Longer wait times at the NFA Branch?

[jason8844]

Hey Everyone,
I have noticed in the past month that the places that post updates on the wait times of various NFA forms (NFA tracker, Silencer shop etc.) are showing a very interesting trend. It appears that since the recent announcement from the ATF about new hires and working 7 days a week, the wait times are plummeting back to earth... well, for everyone but one kind of submission. While the wait times on paper form 1s and 4s for trusts and LLC/corps are being reduced, the paper forms by individuals seem to be stagnant. Most reports show that the trusts are getting approved 2 and even 3 months faster than the individuals. Does anyone know why there is such a large discrepancy?

[gunsubber]

Well you see, the problem is ATF/DOJ isn't being transparent, forthcoming, or candid with the industry they serve and the citizens they serve. That, or the organizations and corporations (eg. NFATCA, NRA, ASA, AAC, GEM-TECH, etc...) that have access to a dialog with ATF are not sharing that information. This would never be the case for a proposed rule by the FDA (there'd be tons of dialog w/ pharma/insurers), the FAA (dialog with airlines), the FCC (dialog with broadcasters, cable companies)... But yet for some reason, we're are still sitting here with zero guidance on what is likely to happen, when, in what form, etc... It's unbelievable. The implementation and form of the final rule has the ability to shutter hundreds of businesses, cost thousands of livelihoods, and kill an entire vibrantly growing sector of industry... yet radio silence from remains from all parties.

ETA: the point is we may never know why there's such a discrepancy between individual/trust but what if they're trying to clear out as many trust submissions as possible leading up to an unaltered final implementation of 41P. They/someone should at least communicate this to the industry/citizens. Makes me sick.

[ExecDirector]

Sadly, they are not having a candid dialog with us (NFATCA) or any other organization that I am aware of. We used to have a congenial relationship with ATF. That ended with the current administration. There is no current transparency.

[jason8844]

ExecDirector and GunSubber,
Thanks for your replies. However, I know the whole trust issue is in limbo, what I was talking about is the individual applications. It just seems they have put the breaks on those applications and stated processing the trust/LLC stuff exclusively. If there is some internal procedural change regarding the individual forms, I would like to know. I do all my form 1 & 4 applications as an individual and since I pay the same tax as the trusts, I think I deserve the same processing times. It is not right to make us wait 9 or 10 months when the trusts are getting back in 6 or 7.

[ExecDirector]

As far as I know they are still processing individual applications. I have received several approved Form 4's for my customers... There is some procedural time savings involved in processing trust/corp versus individual (no need to validate CLEO, no FBI background check). We shall see if the "all hands on deck" plus the extra 15 new bodies will have an effect.

[RenegadeConservative]

Are wait times really going down though?

I purchased an M2 Carbine from Ruben Mendiola when the E-Form system was still functional (early March) and haven't heard anything as to its status. I had heard from various sources that Ruben's Form 3s had a very fast turn around time.

I was hoping to get the Form 4 in before June 1st just in case these clowns go forward with ATF41P. Might not happen at this point.

[jason8844]

9 months is the new normal. Its better to forget it exists and enjoy other aspects of your life. Hopefully the new eforms will help in the near future especially if and when payment can be made electronically. Your wife/girlfriend can give you a child in the time it takes to get your approved stamp back. No joke.

I sure hope 9 months is not the new normal. That is unreasonable. People can die, dealers can go out of business, laws can change, and people can move in those long time frames. 4 months is reasonable, but when you start getting close to a year, that is simply the government interfering with LEGAL commerce and people trying to comply with the law and pay taxes. I am surprised more anti-gunners do not like the NFA more. They get everything they want.... gun registration and more taxes being paid.

[jason8844]

As with most aspects of life as I age I find that the key is communication in getting your needs met. If you move or anything changes while you are waiting on a pending transfer keep the NFA Branch abreast of new developments in your life with email/phone calls. They will work with you. They must know you have a problem though in the first place in order for them to be of help to you. I have moved while applications were pending and I had to request they send the documents back to me for a new signature with the new address on it. You now part of a select few of Americans who do the right thing even when no one else is watching. Your in Texas don't worry my friend the Legislature here only meets every two years and its doubtful more restrictive gun laws will pass and be signed into law by the Governor. Look up the legal definition of ex post facto laws. Specifically check out Article I, Section 10, Clause 1, of the U.S. Constitution. Everything is going to be alright.

Thanks for your words of encouragement! I always comply with the law so all I can do is wait. I joke with my friends all the time that we found the ONLY department in the Federal government this administration wants to downsize and cut. While every other department is growing and has legions of bureaucrats, the NFA branch is running on a skeleton crew and is over worked.

As for the Ex Post Facto laws, take a look at California. They are getting ready to pass a bill that would force all citizens in possession of legally owned grandfathered magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds to dispose of them. We live in a post-Constitutional republic and is unmoored from the founding documents. Politicians will spend every ounce of political capital on defending abortions and illegal immigration as "rights", although they are not written in the Constitution, but turn themselves into a pretzel trying to change the meaning of actual enumerated rights, like the 2nd amendment.