ATF Introduces Online Firearms Form To Ease Transactions, Prevent Errors

Washington Post ^ | November 20, 2008 | Henri E. Cauvin

[neverdem]

Every year, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finds thousands of licensed gun dealers in violation of federal law, often for very minor problems.

The agency, which conducts about 11,000 inspections a year, says it has come up with a way to eliminate many of those violations before they happen.

Instead of filling out the required ATF paperwork by hand, gun buyers and dealers will now be able to complete what officials say is a fail-safe electronic version of the document, known as Form 4473.

Speaking at a gun shop in Upper Marlboro where he announced the change, acting ATF Director Michael J. Sullivan said the new option would cut down on illegible answers and incomplete answers -- the most common causes of violations.

Such simple human errors account for about 60 percent of the violations cited annually by the ATF, and finding a way to reduce them has been a priority for the agency and the industry, Sullivan said.

Maryland has 554 licensed gun dealers and Virginia has 1,507, according to the ATF. There is one licensed gun dealer in the District, and at least one other business is applying for a license.

Officials emphasized that the use of the new software is voluntary and that the data entered on the form are not being used to create any sort of government database of gun ownership.

But Sullivan said he hopes that dealers and their customers will embrace the new electronic form, which dealers can download from the ATF's Web site at http://www.atf.gov/applications/e4473/.

"I think many people will see it as a very useful tool," Sullivan said.

Lawrence G. Keane, general counsel of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, a trade association, applauded the ATF, saying the new form would reduce the number of innocent mistakes made in...

[neverdem]

No need to retain paper records, they'll be cached on the 'net forever.

[Slings and Arrows]

Officials emphasized that the use of the new software is voluntary and that the data entered on the form are not being used to create any sort of government database of gun ownership.

[EEDUDE]

My take as well. No way I’d do that.

[mr_hammer]

How soon before it is mandatory...hmmmm?

[Domandred]

Is this the software that the ATF pirated from a private software developer?

[USAF70]

Seeing as how the BATF stoled the software, you may want to read this before anyone gets excited:

http://www.gunowners.org/a101708.htm

[aWolverine]

“Oh! Oh my! Look what we have ‘ere, guv. Seems dee ol’ eelectronical form you filled out is rife wif falsehoods ‘n errors, me ol’ chum. Off ta da pokey wif ya, me lad. You are nicked!”

[Myrddin]

Gun registration. An online database of all the form 4473 instead of a paper copy at the FFL. Sure, the ATF has always had the ability to collect the paper copies, but they didn't have the authorization to make a computerized database out of them.

I received an e-mail from Guns America today warning that you should consider selling any guns you don't want to keep forever. They anticipate the end of the ability to sell at gun shows. You'll be forced to see via a dealer with a 30% hit on your price to pay the dealer.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

The only concern anyone has is that the government will be able to build a database of gun owners. Guess what? They already have that power. It’s called the insta check where you have to give all of your information for a background check. They don’t need this to build the government database of all gun owners.

This sounds like a good idea when you consider how many gun store owners are put out of business due to these fines and investigations by the ATF over unreadable and incomplete paperwork. If the gun store owners are for it, I’m for it.

[Lurker]

Officials emphasized that the use of the new software is voluntary

For now it is....

L

[P8riot]

My days of filling out 4473s are over. I have all the guns I need (less than I want), but I will do nothing but personal transactions from now on.

[Roklok]

This is designed to create a database of gunowners. The first thing I would ask a dealer is “Are you using the online 4473 form?” If the answer is yes, I would go to another dealer for my purchase.

[mad_as_he$$]

ATF STOLE this from some developers.

[SFC Chromey]

Roger that! Govt thievery at work in so many ways.

[DocH]

Remember...

When the JBT's come to take your guns and 2A rights away...

Head shots.

[Eagle Eye]

and finding a way to reduce them has been a priority for the agency and the industry, Sullivan said.

Don't they mean ... and finding a way to EXPLOIT them has been a priority for the agency and the industry...

[Centurion2000]

bump

[Jim Noble]

Is there a form to run the all-night machine gun at RFK stadium?

You know, like the lamppost permit used to be?

[LearsFool]

"I think many people will see it as a very useful tool," Sullivan said.

Much like Mr. Sullivan himself.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Officials emphasized that the use of the new software is voluntary and that the data entered on the form are not being used to create any sort of government database of gun ownership.