Cruffling: Do it while you Can!!

 

I recently went through with something I have been meaning to do for some time: I got my FFL 03 Curio & Relics License (BTW, Licensees are called “Crufflers”) For those of you who have been living on the moon or just out of the loop, a C/R License or FFL 03 enables you to purchase weapons (rifles, shotguns, revolvers and pistols) deemed by the ATF as 50 years or older (Curio and Relic Status) directly from a dealer and have it shipped directly to your home. No transfer fees, No Middleman Dealer…just the big brown truck of joy pulling up to your house with a firearm. Important Note:  This license is for Collecting only, not to go into business selling guns out of your house….this is a big no-no and can land you in hot water with the ATF; so be warned.

The process for getting the license is really uber-simple. Simply request from the ATF Website ATF Form 7CR…the form and postage is free. Also, while you are at it request a few copies of the Curio and Relics List..this list every firearm deemed by the ATF as a C&R. When you get the 7CR, there will be 2 copies, one you mail to the ATF, the other to your local Law Enforcement Officer (Police Chief or Sheriff depending on if you live inside or outside city limits..after you mail this to them, you have fulfilled your obligation to notify them as stated by the ATF). The 7CR Form is basically like filling out the ATF Form 4473 when you buy any firearm over the counter. If you can pass a background check to buy a gun, you can pass the 7CR background. Fill the form out completely and include a Money order for $30, which covers you for 3 years. Mail them both off and in about 8-10 weeks you should receive your license..now this where it gets fun, but first some drudgery….

One of the regulations set forth when you obtain your license is that you keep a detailed record of your purchases in a BOUND BOOK. There are several ways to do this, the simplest being to print the forms off the ATF website and start a simple binder, I also bought some pocket dividers to put the receipts and shipping forms in for each gun..do that and you are done….wham bam, easy peezy. Now that you got that out-of-the-way, the real fun can begin!!

 

 

When you get your license, DO NOT SIGN IT!!! Make about 100 copies, then file your original away in a very SAFE place! Sign each copy individually because you need to either fax or mail them to Companies that sell C&R Weapons. You also need to have a few copies to take to gun shows.  Along with a copy of your license, you need to make out a form letter basically stating that this is your license and for the company to please file it for you and for them to put you on their mailing list and also ask what discounts they offer for license holders…some companies offer substantial discounts, so do ask. For a list of companies to mail or fax your license too, check out R&K Enterprises..they offer a package deal for the Cruffler that is $25 and worth every penny; it includes a really nice bound book and all documentation, plus a current, extensive list of dealers and wholesalers.

While I am talking about who to mail your license too, do not forget about the CMP (NRA Civilian Marksmanship Program); having a FFL 03 allows you to bypass all the hoops that standard civilians have to jump through to buy a M1 Garand or M1 Carbine. Also, Brownells is a good place to fax your license too, once you get a collection of guns going, you are going to need parts, some of them hard to find and Brownells is the best place to start looking…they also offer a nice discount for License holders. Lastly, Gun Broker..some people forget about these guys, but some nice C&R guns can be found there. As a resource, you also might consider getting a subscription to Shotgun News..I have found A LOT of good information on C&R Weapons plus some C&R companies exclusively advertise in there.

 

A word about Ammo: typically most of the best priced ammunition used in C/R Weapons is surplus. Not all surplus is Corrosive, but most is. Don’t freak out if it is, it is no big deal..just be sure to clean your weapon after you shoot it..hot water is all you need most of the time. Most people make a bigger deal out of this than need be IMO…I mean the gun is already 50+ years old, and unless you got a real gem (a collector grade weapon), the bore is not pristine, so don’t worry about it!! Shoot it, clean it and repeat!

Now that I have went through HOW you get your license and what to do after you get it let’s talk about WHY you should get it.

Besides the obvious reason of allowing you to purchase a variety of firearms and have them delivered directly to your home, I think that as Americans we need to exercise our right to own firearms before it get’s heavily MODIFIED or taken away all together. The way things are going Politically, that is not just some prepper paranoid talk, but an eventual reality. Also, collecting various types of firearms expands the CO’s expertise..learning how to work and fix guns is always a good thing folks…self-sufficiency should not be a two letter curse word in our modern society of convenience!!

 

As time goes by, I will showing some of my new C&R Weapons and Projects..so stay tuned.

In Closing,  spend the $30 and get yourself a FFL 03 while you can, you won’t regret it.

Stay Dangerous!