Before and after "pending" status

[ga_trucklvr]

Does anyone know what the ATF does before a Form 1 or Form 4 goes into "Pending" status? Then, what do they have to do after the Form 1 or 4 goes to "Pending" status?



Also, I know it has been discussed before but, what do they check on a Trust? Is there a background check ran on the person submitting the application as the Trustee? Do they just verify the paperwork is filled out correctly?



Just curious why it takes 6-7 months to receive a stamp back. I know there is the volume of applications but, are there other factors?

 

[sovietak474u]

yep. they take each one out of the huge stack of files they have. There are only 10-12 people who do the approvals for the WHOLE country. You figure 10-12 people doing paperwork for all the suppressors sold in this country. Yeah. Thats why it takes a while.

 

[Quiet Riot Firearms]

Here's my understanding of the process.

Form 4. Mailed to Atlanta, where checks are pulled and ACH'd, sorted, and mailed up to WV. There they are put in a huge pile. Depending on the examiner and how they handle their assistants, the process changes here. The assistants normally take the apps and enter them in the system as pending. It is my understanding the assistants are allocated per work load. Then they go in another pile. If they are individual transfers, the info is sent to the FBI to begin doing the background checks. IF it is a trust..... they claim they don't do background checks, and that lawyers review the trusts. I still think they are doing some sort of background checks on people listed in the trust. If not, trusts should be approved faster, because the ATF blames the FBI for some of the processing time. When the FBI stuff comes back it goes in another pile, for the examiner to grab, verify both transferring parties' info, update the registry and sign. The assistants are normally the ones writing the error letters.

Form 1s are essentially the same except they go straight to WV.

The waits are mainly due to the volume of apps and the antiquated systems they use. Think about this for a minute. For every suppressor sold, there are normally a minimum 3 forms the ATF has to process. A form 2 when the manufacturer makes it, a form 3 when they sell it to a retailer, and a form 4 when the retailer sells it to you. For the form 2 they verify the maker's info, and add it to the database. For the form 3 they verify both parties info, and update the database. For form 4's they do all of the above written stuff. Add in another form 3 for a distributor, as most dealers go through them now. Thats a lot of paperwork. Then add in PD and .gov stuff. And heir transfers. And form 1s. And Importing, and DD's. Thats a mountain of PAPER. Yes paper. No E-Forms. All done by hand. When you think about it, we are lucky they are doing what they do in 6 months. I've been getting stuff back approved on Saturdays and Sundays, phone calls at 730AM from WV, and routinely get told that the examiners are taking work home with them when the weather is bad.

The examiner who handles GA and SC is Shannon Siviero. She has been very nice every time I've spoken to her. Think about what all she signs and processes. AAC, Liberty, Innovative arms, FN, and other various manufacturers' form 2's, Allen Arms' (distributor) form 3's, 2 state's worth of PD's, and 2 states worth of form 4's and 1's where all NFA items are legal.

Until they up the manpower AND systems they use, I honestly don't see it getting much shorter.

 

[sovietak474u]

I mailed a form 4 on March 14 and check hasn't been cashed as of yesterday = 28 days

eh might wanna check the tracking number on that sir. They have always cashed my checks within 7 days. maybe things have slowed even worse

 

[jkaczyn18]

I mailed a form 4 on March 14 and check hasn't been cashed as of yesterday = 28 days

If you look up the ASA/SilencerCo video it shows all the paperwork they have and this was a few years ago. It is insane. They need to change things over there but I won't hold my breath. I will see if I can find the video and post it. I think I posted it awhile back.

Here it is.

http://www.theoutdoorstrader.com/th...g-with-ATF-and-Congress?p=1790944#post1790944

 

[ga_trucklvr]

It seems to me that, if all they are doing is verifying the trust, after you are approved the first time there should be some sort of express process. But then again, it is the government.

The delays are very frustrating. Seems like someone would set aome of this up on e-file. Then examiners could access via computer to do approvals.

 

[Quiet Riot Firearms]

I have mixed feelings lately on e filing. The NY CCW license exposure stuff really got me thinking. I think i'd prefer a longer wait and keep my privacy. This would be a government system we'd be talking about.

 

[WC1911guy]

The govenment is not interested in speeding up you getting permission for NFA items. Sure, they want the money but they could care less about expediting the rest of the process.

 

[sovietak474u]

I have mixed feelings lately on e filing. The NY CCW license exposure stuff really got me thinking. I think i'd prefer a longer wait and keep my privacy. This would be a government system we'd be talking about.

Im sure they have easy access to the records already. Not a doubt in my mind.

 

[sovietak474u]

It seems to me that, if all they are doing is verifying the trust, after you are approved the first time there should be some sort of express process. But then again, it is the government.

The delays are very frustrating. Seems like someone would set aome of this up on e-file. Then examiners could access via computer to do approvals.

I think they have made it slow just so people wont buy them. Your average person is not going to pay for something like that and have to wait 6 months. Im waiting on inflation to kick in and them up the 200 by adding a zero.