I've toyed with getting an FFL for a while. Right now I'm in a situation where it seems like it is time to start a business.
I looked through all 6 pages here, didn't quite see what I wanted.
One of my questions is county zoning. What do I need to know or do there? I live on AG land (ranch). Going to be a home/gun show affair.
Step by step, how do I go about getting an FFL?

There are online guides out there.  There's pamphlets issued by the ATF, and persons on the phone at the national licensing center to answer questions.

First step, call or websurf to the licensing center and request an application and information packet.

There are also a lot of people and companies offering "FFL license packages" consisting of what you get for free from the licensing center, and some collected FAQ printouts that are sold on lots of websites and auctions.  If that's how you choose to get your information, well, it's your money to spend.

Seriously, all you need to know is available for free from the licensing center.

Oh, I see now that there is a tacked link at the top... I wasn't looking high enough on the page.

pretty straight forward


for an 01 you might have to check your zoning and get a "dba"...but for an 03 just fill it out and send it in, and wait 3 weeks for the packet in the mail.

An 03 has absolutely NOTHING to do with the OP's question.
An 03FFL is for Collectors and absolutely cannot be used for engaging in the business.

I searched the forum enough to know I can be licensed out of my house.
I'm out of work, have my retirement money I can use to start a business though, I'm out here begging to get a minimum wage job and they won't even hire me, so my old lady says "I think it's time you get your FFL and go into business for your self. Be your own boss".
I went for this one job interview, the lady told me that they only had 2 applicants. I had the expieriance and the special license required. After she interviewed me she has continued to run the ad for a month. Nobody else even wants the job but I'm not good enough I guess. So I'm kinda forced to give this a try.

This may be the worst time in history to get into the gun business.
I would not recommend going one step more unless you have a detailed business plan. Being unemployed is not a good place to start.

Questions to ask yourself:
Will I beat Bud's, Palmetto, Kentucky Gun Co and other internet retailers on price?
Will I beat WalMart, Gander Mtn, Cabelas, Academy and other brick & mortar local gun stores?
Do I have the $$$$$ to invest in inventory that might sit gathering dust until Hillary runs?

99% of my business is transfers.......my business is booming because internet retailers, distributors and manufacturers are dropping prices to record levels. Many local gun stores are struggling because they can't beat the internet prices.

I would have to disagree,but every market is different. I've only been in business since Oct,but things are going way better than expected.I work from my home for a few hours each evening after I get home from my regular job.I've cleared over $1000 dollars this month. I know that isn't much compared to the big gun stores,but for me thats extra money in my pocket for a few of hours of fun each day. I would say go for it.Study your market and find out what's selling,price your stuff right and give great customer service. I started with some stripped lowers and priced them lower than anyone else. I didn't make alot on each sale.but my business card went out the door and rather quickly referrels started coming in.Building your customer base and getting your name out there is key.

No. I can't beet Buds. I go to gun shows and I think if I shop smart, shop sales prices, ect, I can beet most local shops and gun show dealers prices.
I don't know if anybody even gives a small dealer any deals better than you can find in SGN or internet? I used to run an online tactical gear store, eBay power seller. I went out of business because you could buy the gear from Sportsmans Guide or Cheaper Than Dirt for less than my "dealer price" My business model is to buy stuff when I find bargains, black friday and such and flip it locally. For example Classic firearms has COMPLETE bear creek arsenal M4s for $440!!!! right now. That was the ad that I was telling my old lady about when she said I need to be a dealer. I thought I would buy about 10 of them right now if I had my FFL and flip them at gun shows for $600~
I'm also going to sell more than just guns.
I pretty much know more about guns than anybody I know.
I have worked in a retail enviroment before, so I know a lot about helping people find what they want.

I know it may not work out, but I also may never get offered a job either.

I'd have to go along with Dogtown.  If you're going to do the retail thing, a business plan is the first thing to nail down.  push it, pull it apart and see where it fails and think it through again before you put in a penny.

I tried doing sales until even the big brick and mortar gun stores saw what Bud's was doing and made the internet market go crazy.  They can get the guns people want (shown as allocated on the distributor sites) at a price that lets them charge almost as low as my dealer price and they throw in cheap or free shipping.  plus, my customer pays no sales tax.

If i can get a popular gun, I have to pay for the distributor shipping and charge sales tax .  By the time i add in cost to cover the shipping,  the, 8.25%  for sales tax and a few bucks for me, I was WAY over the price Buds, Grab a Gun, and KY Gun Co would charge.   My business is also 99% transfers and about 1/2% of the remainder is doing USPS mailing for customers that sold their pistol on the internet.  i save them tons by not having to use UPS or FedEx.  The other 1/2% of my customers is me.  I'm getting so many transfers that I'm able to buy the guns I want for my personal collection at a rate I never dreamed possible.  There are some office expense and such, fees for my UPS store box and occasional trips to the FEDEX or UPS depot to pick up in-bound transfers,, but those are way down in the noise compared to the profit.  the only other down side is having 3 guys sitting on my couch waiting for me to get a customer's paperwork done so they can get their gun next.  The wife hates it until we go out to dinner on the evening's take.

Again, think it through, talk to a CPA and then think about it again.

Do you do gun shows? I was not planning on doing transfers. My location would be less than convenient.

You are going to do gunshows only?  You can't be a dealer then, see question 18a on ATF form 7.

What forum? This one? You won't know unless you call up zoning and ask. Don't guess.

Of course you can be licensed out of a house, but nobody here can tell you if you can be licensed out of your house.  That's a matter of zoning, business permits, HOA rules if applicable, etc.  Your location must be legal to have a retail business in firearms, or ATF won't issue a license.

Anybody else? Is this true?

What does the Form 7 say?  What do the instructions (specifically 3(e)) say?  You have read the form, right?

What do you mean "Anybody else?"............did you read Que. 18a on the FFL application?

Just read it.
So what exactly does this meen? If I do some transfers at my house I'll be OK? I'm sure I'll be selling guns to friends at my house anyways.
I'm sure I've read before that you do not have to have set business hours though, right?

I don't mean to come across as rude but all these questions are answered on the ATF Form 7.

Yes, you must list hours, question 13 on the Form 7.

https://www.atf.gov/files/forms/download/atf-f-5310-12.pdf

I don't know how to word this, but I think I've read others with the same concern and IIRC those will be the hours ATF with visit you, you don't actually have to open the store every day at those hours, right?

The "business hours" you put on the Form 7 are the hours you will devote to the operation of your business. They are not necessarily the same as the hours you are open to the public. There is no requirement to even see a single customer during your business hours.
The hours you list on the Form 7 are the hours when ATF may conduct a compliance inspection.