Legislation enacted by the 90th United States Congress gave us The Gun Control Act of 1968. The GCA is a United States Federal Law that regulates the firearms industry. The Law includes regulations for buyers, sellers, manufacturers, and firearms owners. However, the main reason that this law was enacted is to regulate interstate commerce of firearms. In short, the GCA affects interstate firearms transfers. In specific, it prohibits interstate firearms transfers except for by licensed manufacturers, licensed dealers, and license importers. If you research the history of this Legislation, you will find that it was initiated after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. President Kennedy was killed by a firearm that had been purchased by using a mail-in order form from an advertisement in a magazine. In 1968, the NRA supported this Legislation.

FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSE

As a result of the GCA, a license regulating the purchase and transfer of firearms came to be and has since been ATF's requirement for the process for many years. A Federal Firearms License, or FFL for short, is a license issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, ATF for short. This license allows individuals and individuals at a company to engage in the firearms industry business. The license pertains to companies that manufacture firearms and ammunition, importers of firearms and ammunition, and interstate or intrastate sales of firearms and ammunition. In the United States, possession of an FFL for those engaged in the aforementioned industries has been the legal requirement since the GCA was enacted in 1968. Companies engaged in regulated firearms businesses must submit the appropriate FFL application to the ATF by way of the Federal Firearms Licensing Center (FFLC). Fingerprint cards and photographs of the applicant must be submitted along with the FFL application. The Federal Firearms Licensing Center then conducts a detailed review of the application and supporting materials. If the application is approved, an Investigator from an ATF Field Office will conduct an interview with the FFL License candidate to verify that Federal, State, and local requirements of the license are met. The Investigator will submit a report of their findings. If approved, the FFLC will complete the application process and issue the FFL.

Pictured Right: The Hi-Point 9mm Yeet Cannon

KINDS OF FFL

There are 9 types of FFL that ATF can issue. They are:
  • Type 01 - Dealer in Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices
  • Type 02 - Pawnbroker in Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices
  • Type 03 - Collector of Curios and Relics
  • Type 06 - Manufacturer of Ammunition for Firearms Other Than Ammunition for Destructive Devices or Armor Piercing Ammunition
  • Type 07 - Manufacturer of Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices
  • Type 08 - Importer of Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices or Ammunition for Firearms Other Than Destructive Devices, or Ammunition Other Than Armor Piercing Ammunition
  • Type 09 - Dealer in Destructive Devices
  • Type 10 - Manufacturer of Destructive Devices, Ammunition for Destructive Devices or Armor Piercing Ammunition
  • Type 11 - Importer of Destructive Devices, Ammunition for Destructive Devices or Armor Piercing Ammunition

    Tisas 1911A1 U.S Army .45 ACP 7rd Semi-Auto Pistol

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The most common type of FFL is Type 01. For the most part, you will encounter these FFL when purchasing a firearm. You may also encounter a Type 02, if dealing with a pawnbroker. An FFL that you may be interested in pursuing for yourself is the Type 03. This FFL allows the buyer to purchase curios and relic firearms. This type of license is referred to as a C&R. To be recognized as a C&R firearm, the firearm must meet the following requirements.
  1. Firearms which were manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, but not including replicas of such firearms;
  2. Firearms which are certified by the curator of a municipal, state, or federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; and
  3. Any other firearms which derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, bizarre, or because of their association with some historical figure, period, or event.
You don't have to possess a C&R license to purchase eligible firearms. Individuals can purchase or transfer C&R eligible firearms through the normal FFL requirements; just as you would any other firearm. However, there are definite benefits to obtaining your Type 03 license. Many distributors offer reduced dealer prices, and you can actually have eligible firearms delivered right to your front door! (BTW, check out our Surplus!)

Chinese Type 54 Tokarev Pistol - C&R Eligible

FFL Follow-Up

Hopefully, you have a clearer understanding of what an FFL is and why we need to have it to operate and engage in the various firearms industries and businesses. Want to know how to purchase a firearm online? Check out our article here!
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