combat vet looking to be a gun store owner

[crazyhawaiian]

Aloha from the rock in the middle of the big pond. I'm a recent discharged combat veteran of the war on terror. I served 10 years and had to retire due to an injury from combat. I've been having a a hard time finding work that keeps me motivated and now I'm looking at starting a gun store and a indoor handgun range. Any help or tips you guys can give me would be greatly appreciated.

Side note** are those federal firearm license kits worth the money???

[zephyp]

home brother...and welcome to VGOF. My sincere thanks for your service...hope you get that gun store going...you might have a better go here in VA rather than aloha land...

[UDT]

to VGOF.

[KaosDad]

Welcome abroad, Sir! And thank you for your service.

Reach out to NOVAArms - a member here. They just opened a gus shoppe in Herndon, VA and probably have the freshest memory on how to get started.

Also, I have to ask, in addition to geing a resident of Hawaii, are you also of Hawaiian descent (as in Native American)? If so, if you dig deep enough you **may** find some Federal help in getting set up.

And I hereby nominate CarzyHawaiian to host the next SnM!!!

[crazyhawaiian]

thanks for the help, yes the next snm will be hosted here on Kauai and I do have a bit of hawaiian, so Im definitely trying to get the free money first from the Veterans affairs and other federal departments.

Im beginning to see how anti guns the government in hawaii is but the residents in hawaii wants and loves guns so just have to get through the bull poop but it aint my first battle I've fought lol.

[OakRidgeStars]

Welcome to VGOF!

The next Shoot & Greet in Hawaii??. I better start saving my pennies now

[gunderwood]

Welcome to VGOF!

The next Shoot & Greet in Hawaii??. I better start saving my pennies now

What are you going to take?

No pistol mags over 10 rounds (ARs included).
Mandatory firearm registration within 72hrs.
Permit required to possess any firearm not registered to you.
No NFA.
No API (takes all the fun out of the fifty).

Don't believe me? Check this out:
http://www.honolulupd.org/info/gunlaw.htm

[crazyhawaiian]

The more I'm learning about the gun laws in Hawaii the more I can see why there isn't any gun stores on Kauai. Did you know there is only one person who has a conceiled carry permit in the entire state. One person. I think I'm going to apply for a ccp just to have it denied so I cant fight the state in court about it, I think I'll wait till I get my FFL first though

[Palladin]

From Louisa!

Funny thread... Save up and move to VA, we could use another good gun store here!

[GS78]

some advice, forget the gun store, its a loser. The govt will put you out of business inside of a year. Go into corporate security. Not as a rent a cop, but as an advisor. If your MO was in combat you will make a fortune. If you have confirmed kills, even more. Opening a gun store is a chump move. If you are a seasoned combat vet and young, regardless of your injury, you can make a fortune in corporate security teaching others how to keep rich people safe. A gun store is a losing proposition. Use the other guys money to make money, if you try to open a gun store and shooting range you will get killed by insurance alone. If you can sell your knowledge of combat techniques to worried rich folks you will be rich yourself. Never teach anyone , everything you know, teach them everything THEY know.



Its customary to thank you for your service and welcome you home, and I certainly do both, but not because its customary, because when we came home little punks spit at us. I see in Norfolk there is a group of old people(like 80yr olds) who make an effort to welcome troops home.Thats nice.

I wish you well in your future , and thank you for your service, but make the rest of society PAY for your experience if you can. Private security, corporate security, teach security companies killing techniques.....etc. dont be a chump, use what you know to your advantage. Peace, and welcome home.

[gunderwood]

GS78 makes some good points. Training others is big bucks. What did you do?

If you're really set on the gun store idea, you could try it as a kitchen FFL (on the side) for not much investment and risk. If the demand is there it will be obvious and you will grow. Seeing how tight the laws are there, I doubt the demand is very large like it is here in VA where we buy stuff on a whim or because we can or just want to try something new.

Depending on what you are selling you can make up to 30% gross profit margin on guns. Accessories might be more. Problem is all of the overhead. I'd be willing to bet most gun shops profit margins are around 10% or less. Figure out how much volume you would need to push to make a living. I'd be willing to be the demand is too low to justify doing it full time.

One thing you could look into is getting hooked up with Gallery of Guns. They warehouse it and you are just the transfer agent. I did a quick search and I think there are only three dealers hooked up with them in HI. This is perfect for a kitchen FFL.

[crazyhawaiian]

Thank you very much for your input, I have thought of doing something like that, I have done pretty much every combat mission you can think of. Not so much of the amphibious type missions because I was in the Army but pretty much everything else I'm well versed in.

Funny thing is there aren't any ranges here that is set up for close quarter combat, no shoot houses, or any mounted vehicles type live fire ranges. I have a few friends who are out now who have similar experiences as me and would definitely want in on something like this, I will give it a serious inquiry.

Thanks again for the info.

[zephyp]

@crazyhawaiin - GS78 brings up some good points...there are probably quite a few loaded folks on the islands you could get as clients...maybe even set up something for rich visitors from Japan too...

[Diomed]

Side note** are those federal firearm license kits worth the money???

No. It's not hard to fill out the paperwork or figure out your local zoning situation.

But GS78 is right. Gunshops are a good way to turn a large fortune into a small one. The margins on guns are razor thin, and adding in a range will crush you between insurance and dealing with regulatory BS.

Your best option? Get the hell out of Hawaii.

[GS78]

Side note** are those federal firearm license kits worth the money???

No. It's not hard to fill out the paperwork or figure out your local zoning situation.

But GS78 is right. Gunshops are a good way to turn a large fortune into a small one. The margins on guns are razor thin, and adding in a range will crush you between insurance and dealing with regulatory BS.

Your best option? Get the hell out of Hawaii.

gs78 has some good points.....he is crazy as a sh^thouse rat but good points....


forget about a gun store, whether its in your kitchen or the mall. It's a loser. Congress has a real hardon for guns, and it is going to get worse in the next few years.

The same congress who hates gun owners will pay you big bucks to keep them safe. If you can, use that to get back some of your money they have stolen from you. By all means stay in Hi. just dont open a gun store there.