Do You Earn Rewards at a Gun Store?

The short answer: Yes, at your base rate. Gun stores and firearm retailers code under a sporting-goods or general retail category that mainstream cards do not treat as a bonus, so a flat-rate card earns the most. Ammunition and accessories usually code the same way, and most licensed dealers accept cards.

How gun stores code

A firearm retailer rings up under a sporting-goods or general-merchandise category code, outside the usual bonus buckets like dining and groceries, so most cards earn their base rate on guns, ammunition, and accessories. Some outdoor and sporting chains that sell firearms code as sporting goods, which is still not a standard bonus category, as covered in do sporting goods stores earn a bonus.

Payment and privacy notes

Licensed dealers routinely accept credit cards, and paying by card is a normal, legal transaction that earns your base rate. A range or gunsmith service would code as recreation or repair, also usually base rate. There is no special rewards treatment either way, so the card choice comes down to the base return.

The best card for a gun store

Since firearms are not a bonus category, a strong flat-rate card earns the most, and a larger purchase can help toward a welcome bonus. Run your spending through the rewards calculator to find the best base-return card, and see options in best cash back cards.

Frequently asked questions

Do gun stores earn credit card rewards?
Yes, at your base rate. Firearm retailers code as sporting goods or general retail, which is not a bonus category, so most cards earn the base rate.
Does ammunition earn a bonus?
No. Ammunition and accessories code the same as the firearm retailer, outside the standard bonus categories, so you earn the base rate.
What card is best for a gun purchase?
A strong flat-rate card, since firearms have no bonus category. A larger purchase can also help meet a welcome-bonus spending requirement.

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Bryce Casson

Written by Bryce Casson, Founder of Cardocrat. About the author and how we rank cards.