Aguila Blanca
Staff
Things have a way of changing. Like the 4473.
The 2005 edition enters the firearm type in question 18, which is in Part B - to be filled out by the transferor (seller). The only choices are "Handgun," Long gun," and "Both."
The next edition I have a copy of is from October, 2016. The type question has moved to Question 16, and the choices are "Handgun," "Long Gun (rifles or shotguns)," and "Other Firearm (frame, receiver, etc. See instructions for Question 16.)"
So if we look at the instructions for Question 16 (again, from the 2016 edition), we find the following:
I try to keep up with the changes to the 4473, but I only started that fairly recently. I'm sure there are big gaps in my collection, especially since the earliest I have is from 2005.
The 2005 edition enters the firearm type in question 18, which is in Part B - to be filled out by the transferor (seller). The only choices are "Handgun," Long gun," and "Both."
The next edition I have a copy of is from October, 2016. The type question has moved to Question 16, and the choices are "Handgun," "Long Gun (rifles or shotguns)," and "Other Firearm (frame, receiver, etc. See instructions for Question 16.)"
So if we look at the instructions for Question 16 (again, from the 2016 edition), we find the following:
So in just over a decade, the declaration of firearm type went from a choice of handgun, long gun, or both ... to handgun, long gun, or neither. That may not seem like a big deal but, as we are seeing today, it's HUGE.Question 16. Type of firearm(s) "Other" refers to frames, receivers and other firearms that are neither handguns nor long guns (rifles or shotguns), such as firearms having a pistol grip that expel a shotgun shell, or National Firearms Act (NFA) firearms, including silencers.
I try to keep up with the changes to the 4473, but I only started that fairly recently. I'm sure there are big gaps in my collection, especially since the earliest I have is from 2005.