BATFE and the Shutdown, affecting you?

T

Tucker 1371

New member
I'm waiting on form 6 import paperwork for a Blckfeather RS for my M1a to get processed and they're not answering their phones, at 2pm on a Wednesday and Thursday. I'm pretty sure BATFE processing on paperwork has ceased for just about everything.

Anybody else feeling the effects of the shutdown in a FIREARMS RELATED way?

Please, only firearms related posts, I'd like for this not to get locked.
 
I went with a friend to buy a rifle yesterday evening. There were no problems with the NICS check, and no particular delay.

[Mod hat on] I'll back up Tucker's request: we'll close this at the first hint of politics. Just sayin' :)
 
SHHHHHHH! We shouldn't talk about this or the current Administration might figure out this is a way to tweak the anti-(anti-gunners).
 
Good to hear NICS is still running, I had wondered about that myself. I am somewhat surprised NICS wasn't deemed nonessential though and the rest of the FBI spared.
 
As guardians of our freedom, the KGB FBI never sleeps. Law enforcement is considered essential service and isn't subject to sequester.
 
I am somewhat surprised NICS wasn't deemed nonessential though and the rest of the FBI spared.
-Tucker 1371
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that NICS is also used for many pre-employment type background checks. I know many of them go through the FBI and don't see any fathomable reason they'd have multiple search systems. Just have to look at the results to see what types of infractions matter depending on the reason for the check.

That is why NICS itself would be considered essential even if they did break down individual areas of the FBI, but the whole operation isn't affected since it's law enforcement.
 
^Gotcha, that makes sense now, one check system for everything.... Probably why I didn't guess it, usually our Govt avoids things that make sense like the plague.

The ATF imports branch now has a message explaining that they are not accepting calls due to the shutdown, but not if they are continuing to process paperwork or not.
 
Although the FBI and ATF are considered as performing "essential services," it wouldn't at all surprise me if at some point the government determined that background checks for civilian purchase of firearms and transfers of machine guns etc., isn't "ESSENTIAL."
 
it wouldn't at all surprise me if at some point the government determined that background checks for civilian purchase of firearms and transfers of machine guns etc., isn't "ESSENTIAL."
Click to expand...

My understanding is that if the NICS check doesn't definitively state the transfer is prohibited once called in, that the Dealer may make the transfer after waiting 3 business days. In other words, if NICS is not available, there would be a good argument to be made that, so long as the dealer tried to call it in, wait the 3 days and do the transfer anyway might be compliant. I'm not saying this is fact - just a possibility. You would really have to dig into the NICS background check regulations to figure this out.

In any event, should dealers decide to do this, it would be a huge mess for BATFE. Probably not something they want to mess around with.
 
f NICS is not available, there would be a good argument to be made that, so long as the dealer tried to call it in, wait the 3 days and do the transfer anyway might be compliant.
Click to expand...
Nope. The dealer has to get a transaction number and initial status from NICS before the three-day period begins.

That said, NICS is an essential service. Folks can speculate all they want, but it's not getting shut down.
 
Duh, right. Essential services, and all that.
Click to expand...

Whenever our state government wants additional money, they threaten to shut-down essential services as a means of getting voters to approve. "If you don't pass this, there won't be any police, fire, or ambulance service!"
 
Anyone know how to find out what BATFE is doing paperwork wise? I think nothing is a safe assumption but I seem to remember a saying about making those...
 
Yeah, all BATFE transfer forms for NFA items are in limbo. Not only does this mean that Form 1s and 4s are stopped and the paperwork is just piling up, but the Form 3s required to ship a suppressor between manufacturers, distributors, and dealers are on hold too. So no dealers are getting any new suppressors in. And the Form 3s were taking about 3 months BEFORE the government shut down.

All this means is that if you're buying an NFA item now, it's even more important to buy one that the dealer already has in stock.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top