Working on an FFL for a New Location in Sussex County

[NorthJersey 1]

I am currently working on an FFL application for an undisclosed location in Sussex county. I have discussed the lease with the local zoning official and that person has been very cooperative. I'm in discussions about a lease that would be cheap enough for me to wait out the several months until my application is complete.

 

What should I charge for transfers in nothern Sussex County? Would $20 plus a NICS fee entice people to come up that way? 15$?

 

On a different note, do we have a state requirement insurance? Is it anything more than a $1,000,000 general liability policy?

[T Bill 649]

Transfers for $42.80($25 fee, 15 NICS and Tax) would be very competitive for the area you are in.

A vendor in the Warren county area charges the same and is doing very well.

[NorthJersey 1]

Thanks for the feedback.

[oneshot 45]

true value in lincoln park does transfers for $40 flat, so your price would be good one as well. would be 2 of the least exspensive

in NJ

[johnp 45]

Just to get an approximate idea of whereabouts in Sussex County. High Point, Sparta, Newton, Andover, Dingmans Ferry

[Socom 19]

35.00 for xfer in Bayonne cash; 40 for cc

[NorthJersey 1]

Just to get an approximate idea of whereabouts in Sussex County. High Point, Sparta, Newton, Andover, Dingmans Ferry

 

North. On or close to I-15. Don't want to disclose which town at this point until I've signed the lease. I'm definitely NOT a hobbyist, but I'm going to be pretty small time. Some of you guys have walk-in closets bigger than this place.

[RAL1979 9]

Do you have lowers in stock?....oh wait probably too soon

[NorthJersey 1]

I don't mind taking deposits.

[oneshot 45]

I'll take 5000 rounds of 7.62 and 5.56.. I hope it works out well for you. I like small shops myself. And personable real people. Not the car salesman type . Im sure you will do well

[ryan_j 0]

I would come and buy from you. You sound like your prices would be reasonable.

 

Your price for transfer sounds fair.

[YankeeFan 49]

35.00 for xfer in Bayonne cash; 40 for cc

 

Where in Bayonne?

[Socom 19]

 

Where in Bayonne?

 

In the back of Victoria's tv; Rick has a lil gun shop in the back called omg custom guns

[YankeeFan 49]

In the back of Victoria's tv; Rick has a lil gun shop in the back called omg custom guns

 

Cool. Good to know. Thanks.

[NorthJersey 1]

I would come and buy from you. You sound like your prices would be reasonable.

 

Your price for transfer sounds fair.

Great. I think third party transfers will be my bread and butter. I won't have a lot of working capital to keep much in the way of inventory. Think hotdog stand vs. grocery store.

I'll take 5000 rounds of 7.62 and 5.56.. I hope it works out well for you. I like small shops myself. And personable real people. Not the car salesman type . Im sure you will do well

 

I'm not the car salesman type, but I will adjust my prices to reflect market conditions. By the same token, I will also pay prices that reflect market conditions.

[fatty 241]

If you're closer to me than lincoln park true value I'll definitely be coming to you for transfers as well.

 

What kind of operating hours are you considering?

[H.M. Murdock 0]

My $0.02:

 

Please give discounts on the transfer fee for multiple transfers at once (aside from distributing the single $15 NICS fee across all items).

 

Something like 2nd and 3rd transfer half price or 3 for the price of 2.

 

Shore Shot used to work with me in that respect but they raped me for $160-170ish on my last 3 item transfer.

 

Thank you sir

[Blacksmythe 71]

So if I transfer 3 fire arms, It is possible to be charged a transfer fee for each firearm?? What a hustle......All that money to fill out 15min of paper work.

[NorthJersey 1]

If you're closer to me than lincoln park true value I'll definitely be coming to you for transfers as well.

 

What kind of operating hours are you considering?

 

As few as I can get away with. I've noticed the FFL I've been using is almost never available during his posted hours. My wife will most likely be manning the helm, waiting for the State Police and ATF to drop in. I'll try to be available when most folks are off work.

 

My $0.02:

 

Please give discounts on the transfer fee for multiple transfers at once (aside from distributing the single $15 NICS fee across all items).

 

Something like 2nd and 3rd transfer half price or 3 for the price of 2.

 

Shore Shot used to work with me in that respect but they raped me for $160-170ish on my last 3 item transfer.

 

Thank you sir

 

I intend to provide discounts for multiples. Given my low overhead and the limited "regular business hours" I intend to keep, I want to set the floor for prices. I will have mostly used, or new old stock weapons. I spoke with one of my manufacturers and they told me to expect an 18 month lead time, so I'll be scavenging what I can. Expect very limited inventory. I don't have a lot of working capital.

 

So if I transfer 3 fire arms, It is possible to be charged a transfer fee for each firearm?? What a hustle......All that money to fill out 15min of paper work.

[NorthJersey 1]

The company that provides me "merchant services", i.e., credit card processing, sent me a message asking for a description of my business and for a copy of an invoice. Hmmmm . . . the popular opinion among folks who know nothing about firearms (Amazon seller support, PayPal, eBay, Craigslist, and others) is that magazines are a "gun part." My terms of service say I cannot sell firearms. I'm certain that the agent reviewing my account will shut me down the minute he hears "magazine" or "ammo." Hmmm, anyone want to buy some My Little Pony dolls?

[Maksim 1,504]

There are some gun friendly CC processors out there. I would talk to some FFL's and get their imput. =) Then become an NJGF vendor. =P

[NorthJersey 1]

I'm toying with an idea: what do you think about a small "lending library" to test drive non-firearm items like this: http://www.gunsandammo.com/reviews/grab-and-go-sig-sauer-adaptive-carbine-platform-review/. I'm thinking I could charge a nominal fee to allow folks to try these things out on their weapons. A portion of the credit card fee would buy a prepaid Priority box for return. I know everyone wants to try slightly gimmicky stuff like the Slidefire stock or the ACP, but not everyone wants to be stuck owning one these pricey toys. I'm mainly considering things people couldn't easily destroy like novel bipods, slings, stocks, iron sights that sort of thing. Opinions?

[Maksim 1,504]

Could work...

[NorthJersey 1]

There are some gun friendly CC processors out there. I would talk to some FFL's and get their imput. =) Then become an NJGF vendor. =P

 

I believe I'm going to hook up with Payment Alliance for firearms sales once I get my FFL, but my present provider is much less expensive. If I can continue to use my existing account for non-firearm sales, I will. I intend to become an NJGF vendor . . . if I can afford it. Will I get a free LCP?

[Socom 19]

 

Cool. Good to know. Thanks.

 

Anytime chief

[nuclearheli 40]

I believe I'm going to hook up with Payment Alliance for firearms sales once I get my FFL, but my present provider is much less expensive. If I can continue to use my existing account for non-firearm sales, I will. I intend to become an NJGF vendor . . . if I can afford it. Will I get a free LCP?

 

I am a relatively new FFL in the Central Jersey area, Cream Ridge, and my bank PNC didn't give me any issues at all with my bank accounts or credit card processing. They hooked me up with one of the portable CC processing units, goes on my tablet. Very cool, works well. Your pricing is right in line with mine but I do offer discounts for multiple transfer's. Something you probably should do. Took me several months to set up my relationships with some distributors. If you can raise some capital a few of the distributors have vendor programs running. The pricing is very good and you get a few extra guns thrown your way for free depending on the package you select. I am working on a 20 gun Glock package right now. Will get several guns free if I can manage to get the package. I have a Ruger package also on my desk right now. That is a 10 gun package and if I pull the trigger on that I will get excellent pricing and a free 22/45 Mark III.

 

Whatever you do, do NOT conduct any business before you actually acquire your State Retail Firearm's license. Don't even take deposits!!! Some people actually wait until they get the state license before the FFL. The FFL takes no time compared to the state license. Once I got through the entire process I still had to wait 30 days for a court hearing before issuing the license. In this state it is up to the individual county to decide how to issue the licenses. In my county you must appear before the judge before he will sign it. Some people have reported that in their county the court signs the license and put's it in the mail. I wasn't that lucky.

 

Do yourself a favor and buy the "New Jersey Gun Law Guide" by Evan Nappin. This will keep you out of trouble during the process and when you are in business. Evan WARNS you many times, "DO NOT get your FFL before you have a State Retail Firearm License". I was issued my FFL just ahead of my state license because the ATF called the NJSP to find out if my application was signed and forwarded to the court. There is a time limit under which the ATF will hold open your FFL application while you wait for your state license. If your FFL license application is about to expire you can request, in writing an extension while you wait for the state license but that is a whole different process. I was fortunate because my state license had just gone to the court when the ATF made their inquiry so they issued the FFL ahead of the state license. But I was told that it was rare for that to happen and the ATF will either close the application and make you reopen it again, or force you to submit a request for an extension.

 

Some lessons learned, hope it helps.

 

By the way I know this information to be true because the first time I applied for my FFL I mistakenly took the advice from an on-line service I paid for that guides you through the whole process. They state in their directions that you should not forget to obtain your state license before conducting business under your FFL. They never said get the state license first, in fact they stated that you had 30 days to make the state application after getting your FFL. That was not true. So when the ATF came for my site inspection and asked me for a copy of my state license, well game over. They refunded my application money and made me re-apply after getting the state process underway. Fortunately they gave me my case file number so I didn't have to resubmit fingerprints and all the other supporting documents. My mistake cost me over two months.

[NorthJersey 1]

I am a relatively new FFL in the Central Jersey area, Cream Ridge, and my bank PNC didn't give me any issues at all with my bank accounts or credit card processing. They hooked me up with one of the portable CC processing units, goes on my tablet. Very cool, works well. Your pricing is right in line with mine but I do offer discounts for multiple transfer's. Something you probably should do. Took me several months to set up my relationships with some distributors. If you can raise some capital a few of the distributors have vendor programs running. The pricing is very good and you get a few extra guns thrown your way for free depending on the package you select. I am working on a 20 gun Glock package right now. Will get several guns free if I can manage to get the package. I have a Ruger package also on my desk right now. That is a 10 gun package and if I pull the trigger on that I will get excellent pricing and a free 22/45 Mark III.

 

Whatever you do, do NOT conduct any business before you actually acquire your State Retail Firearm's license. Don't even take deposits!!! Some people actually wait until they get the state license before the FFL. The FFL takes no time compared to the state license. Once I got through the entire process I still had to wait 30 days for a court hearing before issuing the license. In this state it is up to the individual county to decide how to issue the licenses. In my county you must appear before the judge before he will sign it. Some people have reported that in their county the court signs the license and put's it in the mail. I wasn't that lucky.

 

Do yourself a favor and buy the "New Jersey Gun Law Guide" by Evan Nappin. This will keep you out of trouble during the process and when you are in business. Evan WARNS you many times, "DO NOT get your FFL before you have a State Retail Firearm License". I was issued my FFL just ahead of my state license because the ATF called the NJSP to find out if my application was signed and forwarded to the court. There is a time limit under which the ATF will hold open your FFL application while you wait for your state license. If your FFL license application is about to expire you can request, in writing an extension while you wait for the state license but that is a whole different process. I was fortunate because my state license had just gone to the court when the ATF made their inquiry so they issued the FFL ahead of the state license. But I was told that it was rare for that to happen and the ATF will either close the application and make you reopen it again, or force you to submit a request for an extension.

 

Some lessons learned, hope it helps.

 

By the way I know this information to be true because the first time I applied for my FFL I mistakenly took the advice from an on-line service I paid for that guides you through the whole process. They state in their directions that you should not forget to obtain your state license before conducting business under your FFL. They never said get the state license first, in fact they stated that you had 30 days to make the state application after getting your FFL. That was not true. So when the ATF came for my site inspection and asked me for a copy of my state license, well game over. They refunded my application money and made me re-apply after getting the state process underway. Fortunately they gave me my case file number so I didn't have to resubmit fingerprints and all the other supporting documents. My mistake cost me over two months.

 

Are you saying I should cease all non-firearms sales right now, personal or otherwise? How far into the state process should I submit the FFL packet? I will be offering a good multi-gun discount.

[nuclearheli 40]

 

 

Are you saying I should cease all non-firearms sales right now, personal or otherwise? How far into the state process should I submit the FFL packet? I will be offering a good multi-gun discount.

 

You should cease all activities that require your FFL. Gun sales, consignments, transfers, gunsmithing, ammo sales (need a special license for this), manufacturing for profit (another special license for this.) not sure what you mean by personal. You can sell your own firearms FTF.

 

Give it at least a month from the time the state police contact you to notify you that your application has been assigned a detective. You will need to submit a new set of electronic fingerprints. Yup another 60 bucks and a few weeks of waiting. Some people I spoke to said prepare your FFL package and when the state schedules your site inspection then submit your ATF application. Count on the state process taking at least 90 days. The Feds can take 30 to 45 days.

 

With your federal package you need old style paper fingerprints. That may be easy as it was for me or your local police may give you a hard time.

 

Make sure your site is ready for the state. Alarm system that reports to a regional center and make sure you have a signed certification from your alarm installer. They should give you one. A good gun safe is also a must and you must submit a written letter from your township zoning officer that states it's ok to run the business. The state is also a real stickler when it comes to your bound books. I ended up ordering them on line. And you must have two books if you are doing gunsmithing.

 

The ATF was much easier.

 

[Aristoi 0]

I would use you over lincoln park true value for transfers, You are practiacally in my back yard. What is the timeframe before you plan to open? I have 3 pistol permits i need to burn in the next 4 months.

[NorthJersey 1]

I would use you over lincoln park true value for transfers, You are practiacally in my back yard. What is the timeframe before you plan to open? I have 3 pistol permits i need to burn in the next 4 months.

 

I'll be in business during the beginning of May unless an unforeseen delay arises (that seldom happens with an FFL application, right?). Fortunately the township and the landlord are very supportive of new businesses and of the Second Amendment.