Probably Stolen Gun Shop Guide: Permits, Mods and Margin

Weapons are the most regulated product in Probably Stolen. That is the point. The game uses permits and inspections to turn a simple sale into a story about who you know and what you can prove. The Gunsmith start gives you the opening stock and the licence access; any store can add the lane later, but the paperwork is the barrier.

What you need before the first sale

1. A business permit. The Authorized achievement is tied to it. Selling regulated goods without one is not a grey area.
2. A licence for the category. The underground market sells access; the legal route is slower. Do not assume a licence for pistols covers rifles or modified weapons.
3. A parts supplier. Guns without mods are a commodity; guns with the right mods are a margin.
4. A display plan. Weapons in the window attract customers and inspectors. Keep the legal stock visible and the questionable stock out of sight.
5. A case reserve. Enough cash to pay a fine or a bribe without selling the stock that caused the case.

The permit is not the end of the paperwork. Inspections check the weapon's serial, the licence, the mod configuration and the customer's eligibility. A gun that is legal to own can be illegal to sell to the wrong person.

The margin structure

A gun sale has four parts:

• Base weapon. The frame or complete gun. Condition and provenance affect value.
• Mods. Scopes, barrels, grips, magazines, cosmetic parts. Mods can raise the price more than the base weapon in some configurations.
• Licence and paperwork. The cost of doing it legally. If you skip it, the cost moves to risk.
• Customer premium. Security, collectors and revolutionaries pay differently for the same gun.

Sale profit = sale price − base cost − mod cost − licence/paperwork − risk.

The risk term is larger than in any other lane. A single illegal sale can produce a case worth more than the gun, and a case at 1,500 credits is an execution threshold, not a fine. The crime system guide explains the math.

The customer types

The Security customer is the most dangerous because the transaction is also a test. If they ask for a weapon you are not licensed to sell, the correct answer is no, even if the margin is excellent.

Mods are the profit centre

A base gun is easy to compare; a modded gun is not. That is where margin lives.

• Functional mods (accuracy, handling, capacity) justify a higher price to a customer who will use the gun.
• Cosmetic mods justify a higher price to a collector, but only if the mod is rare or period-correct.
• Illegal mods (silencers, full-auto conversions, untraceable parts) justify a high price and a high case value. Treat them as contraband, not as stock.

The WallHook mod (Workshop 3829360387) adds wall storage for weapons and backpacks. It is a display and organisation tool, not a gameplay balance change. If you are tired of guns eating shelf space, it is a reasonable QoL pick; the QoL mods page has the alternatives.

Inspection preparation

Before an inspection:

1. Match every gun to a licence. If the category is not covered, move it out of the display.
2. Check the serial and the mod list. A legal gun with an illegal mod is an illegal gun.
3. Check the customer's eligibility. Selling to a prohibited buyer is a case even if the gun is legal.
4. Keep the receipts. A provenance record turns a stolen-goods accusation into a paperwork delay.
5. Have a bribe fund. A small bribe is cheaper than a case, but it also builds a different reputation.

Do not try to talk your way out of an inspection with a high reputation alone. Reputation changes access; it does not erase a serial number.

The gunsmith start

The Gunsmith start gives you an opening stock and a reason to talk to the licence broker. The first week should be spent on:

• Getting the permit and the first licence category.
• Finding a parts supplier who is not Security.
• Selling one legal gun at a fair price to learn the appraisal flow.
• Keeping the illegal stock out of the store until you have a hiding spot.

The first 7 days guide has the general opening order. The gunsmith-specific change is that the permit comes before the second gun, not after.

Guns and the rest of the store

• Fencing shares the black market but not the paperwork. A fence can move a stolen gun; a gun shop cannot.
• Security reputation is double-edged: it opens the licence route and closes the criminal one.
• Revolution reputation opens a customer base that pays for quantity, but the faction guide warns about the -100 threshold.
• Appraisal is essential for collectors; a misjudged rare frame can cost more than the sale.

When guns are not worth it

Guns are a bad main lane if:

• You do not have a permit and cannot afford the licence.
• Your store is in a low-traffic location with no collector or Security customers.
• You cannot absorb a case worth 1,500 credits.
• You are already struggling to cover rent; the lane is too slow and too risky to be a rescue.

In those cases, keep one legal gun for the display and put the capital into water, appraisal or wine. The money guide compares the risk-adjusted returns.

Wall storage for weapons and gear. Permits and inspection risk matter more than the display.

FAQ

Do I need a permit to sell guns?

Yes for legal firearm sales. The Gunsmith start includes a Class I permit.

Can I sell stolen guns?

Only through fence channels and with hiding space. A normal counter sale risks a Security case.

What has the best weapon margin?

Ammo and attachments move faster than high-end guns. The page gives a ticket-size comparison.

Sources and version notes

• Steam store page and in-game permit/inspection UI, checked 2 November 2026.
• Achievement "Authorized" and ending thresholds cross-checked against the community lists.
• WallHook Workshop item 3829360387, snapshot 2 November 2026.
• Build 1.0.0.6.

Official source: Steam store ↗ · Steam guides ↗ · Steam Workshop ↗, checked 2 November 2026.