Recently the ATF published Procedure 2017-1 (not ATF Ruling 2017-1). ATF Procedure 2017-1 “set[s] forth the record-keeping and National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) procedures for a Federal firearms licensee (FFL) who facilitates the transfer of firearms between private unlicensed individuals.” In this article, we’re going to cover: Basic Background and Requirements for Private […]

Welcome to the mother-load of ATF-related data on FFL Applications and Inspections statistics! Each year the ATF publishes a report that includes data on the number of firearms in commerce (made, exported, and imported) and statistics on NFA firearms (forms, revenue, and distribution) and FFLs (applications and inspections. In the ATF’s Firearms Commerce in the […]

Welcome to the mother-load of ATF-related data on NFA firearms! Each year the ATF publishes a report that includes data on the number of firearms in commerce (made, exported, and imported) and statistics on NFA firearms (forms, revenue, and distribution) and FFLs (applications and inspections. In the ATF’s Firearms Commerce in the United States Annual […]

Welcome to the mother-load of ATF-related data on firearms in commerce! Each year the ATF publishes a report that includes data on the number of firearms in commerce (made, exported, and imported) and statistics on NFA firearms (forms, revenue, and distribution) and FFLs (applications and inspections. In the ATF’s Firearms Commerce in the United States […]

During his address to the NRA, President Trump said, “The 8-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end.” We’re already starting to see the results! “Operation Chokepoint,” the banking initiative that targeted against FFLs, is over. This is great news for the firearms industry. Under “Operation Chokepoint”, banks considered FFLs/Gun […]

The ATF just released their July 2017 newsletter. These ATF newsletters are periodically released to help update the firearms industry on internal ATF news, as well as clarify and/or explain recent ATF rulings. This newsletter covered: Announcement – ATF stands up the National Firearms Act (NFA) Division Firearm Thefts & Burglaries Burglary and Robbery Statistics […]

How long do FFLs need to keep their records? As an attorney specializing in ATF compliance for FFLs, this is a fairly common question I receive. Unfortunately, the simplest answer I have is a common answer from attorneys: “It depends.”  The duration for each ATF record that you need to keep as a Federal Firearms […]

The ATF revised the Form 4473 most recently in October 2016, and the new 4473 was required to be used starting on January 16, 2017. 4473 Paper Copies Unfortunately, the ATF shut off their eForm 4473 software because they didn’t update it in time for the new requirement – this meant that FFLs were required […]

“The 8-year assault on your Second Amendment freedoms has come to a crashing end” – President Trump at the 2017 NRA Annual Meeting. Waiting to Get Your FFL? Like many Americans, you might have been hesitant to get an FFL because (1) you didn’t understand the process to get your FFL license, (2) you don’t […]

ATF’s Theft/Loss Report The ATF just released their report of FFL firearm thefts and losses from 2016. The ATF report shows that Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs) reported the following in 2016: Total firearms lost/stolen: 18,394 Total firearms stolen: 9,281 Total firearms lost: 9,113 Compared to the ATF’s 2015 Theft/Loss report, that’s a 124% increase in […]

Options to Reduce or Modify Firearms Regulations White Paper (Not for public distribution) Ronald TurkAssociate Deputy Director (Chief Operating Officer) Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) 20 Jan 2017 “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall […]

ATF Ruling 2016-5: 18 U.S.C. 845: EXCEPTIONS18 U.S.C. 921: DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE DEFINITION18 U.S.C. 923: IDENTIFICATION OF FIREARMS26 U.S.C. 5842: IDENTIFICATION OF FIREARMS26 U.S.C. 5845: DESTRUCTIVE DEVICE DEFINITION27 CFR 478.22: ALTERNATE METHODS OR PROCEDURES27 CFR 478.92: FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION27 CFR 479.26: ALTERNATE METHODS OR PROCEDURES27 CFR 479.102: FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION27 CFR 555.109: IDENTIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVE MATERIALS 27 CFR […]