The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

As per the title what is involved in becoming a registered fire arms dealer. I'm thinking more along the lines of being able to accept guns for working on chambering etc. I have a bucket list retirement is looming. Do I need to have gun rooms built or are cabinets satisfactory. Any way what's involved. I might want to sell ammo and may be powder. I don't really want to be buying and selling guns but the option to do so would not be a bad thing.
Once She has her new kitchen and bathroom and the guttering is replaced with plastic stuff I'm free to spend money on important stuff like building a workshop at the bottom of the garden and filling it with toys.

Cabinets are fine...no strong room needed, you will need an rfd home insurance which I'm told is around £400 (so I'm told) u will need a big log book of things going in and out, set up accounts with whoever you want to deal with, the big boys like gmk and edgar bros you might struggle with as they want folk to stock a minimum line before any real profitable discount is given...

Not sure what's needed for powder etc...I suppose an exemption from the 5kg home keep rule would be warranted...

There's lots of other things the above are only the bits I know of...

interested in this

Best bet is to call your licensing department! Often you will have to show substantial business within the first x months etc, but it's all very woolly.

They seem to be pretty strict now about being a bona fide dealer and you must demonstrate that it will be a substantial part of your income, doesn't have to be full time but does have to be more than a hobby. A business plan is always good paperwork when initially applying and from then on the nature of transactions in your register will say a lot about your activity along with advertising and the like, trade membership etc.

Significant start up costs for us were the monitored alarm and business insurance as well as loads of cabinets and a dedicated and secure armoury. As above, you need a business plan and trade membership to be able to demonstrate good intention of making it a viable business, they are never happy with the idea of part time RFDs just using the business for cheap ammunition and reloading stuff for mates. Also they will base your application on what you intend to do and who is around you. When we first applied to become RFDs Beds police pointed out there were several RFD businesses within 6 miles which amazed me as I had never heard of most of them.

I have also heard of RFDs not being granted renewals at 3 years.

I would offer one piece of advice - find a niche market that you can 'dominate' - there's a lot of dealers out there doing the same as each other and willing to cut each others throats on price and minimizing profit potential.
You will initially have a high outlay and a slow return.

^ this is good.

Your niche may just be geographical location; where I am it's a solid 1hr+ round trip to the nearest RFD and yet there is a decent population of shooters. I'm certain a general RFD would do well here.

Look for a gap - if you started stocking smallbore target rifles you would straightaway be in an exclusive club of 5 or 6 RFDs across the U.K. Black guns - there aren't that many. Black guns offering short barrels and custom builds - even less. Look at how people are clamouring for Lantac CMMGs for example.

Good luck :)

Interesting thanks for the replies lots to think about.

Its true what you say about smallbore target rifle dealers - they are few and far between. I would say though that the market appears to be tiny compared to other forms of shooting. My club has 250 members but in the last eighteen months only one of those guys has bought a brand new rifle. I think if dealers could do one for ones then people would swap more often.