ATF bound book software: what FFLs should look for
If you keep an electronic A&D bound book, the software you choose does more than store records. It decides how fast you log a firearm, whether your entries stay accurate, and how quickly you can produce records if ATF asks. This guide covers what ATF bound book…
What to ask before you buy gun store POS software
Every POS demo is built to show you what the software does well. Your job in that hour is to find out what it does badly. This post covers the questions that get you there, and the one rule that matters more than any of them. Once you know what gun store POS software…
How much does gun store POS software cost?
If you are shopping for gun store POS software, “how much does it cost” is the first question and the hardest to get a straight answer to. Most vendors quote you after a demo, and the number depends on your store. This guide breaks down what actually…
The ATF wants to keep 4473s for 20 years, not forever
The ATF wants to change how long you keep your 4473s. Here is what is on the table. For years the rule was simple. If a Form 4473 started in your shop, you kept it for the life of your business. That standard has been in place since ATF Ruling 2021R-05F took effect in…
The Hidden Revenue in Your Gunsmithing Shop (And How to Track It)
Ask most gun shop owners what their gunsmithing operation makes them, and you will get a confident answer. Ask them how they arrived at that number, and the confidence drops. The honest answer, in a lot of shops, is some version of “we do okay back there.”…
Switching POS Systems? What Every FFL Should Know Before Migration
Most gun shop owners who want to switch gun store POS systems do not pull the trigger. Not because they love their current software. But because the switch feels like too much risk. That fear is not irrational. According to Gartner, 83% of data migration projects…
Why FFL Retailers Are Ditching Patchwork Systems for One Platform
Walk into most gun shops and ask the owner how many software systems they use. The answer is usually somewhere between three and six. One for point of sale. One for accounting. A separate tool for gunsmithing jobs and yet another for range management. Each one was a…
Top 5 ATF Audit Mistakes FFLs Make (And How to Avoid Them)
Most FFLs who get cited during an ATF inspection are not cutting corners. They are running busy stores, moving fast, and doing their best to keep up. But when an Industry Operations Investigator pulls your records, best effort is not the standard. Accuracy is. The…
9,696 ATF Inspections in 2024. What Separates the Stores That Pass from the Ones That Don’t?
In fiscal year 2024, the ATF conducted 9,696 firearm compliance inspections nationwide. Following those inspections, 1,488 federal firearms licensees either surrendered their licenses or ceased operations. Not every closure was the result of enforcement action. Some…