Category: FFL Guide

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Intro

In the processes of getting my FFL I found lots of good material on line. It got me prepared for my interview with out a doubt. I realized though that the info on line was dated, so I decided to give back and update the info.

“Acknowledgement of Federal Firearms Regulations

Page references are in Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide (ATF P 5300.4 – December 2014)”

Everything I have seen referenced the 2005 version. I will reference the newer 2014 version located HERE

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Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 1

1. REQUIRED RECORDS AND REPORTS

Acquisition and Disposition Record 478.125(e) ATF P 5300.4 Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 65.

(e) Firearms receipt and disposition by dealers. Each licensed dealer shall enter into a record each receipt and disposition of firearms. In addition, before commencing or continuing a firearms business, each licensed dealer shall inventory the firearms possessed for such business and shall record same in the record required by this paragraph. The record required by this paragraph shall be maintained in bound form under the format prescribed below. The purchase or other acquisition of a firearm shall, except as provided in paragraph (g) of this section, be recorded not later than the close of the next business day following the date of such purchase or acquisition. The record shall show the date of receipt, the name and address or the name and license number of the person from whom received, the name of the manufacturer and importer (if any), the model, serial number, type, and the caliber or gauge of the firearm. The sale or other disposition of a firearm shall be recorded by the licensed dealer not later than 7 days following the date of such transaction. When such disposition is made to a nonlicensee, the firearms transaction record, Form 4473, obtained by the licensed dealer shall be retained, until the transaction is recorded, separate from the licensee’s Form 4473 file and be readily available for inspection. When such disposition is made to a licensee, the commercial record of the transaction shall be retained, until the transaction is recorded, separate from other commercial documents maintained by the licensed dealer, and be readily available for inspection. The record shall show the date of the sale or other disposition of each firearm, the name and address of the person to whom the firearm is transferred, or the name and license number of the person to whom transferred if such person is a licensee, or the firearms transaction record, Form 4473, serial number if the licensed dealer transferring the firearm serially numbers the Forms 4473 and files them numerically. The format required for the record of receipt and disposition of firearms is as follows: (See Table 4)

Continue reading Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 1

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 2

2. CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Firearm Frame or Receiver,478.11, Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 37

Firearm frame or receiver. That part of a firearm which provides housing for the hammer, bolt or breechblock, and firing mechanism, and which is usually threaded at its forward portion to receive the barrel.

NICS Requirements, 478.102 & 478.131 Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 53-54 & 68

§ 478.102 Sales or deliveries of firearms on and after November 30, 1998.

Continue reading Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 2

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 3

3. LICENSES

Engaged in the Business,478.11, Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 36

§ 478.11 Meaning of terms.

Engaged in the business—

(a) Manufacturer of firearms. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to manufacturing firearms as a regular course of trade or business with the principalobjective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of the firearms manufactured;

(b) Manufacturer of ammunition. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to manufacturing ammunition as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of the ammunition manufactured;

(c) Dealer in firearms other than a gunsmith or a pawnbroker. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to dealing in firearms as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the repetitive purchase and resale of firearms, but such a term shall not include a person who makes occasional sales, exchanges, or purchases of firearms for the enhancement of a personal collection or for a hobby, or who sells all or part of his personal collection of firearms;

(d) Gunsmith. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to engaging in such activity as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit, but such a term shall not include a person who makes occasional repairs of firearms or who occasionally fits special barrels, stocks, or trigger mechanisms to firearms;

(e) Importer of firearms. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to importing firearms as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of the firearms imported; and,

(f) Importer of ammunition. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to importing ammunition as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of the ammunition imported.

Continue reading Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 3

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 4

4. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

Right of Entry and Examination, 478.23, Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 40

§ 478.23 Right of entry and examination.

(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), any ATF officer, when there is reasonable cause to believe a violation of the Act has occurred and that evidence of the violation may be found on the premises of any licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, licensed dealer, or licensed collector, may, upon demonstrating such cause before a Federal magistrate and obtaining from the magistrate a warrant authorizing entry, enter during business hours (or, in the case of a licensed collector, the hours of operation) the premises, including places of storage, of any such licensee for the purpose of inspecting or examining:

(1) Any records or documents required to be kept by such licensee under this part and

(2) Any inventory of firearms or ammunition kept or stored by any licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, or licensed dealer at such premises or any firearms curios or relics or ammunition kept or stored by any licensed collector at such premises.

(b) Any ATF officer, without having reasonable cause to believe a violation of the Act has occurred or that evidence of the violation may be found and without demonstrating such cause before a Federal magistrate or obtaining from the magistrate a warrant authorizing entry, may enter during business hours the premises, including places of storage, of any licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, or licensed dealer for the purpose of inspecting or examining the records, documents, ammunition and firearms referred to in paragraph (a) of this section:

Continue reading Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 4

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 5

5. STATE LAWS AND LOCAL ORDINANCES

Compliance with State Law Pub / ATF P 5300.5, 478.24, Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 40-41

§ 478.24 Compilation of State laws and published ordinances.

(a) The Director shall annually revise and furnish Federal firearms licensees with a compilation of State laws and published ordinances which are relevant to the enforcement of this part. The Director annually revises the compilation and publishes it as “State Laws and Published Ordinances–Fire-arms” which is furnished free of charge to licensees under this part. Where the compilation has previously been furnished to licensees, the Director need only furnish amendments of the relevant laws and ordinances to such licensees.

(b) “State Laws and Published Ordinances–Firearms” is incorporated by reference in this part. It is ATF Publication 5300.5, revised yearly. The current edition is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402. It is also available for inspection at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202–741–6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_reg-ulations/ibr_locations.html. This incorporation by reference was approved by the Director of the Federal Register.

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 6

6. GUNSMITH ACTIVITIES

Gunsmithing Definition 478.11- Engaged in the bussiness (d), Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 36

(d) Gunsmith. A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to engaging in such activity as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit, but such a term shall not include a person who makes occasional repairs of firearms or who occasionally fits special barrels, stocks, or trigger mechanisms to firearms;

Gunsmith Recordkeeping, 478.124(a) & .125(e), ATF Ruling 77-1, Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 63,66 & 124-125

§ 478.124(a) Firearms transactionrecord. Pg 63

Continue reading Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 6

Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 7

7. FIREARMS & AMMO MANUFACTURES

Manufacture Definition, 478.11 & 479.11 Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 36, 37 & 81

Engaged in the business—(a) Manufacturer of firearms. Page 36 A person who devotes time, attention, and labor to manufacturing firearms as a regular course of trade or business with the principal objective of livelihood and profit through the sale or distribution of the firearms manufactured;

Manufacturer. Page 37. Any person engaged in the business of manufacturing firearms or ammunition. The term shall include any person who engages in such business on a part–time basis.

Manufacturer. Page 81 Any person who is engaged in the business of manufacturing firearms.

Markings, 478.92 & 479.102 Rulings 9-5, 12-1, 13-3 Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide 2014 Page 50-51 & 89-90

§ 478.92 How must licensed manufacturers and licensed importers identify firearms, armor piercing ammunition, and large capacity ammunition feeding devices? Page 50-51

Continue reading Federal Firearms License (FFL) Guide – Part 7