Educate me on the NFA paperwork eternity

[Trock03]

Can someone in the know please explain to me why there is such a long approval process for suppressors/SBRs etc.  When I buy firearms it takes me longer to fill out the paperwork than it does for my background check to be approved (I don't have a CHL).  How much more involved is the NFA background check that makes it take months to complete when the FBI can get it done in roughly 2 minutes.

TC

[satx78247]

Trock03,

Imo, it's nothing more than SLOTH & the ANTI-GUN opinions of the cowboys at BATFE.

That's why I fully support:
1. Repeal of the Hughes Amendment,
2. Repeal of the NFA in total
and
3. ABOLISH the BATFE.

yours, satx

[riattta]

It is not the background check that takes the time.  It sits in a pile waiting for someone to get to it.

[Gilgondorin]

I've heard i the past that other applicants have actually been scoped out before, depending on what it is that's being bought, apparently.

Said that one of his neighbors eventually moved away after the third time the G-Men came knocking top ask them if he was known for being a kook, if they felt safe or threatened around him, etc.

[satx78247]

Gilgondorin,

Fwiw,  about 6 years ago I was at home alone at The Mountain Lair in WV & heard some MORON literally POUNDING ON the outside door.  Going to the door & looking out the 'peephole" I saw two men in suits (Suits in that area of WV mean "preacher", "revenuer" or "government AH", btw.).

I owned the door & asked them who they were & what they wanted.  They showed me badges/credentials as BATFE Special Agents & asked (more or less politely) to come in.
(One said, "We're on official government business" in a RUDE tone of voice.  The other, in a much nicer tone, said, "We would like to discuss your private arsenal. There has been a complaint.")

I let the 2 into the house & then asked, "What sort of complaint?" - The more polite of the 2 said that one of our neighbors was "concerned" that we had so many guns. - He then asked me how many that were in the home.
(I said, "I haven't counted lately but likely 150 or so.")

"The RUDE turkey" asked my WHY we have so many guns. = I said that it wasn't any of his business but that the 3 of us are retired military officers, that my brothers are Reserve Deputies for the county and that we are federally-licensed collectors of C&R items.
(The 2 men's attitude suddenly changed & they looked "sheepish".)

I said, "Don't you KNOW that?" - They said, "We didn't.".

After that, I invited the 2 of them to stay for "potluck" & visit, as my little brother was to return home soon. - They did stay to eat, met the other 2 brothers, admired our antique collection  & we've NOT had another "visit" since.
(IF the BATFE was more POLITE, didn't listen to crackpot's SILLY complaints  & "tended to their own business", the BATFE wouldn't be seen as "cowboys".

just  my OPINIONS, satx

[Ricochet]

Can someone in the know please explain to me why there is such a long approval process for suppressors/SBRs etc.

TC

Because the US Federal Government is involved in the process!

[Trock03]

Yeah I figured govt bureaucracy was the main culprit here.  I guess I need to just bite the bullet and get in line.

Will post here if I get a visit from the men in black!

TC

[TXAZ]

To answer your question, here's a relatively easy way for you to check. 

1) Get the copy of your application in front of you and note the serial number of the suppressor, SBR or machine gun and your legal name as listed on the form.

2) Call the ATF office that specifically handles suppressors and machine guns at (304) 616-4500

3) Avoiding political statements and staying very kind and polite (their phone senses hostility and seems to put irate calls on hold for days    ), inquire as to the status of your item.

4) Thank them so they will be in a good mood for the next guy.

Here's a link to average wait times for the future:  http://www.nfatracker.com/

I hope that helps.
TXAZ


Good luck and let us know.

[Darkpriest667]

No wait for the government to cash the checks, just to stamp approval.

[TXAZ]

I just checked mine, it is pending, and likely released in July or August.  Bought it in April of last year, took about 4 months to get the paperwork from the seller and ATF, submitted in Aug 2016.  We will see.....
Melissa answer the phone, very nice lady.

[michaele]

No wait for the government to cash the checks, just to stamp approval.

I actually had one take 6 weeks to get cashed last year.   Took 9 months on approval but 6 weeks to take money was crazy.  Next one was 5 days from mail to clearing my bank.

[Gilgondorin]

Well I don't know how many of you fellers are in College Station, but if you bought anything through a company called "Gun Corps LLC." then the reason your approval is taking forever is because they went tango-uniform.

Said that they're declaring bankruptcy and that if you were waiting on something from them then you best get started on the paperwork because there's evidently a bunch of it to go around.

I personally don't know much about it myself, being that I just saw it on a FB post, but I know most of the members from this board except SATX and I think one other guy are all from that side of the state, so I figured I'd mention it anyway.

[TXAZ]

Well I don't know how many of you fellers are in College Station, but if you bought anything through a company called "Gun Corps LLC." then the reason your approval is taking forever is because they went tango-uniform.

Said that they're declaring bankruptcy and that if you were waiting on something from them then you best get started on the paperwork because there's evidently a bunch of it to go around.

I personally don't know much about it myself, being that I just saw it on a FB post, but I know most of the members from this board except SATX and I think one other guy are all from that side of the state, so I figured I'd mention it anyway.

In theory the buyer owns the NFA item, and that should go to another Class III FFL.  BUT, you may have to get an attorney involved to protect your rights and new toy.

[Alte Schule]

A group of young military veterans opened Gun Corps a little over two years ago. They tried to make it  the local go to "tacticool" store and basically catered to that type of clientele. Styer, Tovar, HK and Galil rifles. Large frame HK, SIG and 1911's were their basic pistol inventory. They also carried the latest in tactical knives. A very large selection. That's cool if that's what your into but it's a niche area in which to develop a business IMO. Their prices were also borderline ridiculous.
They leased a local firearm range and tried to turn it into a tactical training center. From what I understood the Gun Corps guys may have had military training but they were nowhere near the instructor level. It began catering to the cammo tannerite crowd and closed a few months later.
They closed the first store and opened again down the road. It didn't do any better and they filed for bankruptcy at the end of last year leaving a lot of locals here in limbo with firearms they had on consignment with them and other things. The good news is the federal court and bank overseeing the bankruptcy has just started sorting put the mess and working with the locals to get there property returned. At least that's what I understand. The other good news is the original owners of the firearm range are now back in charge. I was out there today and will post a review later for those that had asked me about "Marksman Academy".

 

[Shipwreck]

Ok, interesting that the original guy is back in charge. Cool.

Any 50 yard rifle range? They stopped letting you drop your own target stand 1/2 way down the 100 yard range a long time ago. Neighbors caused problems about stray bullets. and, they wanted to make 100% sure you were shooting into the backstop. So, they wouldn't let you shoot at anything but the back of the 100 yard range.

I was told that if it was empty, you could go 1/2 way down the range and shoot. But without the wooden tables, that doesn't really help.

[Shipwreck]

Guncorp is also the place that sold me a used optic, and tried to pass it off as being new. They told me it had "just come in." If I hadn't figured out it was the sample they showed me 2-3 weeks before, I never would have known. I got upset, and they returned my money. I would never deal with them again anyway, even if they were still around

[Alte Schule]

Ok, interesting that the original guy is back in charge. Cool.

Any 50 yard rifle range? They stopped letting you drop your own target stand 1/2 way down the 100 yard range a long time ago. Neighbors caused problems about stray bullets. and, they wanted to make 100% sure you were shooting into the backstop. So, they wouldn't let you shoot at anything but the back of the 100 yard range.

I was told that if it was empty, you could go 1/2 way down the range and shoot. But without the wooden tables, that doesn't really help.

Yes Ship two fifty yard and six 100 yard rifle berms. I'm going to post a separate thread on this in a few minutes.

 

[Shipwreck]

Ok, interesting that the original guy is back in charge. Cool.

Any 50 yard rifle range? They stopped letting you drop your own target stand 1/2 way down the 100 yard range a long time ago. Neighbors caused problems about stray bullets. and, they wanted to make 100% sure you were shooting into the backstop. So, they wouldn't let you shoot at anything but the back of the 100 yard range.

I was told that if it was empty, you could go 1/2 way down the range and shoot. But without the wooden tables, that doesn't really help.

Yes Ship two fifty yard and six 100 yard rifle berms. I'm going to post a separate thread on this in a few minutes.

Thanks for the info!