Blog

Industry insights, guides, and analysis for the firearms industry.

Compliance June 2026 9 min read

The FFL Owner's Pre-Audit Checklist: How We Passed Our Last ATF Inspection With Zero Violations

An ATF compliance inspection is really a recordkeeping audit. Here's the exact checklist a working FFL runs every quarter — A&D bound book, Form 4473s, dispositions — and the errors that actually get dealers cited.

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Compliance June 2026 8 min read

The 7 Deadly Sins of A&D Bound Books (And How to Avoid Them)

Most FFL violations are recordkeeping errors, not malice. The 7 deadliest A&D bound book mistakes a gun shop makes, and the fix for each, from a working dealer.

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Operations June 2026 8 min read

Distributor APIs, Explained: How RSR, Lipsey's, and Sports South Integrations Keep Your Inventory Live

What a real distributor API integration does for an FFL: live stock, real-time pricing, automatic dropship, and no more selling guns you can't actually get.

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Growth June 2026 8 min read

5 Overlooked Revenue Streams That Added Real Money to Our Gun Store

An FFL operator's take on how to increase gun store revenue beyond thin new-gun margins: transfer-fee upsells, accessories and ammo online at full margin, national reach, services and memberships, and used-gun consignment flow.

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Growth June 2026 8 min read

The Real Cost of "Free" and Cheap FFL Software

Why "free" and cheap FFL ecommerce platforms cost more than they look once you run the math on commissions, manual work, and data ownership.

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Industry News February 2026 8 min read

2026 Midterm Elections & Gun Laws: What Every Gun Owner Needs to Know

We're nine months out from the 2026 midterm elections, and the stakes for gun owners have never been higher. Here's everything at stake — from concealed carry reciprocity to ATF funding.

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Industry News February 2026 9 min read

AI Is Becoming the Gatekeeper of Online Gun Sales — And Most Dealers Aren't Ready

AI search engines are replacing Google for product discovery — but they're actively excluding firearms. Here's why small online gun stores are about to lose and what you can do now.

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