Non-Business FFL? [View All]

Some time back I sold a pistol to a fellow in another state. It was such a hassle and expense having to go through FFL dealers just to mail a gun from one place to another that I thought there must be a better way. In my Dad's day you could, he said, buy firearms through the mail with no trouble at all.

So I looked into getting an FFL license for myself. It is quite rigorous, involving background checks, getting fingerprinted, and paying a $200 fee for the first 3 years ($90 for every 3 years thereafter). It's a lot to go through just to have the privilege of being able to send and receive firearms through the mail.

But the real problem with it is that you cannot get an FFL license unless you are legitimately in the business of selling firearms. And it can't be a "wink wink I'm a "business"" kind of business, either - you are prone to spot inspections during your stated business hours and you have to have a safe for the storage of the weapons and a designated records storage place.

You are specifically prohibited from just being a collector of firearms to justify getting an FFL.

My question is, why? Why can't the average citizen get an FFL, with all its rigorous requirements, background checks, and fees, and then pretty much be able to do whatever you want with them, including buy, sell, mail, carry, conceal carry, etc?

Even though I don't think I should have to pay anything to do those things, I'd gladly pay $30 a year for such a "super permit".

What do you think?