There was a time in this country when you could have firearms shipped straight to your door. The Gun Control Act of 1968 put a stop to that for the most part, implementing the current Federal Firearms Licensing system that we see today and requiring firearms to be shipped to dealers and not directly to end users. Some enterprising people decided to sign up as “gun dealers” themselves with their home address as their “place of business,” allowing them to order guns directly from distributors (at reduced prices) and even own post-sample machine guns (with the proper paperwork). We’ve been hearing for some time that the ATF is putting an end to the availability of home FFLs, but now it looks like distributors are following suit.
The latest from the ATF is that home-based FFLs will continue to be valid and may be renewed, but new ones will not be issued. Those wishing to obtain an FFL must actually be “in the business” of selling firearms — however the ATF chooses to define that phrase — with a proper storefront and everything.
Things get worse, though. Word comes from Epic Tactical that RSR group will no longer be shipping firearms from their distribution center to home based FFLs.
Sales representatives with RSR Group have confirmed that after June 21st 2016 they will no longer be shipping firearms to home based FFL’s. According to RSR Group the ATF has informed them that they will no longer issue home based FFL’s and that if the home based FFL does not renew their license it will be terminated and they cannot get it back under their residence. However the ATF is allowing current home based FFL’s to renew their FFL’s at this time.
The ATF has been looking to eliminate these “kitchen counter FFLs” for years, and it looks like they are finally succeeding. Not only are they eliminating the licensees through attrition, but they are now pressuring the distributors to eliminate one of the biggest incentives to maintaining that FFL.