Blog
Guides for running an independent FFL.
Written for dealers, not for search engines. Where a rule comes from ATF or your state, we send you to the source.
AI for gun shops ·
Using AI in a gun shop without getting burned
Where AI saves a gun shop real time, where it needs a person to check it, and the one rule that keeps false claims off your website.
Inventory ·
Serialized inventory: why a count is not enough
A listing that says "quantity 5" cannot tell you which five guns you have. Why gun shops track every unit by serial, and what that takes.
Compliance and regulation ·
The "engaged in the business" rule: vacated in Texas, with a narrower proposal pending
A federal court vacated ATF’s 2024 rule on who must be licensed to sell guns, and ATF has proposed a narrower one. What it means for dealers and the customers who ask.
Marketing your shop ·
Local SEO for gun shops: showing up when buyers search nearby
How an independent gun shop shows up for "gun store near me" and "FFL transfer" searches: your business profile, consistent details, reviews and pages worth finding.
Checkout and payments ·
The credit card gun code: where federal and state law stand
Merchant category code 5723 for firearms retailers, the House bill that would ban it, and the states that require it or forbid it.
Distributor integrations ·
Allocated is not in stock: what distributor allocation means for your website
Why an allocated item with a quantity of one can still be a gun nobody has, and how to keep allocated items from selling on your site.
FFL websites ·
What every FFL website homepage needs
A buyer decides in a few seconds whether your shop is real. The eight things your homepage has to show before they leave.
Running your shop ·
NFA background checks more than doubled in September. Is your shop ready?
NSSF’s September 2026 numbers: overall checks were flat while NFA checks rose 129 percent. What that means for your stock, your staff and your website.
Compliance and regulation ·
ATF’s October 9 NFA letter: what changed for dealers, and what did not
ATF no longer requires approval or registration for silencers, SBRs, SBSs and AOWs. What that means at the counter, and the rules that still apply.
Running your shop ·
Getting your FFL website ready for the holiday season
A short checklist for independent gun dealers before Black Friday: stock you can actually ship, clear transfer instructions, hours, holds, and a plan for sold-out items.
Checkout and payments ·
Online checkout and payments for FFL dealers
Why mainstream processors decline firearm dealers, what a firearms-friendly processor looks like, and what checkout must handle.
Point of sale ·
Choosing a point of sale for a gun store
What a firearms counter needs that a generic register does not: serials, non-taxable services, trade-ins, and one inventory with your website.
FFL websites ·
Handling FFL transfers on your website
How to explain transfers, show your fee, and route online orders to the right dealer without confusing buyers.
Distributor integrations ·
Connecting your distributors to your FFL website
What it takes to connect RSR, Davidson's, Lipsey's, Chattanooga, Sports South, Kinsey's, MGE, and Zanders to an online store, and what to check before you trust the stock count.
FFL websites ·
FFL website platforms in 2026: what to compare
The questions that separate FFL ecommerce platforms: distributors, point of sale, setup fees, product limits, and who builds the site.
Running your shop ·
MAP pricing for FFL dealers, explained
What minimum advertised price means, why it matters to your distributor relationships, and how to price above cost without breaking it.
Distributor integrations ·
How firearms drop-shipping works for an FFL
Sell from your distributors’ live catalogs without stocking every item: how ordering, shipping to the transfer dealer, and pricing actually work.
Running your shop ·
How to start a home-based FFL business that customers trust
What a home-based FFL needs beyond the license: a storefront customers believe in, products to sell without a warehouse, and a way to take orders while you work your day job.