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FFL Revocations Up 500% Since Biden Took Office
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KBCraig
NES Member
That has never been a requirement.
The requirement is that if someone engages in the business of selling firearms, then they must have the appropriate FFL.
Well you get the idea IF ATF wants to find something they probably will.
I was trying to get FFL back in 2004 and I thought the “income” thing was a requirement? Any how its going to be ugly as long as we have Unconstitutional Government Officials running around
I work a few days a week at a pretty busy local outdoors store around these parts. When a customer completes a 4473, it is checked a total of 5 times by 5 different employees before it is filed. If the AFT were to shut us down over a clerical error, the entire store would fold, and word is that the AFT is in fact suspending FFLs over clerical errors - incorrect ZIP codes, misspelled counties and the like. They are most certainly hostile to the business segment they are supposed to serve.
safetyfirst2125
NES Member
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Well. That’s one way to build a gun registry.
43 the last year of trump, 273 in Biden's first year.
VetteGirlMA
NES Member
Hence the reason why 60% of all identity theft happen at locations like this. When you view a 4473 as just a piece of paper and in the group of 5 people there is one person who wants to mine this for identity theft reason, don't be surprised when it happens. I also wouldn't be surprised that one of the 5 is a deranged leftists and taking pictures of the forms with their smart phones. This is why we should never have universal background checks.
one-eyed Jack
Manufacturer
Well, a lot of folks retire the FFL for various reasons. They are probably counted as revocations. After 40 years in the biz I can tell you that 95% what you hear about ATF pulling licenses for minor stuff is bullshit. That was happening back in the Clinton days when he told ATF to cancel licenses FOR ANY REASON AT ALL. 270,000 FFLs were reduced to 90,000 for little things that don't matter much any more. ATF tells you to not get the FFL to enhance a personal collection. Fine. You get it to enhance your biz. inventory. As far making a profit, one transfer will take care of that. Jack.
IIRC, the intent of the Clinton regime was to greatly reduce the over abundance of "kitchen table" FFL's.
I knew several guys at my gun club that surrendered their FFL's during that time period because they didn't meet the new rules about having a "storefront" to operate out of.
one-eyed Jack
Manufacturer
I was dealing out of the house at that time. To renew the FFL I had to fax in a copy of my biz cert. Which was to tell fortunes. No problem since the "use" was on the back side. Jack.
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I think it was about regular business hours, run to generate income, etc. but no "primary source of income" requirement.
But, there is a provision for obtaining an FFL with no profit motive, and no need to have regular hours or even open your licensed premises to the public.
The ATF used to allow unlicensed (non-FFL) consultants to the gun industry, gun writers, etc. to accept guns on a temporary basis without the requirement for an FFL. This was changed to only allow such transfers if the recipient is a W2 employee of the FFL holder. Guess I'll never find a crate with $50K worth of 1911's show up in my hotel room while taking a shower (BTDT)
The temporary assignment of a firearm by an FFL to its unlicensed agents, contractors, volunteers, or any other person who is not an employee of the FFL, even for bona fide business purposes, is a transfer or disposition for purposes of the Gun Control Act,
So, it is clear a consultant, contractor, volunteer, etc. can no longer use this provision to receive guns on a temporary basis without an FFL.
But, the ATF goes on to explain that "certain persons" who have such relationships may obtain an FFL to allow such transfers:
If the FFL and the unlicensed person do not wish to enter into an employer-employee relationship, certain unlicensed persons may obtain a Federal firearms license from ATF. As discussed above, the Brady Law does not apply to transfers between FFLs; therefore, no NICS check would be required to transfer a firearm from one FFL to another. In ATF Ruling 73-19, for example, ATF determined that firearms consultants and experts may be licensed as dealers to receive firearms from unlicensed persons for testing and evaluation. ATF Rul. 73-19, 1973-ATF C.B. 93. Licensed dealers who engage solely in firearms consulting or expert services for firearms testing or evaluation need not maintain regular business hours or open their business premises to the general public, although they must comply with all other applicable GCA requirements.
The references run 73-19:
Because of the nature of operations conducted by a consultant or expert, he shall not be required to have business premises open to the general public or to have regular business hours.
This would provide a very strong justification to obtain an FFL without the need for a "profit motive", though I would expect it may be necessary to provide the ATF with proof that you are indeed have such a relationship, or non-gun sale business (technical analysis, gun writer, photographer, etc.). Setting up a blog where you publish regular reviews of firearms might even do it.
https://www.atf.gov/file/55481/download1973-19 - Bonafide Firearms Consultants and Business Premises | Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
one-eyed Jack
Manufacturer
At the Mill in Littleton the FFL is "Shall issue". Jack.
MaverickNH
NES Member
Does ATF publish reason for FFL closures? One website references 134k active FFLs in 2021, so 0.2% closed under Biden. At this rate, it won’t break 1% by 2024.
orchidadvisors.com
All 50 States Ranked by Number of FFLs
As of July 2021, there were 134,000 active FFLs. We look at the latest numbers, analyze industry trends and rank all 50 states by number of FFLs.
orchidadvisors.com
It kind of has. During Clinton admin era some dealers were harassed for lack of “profit motive,” however, eventually even the ATF realized they can’t have it both ways and I’ve never heard of it being an issue in recent history.
one-eyed Jack
Manufacturer
In Mass you need a place that's not a residence, properly zoned, where you "keep your records". A 2 ft X 2 ft closet with a 5 gallon bucket in it will do. I've rented spaces so small that the ATF interviews had to be done in the hall. ATF wants to keep the examiners busy. The more the merrier. You can get an 07 FFL faster than a Mass LTC. I've seen 4 weeks from mailing the Form 7 to FFL in hand. We are probably at over 70 FFLs in the Mill now. Plus, Littleton issues only unrestricted LTCs. You can apply there because you own a biz there if you live in a shitty town. Jack.
Dennis in MA
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To be fair. . . .
When NoBama was in office, they FORCED a pile of people to become FFL's because "you do too many buys a year - you're a dealer."
Which is funny b/c under Clinton, these same people were told, "You aren't really dealers - you can't be an FFL."
I predicted this 8 years ago when NoBama enacted it in the first place. FFL #'s were going to skyrocket. Then some other dolt later (insert Biden here) was going to reverse it and crash FFL #'s.
It'd be great if we went back to the pre-GCA days and you could just buy most of this stuff mail-order. Or at your local Woolworth's.
When NoBama was in office, they FORCED a pile of people to become FFL's because "you do too many buys a year - you're a dealer."
Which is funny b/c under Clinton, these same people were told, "You aren't really dealers - you can't be an FFL."
I predicted this 8 years ago when NoBama enacted it in the first place. FFL #'s were going to skyrocket. Then some other dolt later (insert Biden here) was going to reverse it and crash FFL #'s.
It'd be great if we went back to the pre-GCA days and you could just buy most of this stuff mail-order. Or at your local Woolworth's.
KBCraig
NES Member
It'd be great if we went back to the pre-GCA days and you could just buy most of this stuff mail-order. Or at your local Woolworth's.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaW0M6V85j8
