ATF requests public comments on firearm application form

Examiner – by David Codrea

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives released a 60-day notice on Wednesday requesting comments on a proposed change to its Application to Make and Register a Firearm, Form Number: ATF F 1 (5320.1). The notice is published in the Federal Register for Monday, July 22, available online now.

“The form is used by persons applying to make and register a firearm that falls within the purview of the National Firearms Act,” the notice explains. “The information supplied by the applicant on the form helps to establish the applicant’s eligibility.  

Enacted by Congress in 1934, the National Firearms Act, per ATF, “imposed a tax on the making and transfer of firearms defined by the Act, as well as a special (occupational) tax on persons and entities engaged in the business of importing, manufacturing, and dealing in NFA firearms. The law also required the registration of all NFA firearms with the Secretary of the Treasury. Firearms subject to the 1934 Act included shotguns and rifles having barrels less than 18 inches in length, certain firearms described as ‘any other weapons,’ machineguns, and firearm mufflers and silencers.

“While the NFA was enacted by Congress as an exercise of its authority to tax, the NFA had an underlying purpose unrelated to revenue collection,” the ATF overview continues. “As the legislative history of the law discloses, its underlying purpose was to curtail, if not prohibit, transactions in NFA firearms.”

The proposed application form changes should expand revenue collection options, and it could be argued it will facilitate, rather than curtail transactions.

“The changes to the form are to allow applicants to pay the transfer tax by credit or debit card, combine information currently captured on another form, and the form size is now 81⁄2″ x 14″,” the proposed change notice advises.

The current form, last revised in September 2007, can be accessed at ATF’s website.

“Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected agencies concerning the proposed collection of information are encouraged,” the notice solicits, citing “four points” to be addressed concerning information necessity, utility and quality, and the burden such collection will entail.

Comments will be accepted until September 20, 2013 and can be sent to Gary Schaible, National Firearms Act Branch at Gary.Schaible@atf.gov.

“If additional information is required,” the notice concludes, “contact: Jerri Murray, Department Clearance Officer, Policy and Planning Staff, Justice Management Division, Department of Justice, Two Constitution Square, 145 N Street NE., Room 3W– 1407B, Washington, DC 20530.”

Acknowledging that questions such as “What part of “shall not be infringed’ don’t you understand?” and “Where in the Constitution do you or Congress presume to get the authority to enforce any kind of ‘gun control’?” would be valid comments from the perspective of founding intent, Gun Rights Examiner nonetheless feels compelled to pass this information along to inform readers of this development, and to give those whose activities are impacted — admittedly a relatively small (but important) segment of gun owners — a heads-up to voice their concerns.

Having extensively documented the way someone who publicly took a purist approach wastreated by the “justice” system, and having noted an almost universal lack of concern and support from the “gun activist” community, sharing this information can help in understanding rules and risks.

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http://www.examiner.com/article/atf-requests-public-comments-on-firearm-application-form