Third Party Press

What is going on with ATF

jack944

jack944

Senior Member
I just talked to another member here who has a machine gun in limbo at ATF. I am at 7 months now ! He is having a similar experience. I can't get my examiner to call me back or respond to my emails ?

The standard line is "The President of the ATF has to sign off" Is this just another blocking technique ??? GRRRRR..
 
What about this Gun Trust thing I keep hearing people talk about it. I have heard folks getting their class three items alot faster with them. A gentleman I know that does it for people has bought at least six suppressors last year having it.
 
ATF is quick with my license compared to CA DOJ - seven-eight months now on mine, and getting someone to talk to is Chinese torture - but, it was only $480 for the permit.
 
Supply and demand. The number of requests coming in now has outstripped the supply of folks to review paperwork and move it through in a timely fashion.
 
It's only going to get worse when the CLEO signature requirement goes away July 1.
 
For someone living outside the US, what in particular does the ATF check when you apply for a Class III permit? Do you also have to justify why you buy it, or only if you are trustful enough to own it? And can they reject it, if yes for which reasons?
 
Absolut said:
For someone living outside the US, what in particular does the ATF check when you apply for a Class III permit? Do you also have to justify why you buy it, or only if you are trustful enough to own it? And can they reject it, if yes for which reasons?
Click to expand...

Its a joke. They have fingerprint cards that get set to the FBI for review, which doesn't make much sense, honestly. Then they check their record system to see if you're a criminal, which they do in thirty seconds if you are buying a rifle or pistol at a gun store. They *could* check to see that what you are buying is legal in your state.

So yea, its about 30 mins of work total, it takes them months to do it, and they charge you $200 for the honor.
 
nirvana said:
Its a joke. They have fingerprint cards that get set to the FBI for review, which doesn't make much sense, honestly. Then they check their record system to see if you're a criminal, which they do in thirty seconds if you are buying a rifle or pistol at a gun store. They *could* check to see that what you are buying is legal in your state.
So yea, its about 30 mins of work total, it takes them months to do it, and they charge you $200 for the honor.
Click to expand...
And do you have to give them a reason why you apply for the Class-III permit? Like if you don't say it's for your collection, they could reject it? Or what are the reasons why they can reject it?
 
Each Form 4, which is the individual request to purchase a particular machine gun, requires a reason for the purchase. I've used " to add to my collection of historical firearms" for every one of my requests and never had any pushback from ATF with that particular item
 
Luft1 said:
Each Form 4, which is the individual request to purchase a particular machine gun, requires a reason for the purchase. I've used " to add to my collection of historical firearms" for every one of my requests and never had any pushback from ATF with that particular item
Click to expand...

Same here. "Collecting purposes" or "all lawful purposes," whatever. I've never heard an issue with one being rejected.
 
Current Form 4 Trust transfer average is 150 days. According to NFA tracker - so take that for what its worth.
 
I have been waiting on a form 4 trust for a SBR since Nov. As of the middle of March it was not assigned to an examiner yet :facepalm:
 
nirvana said:
Its a joke. They have fingerprint cards that get set to the FBI for review, which doesn't make much sense, honestly. Then they check their record system to see if you're a criminal, which they do in thirty seconds if you are buying a rifle or pistol at a gun store. They *could* check to see that what you are buying is legal in your state.

So yea, its about 30 mins of work total, it takes them months to do it, and they charge you $200 for the honor.
Click to expand...

Lets not forget it is a Govermental Agency which is reason enough for the glacial pace.

The Fed's employee coffers has grown sustantially over the last 7+ years so one would think that perhaps wait times would be improve across the board but that is a logic reserved for the private sector.

I also cant help but beleieve that word has come down from above to slow the pace given the anti-gun nature of the administration.
 
Last edited:
Valid points, wouldn't surprise me one bit.

Wonder what the other side would say if you needed to apply for federal tax stamp to get an abortion? Wait time appx 150 days, your form 69 authorization to kill your unborn child "2nd pending."
 
I submitted my form 4 in June and I am still waiting. The examiner tells me there is nothing he can do, they just give me the run around. I was told they had to update their database because the date on the rifle wasn't included as a part of the registered SN. They requested a photo of the serial number in Nov. As of right now, they still have not finished adding the "45" date to the end of the serial number.

I was told the president of the ATF has to personally sign off on my form which sounds absolutely ridiculous. Fast approaching a year on this transfer....:facepalm:
 
Meridius said:
I submitted my form 4 in June and I am still waiting. The examiner tells me there is nothing he can do, they just give me the run around. I was told they had to update their database because the date on the rifle wasn't included as a part of the registered SN. They requested a photo of the serial number in Nov. As of right now, they still have not finished adding the "45" date to the end of the serial number.

I was told the president of the ATF has to personally sign off on my form which sounds absolutely ridiculous. Fast approaching a year on this transfer....:facepalm:
Click to expand...

Why didn't you just update the form by deleting the date - as it is not part of the serial number?
 
mostpeople said:
Why didn't you just update the form by deleting the date - as it is not part of the serial number?
Click to expand...

Not something I had any control over... The rifle was registered as xxxxai and that is what they had in their database. They requested photos of the SN and once seeing the /45 at the end of the SN they required that the registration in their database be changed to reflect that. Which again, is absolutely ridiculous considering the 45 is a date and not actually part of the SN.
 
Well... that is interesting... I am sure you told them it was a designation of the year of manufacture, and they said it didn't matter?

I have also heard they were told to clean up their act and the database so I wish I could say it surprises me.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Military Rifle Journal
Back
Top