If there are three things with which the United States is associated around the world, they're baseball, the Kardashians, and an incredible number of guns and gun owners. As American pop culture makes emphatically clear, we love our guns.

Firearms, as well as ammunition and all the adaptable bells and whistles, are very much legal across all the fifty states. The specifics of the laws depend on each state and how much it loves (or hates) these items of personal defense (or lawless anarchy) (source).

As the owner of a gun store, whether a big shop or out of your "home office," it's your job to get your product into the hands of customers. Law-abiding customers, that is.

 

Precious precious boomsticks. (Source)

Ever since the addition of the Second Amendment to the Constitution in 1791, Americans have staunchly defended their right to keep and bear arms (source). People who choose to take the Constitution up on this offer and sell our precious boom sticks take home around $40,000 per year―not bad for being something of a freedom fighter to many of your customers (source). 

Of course, as with many laws on the books, there's a certain degree of interpretation involved in the way the laws play out in society. Some people believe there should be unadulterated access to every kind of gun imaginable, while others think a right to bear arms doesn't mean we can't keep much tighter regulations on their distribution and prominence in public.

Sounds like a fun argument to get into, right? Well, one thing we will most certainly not be covering in this profile is the politics of gun ownership. We're here to discuss the logistics of the role of gun shop owner, so keep those opinions holstered with the safety on.

The people who are best suited for this job are people like you. Which is to say that, regardless of how you got to this page, if you're interested in this job, you probably have at least some interest in firearms, ammunition, and making money by selling them. But remember, despite the legal go-ahead to sell guns, you still need to reckon with the responsibilities involved in doing so (source). 

Before you get too excited and go off half-cocked like a no-budget remake of The Expendables, there are some things to keep in mind. First, you're being given the privilege of selling weapons because you're not a felon or otherwise incapable of owning a gun. You've proven to the proper authorities that you have the maturity and skills necessary to sell firearms to people according to the laws of your state.

 

Good evening, might I interest you in a glass of bullets? (Source)

It's sort of like being a bartender or a bar owner: in those cases and for the gun store owner, you're given permission to distribute legal but controlled substances or objects. 

If you break the regulations governing that distribution, you'll be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Because alcohol and firearms can both be fatal if handled improperly, that's a big responsibility to bear.

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with a fascination with firearms, and as long as you follow those laws, owning a gun store can be a dream job for many. You get to talk about your hobbies and interests all day with like-minded customers. Hm...maybe we should open a store selling Rob Lowe memorabilia.

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