Lodestar Adds Red, Green and Gold Dot Options to the LNK9

Red, green or gold: Lodestar Technology has put the choice of reticle color into the LNK9 lineup. The LNK9 now comes in three new optics configurations, with a 2 MOA Green, Red or Gold Dot reticle. The new options give owners more say over the sight picture, while keeping the features, performanc...

By Eric B •

S&W Buys Savage: A Growth Playbook for Independent FFLs

Smith & Wesson's $160 million purchase of Savage Arms puts two major long-gun lines under one roof. A practical growth playbook for independent FFL dealers: audit your supplier concentration, lock terms while two reps still compete, and make sure local buyers can actually find you.

By Gary Stone •

The Feds Stepped Back on NFA Rules. Your State Didn't.

ATF stopped enforcing NFA registration for suppressors, SBRs and SBSs on October 9, but state law never moved. New Mexico's waiting-period fight and Montana's felony statute show what that costs dealers at the counter.

By Fred Thompson •

Q3 2026: Firearm Units Down 7.8%, Suppressors Up 178.6%

Q3 2026 retail data shows firearm units down 7.8% while revenue held nearly flat - a mix shift toward lever-actions, premium handguns and suppressors that changes what dealers should stock and how customers find them.

By Claire Eason •

Why 'FFL Near Me' Shoppers Pick the Shop With Reviews

Customers searching for an FFL dealer near them compare stars, recency and replies before they ever compare transfer fees. A practical review playbook for gun shops, including the FTC rule that governs how you may ask.

By Sara Owens •

FFL News: Florida NFA Memo, ATF Imposters, Fake Expungements

A Florida prosecutor says unregistered SBRs and suppressors are not automatically contraband, ATF imposters are calling gun owners, and an Indiana gun counter cracked a five-year forged-expungement scheme. What each one means at your transfer counter.

By Fred Thompson •

FFL License Lookup: How to Verify Any FFL Dealer

Every transfer, sale and shipment between licensees rests on one question: is that FFL real and current? Here is how the ATF lookup actually works, what it returns, what it cannot tell you, and how customers use it to judge your shop.

By Fred Thompson •

Week in Review: NFA Rollback Meets State Law at the Counter

Mississippi's attorney general makes Form 4 voluntary, Maryland holds its line, and Silencer Central opens a 20,000-dealer transfer network. Plus what this week's rule changes mean for your counter.

By Fred Thompson •

Appointment-Only FFLs: What Customers Need to Find You

A new Illinois ordinance lets up to five home-based, appointment-only gunsmithing and transfer operations open their doors. For FFLs with no storefront, the entire business is being findable — here is the growth playbook.

By Gary Stone •
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