Additional ATF forms for purchasing multiple firearms?

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Dan Forrester

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I’m looking to purchase a few striped AR15 lowers for some extra uppers I have laying around but I have heard there is additional ATF paperwork (scrutiny) this will subject an individual to.

I’m not afraid of filling out ATF forms as I’m a pretty serious NFA collector. I’m just curious what this is all about. A quick google search came up with a bunch of conflicting information.

Thanks, Dan
 
If you're looking for a few uppers and lowers then you as the purchaser are only filling out the 4473 for the lowers.

Dealers in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico must submit a multiple disposition form to the ATF and their local LE agency when a single person purchases two or more rifles with a detachable magazine in a caliber larger than .223 within 5 business days. It's nothing new, that's been a requirement for a few years now for dealers in those particular border states.

Here the exact verbiage from the ATF Form 3310.12.
This form is to be used by licensees to report all transactions in which an unlicensed person acquired, at one time or during five consecutive business days, two or more semi-automatic rifles larger than .22 caliber (including .223/5.56 caliber) with the ability to accept a detachable magazine.

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/f...er-disposition-certain-rifles-atf-form-331012

I will say as an FFL holder in Texas, straw purchasing is a thing and guns do get sent down south. In 10 years I've had one customer tell me that he received a visit from the ATF about after buying several AR's. He didn't talk to them and basically told them to kick rocks and that was the end of that.
 
Well I guess since I live in Florida this doesn’t even apply to me. And even if it did it doesn’t sound like any big deal.

Not planning any huge purchase. Just three lowers. As cheap as striped lowers are these days I figure might as well have one for every upper I own as a hedge against a possible future ban.

I appreciate the information.

Thanks, Dan
 
My county requires an additional form be sent to the Sheriff if you purchase more than one gun in a 10 day period. There's no need for approval, just information sent. It may be a state law. It's not federal.

It's a lot easier process than getting HER to go along with multiple gun purchases :(
 
I’m looking to purchase a few striped AR15 lowers for some extra uppers I have laying around but I have heard there is additional ATF paperwork (scrutiny) this will subject an individual to.

I’m not afraid of filling out ATF forms as I’m a pretty serious NFA collector. I’m just curious what this is all about. A quick google search came up with a bunch of conflicting information.

Thanks, Dan
You heard wrong.
When purchasing AR lowers, the only federal "paperwork" that is involved is the Form 4473. You could buy one or a thousand.....its only one form.

When acquiring more than one HANDGUN from the same dealer in any five business day period, the dealer is required to complete a Multiple Sale of Handgun form and send a copy to ATF and his local LE. Dealers in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California have to submit a Multiple Sale of Certain Rifle form when transferring more than one semiautomatic centerfire rifle, greater than .22cal, that accepts a detachable magazine.

I don't know where you are Googling, but ATF.gov has all the answers.
 
When acquiring more than one HANDGUN from the same dealer in any five business day period, the dealer is required to complete a Multiple Sale of Handgun form and send a copy to ATF and his local LE. Dealers in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California have to submit a Multiple Sale of Certain Rifle form when transferring more than one semiautomatic centerfire rifle, greater than .22cal, that accepts a detachable magazine.

I had this happen to me. Bought 3 commemorative handguns and a few weeks later I had a pair of ATF agents asking to speak to me on my college campus. To my university's credit, they offered me their retained attorney in case I wanted or needed representation. I spoke with the agents and as soon as I said they were "commemorative" they started to pack up their paperwork. They did take up my offer to see the pictures I took of the engraving.
 
I had this happen to me. Bought 3 commemorative handguns and a few weeks later I had a pair of ATF agents asking to speak to me on my college campus. To my university's credit, they offered me their retained attorney in case I wanted or needed representation. I spoke with the agents and as soon as I said they were "commemorative" they started to pack up their paperwork. They did take up my offer to see the pictures I took of the engraving.
A few years ago a customer who was out of the US for three months kept himself busy buying guns. When he returned I had ten pistols for him. I half jokingly told him ATF would probably be at his door first thing in the morning. They didn't show up until the day after. He invited them in, happy to show off his collection. He said one was really into guns, the other looked bored. They said they would make note that he was a collector and not bother him again.

ATF investigates multiple purchases because they are looking for buyers who are reselling guns. Buy five Colt Pythons in a week and they don't get out of their chair. Buy five Jenning/Hi Points/Davis/Ravens at once.......hide your dog.:what:

I received five Ruger LCP's on Saturday that are destined to be Christmas presents to my customers employees.....I'm pretty sure he'll get a visit.

BTW.....you do not have to speak to the agent, answer questions or even answer the door. While I'm sure they have other things to investigate, they are looking for those who buy and resell guns illegally. Rightly or wrongly, Congress believed the bad guys only buy guns from their favorite FFL, which means a multiple sale report. Of course the bad guys would never think about buying five guns from five different licensed dealers to avoid the report. Would they?:rofl:
 
ATF investigates multiple purchases because they are looking for buyers who are reselling guns. Buy five Colt Pythons in a week and they don't get out of their chair. Buy five Jenning/Hi Points/Davis/Ravens at once.......hide your dog.:what:

In my case it was 2 XDs and a Para 1911. All in 45ACP. And I used my university address on the 4473. I spoke with the ATF out of courtesy. They were really nice guys. And we talked more about recreational guns instead of legalities of such. There was an active investigation on that campus of a different student accepting firearms as payment for tutoring. So I understood their investigation to see if I was involved. Said student ended up serving prison time.
 
I must be really lucky.

There have been three times I've bought three handguns at one time. I've never received a visit from the BATFE.
 
I must be really lucky.

There have been three times I've bought three handguns at one time. I've never received a visit from the BATFE.
In ten years and hundreds of multiple sale of handgun reports, only three of my customers have told me they were visited by ATF.....so your experience is probably not lucky, but ordinary.

I would guess that checking up on multiple sales is a pretty low priority, even more so depending on the firearms being acquired.
 
Hopefully that was where you were actually residing, otherwise its a felony.

It was. Made it easiest for the ATF to find me for the interview.

That's perfectly legal.

The student was a prohibited person. For one he has a misdemeanor DV conviction. For another he was a foreign exchange student who was caught trying to ship the firearms overseas. I believe he was from Kenya.
 
Well this probably doesn’t get said too often on these forms but good on the ATF for catching that guy. Hopefully he got banished back to Kenya never to return!

And good on you herrwalther for being courteous when the ATF showed up.

Dan
 
What always "amazed" me with the multiple gun form is that it only applies if the guns are purchased at the same place. Now nothing stops Guss Gun Buyer from buying one gun at one store, go down the street buy one at another store etc etc.??

At my favorite shop I knwe of two guys that would buy everything on "layaway" then over weeks they would pick on up, flip it , then pick up another etc etc. Most where then held untill a gun show came around and he would set up tables. The ATF finally nailed him and the other guy but took YEARS
 
I must be really lucky.

There have been three times I've bought three handguns at one time. I've never received a visit from the BATFE.
I personally have purchased online and had transferred as many as 5 or 6 at one time. My FFL discounts multiple serials... For one example, when S&W had the Shield rebates which had them selling for $220, I purchased 4. I've put Over 2.5 grand worth of firearms on layaway (3 handguns and 1 "assault rifle/pistol), and never had a issue. More recently, PSA had a 3 stripped lows and a Taurus G2C deal for $220... Done this throughout the years, and never had anyone knocking at my door... Even if I did, I'd tell them to go kick rocks..
 
What always "amazed" me with the multiple gun form is that it only applies if the guns are purchased at the same place. Now nothing stops Guss Gun Buyer from buying one gun at one store, go down the street buy one at another store etc etc.??
That’s because there’s no way to apply it to multiple stores using our current system. The responsibly is on the dealer to report multiple transfers of handguns to the same person that occur within a certain period. A dealer has no way of knowing what handguns that person received from any other dealers within that time period.
 
That’s because there’s no way to apply it to multiple stores using our current system. The responsibly is on the dealer to report multiple transfers of handguns to the same person that occur within a certain period. A dealer has no way of knowing what handguns that person received from any other dealers within that time period.
Well ya,:uhoh: I think we have figured that out. Which is why it is so ridiculous.
 
Well ya,:uhoh: I think we have figured that out. Which is why it is so ridiculous.
I suppose. But keep in mind that it’s simply the ATF trying to track a certain percent of multiple sales in the only way possible within the confines of the current system. The ATF realizes they can’t track all multiple handgun sales, but they’re content to be able to track some. I don't see that as being ridiculous, I just see it as them being realistic.
 
I suppose. But keep in mind that it’s simply the ATF trying to track a certain percent of multiple sales in the only way possible within the confines of the current system. The ATF realizes they can’t track all multiple handgun sales, but they’re content to be able to track some. I don't see that as being ridiculous, I just see it as them being realistic.

The ATF a Government agency, "being realistic"?? Priceless.!:)
 
The ATF a Government agency, "being realistic"?? Priceless.!:)
So if you were in the ATF and you were tasked to track multiple handgun sales, what would you do differently? How would you improve the current system that you say is “ridiculous” because it doesn’t track multiple sales from different dealers?
 
So if you were in the ATF and you were tasked to track multiple handgun sales, what would you do differently? How would you improve the current system that you say is “ridiculous” because it doesn’t track multiple sales from different dealers?

Voter Democrat and ban all firearms Have a nice day.
 
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