NFA Gun Trust Lawyer Blog

The ATF told attendees at the NSSF Import/Export conference that they had hired 12 temporary research assistants and a supervisor to review Form 4 and Form 1 applications for mistakes before the examiner gets them. (Reported by Joshua Prince at the Prince Law Firm a PA Gun Trust Attorney)

Back in April the backlog on Form 1 and Form 4 transfers was around 43000. The additional staff has almost doubled the number of transfers per month that the agency can handle. The ATF is also asking Congress to use part of the revenue generated to help update their antiquated systems as currently the taxes collected from the Form 4 and Form 1 applications is deposited into the Treasury's account where the ATF has no access.

Apparently if a FFL submits a Form 1 or Form 4, their applications are put in a special folder for special processing because the background of the FFL has already been checked.

ATF receives numerous telephone and electronic inquiries on a daily basis. In an effort to provide individuals with the most up-to-date information, ATF has compiled a list of the top 10 most frequently asked questions and provided answers to those questions. Several of the questions deal with the manufacture, sale, use, and transfer of firearms subject to the NFA.

1. Can a person prohibited by law from possessing a firearm acquire and use a black powder muzzle-loading firearm?
2. May I lawfully transfer a firearm to a friend who resides in a different State?
3. May I lawfully transfer a firearm to a resident of the same State in which I reside?
4. How do I register my firearm or remove my name from a firearms registration?
5. Does ATF issue a Concealed Carry Permit (CCP) that authorizes a person to carry a firearm throughout the United States?
6. May I lawfully ship a firearm to myself in a different State?
7. May I lawfully ship a firearm directly to an out-of-State licensee, or must I have a licensee in my State ship it to him? May the licensee return the firearm to me, even if the shipment is across State lines?
8. I have been convicted of a felony. How do I reinstate my rights to possess a firearm?
9. May I lawfully make a firearm for my own personal use, provided it is not being made for resale?
10. I was the subject of a NICS check when I attempted to purchase a firearm from a FFL, and I received a delayed response or a denial. Please tell me why I did not receive a "proceed" response.

Please Download this document to review the answers to the Top 10 ATF questions Top 10 Frequently Asked Firearms Questions and Answers

NOTE: THE DOCUMENT BELOW ONLY DEALS WITH FEDERAL LAW AND YOU NEED TO LOOK AT YOUR STATE LAW TO SEE IF THERE ARE ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS- For example some states do not permit permit prohibited person to possess antique firearms even though it is permitted under Federal law

While it is legal to add a Stock or a Folding Stock to a pistol, doing so will create a SBR which must be engraved and approved using an ATF Form 1 prior to doing so. In fact, having a stock and a pistol in close proximity with the present ability to configure it as an SBR could be constructive possession of an SBR. If you are planning on doing building an SBR, you should keep the stock in a separate location so that you are not charged with possession of an SBR without a valid tax stamp and approval to do so.
While SBRs are legal in many states, they are not legal in all states and you should check to see if possession or manufacturing a SBR is legal in your state.

The ATF National Firearms Act (NFA) Branch is pleased to announce that as of July 2011, ATF Forms 1, 2, 10 and ATF Form 5320.20 will be assigned to a legal instruments examiner for processing according to the State of the applicant's address. The NFA Branch also will begin assigning ATF Forms 3, ATF Form 4 and 9 applications to examiners by the State of the transferor's address. Applications already pending at the time of the change will continue to be processed by the examiner to whom they were previously assigned. Historically, applications in the NFA Branch have been assigned to legal instruments examiners alphabetically based on the name of the transferor or applicant. A chart showing the new assignment distribution is below.

The ATF expects this change in the assignment of applications to better enable NFA examiners to develop State law expertise and more knowledgeably and effectively respond to our customers during an era of unprecedented and ever increasing application volume. Please contact the NFA Branch at 304-616-4500 with any questions about this change.

NFA Examiner Assignment Distribution (effective July 2011)

• Nicole Dudash -- IL, IN, OH, PA
• Chris Farris -- AK, CT, MA, ME, MI, NH, RI, VT
• Ann Feltner -- AZ, CA, NM, NV
• Jason Frushour -- CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WI, WY
• Sara Jones -- LA, TX
• Albert Lamberger -- AL, FL, TN
• Dana Pickles -- DE, KY, MD, NC, NJ, NY, VA, WV
• Suzanne Santamaria -- GA, SC
• William Shipman -- AR, HI, IA, KS, MN, MO, MS, NE, OK
• Sandra Snook --ID, OR, WA

Applications from the District Of Columbia and US Territories Will be Assigned to the Supervisory Legal Instruments Examiner

If you are purchasing a Firearm that was previously manufactured under a Form 1 it may contain the engraving of the previous owner. Since this item was previously manufactured, you will be using an ATF Form 4 and not an ATF Form 1 to transfer this item and as such it will require no engraving on your part.

Check out the new 300 AAC Blackout from Advanced Armament Corp.

Introducing the Advanced Armament Corp. 300 AAC BLACKOUT (300BLK). This system was developed to launch 30 caliber projectiles from the AR platform without a reduction in magazine capacity and compatible with the standard bolt.

Full power 123 grain ammunition matches the ballistics of the 7.62x39mm AK, has 37% more energy than 5.56mm M855, and 9% more than 6.8 SPC TAP 110. In fact, from a 9 inch barrel, the 300BLK has more muzzle energy than 5.56mm M855 from a 16 inch barrel. When 300 BLK is used in a 16 inch barrel, it has 23% more energy than 5.56mm M855 from a 16 inch barrel - with much higher-mass projectiles for a more dramatic effect on the target. Or choose subsonic cartridges for optimal use with a sound suppressor - 220 grain Sierra OTM (open-tip match) bullets vastly outperforms a 9mm MP5-SD in penetration and long range accuracy.

Due to the high efficiency of the cartridge, less powder is used than 5.56mm, which results in a rifle that is a comfortable to shoot - even with a short barrel.

Reloading dies available from Forster products, Reamers and headspace guages available from Pacific Tool and Gauge.

Generally we are hearing that it is taking 3-5 months from the time you submit your ATF forms for approval. A local gun store Shooters of Jacksonville told me they have two agents assigned because of the number of transfers they do. They stated that this means that ATF Form 4 applications that they sent in are processed faster than at other locations. While I do not know if this is true, I can state, that a recent Form 4 I submitted through Shooters only took 75 days from the date I signed it, until receiving the approved Form 4.

If you want to check on the status of your Form 4 or Form 1, you will need your serial number and to contact ATF.

National Firearms Act Branch,
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
244 Needy Road, Suite 1250
Martinsburg, WV 25404
Tel 304-616-4500

If you want to use multiple caliber barrels on a SBR or SBS there here are some guidelines that will help you fill out your ATF Form 1, which are also found on our updated How to fill out a Form 1 for a Trust Page.

4c should contain the caliber or gage of the firearm. Only one is acceptable. ( Multi is not acceptable, you can only list one, if you have additional calibers you want to list you can list them in 4h).

Please note that all barrels must be short, if you want to use a barrel that would not be classified as a SBR or SBS, you must remove the item from the NFA and then you would have to purchase a new tax stamp to make it a SBR or SBS in the future.

Alabama Governor Riley signed a bill into law making Short Barreled Riffles and Shotguns legal to own. The law was signed on 4/14/2010 and becomes effective on 7/5/2010. If you have a NFA Gun Trust, there is nothing you need to do, to be able to purchase these items after 7/5/2010.

This also means if you are going to travel to Alabama, you can use a Form 20 to bring your SBR or SBS to Alabama after the law goes into effect.

Publication

ATF 5300.4 in 27 CFR 479.102 (page 92) describes what is necessary to engrave on a SBR or SBS when one is manufacturing. This is not necessary if you purchase one that is already manufactured as it will have been done for you.

1) On the Frame or Receiver the Serial number;
2) on the frame, receiver, or barrel the following additional information;
   A)The model;
   B)The caliber or gage;
   C)Your name or name of the Trust in the case of a Trust (no abbreviations are permitted for the Trust name);
   D)The city and state (you can abbreviate the state with the official 2 digit state code)

The above mentioned information must be engraved, casted, stamped (impressing) or otherwise conspicuously placed or caused to be engraved, cast, stamped (impressed) or placed to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size of the Serial number shall be no smaller than 1/16 inch.

While ATF has previously stated that a certification of compliance is not necessary for trusts, they have now changed their mind or at lease in some cases. For this reason we are now recommending that you send in the 5330.20 with your Form 4 or Form 1 application to purchase or make a firearm restricted under the NFA.
We will create a sample Form 5330.20 to review. Here is a link to download a Certification of Compliance with 18 U.S.C. 922(g)(5)(B) ATF 5330.20

When submitting a Form 1 to the ATF for a SBR or SBS with multiple barrel lengths, the ATF will no longer accept a Form 1 with multiple barrel lengths. It is recommended that you submit the ATF Form 1 (5320.1) with a single barrel length for approval. Follow this link for more information on how to fill out an ATF form1 (5320.1).

I was contacted by the firearms dealer offering the Free downloads of the NFA trust and they have removed the links on their website. Since being contacted, by this dealer I have had reports of other dealers in Florida, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and South Carolina who are offering Free trusts.  While I have not had a chance to review all of them, there have been several trusts that were not set up correctly and pose substantial risks to the clients, their spouses and families for Constructive possession of NFA firearms.

The question still remains as to what will happen to their clients and others who have downloaded the invalid trusts and submitted them to the ATF. Apparently the ATF has approved them. It should be noted that just because ATF approved a Form 4 or Form 1 Transfer, this does not mean you are legally able to possess the firearms. They are only approving the ability to transfer the NFA firearms to a legal entity described on the Form 4 or Form 1.

To read more on this topic see the original article Free NFA Trust Form for Class 3, Title II purchases.  This article was written by David M. Goldman a Jacksonville Estate Planning and Probate Lawyer at the Apple Law Firm  PLLC.

When filling out a Form 1 for the first time with your NFA trust it can be confusing. With an ATF Form 4, there is typically a dealer involved or someone who has done it before so there are not as many questions. I have created a page on How to fill out a Form 1 with a link to a 5320.1 Form 1 that you can download and a sample that is filled out that can be used as a guide. The page also includes instructions on what information should be contained in your Form 1.

Prior to November, the time to approve a Form 4 was less than 8 weeks.  After November 20th, the number of people purchasing NFA items significantly increased and as a result the time to receive an approval on their ATF Form 4 or Form 1 increased to more than 6 months at their peak (26+ weeks).

Good news as I have recently heard from several of our clients that the Approval process is beginning to shorten.  Last week I heard from a client who stated that his NFA Firearms Trust approval time was between 4 and 5 months.