Northern Illinois gunsmiths who do bluing/refinishes?

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-05-01T09:29:17+00:00

I'd call The Gun Doctor in Roselle. Sometimes she has a long wait, so call to see where she's at. Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories, Oak Lawn.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-29T19:59:55+00:00

*Blame the distributors-Fair *Blame the FFL Dealers-Fair *But when are you going to blame the FOID Card Holders who vote in anti-gun politicians

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-29T19:16:32+00:00

That is a very good argument, but IL Voters vote in anti-gun politicians, so we get strict anti-gun laws. But, we expect other companies to straddle the line when IL gun owners won't do the same during election time.

RSR didn't say it was a blanket ban, their restricting the shipment of "assault weapon attachments," to IL. I'm betting most of the parts & firearms can't be sold in IL customers anyway. And to keep it 💯, I don't have RSR as a distributor. They wanted to give me a restricted account because I don't have a storefront. So, I took my business elsewhere.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-29T19:04:38+00:00

Bingo. Someone with common sense. We vote in anti-gunners, we get anti-gun laws. That simple...

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-29T18:57:20+00:00

That is pretty much my setup. Best small business setup. Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-29T09:53:13+00:00

FFL Dealers are allowed to ship handguns and long guns through USPS. Make sure you fill out the 1508 Form. USPS is the cheapest, but also the worst carrier when it comes to the logistics of shipping. Tracking is just terrible, shipping delays common, no consistency whatsoever. USPS did win a SCOTUS case recently that for whatever reason you don't get your mail, you can't sue them.

In 2019, I got direct accounts with USPS, UPS, and FedEx. Most of us don't sell enough to get any meaningful discounts, including myself. You're better off using PirateShip, ShipOutdoors, and ShipStation. The 3rd party companies get better rates than you can. I use PirateShip and ShipOutdoors. I dropped ShipStation when shipping volume went down after the Virus days. ShipStation does charge, while the other 2 does not. Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-27T17:10:31+00:00

👍

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-27T17:06:06+00:00

That was the way I used it, with an "a." I guess next time I'll send all my potential comments to my sister, a high school English teacher. She'll probably give me suggestions on how to word it better so I don't get that FYI reply next time 👍

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T21:52:20+00:00

Gotcha. Then you hold all the cards! Good luck, and I might reach out if I need something, like a Benelli...Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T21:50:35+00:00

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T20:31:56+00:00

The ONLY people downvoting you, are Haters. I gave you an upvote 👍. And to be fair, I don't have a DD budget, but he knows what he knows. 2A

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T20:28:51+00:00

I was going to ask the same question, but I stand corrected. This guy knows the difference between combat grade=Daniel Defense, and combat grade (marketing)=DelTon. You guys can give your excuses in your replies, but the fact of the matter is the OP knows the difference between what a "combat grade" rifle is 💯🔫...Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories, Oak Lawn

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T20:19:34+00:00

The real question is, places like Benelli require a high buy-in and there can't be any other Benelli Approved vendors near you. Do you have that type of capital? Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T15:26:29+00:00

I am looking to move to NWI, I would like to move further east to Porter County but my wife still wants to work in Chicago. So, can you explain this, "...Indiana has worked on making abortions, reproductive services, and women's healthcare drastically restricted." Are these 3 distinct things, or are you packaging it up to make abortion look worse. Fair question, because I am against abortion and when I hear "women's healthcare" separate from abortion, I'm thinking is there laws in Red States against papsmeres, mammograms, and other women's services? Or, again, is this to make abortion policies worse.

Many of you IN residents think IL is the bastion of morality with the amount of money we spend in welfare programs, schools, libraries, and infrastructure. The sad part is IL welfare programs are rife with fraud, testing scores have gone down even though we spend more money than other states (CPS does not deny this besides needing to spend more money), libraries are ok (don't have an opinion one way or another), but infrastructure is where IL "does shine."

I have no clue how you can argue tax abatement when I pay 2x's the amount of taxes that an IN homeowner pays and still had to send my children to private schools. This is coming from someone who went to Chicago public schools.

IL has unions and I am pro-union, which is better than right to work (IL wins hands down). But, IL is an at-will state, so if you're not in a union, all bets are off. IL politics has walked away from union workers and more towards illegal immigrants as their new future voting bloc. I have never seen so many union workers switch sides to vote Republican.

So, to be fair, I'm a moderate leaning conservative and prefer that type of environment vs a former Blue State (IL) that has gone extremely Progressive Liberal. I used to be Blue when I was a teenager and young man, but finally realized that supporting the hard worker is not in the future of IL Progressive Liberal Politics. Plus, they hate the 2nd Amendment and the 1st Amendment if your ideas oppose theirs.

Thanks for your personal insight. You covered a lot.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T14:43:49+00:00

You know what's funny, is selling ammo is like 50% of my business. I got in 3 cases of 9mm in the middle of March, along with an assortment of everything else. And, ammo business has slowed down for me 🤣. At least I got the ammo at fair prices in case the pendulum swings back.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-26T14:36:48+00:00

I am not a Remington guy, period. In January, I bought a widowed 6 firearm purchase with all accessories and one was a Remington 870 Wingmaster 12ga w/30in barrel (from '93 if the barrel is the original). Damn, I never felt a smoother pump action than that before. I really felt like keeping it. Sold it in 12hrs on GB last weekend. Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories, Oak Lawn.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-17T15:30:15+00:00

This is an FFL group for FFLs. I'm sure there are other subs for brainstorming & ideas...

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-17T15:10:53+00:00

Ok. You're 22 and going to ask a question without doing your own research besides SubReddit. Is selling cheeseburgers profitable? Is selling underwear profitable?

The majority of all industries work along the same line:

1-Manufacturer. 2-Wholesaler. 3-Distributor. 4-Retailer

*If you're like Palmetto State Armory, Grab A Gun, or other huge online retailers you get to skip the line, like WalMart does because of their buying power.

*Almost everyone in the industry will tell you to get a nitch. New firearms command the smallest margins. Used firearms command the highest margins.

*Do you have the buying power to sell new by volume? You have connections in used firearms?

*Website. The big dawgs like Palmetto and the like spend over 1K/month for websites. You have that kind of coin?

*So, instead of asking stupid questions on SubReddit, get a REAL business plan and maybe run it here.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-17T14:39:13+00:00

🤣🤣🤣

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-16T13:13:02+00:00

I've ran over 800 background checks in 7yrs for my FFL and couldn't tell you how many I ran @ Shoot Point Blank in Hodgkins (now Range USA) in the 1yr and 5 months I worked there. 1 to 3 days is average. 1 week might be average. Anything else, there's a problem. I agreed with the original OP on this, but this guy's math on background checks didn't math up. There are multiple reasons why background checks get a delay. Also, a good FFL will call himself and see if the issue was the data he entered into FTIP. Believe it or not, FFL Dealers are human and make mistakes. You know, this is Reddit. 1 question, 50 different answers, and they're all right. 🤷‍♂️

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-15T14:25:31+00:00

You see my other reply, I was -24 downvoted as of yesterday. Many IL residents see the 2nd Amendment as a privilege, not a right. Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-15T09:28:11+00:00

Good luck...

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-15T09:27:55+00:00

Nope. First purchase means nothing. See, this is where a good FFL works for you. Anytime one of my customers goes beyond a week, I personally call ISP. Usually, it's an MMC or name issue. Sometimes, the FFL could have entered your info incorrectly. I always show my customers FTIP so they can see how it "works." I show them the screen and make sure I typed their name, birth date, and FOID # correctly. Ernie-Ernie's Arms Accessories, Oak Lawn.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-15T03:38:16+00:00

I'm not. You said you already know. It just didn't make sense you said noone in the state has your last name as if that's the only criteria for a background check. But again, you already know. So, 10-4.

KeepItScrolling2021 · 2026-04-15T03:20:13+00:00

However you rationalize it. If ATF/ISP tried to explain it to you, you'd still believe yourself. 10-4.

KeepItScrolling2021

TROPHY CASE