Snapshot: Brick & Mortar Gun Retailers

Firearms dealers are an irreplacable part of the firearms industry. Retail gun shops offer some of the most popular methods for consumers to legally purchase firearms. This means retail gun stores are responsible for a significant amount of the massive firearms commerce that takes place on a daily basis.

In fact, recent statistical data puts the firearms industry at a market size of $15 billion (source: IBISWorld). This market size — along with a very healthy growth rate — represents a significant opportunity for anyone who owns or operates a retail gun store. Unfortunately, in spite of this tremendous opportunity, many gun shop owners — even while doing everything “by the book” — run into trouble with payment processing.

Merchant Services For Gun Stores

If you own or operate a brick and mortar gun shop, you may have been previously turned down for a merchant account from a mainstream bank or merchant services company.

Or worse, your firearms retail business may have had its merchant account terminated with little or no previous notice.

Many banks and merchant services providers will not accept your business for one of two reasons:

1. Firearm sales are regulated by the federal government, and therefore, additional underwriting is required by the credit card processor.
2. Because firearms and the 2nd Amendment are a “hot button” political issue, many banks and merchant services companies have taken an “anti” 2nd Amendment stance, and refuse to work with gun shops, even if they are otherwise highly desirable clients.

Tactical Payments, by contrast, was founded with the exact mission to serve firearms industry businesses. We will offer you competitive pricing, easy integration, and friendly, USA-based customer support.

Gun Retailer Merchant Account FAQs

The following are the most frequently asked questions we get from businesses interesting in being approved for a firearms merchant account from Tactical Payments.

What kinds of firearms dealers do you accept as merchants?

Tactical Payments accepts a wide variety of brick & mortar firearm retailers, including “mom and pop” stores, mobile-based businesses which operate legally at gun shows, sporting goods retailers, and “big box” gun shops. Additionally, we accept merchants who sell all types of outdoor goods, including hunting and archery equipment, as well as firearm accessories such as holsters and scopes. All merchants must abide by all applicable Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations.

What criteria does my brick and mortar firearms business need to meet, to approved for a merchant account by Tactical Payments?

To be approved for a merchant account by Tactical Payments, your retail firearms business must meet the following criteria: (a) your business must be located, and operate, solely within the United States of America (and the business owner must be a US citizen with a SSN); (b) you must be willing to provide the following documentation: (1) a voided business check or verified bank letter, (2) a valid government ID such as a driver’s license, (3) 3 months’ previous business bank statements, or personal bank statements if the business is a startup, and (4) 3 months’ previous credit card processing statements, if applicable.

ADDITIONALLY, for firearms dealers: Must have an FFL if selling, manufacturing, or importing firearms or destructive devices; must not sell all accessories needed to assemble a gun if the business does not have an FFL.

​Is Tactical Payments compatible with my existing firearms inventory or Point Of Sale (POS) software?

FFLs and firearms businesses typically have a preferred inventory or POS (Point Of Sale) software system they use. Because Tactical Payments works with most major payment gateways (including Authorize.net, USAePay and NMI), our merchant accounts integrate with most firearms inventory and Point Of Sale systems. Tactical Payments is compatible with Stratus Retail POS, Windward Software, Elliott Firearms Software, Gun StoreMaster, Rapid Gun Systems, AIMsi, Epicor FFL Compliance Manager, and Firearms Management Systems, as well as Gun Broker. (Many FFLs sell on GunBroker.com, and accept credit and debit card payments from buyers via an integrated merchant account & payment gateway.)