Movie Gun Services LLC • Specialists in Heavy Weapons and Pyro for the entertainment industry since 1985

There is no quick and dirty way to become a Gun Wrangler. It requires that the licensee be an actual business formed and operated as a weapons prop provider. There are no individual licensed Gun Wranglers in NYS. In fact, there are just shy of a handful operating in the state.

Unlike California, where you can drop by the state's Dept. of Justice headquarters and file a few forms, New York State requires a whole lot more.
Professional licenses are overseen by the State Police and the Dept. of Labor. The operator and all employees of the licensee must each possess NYS Carry Pistol Licenses.

In addition, only a very limited number of Specialty NYS state licensees qualify for unrestricted Federal Firearms Licenses.

Recently, NYC "Theatrical Dealers" were hit hard with a decision by the BATFE that rentals of firearms to a non-licensee was in fact illegal. In order to have "real" guns for your NYC set, you will now need a NYS Licensed Gun Wrangler to have ultimate control over all possession of said firearms (handguns / semiautomatic assault weapons) on-set within the 5-boroughs of New York City.

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If the productions will not involve LIVE firearms that have been converted to "BLANK" fire, and no REAL firearms will be utilized in the production (static-displayed or in movement), then no federal, state or local licenses are REQUIRED.

Remember this: Walking around the City of Albany with a rubber M-16 will still get you shot. There are hundreds of little agencies, departments, councils and committees to which you MUST apply for permission to film in their jurisdiction. Make sure that they know you will be utilizing realistic weapon PROPS.

There is a HUGE legal and moral responsibility for handling weapon props. Don't think because you own a gun or your brother is a cop, qualifies you to work on-set with blank-firearms.

In California, they do things different.

California Entertainment Firearms Permits (EFP) are not valid outside that state.

California Senate Bill 231 (Statutes 2004, Chapter 606) establishes the Entertainment Firearms Permit (EFP). Subdivision (s) of Penal Code section 12078, as amended, authorizes EFP holders to possess firearms for use as props in motion picture, television, video, theatrical, or other entertainment productions. The EFP is recognized by the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) as an Alternate Brady Permit. Consequently, EFP holders are exempt from the federal National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check requirements for loans of unloaded firearms for use solely as props in a motion picture, television, video, theatrical, or other entertainment production or event. Loans of unloaded firearms from California firearms dealers licensed pursuant to Penal Code section 12071 to EFP holders for entertainment purposes are also exempt from the Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) requirements. Penal Code section 12078 (s) (2), as amended, provides the following statutory exemptions to a Federal Firearms Licensee who loans an unloaded firearm for use solely as a prop in a motion picture, television, video, theatrical, or other entertainment production or event to a person who possesses a valid EFP issued pursuant to Section 12081:

• The private party dealer record of sale (DROS) filing requirement of subdivision (d) of Penal Code section 12072.
  
• The requirements of subdivision (f) of Penal Code section 12072 mandating the transfer of a firearm to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) holder in this state not occur unless the FFL first provides proof of California firearms dealership licensure pursuant to Penal Code section 12071 or proof of exemption from California firearms dealership licensure requirements.
• The Penal Code section 12801 requirement that no person may loan any handgun to a person who does not possess a valid Handgun Safety Certificate.
  
  

• The firearms transfer requirements of subdivision (d) of Penal Code section 12071.
  • The private party transfer requirements or subdivision (c) of Penal Code section 12072.
    
  • The requirements of subdivision (f) of Penal Code section 12072 mandating the transfer of a firearm to a Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) holder in this state not occur unless the FFL first provides proof of California firearms dealership licensure pursuant to Penal Code section 12071 or proof of exemption from California firearms dealership licensure requirements.
    
  • The Penal Code section 12801 requirement that no person may loan any handgun to a person who does not possess a valid Handgun Safety Certificate.
    

California now has an additional requirement for film gun end-users: The new CFLC has been officially implemented.