Latest Class III: Guesses on Wait Time

[173rdABN]

I submitted mine August 30th and have yet to get it back. Check was cashed 9 days after being sent, but not a single word about it since. Rolling up on 6 months now...

[Dolomite_supafly]

I submitted mine August 30th and have yet to get it back. Check was cashed 9 days after being sent, but not a single word about it since. Rolling up on 6 months now...

Have you called to make sure everything is going well?

May want to do that. It doesn't slow down the process for you or anybody else. They have a few secretaries and their job is to answer the phone and give updates.

Dolomite

[Lumber_Jack]

Can we read into this. Are lead times gonna grow as election fears loom?

[Capbyrd]

I wouldn't read too much into it. Demand has been steadily increasing over the past couple of years. Plus, the restructuring last year and retired examiners left them short staffed. They had to bring in replacements from different divisions.

The election isn't the root cause here.

[Il Duce]

someone on m4carbine was talking to someone at the branch about the delays and that person stated that replacements are 5 years behind.

[Lumber_Jack]

Makes me wish I had the cash to start mine. I hope it never gets beyond 12 months wait. But I fear it might.

[Dolomite_supafly]

someone on m4carbine was talking to someone at the branch about the delays and that person stated that replacements are 5 years behind.

What type of replacement?

If a person doesn't have copies then they are asking for problems. All you get is a copy of your original that they sent in the first place. You never get a real stamp as a replacement.

I have numerous copies. Some are full size, some are CC sized and some are laminated 1/2 scale. I have a copy in every bag that might make it to the range.

Dolomite

[Lumber_Jack]

What type of replacement?

If a person doesn't have copies then they are asking for problems. All you get is a copy of your original that they sent in the first place. You never get a real stamp as a replacement.

I have numerous copies. Some are full size, some are CC sized and some are laminated 1/2 scale. I have a copy in every bag that might make it to the range.

Dolomite

I think he was referring to personnel replacements, not being up to par. But I could be wrong

Edited February 5, 2012 by Lumber_Jack

[Guest Jon L]

Can we read into this. Are lead times gonna grow as election fears loom?

I think we can expect times to grow due to the death of the LEO sign off. It was passed that you no longer need a leo sign off, but hasn't been put into effect yet. Once that happens, I feel alot more people will send in forms since the dont have to visit their local CLEO.

Them chaning the examiners around piss me off. Suzanne Santamaria approved a form 4 for me in 2 months door to door last year.

Now, the entire states of AL,FL, and TN have Albert lamberger as the examiner.

Edit: Just re-read some of the thread and some of this was covered, Still pisses me off.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Jon L

[Slpeod]

So today I called to check on my Form 1, I sent it on the 20th of Jan and it was delivered USPS priority on the 30th (wow). So watching the acct waiting for the check to clear and after 10 days I decided to call today and see if there was a problem.

Well she checked the sn and no results, then the lady asked me if I mailed it to the address on the form, me: yes to WV just like the form said. Then she told me that I should have sent it to Atlanta because they must forward any paperwork they receive to Atlanta where the bank is; to be financially processed before they can proceed with the application.

She told me to call back in March to check the status.....

[Capbyrd]

It won't go pending until about a month after the check is cashed. Wait for the check to clear and then call 4 weeks later.

[scoutfsu]

Lol you must be new to the NFA. Settle in for the wait. NFA isn't for the impatient. Generally you wait about a month for the check to be cashed/pending. There are no firm times.....lots of people seem to have different timelines for the cashing/pending. But the wait times are pretty accurate. Once it goes pending, you have at least a 5 month wait right now.

[Slpeod]

Lol you must be new to the NFA. Settle in for the wait. NFA isn't for the impatient. Generally you wait about a month for the check to be cashed/pending. There are no firm times.....lots of people seem to have different timelines for the cashing/pending. But the wait times are pretty accurate. Once it goes pending, you have at least a 5 month wait right now.

No, I have a few NFA items actually. Posted the action because of the mailing location experience. That was the first time I had heard that they must send everything to Atl to initiate processing. Within notice of delivery confirmation all my other checks both Form 1 & 4 were posted in my acct within 5 days.

BLUF- If this is now the case we should all be sending everything to Atl and not be wasting more time. Ohh but that would make sense and it is a Federal process after all.

[EMB145]

I mailed my form 4 Jan 11th, . ATF still hasn't cashed the check. I'm hanging my receipt on the fridge door so I don't forget that I purchased a suppressor. It will be like a birthday present when the paperwork gets back.

[scoutfsu]

I thought the ATL thing had been happening for a couple months now.

FWIW, my last stamp was sent at the end of Sept, cashed the 11th of Oct and didn't go pending until 21 Oct.

[Climber]

I hit the 5 month waiting mark this week and called today and was told that the wait is "at least 6 months". Three months ago I was told that I could expect approval in 5 months. I'm hoping that by the end of the year I will have my new can!!!!

Went pending in early September.

[Capbyrd]

On arfcom and nfatracker, Lamberger seems to be approving forms that went pending in the first week and a half of September. My pending date is Sep 20 and I'm thinking I'll have mine back towards the end of this month.

[Il Duce]

Pending Oct 4th so Im expecting 2nd week of March

[Lances4803]

Update from NFACTA Town Hall Meeting at SHOT. Talks about delyas and something I had not heard, import barrels have to be torch cut now, not drilled:

SHOT Show 2012 – ATF Town Hall Meeting and NFATCA Meeting – Dealers and Manufacturers Take Notice

January 20, 2012

The ATF Town Hall meeting was held on Wednesday, January 18, 2012, and the NFATCA meeting was held tonight. While there was nothing earth shattering from the Town Hall meeting, there were some very interesting issues that were discussed at the NFATCA meeting.

With regards to the ATF Town Hall, the big issue discussed was the impending changes to the residency requirements for an alien. On December 22, 2012, the ATF issued an open letter to all FFLs regarding changes to its interpretation of of the residency requirement for aliens. Currently, 27 CFR 478.11 provides that residency be determined differently for US citizens than for legal aliens. As the letter states, “A U.S. citizen’s State of residence is the State in which he or she is present with the intention of making a home; while an alien is considered a resident of a State if he or she has resided in that State for a period of at least 90 days prior to the date of transfer with the intention of making a home.â€

ATF is now entering into rulemaking to remove the 90-day residency requirement for legal aliens. However, until rulemaking is complete, the current regulation still applies. Nevertheless, ATF stated that no Industry Operations Inspector (IOI) should cite an FFL for not complying with this documentation requirement. Accordingly, if you are cited for an failure to comply with this requirement, contact me immediately to discuss your options.

Also discussed was the fact that all manufacturers will have until April 2nd, 2012 (not April 1, 2012) to file their annual manufacturing report. While ATF will mail you out a copy, if you don’t receive a copy or want to be ahead of the curve, here is a copy of the ATF Form 5300.11. For those who are unaware, you can file this report via email by emailing it to AFMER2@atf.gov. You will receive a confirmation email of their receipt of the form within several days. If you have questions about filling out the 5300.11, most of your questions can be answered here. And yes, even if you did not manufacture a single firearm, you must submit the form.

When the ATF was asked the status of the Chief Law Enforcement Officer signature being removed from the Form 1 and Form 4, ATF would only acknowledge that it was aware of the request, that the request had merit, but that it was still being reviewed internally at ATF and there was absolutely no time frame established for a determination, since even if ATF was in agreement, it would require them to go through rulemaking, which would seem to indicate that we are at least a year away from any change.

The issue of ATF Form 1 and Form 4 processing was also brought up. ATF’s response was that they are under the hiring freeze of the DOJ and while they have attempted to bring in temporary employees and move people around from different departments, due to the increase in NFA applications, the wait time of 4 – 6 months is not likely to change anytime soon.

During the NFATCA meeting, it was disclosed that the ATF, as of last week, has changed its opinion regarding the proper procedure for deactivating a barrel for importation. Previously, ATF issued a letter stating that drilling three holes into the barrel was sufficient. While destroying the functionality of the barrel, it allowed for the barrel to be used in a dummy-gun for a collector, who basically desired a non-functioning replica of a particular firearm. ATF has now announced that it is requiring any such imported barrel to be torch cut in three locations.

Also, ATF has now stated that after having the Department of Justice (DOJ), Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) review 18 U.S.C. § 922, it has been decided by OLC that a manufacture may stockpile as many post-86 machineguns as that manufacturer sees fit; however, only the manufacturer may manufacture the post-86 machinegun. What this means, is that it is no longer acceptable or legal, even if the manufacturer has a variance approving the following, for one manufacturer to manufacture the receiver, register the receiver on a Form 2, and then transfer the receiver on a Form 3 to another manufacturer for completion. The OLC has determined that the only transfer of a post-86 machinegun is to a law enforcement agency. There are clearly other concerning issues with regards to this that I will not address, in the hopes that they have eluded ATF.

Lastly, the NFATCA informed everyone that ATF is under specific direction that anything less than 100% during a compliance inspection must result in some form of administrative action. ATF will be conducting compliance inspections of all dealers within 36 months; the days of not having a compliance inspection for 10 years are a thing of the past.

And that is pretty much all the hot topics from the ATF Town Hall meeting and NFATCA meeting.

[pete]

My YHM 7.62QD just came in.. I filled out the paperwork today and I'm getting in line behind you guys.

[Guest mcdowdjr]

Got a Gemtech Outback IID. Paperwork will probably be sent in tomorrow. I'm taking a number...based on this, the fall should be a good time to shoot quietly.

[dlm37015]

i have had 2 going on 7 months now

[Guest the_accuser]

just got my form 4 approved, took just over 5 months.

[samson7x]

Delivery of my forms to the ATF was confirmed yesterday so I'll be next in line.

[Il Duce]

Approved march 16th