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MA-centric NFA FAQ

drumenigma said:
I do have one question in regards to making a SBR or really any NFA item. You mentioned that just having say an AR receiver and the short barrelled upper receiver could be considered constructive possession. So is it possible to just have the receiver, register that as the SBR, then purchase the upper afterwards? Or is it required on the form to report the length of the barrel or something. I am looking at possibly going that route with an SBR starting with an AR receiver.
Click to expand...

You should obtain your short barreled upper only after you have received an approved Form 1. You will have to mark on the Form 1 both the barrel length and the overall length of the item being registered. You can guesstimate the overall length. With your AR assembled with a 16" barrel, measure the overall length, then subtract the difference in barrel length for you short barrel. Also, ATF considers the overall length of the gun with a folding or collapsable stock with the stock in its longest position.

--EasyD
 
1. it reduces velocity. So, yea, you will see poorer performance at longer ranges. The amount of reduction will depend on how extreme the difference is. For example, a 14" barrel isn't all that much of a difference than a 16". But a 10" will be significantly different than a 20"

2. Unless you have a trust, either your chief or sheriff need to sign the Form.
 
Just to clarify the SBS mod. Short barreled shotgun in this state has to be of original manufacture, you cannot use an already existing shotgun and cut the barrel down. Even if you register it with ATF legaly as a short barreled shotgun, you will still be in violation of Mass law, since it will be considered a sawed off shotgun at that point.
 
Ok this was informative, but I am still lost a little or should I say wandering a tad. I have two pre ban bushmaster rifles and I wish to turn one into a SBR. I am a police officer and firearms instructor, (19 years) but do not have my green card yet, but am applying this weekend for it. What do I need for forms to convert one of my legally owned prebans into a short barrel rifle???? Thanks Mark
 
maxdogk911 said:
What do I need for forms to convert one of my legally owned prebans into a short barrel rifle???? Thanks Mark
Click to expand...

No need for a machine gun license if you are building a semi auto SBR.

You'll need...
EasyD said:
A complete Form 1 application will include:

Two copies of the Form 1
Two passport sized photos
Two NFA supplied fingerprint cards
One Certification of Compliance with 18 USC 922(g)(5)(B)
One check for $200 made payable to BATFE
Click to expand...

Which you can get here...
http://www.atf.gov/dcof/index.htm

Fill it out, get CLEO sign off, cut the check, mail and wait.

"Recently" followed EasyDs instructions and got my Form 1 all squared away with a spiffy canceled tax stamp following his guidance in the first post of this thread.
 
Thanks

Thanks guys, I was only getting a green card so I can begin to instruct in auto's like I have been doing with patrol rifle semi. If my little town cleo refuses the signature I will invest in a trust or llc. But I just wanted to make sure about the right forms before proceeding.
 
Does one get their local PD to do the finger print cards?

What about the travel restrictions? It is pretty vague on the form.
 
My form says mail to:

National Firearms Act Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
244 Needy Road Suite 1250
Martinsburg, WV 25405


Is this correct? My form says the last revision was September 2007, so I just want to make sure I'm sending my $200 to the right place.
 
From what I understand, all tax-paid transactions are supposed to go through the lockbox at:

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
National Firearms Act Branch
P.O. Box 530298
Atlanta, GA 30353-0298

They strip off the checks and process them, and forward the remaining paperwork with a record of the payment to WV. All non-tax-paid transactions can definitely be sent directly to WV.

--EasyD

Squished said:
My form says mail to:

National Firearms Act Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
244 Needy Road Suite 1250
Martinsburg, WV 25405


Is this correct? My form says the last revision was September 2007, so I just want to make sure I'm sending my $200 to the right place.
Click to expand...
 
Anyone know of a phone number to call to find out where the application is in process or is it one of those deals it's better to not call because they will just take your application and move it back to the bottom?
 
Look on the ATF website for the NFA branch phone #. They should be able to tell you what's going on with your app.
 
abomb60 said:
Look on the ATF website for the NFA branch phone #. They should be able to tell you what's going on with your app.
Click to expand...

Local branch or where I sent it? I found this on the ATF site but it isn't local:

Contact Us

National Firearms Act Branch
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
244 Needy Road, Suite 1250
Martinsburg, WV 25405

(304) 616-4500 (main number)
(304) 616-4501 (fax)
 
When you send in the Declaration of Trust, do you need to include the Table of Assets?

I do not think they need to see that, right?
 
Reptile said:
When you send in the Declaration of Trust, do you need to include the Table of Assets?

I do not think they need to see that, right?
Click to expand...

It really depends on the examiner. Some will want to see the Schedule A (Table of Assets), others will do the registration/transfer without. Some will do it with a Certification of Trust and not a complete copy of the Declaration. It's really a crap shoot. Personally, I say bury them with paper, cause that way they can't come back looking for something down the road.

--EasyD
 
Reptile said:
When you send in the Declaration of Trust, do you need to include the Table of Assets?

I do not think they need to see that, right?
Click to expand...


I'm not sure what a Table of assets is?
If you are asking about the Schedule A / Property placed in trust, than yes, I believe you need to send it in, according to what I've read they want to see that the trust is valid with funded asset.

For what it's worth, I sent it in with my paperwork.

IANAL & YMMV [wink]

Gary
 
Trust MG problem in MA

Just a FYI for those of you who have a Green Card, but want to or have to have their Machine Guns in a trust or a LLC. Heard today from a MA resident that the particular examiner at the NFA Branch his Form landed at, will not approve his Form 4 for a MG transfer to his trust because the name on his Green Card and the Form 4 don't match.

I personally believe that the Trust route has always had issues and may have issues in the future. If the ATF starts digging into this, it may lead to possession problems in the future for those of you that already have MGs in a Trust/LLC in MA...

--EasyD
 
I would like to build a SBR from a new stripped S&W M&P lower. I'd like to have a 7.5" barrel on it.
Can someone advise on the answers to question 4?

Enter the caliber: .223
Enter the model: ??? is it mp15 ???
Enter the barrel length: 7.5
Enter the overall length: ??? do I want this as short as possible or as long as possible ???
Enter the serial number: xxx

Enter additional description or data appearing on the firearm (up to two lines of text if applicable - leave blank otherwise):
??? do I need this section ???

State why you intend to make firearm:
??? what's a good response here ???
 
Caliber: specify whichever calibers you want to use

Model: Whatever it says on the receiver, EXACTLY what it says on the receiver

Barrel Length: minimum barrel length

Overall Length: minimum overall length(don't forget folding stocks, etc)

Additional Description: EXACTLY what you will be engraving, I.E. "Squished's BFG Trust, Westford, MA"

Intend to make this firearm: Zombies. Kidding, "All Lawful Purposes"
 
EasyD said:
Just a FYI for those of you who have a Green Card, but want to or have to have their Machine Guns in a trust or a LLC. Heard today from a MA resident that the particular examiner at the NFA Branch his Form landed at, will not approve his Form 4 for a MG transfer to his trust because the name on his Green Card and the Form 4 don't match.

I personally believe that the Trust route has always had issues and may have issues in the future. If the ATF starts digging into this, it may lead to possession problems in the future for those of you that already have MGs in a Trust/LLC in MA...

--EasyD
Click to expand...

Sounds like examiners being dumb more than anything else. That kind of BS occurs even on some non-trust transfers, like that business about licensed manufacturers being required to show a green card for a silencer.... they make stuff up on the fly, or so it appears.

If people weren't getting screwed over this sort of thing, it'd almost be amusing- this hyper-regulated class of firearms is basically being administered in some cases, by people, that are apparently far dumber than a box of rocks. Well, either that, or they're acting like morons on purpose to discourage NFA registrations...

-Mike
 

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