive out and order it from him. You do this because you like him more than Kmart. You want him to be around because he offers so much more than Kmart ever could.

And this guy also lived in the community. He was a positive PROGUN example. When people thought of guns, they thought of him. And he was a good guy. For the people that don’t shoot, they know him as being another member of the community. Some only know that he is a nice guy and he sells guns. They like him even though they themselves do not shoot or hunt. And they would never vote for anything that hurt his business.

Edited to make Scarecrow happy

Most of the good guy FFL's were the home dealers, but most of the worst FFL rule breakers were your home dealers. So in typical Federal fashion, throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Many of the municipalities in Colorado forbid FFL's dealing from homes.

Mine has beagles. [:)]

people in my family used to know a few people like this but they've all lapsed their license at one time or another and can't meet the new regs. I do know one "home dealer" who's kept his papers current, we're going shooting here in a matter of minutes if he'd get his ass over here! He's also some sort of former African tribesman, dude is like 7 feet tall and black as night. And get this, he says he'll take me and my brother hunting over there sometime!!! That'd be totally BADASS I've only dreamt and read about things like that in books and it'd give me a "legitimate sporting-use" for owning a BMG!

I am very familiar with these restrictions as our county passed a new ordnance preventing the sales of guns and ammo within the county. However if you live within the city limits it's ok as the county has no jurisdiction within the city limits.  I don't live within the city limits.  

ENDAGERED SPECIES?
Here I was thinking endangered was wrote endangered.

aLL t#3 |>3aLER5 I g0 2 Are #0m3 d34L3Rs.
th3y r NOt EnDAnGeR3d h3re.

hmmmmmm.....

i wanted to be a home ffl when i turn 21 then teh damn rules changed and made it almost impossible for me to get it. oh well maybe in 2 years when i can get it the rules will change

Trying to paint a Norman Rockwell with words?  Your description is fitting for a small town, but you haven't reached the 3.5k word limit yet.

Back in the good ol' days (pre 1994, $30 for 3 years) I had an FFL and received very sweet deals on reloading supplies, which I shared with friends, without profit.

There's still the C&R FFL, but around here, I believe home FFLs are being banned.

Styer, you hit the proverbial X-ring with this.

Edited to make scarecrow happy? LMAO!![:D]

I turned 21 back in May and thought I should go for the home FFL.  Once my local zoning commissioner heard my age he stopped returning my calls immediately.  I just got completely stone walled.

My bro-in-law is a home FFL dealer, and it's still pretty much like you described.

My sister did something right!!!

My only problem is making sure he doesn't "test for safety reasons" my new purchases before I get a chance to shoot.  Grrrrrrrr.  

Life is groovy!

[8P]

I get your point SteyrAUG, and it all sounds very nice. My father was a gunsmith, and I have met some very cool dealers over the years - none quite as perfect as in your picture though [;)]

Tyler