Our friends at the Violence Policy Center (VPC) have just released a new report which details a 77% decline in federal gun dealers since 1994, which they believe reduces the number of dealers who might be “a known source of weapons for criminal gun traffickers.” Exactly how large a role FFL-dealers actually play in pushing guns into the ‘wrong hands’ has never been adequately analyzed or explained, but looking for any piece of silver lining when it comes to regulating guns in the Age of Trump isn’t a bad thing.
The only problem with this particular piece of silver lining, however, is that the data actually gives a somewhat different perspective on the whole issue of FFL-dealers than what the VPC would like us to believe. Because while it is true that the number of FFL licenses has declined by more than two-thirds over the past twenty years, the number has actually increased by more than ten percent in the last nine years.
And why has there been an increase in FFL dealers after the drop in license-holders after 1994? Remember this guy named Obama and a doubling in gun sales beginning in 2008? Remember an even greater sales increase after the 2012 tragedy at Sandy Hook and an abortive attempt to widen NICS-FBI background checks to cover secondary sales? Between 2007 and 2016 the number of gun dealers increased in 38 of the 50 states. North Carolina dropped from 6,486 dealers in 1994 to 1,327 in 2007, but FFLs in the Tar Heel State are back up to 1,921, an increase of 45%! In South Carolina the numbers went from 2,332 in 1994 down to 529 in 2007 and now back up to 886, not a bad jump in just nine years.
The real reason that FFLs dropped so steeply after 1994 (mentioned in the VPC report) was the cost of the license went up from $30 to $200, which meant that many of the pre-94 dealers were not really in business so a 700% increase for the license fee was just too steep. But it’s not as if the Treasury Department lost any money when all those guys buying guns for themselves at wholesale prices gave up the ghost. The license fees under the pre-94 regime would have generated around 7 million bucks. When the fee went to $200 the revenue from the 56,000 current dealers amounted to 11 million and change.
The fact that there are roughly one-quarter the number of FFL-holders today as compared to 1994 says absolutely nothing about the relationship between the number of dealers who actually sell guns to consumers as opposed to selling guns to themselves or to a few friends. Even with the ATF’s backslapping about their vaunted programs to keep dealers in line, probably no more than 5,000 dealers are actually bringing new inventory to the civilian market and thus might be contributing to the spread of crime guns.
Where do I get that number? It’s simple – just go to the website of Smith & Wesson or Glock or one of the other gun manufacturers and do a search for their stocking dealers in any particular state. Gun makers go out of their way to promote product sales by listing every dealer who stocks and sells their wares. Glock lists 272 dealers in North Carolina and the ATF says there are 1,921 FFL-holders in the state. Smith & Wesson has about 50 dealers in its home state of Massachusetts and there are 386 active FFLs in the Bay State.
If you want to write about regulating any industry you need to know how to figure out how to understand the industry itself. And you’re not going to get a complete view by using information created outside the industry by regulators like the ATF. Remember, in the Age of Trump it doesn’t matter whether anything is based on facts or not. All the more reason why folks who don’t share his love of the gun industry need to know how that industry really works.
khal spencer
Dec 16, 2016 @ 09:17:55
I suppose if we had fewer black city dwellers there would be a smaller source of black youths for gangs, too. Isn’t this just another broad brush statement by VPC that lacks credibility? If you want to know who is selling guns to the wrong people, one has to collect real data. I thought some folks such as those around NYC were doing that.
David
Jun 14, 2019 @ 00:08:12
1. The new Law should be a lot harder to ,apply for F.F.L is (01) Regular Gun Dealers LIcense an Pawn(02) an State Shop &Gun Dealers LIcense too. Most of the western States an mid Western States should get rid of the State LIcense too. Is unnecessary LIcense should abolished too. Do !you Agree?Yes? By an new Federal Law. Should voted by elected officials are voted by the people too. Agreed
Rum
Dec 17, 2016 @ 15:17:09
I would be surprised if there was anything much different about the business of selling firearms than selling autos. Manufacters must go through retail dealers with whom they have complicated relationships and sometimes conflicts of interest. Creating more dealerships often means more wholesale traffic for the factory at the cost of steeper competition between retail outlets, some of whom will see their profits fall unless overall demand for the product can be increased significantly. What am I missing? This sounds like the majority of retail distribution set-ups. What kind of “information” would, if revealed, surprise us in the slightest about how guns are marketed and retailed?
mikethegunguy
Dec 17, 2016 @ 21:44:49
Absolutely correct and what has happened is that the gun industry, like every industry, has changed its distribution patterns due to technology so now more and more of the guns are going to big-box stores and dealer co-ops which only take the bigger retailers and chains. So if a manufacturer has a hot new model, like the Ruger SR line, almost all the guns are pre-sold to the big buyers and the little guy can’t even get one for stock. Which has forced a lot of the smaller, local shops to close down.
David P.Curcione (@dpcur_p)
Oct 12, 2017 @ 12:58:45
1. The number of Regular Gun Dealers Store fronts are declining too.s smaller medium Gun Stores not making ends meet too. They are Still declining down ward to :by each month goes by too. With in 1 Year there is less of Smaller Gun Dealers Retailers Smaller Gun Stores not as many too. In the Future there will be not as many of the Smaller Gun Stores Retailers Bushiness . It True!!
David
Feb 21, 2019 @ 20:58:53
1. The problem is to many smaller F.F.L.Dealers (01)(02) There is to many smaller Gun Dealers Retailers Busineses are:not following the U.S.A. Gun Laws not be followed by Rules of Regulations by Federal Laws &State Laws of 50 State’s too. All of a F.F.L.Dealers should be not doing too. Agree. They should cut the number of ; extra Gun Dealers (01) ( 02) should an N.F.A . Gun Dealers (09) too. There to many smaller F.F.L.Dealers Retailers Stores Gun Dealers Retailers Smsller Stores too. Is located 1/3 East Cost N.E.S.W. Too. The Federal Law is Regulations is enforced by the A.T.F.Police agents is enforced by the Federal Grovernment Requlations are enforced too. All States must comply by Federal Law is ; 1 Gun Dealer Retailer Store Front Businese too.Per 100,000 Residences per 1Gun Dealer Gun seller Business too.Do you agree? Yes? It’s a Federal. Law on the B.A.T.F.E.A. Agency of the U.S.A . Too. Agree!! By the The U. S. A. Treasury Dept too.Is in charge too.Agree!
David
Feb 22, 2019 @ 01:12:50
The Starbucks U.S. A . Map has all dots in Map showing number of: Gun Dealers Retailers Store Fronts Gun Stores on 01/01/ 2015 A.D.too.Is total Number count is 64,747 F.F.L. Gun Dealers of sellers of Firearms too Is offical tool Do you agree?Yes? Or Disagree.? No? Why’d? This was offical by the A.T.F. Report tool
David
Feb 22, 2019 @ 02:22:49
Subject is: to many F.F.L. Holders in the State of Texas too.True! There is about 5600 F.FL.s is more too. The problem is deduction of cutting off Smaller GunDealers smaller Gun Dealers F.F.L.s off by cutting off renuals applications off too. Is (01)(02) cut the N.F.A . Gun Dealers d maximum cap limit to (2) only in State of Texas only too. Is (09) F.F. L.S only too . Agree!! Is no more added too. Agree. They should go by population of number of people living there in State of Texas too . Agree. They should Divide about 100,000 Residrnces into State population in Texas too. They will determine the number of Gun Dealers Retailers should be there too. Agreed!! They should determain the number of F.FL.Dealers Licenses should be revoked by the high Crime area in State of Texas too The number of Gun Dealers Retailers Licenses Applications should stricken controls at the renuals dept office too.
I do agree is little problem is giving out application forms for (01)(02) too.They need to get stricken a lot too, They are little sloppy too. They need to corrected now too, How handles Applications forms for a right way of doing write way too. Agree! Let’s do it right all the way too. Agreement is needed to talk about doing right way too.The legal way of doing a right ! Agree!! There is to many Federal FIrearms LIcense Dealers too They should cut about 3500! Off too. Cut off renuals off to a lot of smaller Gun Dealers to just to many of them too,.IAgree?Yes? This is complaint : to many F.F.L.Gun Dealers smaller Gun Stores too!agree!! They need to cut way down too.true! Why is this mess? Why? How come this happen a lot to offten too.true!!! They should correct it now! Agree!
David
Feb 26, 2019 @ 22:59:59
Tell all adult Weapons military Rifles to move over seas to Arabs countries too. Telling Gun mags to move out of the U.S.as:soon as possible too. I agree. All assult Weapons mags to move over seas too. Get pacing now Go!!! Don’t🖤waste time too.Get moving!!!!
David
Feb 26, 2019 @ 23:24:34
The Gun mfgs ofAssult Weapons mfgs to go over seas immeadly as time the U.S.A. Will be too Maxie’s country too . The left wing Griobernment. Is U.S. communist party is starting to form with the young People are anti gun groups too. It true. Wake up Right wing People is the right keep to bare arms to shall not be infrieng at all too. All search warrants must to to a complete stop !Agree! A warning from oath keepers of the Micha. Soldiers will fight you in war too. Agree! will order 16000 sharp Blades for the giliteen machine to chop people heads off the body too. They will good population of the U.S citizens to limiate them too agree!!
The assault weapons mfgs will be out of business too. In the 50States in all too.Agree. Yes? True!!! Or leave the 😆U.S.A. Immeadly to get out of the U.S.A too.Agree!Getpacking your bags to get out off the Country is 50 states too. Agree!! Go!!
David.
Jun 16, 2019 @ 23:35:51
1.The number of F.F.L.S Dealers Retailers stores is going down slowly too. The
David
Sep 16, 2019 @ 03:49:06
1. The State of ILLINOIS lost over 050 Percent did decline of (01)(02) regular Gun Stores Dealers .only 1,140 replayed to get in Business.
David
Sep 20, 2019 @ 21:49:56
1. They should go by the population of the State of North Carolina of people living in this State too I Agree! Then divide the population of People living in the N.C. State by 100,000 per one F.FL. Gun dealer Retailer Store Front is Class-1 is (01) License too. Do you agree? Sir?or Mam? If there extra Gun Dealer don’ belong there too. The smaller ones will be shut down by cutting F.F.L. License is cancelled an State License is too . cut off too renewals for State License to sell in State level is cut off too. To many F.F.L. Dealers must go too. This better controls on Applications for F.F.L.Licences in North Carolina State too Is Gun Controls by A.T.F.E.A. Agency by the U.S. Treasury Department in charge too Do you Agree ?Yes? Sir? Or Mam? Agree!!!!
David
Jun 11, 2021 @ 04:15:07
1. The number of F.F.L. 52971 Gun Dealers Retailers 01 .The number of 1700 F.F.L.s decline, is out is business. The count is F.F.L.S Dealers 51,271.
David
Jul 10, 2021 @ 05:42:49
The number of Gun Dealers 01/02/09 to overall count. Is 55,563 total too.
David
Aug 30, 2021 @ 16:58:47
1. There is about near overall Count of F.F.L.s (01)(02) Regular Gun Dealers & N.F.A Dealers (09) The Total count on 08/30/2021 A.D is 60,207 F.F L.s too. Note: We lost,9788 01 02 Smaller F.F.L.s Dealers are smaller Stores too. They Shrunk way down a lot too to new F.F.L.s Count is 50,419 total in left in th50 States too! Theses are smaller Gun Dealers Mom An pop Stores to 0nly too.
David
Aug 30, 2021 @ 17:20:38
1. The State of IL. Has 1230 F.F.L.s Dealers Retailers Gun Stores too. There is to many Gun Stores i n as egg nest too! Some need to Limited too! The Chicago City Complained to the State Authorities too. The Police Director Said the Number of Gun Dealers Stores is way to many too! He said 1230 We need to cut is by too! Is 415 Gun Dealers Stores is 7 miles apart too! From each Store too! This will be big Cut and Less Guns in the Streets of Chicago Cities too! Gun s will be hard to find in the Streets too! This is a way to punished the Gun Thieves to break into small Gun Stores too! The B. A.T.F E A. Agents an A.T.F Police should Catch bad Gun Dealers Selling Firearms’ to Criminals Felons of arrests Records too . An Non Citizens Criminals of Foreign Criminals of Mexico County below California ,Arizona ,New Mexico Texas, Up to Florida, An the Gulf of Mexico ocean too! Were Ships of cargo come to port too. Do you Agree? Sir ? Or Mam What does public say about report to after they read it!!! What do Think ? Or Write to News Papers Internet too!!!! Think About for a minute this maybe life or Death too! It some one or Persons need your help too! Do you Agree? Sir ? Or Mam? Or Write to us!!!
Aayushi
Sep 13, 2021 @ 08:00:38
Hi! I love how informative and great your articles are. Can you recommend any other blogs that share recipes of Indian Curries or authentic Indian cuisine? Thanks a lot!