Licensed firearms and shooting shop

Licensed sport shooters, hunters, farmers and rural landholders, and sometimes clubs.

Retail margin on firearms, ammunition and accessories, with steady repeat sales on consumables like ammunition and cleaning supplies. Extra income may come from special orders and gear.

• Detailed product knowledge
• Careful record keeping and compliance
• Customer service
• Stock buying and management

• You must hold a firearms dealer licence from your state or territory firearms authority before trading. Expect fit-and-proper-person checks, and check whether the licence applies to you personally and to each premises
• Premises usually need to meet security, storage and record-keeping standards set by the state or territory, and rules on who you can sell to differ by jurisdiction. Confirm these before signing a lease
• Public liability and other business insurance may be hard to arrange. Ask insurers early
• Check council zoning and planning requirements for the premises
• Banks, payment providers and landlords may be reluctant to deal with firearms businesses, so check before committing
• Large amounts of money are tied up in stock

You must hold a firearms dealer licence from your state or territory firearms authority before trading. Check fit-and-proper-person requirements, whether the licence applies to you personally and to each premises, and the security, storage and record-keeping standards.

Startup costs are typically around $50,000 to $250,000, depending on your premises and how much stock you buy. Large amounts of money are tied up in stock. Ask insurers, banks and landlords early, as some may be reluctant.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $15,000 to $75,000, depending on your range, location and customer base. It is revenue, not profit. Expect to work at least 40 hours a week.