Loved the mail today!!!

Instead of the usual arrangement of bills and junk mail, I got a nifty little letter today from the ATF. I was kind of nervous because I'd totally forgot that I'd sent in the application.. Only took 9 frigging months.... but my C&R arrived!!!

I'm not kidding, I clean forgot about sending in the application, it had been so long, so it came as a pretty nice surprise to open up the envelope to see an FFL inside.

I know, no big deal, everyone has one, yadda yadda... but it feels good to have an FFL again, even if it's "only" a C&R.

Now when people ask me why I have all these guns, I can sit there, in my smoking jacket, tamp a nice pipe, and say in a distinguished voice "why, my dear lad, I'm a collector of fine curios and relics of war!"

Ok that's enough dry humor for one night.

(But I'm still happy)

Maybe, dunno.

I *really* need to start selling off some of the stuff I don't shoot or want, I'm out of room. My latest acquisitions take up a HELL of a lot more safe room...

Don't be surprised if you see some stuff go up for sale on THR in the coming weeks as I "thin the herd".

The delay is because I had an arrest on record for domestic battery when I was 18. I had to get paperwork indicating I'd never been charged with the crime, to show proper disposition. (Family member attacked me with a knife, I took them down a bit "hard" - was arrested but released without charge).

I had the same delays, for the same reason, when I applied for a full dealer FFL in 05. Took just under a year to get it issued last time. Evidently, they didn't keep (or didn't care) that they had the original paperwork showing I was clean this time around, had to repeat the whole process.

"Can't pick your family"

Anyway, this gets better -

Effective January 1st, 2013 that C&R exempts me from Illinois laws on SBR's. *IF* my Sheriff will sign off on form1's, I can finally get that nasty long barrel the heck off of my PS90/FS2000, and build up shorty AR15's..

Yup, it allows you to buy C&R eligible guns and skip the FFL/4473 process. You can have those guns shipped straight to your house. You are your own "gun dealer" essentially for historic arms - you have to keep bound books on firearms you acquire this way just like a dealer does.

There are .. OTHER... advantages in certain states.

I applied a long time ago when I saw the bill submitted for the SBR clause. With a MAJOR anti-gun governor in office here, I figured it had a snowball's chance in hell of passing.

When it did, AND he signed it.. well, let's just say the bad people downstairs are getting a bit of good weather.

Axel;

Not familiar with enough states to know.

The conversation with the Sheriff went really well yesterday, our Sheriff has testified twice in Springfield on the pro-side of a concealed carry bill. He's all for 2A rights.

Today I talked to the States Attorney on the phone, trying to feel him out on the issue. (He can also sign Form1 / Form4). Didn't get as good of a read from him. He wouldn't commit to an answer until he'd researched the bill (he hadn't heard of the public act, so I forwarded him the info over e-mail). In particular, I wanted to make sure he was reading the act the same way I was reading it - that C&R holders can possess barrels of under 16" AND have rifles which are under 26". (Re-enactors are also exempt from SBR now in IL, if they're a member of a nationally recognized reenactment group, BUT they still have to have rifles over 26" in overall length).

The difference is HUGE as I intend on converting both a PS90 and FS2000 to SBR, and they'll fall well under 26" overall length when completed.

The other aspect of talking to both the Sheriff and States Attorney directly is so they can make THEIR people aware that SBR's are legal in certain circumstances after January 1. Don't want to get pulled over on the way to the range and arrested with felony charges, when I'm not really breaking the law. So hopefully the information will trickle down and they'll notify their officers.

Yes, Carl is correct.

This is an Illinois specific thing. Effective Jan 1, 2013, a C&R license allows you to own SBR's here in Illinois (and not just C&R SBR's!)

Normally, a C&R license allows you to just order old firearms and have them shipped to your house. Mosin Nagants, old Enfields, etc.

SOME states allow full auto possession, but ONLY for C&R holders and ONLY for C&R eligible machineguns. Connecticut is this way, I believe.

State law varies.

If you're in to collecting old guns, or your state has peculiar laws that make C&R's more functional than that, it's worthwhile. Heck, I'd recommend it for anyone, just for the convenience of ordering collectible weapons straight to your doorstep without FFL involvement. Usually ONE such transfer is enough to offset the costs of transferring through an FFL.

When you live 1+ hours round trip away from your closest LGS, like I do, having stuff shipped to your doorstep is a VERY good thing.

(Heck, I can't even get PIZZA delivered to my house!)

Ahh ok. I thought there was a C&R only machinegun state somewhere.

Too many flipping laws to keep track of!