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When I picked up my can this morning I spoke to the owner of the shop. Supposedly this is Silencer Shop's largest dealer in the country. He told me eForm form 4's have been taking an average of 4 months. I was just shy of 5 months, so in the ballpark I suppose.

But it makes me wonder how some people have gotten approved in 30-90 days. Luck of the draw? State dependent? A lot of praying? WTF is the process? No one seems to know for sure and ATF ain't telling apparently.
My feeling is that the wait has a lot to do with the case load of the local examiners. Some may just not be as busy (or industrious) as others...
 
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My feeling is that the wait has a lot to do with the case load of the local examiners. Some may just not be as busy (or industrious) as others...
I think you may be right. So are examiners assigned specific states? Or are they just assigned randomly? I think it may be by state because over on the huge Reddit thread there was a bunch of people from AZ that were approved in something crazy like 2-4 WEEKS.
 
I think you may be right. So are examiners assigned specific states? Or are they just assigned randomly? I think it may be by state because over on the huge Reddit thread there was a bunch of people from AZ that were approved in something crazy like 2-4 WEEKS.
I know they were assigned to regions at a time, not sure if it is still that way. I used to know the names of a few and which ones you hoped you didn't fall under.
 
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Bought on 10/19/2022 got my e-tax stamp today (6/24/2002)...i think i was caught in the change over normally i was less then 6 months

Dead Air Mask 22 :)
 
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Eventually, the new system will be slower than the old system. Theoretically, electronic systems allow for increased efficiency- each examiner can process more files per day than with the paper system. Some bean counter will see this increased efficiency and reduce staffing. But, being bean counters, the math will not add up and the new electronic system will be worse than the old paper system. Count on it.
I was sitting here thinking the same thing. One of the treads I'm already seeing by the postings here it's starting to take longer and longer for those who e-filed to get approved. In another two to three months, we'll start seeing e-file number creeping upwards to 150-170 days.
 
I don't see any real difference to the consumer between a paper form 4 or e-file form 4in terms of initiating an application. If you used silencer shop or Capital Armory before it's pretty much the same except the additional requirement to certify with someone. The big difference was supposed to be wait times. If that's not going to be the case this whole thing is much ado about nothing plus 8 to 10 months of disruption.
Except the ATF was going e-file whether the public wanted it or not. "3 months to approval" is the marketing department spin.
 
Eventually, the new system will be slower than the old system. Theoretically, electronic systems allow for increased efficiency- each examiner can process more files per day than with the paper system. Some bean counter will see this increased efficiency and reduce staffing. But, being bean counters, the math will not add up and the new electronic system will be worse than the old paper system. Count on it.
Then we start submitting Paper Form 4's again, and getting them back in a month like Form 1's. 🤔
 
May 15th, 2021 check cashed.
June 24, 2022 still pending.

I've never had anything approved in less than 14 months.
 
Then we start submitting Paper Form 4's again, and getting them back in a month like Form 1's. 🤔
Dear Firearms Enthusiast,

Thank you for your interest in ATF form 5320.4.- application to make a firearm. We have received your submission, but regret to inform you that the manual submission process has been superseded by the electronic submission system. You can access the electronic forms a www.eforms.atf.gov. This system promisses to reduce processing time and increase the accuracy of application submissions. Additionally, the improved efficiency of the system has allowed us to redirect resources into previously neglected areas of enforcement. The eForm system has been wildly popular with the public, as evidenced by the ever growing backlog of applications. We realize that the current processing time does not meet the initial expectations of the system, but expect this to normalize as the initial wave of excitement wanes. However, we consider the crushing backlog of submissions to be an important marker of success of the system, and expect the success of the system to grow. Included with this letter is your application, as well as a receipt for your charitable contribution of $200 to the BATFU general fund. We truly appreciate your support.

Sincerely,
ATF Special Agent Sunshine Rainbow Starlight

——————

Except, they won’t send a letter. Your app will either bounce as “return to sender” or get filed in the circular file cabinet.
 
Commonalities:
392 days: “This is bullshit!! FTATF!”
92 days: “This is bullshit! FTATF!”
Haven’t put in yet: “I won’t do it because waiting is bullshit! FTATF! I’m waiting on the HPA… then I won’t have to wait….”
I won’t disagree with any of em. Hell, I was #3 for years…. Good luck to all. Hope you’re approved tomorrow, even though you shouldn’t have to be.
 
Still showing a Tax Stamp in my "Wallet" and approval not found / in progress (Silencer Shop) is where I made my purchase.
That sounds like something got screwed up, I don’t think it’s supposed to do that.
 
I thought you knew something I didn't. Since the e-file system has come about I don't get the SS emails saying check cashed. I get "certified" emails from the ATF now
Yeah and I don't even see approved or pending Form 4s when I log in to eforms. Why aren't they there?
 
That's dumb ass shit. The dealer doesn't need a copy of my form 4, I do. They need the 4473 and not the form 4.

Typical government dumbassery
It was form 3'd to them. It is legally currently theirs even though you own it. It has to be form 4'd to you and until that goes through it is theirs. Basically it is assigned to them because the form 4 is what says it can be given to you.
 
How can you tell if the cash stamp has been cashed?
When you certify is when they "cash" your check. So your certify date is your "cash" date. At least, that's what I was told by the dealer, since you're certifying through the ATF's website.
 
I thought you knew something I didn't. Since the e-file system has come about I don't get the SS emails saying check cashed. I get "certified" emails from the ATF now
I never got an email saying it was "certified". After I certified it with the dealer, I got one from the ATF that says:

"This is to advise you that the status of your eForms submission with the subject Permit/Control number has changed to SUBMITTED/IN PROCESS."

I assume that means it's been certified and is now pending, because on the SS website, it shows that it's been certified, and is now "Awaiting ATF Approval".

Screen Shot 2022-06-26 at 11.54.13 PM.png
 
It was form 3'd to them. It is legally currently theirs even though you own it. It has to be form 4'd to you and until that goes through it is theirs. Basically it is assigned to them because the form 4 is what says it can be given to you.

Ok, so when the form 4 is approved and the 4473 is complete, it's legally mine. Why would it not show up on my eforms after it's been approved and transferred?
 
Ok, so when the form 4 is approved and the 4473 is complete, it's legally mine. Why would it not show up on my eforms after it's been approved and transferred?
They are the one submitting it. They are the seller. It probably should go to both but if it has to go to only one party it should go to them. It's in their possession.

Think about it as if you were the seller. You would want it to go to you or to both at the same time. What would it look like if that person got denied? The government would get confused if it had to go to multiple people at once. Remember bureaucracies are idiots.
 
They are the one submitting it. They are the seller. It probably should go to both but if it has to go to only one party it should go to them. It's in their possession.

Think about it as if you were the seller. You would want it to go to you or to both at the same time. What would it look like if that person got denied? The government would get confused if it had to go to multiple people at once. Remember bureaucracies are idiots.

i get they are idiots, but i think you are defending this too hard.

of the dozen plus hard copy paper filed stamps i have, did my transferring SOT ever make a copy of my Form 4 and keep it for his records?

to my knowledge, thats a no.
 
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i get they are idiots, but i think you are defending this too hard.

of the dozen plus hard copy paper filed stamps i have, did my transferring SOT ever make a copy of my Form 4 and keep it for his records?

to my knowledge, thats a no.
You will receive a copy of the completed form 4, via email, once the application is approved. Until that time, you do not own the silencer. The dealer owns the silencer you paid for. They are the one who filed the form 4. It doesn’t show up on your eforms because you didn’t file it.
 
i get they are idiots, but i think you are defending this too hard.

of the dozen plus hard copy paper filed stamps i have, did my transferring SOT ever make a copy of my Form 4 and keep it for his records?

to my knowledge, thats a no.
Mine does… They scan the approved Form-4 for their own records.
 
I wish we could go ahead and do the form 4 for "can in waiting" then just file the serial number and model of the can when we get it. That way they could do all their bull shit, and take forever, but we could have that crap out of the way for when we want a new can and do it with the speed of a form 3.
 
I wish we could go ahead and do the form 4 for "can in waiting" then just file the serial number and model of the can when we get it. That way they could do all their bull shit, and take forever, but we could have that crap out of the way for when we want a new can and do it with the speed of a form 3.
I’m pretty sure I read somewhere here in the last couple of years about a manufacturer that got rapped on the knuckles by the ATF pretty hard for doing just that.
 
All this complaining isn't making me feel any better about my Magnus SR that will be in jail soon...
 
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All this complaining isn't making me feel any better about my Magnus SR that will be in jail soon...

Hey man… It could be worse! You could’ve been run through the system as an illegal immigrant and denied in 66 days! And then started the process over again…
 
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Hey man… It could be worse! You could’ve been run through the system as an illegal immigrant and denied in 66 days! And then started the process over again…
Oh my, that does sound much worse haha
 
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Oh my, that does sound much worse haha
Yeah dude, it sucked! Bought the mask in late December, certified mid/late January, denied in early April, resubmitted in late April, and here we are.
 
Mine does… They scan the approved Form-4 for their own records.
That's dumb ass shit. The dealer doesn't need a copy of my form 4, I do. They need the 4473 and not the form 4.

Typical government dumbassery

i get they are idiots, but i think you are defending this too hard.

of the dozen plus hard copy paper filed stamps i have, did my transferring SOT ever make a copy of my Form 4 and keep it for his records?

to my knowledge, thats a no.

Your dealer made a copy; it is required to be attached to the 4473 in the dealer’s records. Thats also what lets you not do a background check on that particular 4473.
 
If you're going to wish, why not just go off an approved license like a CCW? Security clearances are renewed every 5 years. You don't reapply every time you access a classified system. If we can extend 5 yrs of trust to Americans accessing our nations secrets you'd think we could do it for a citizen trying to avoid wearing earplugs.

Warning- Rant Ahead!

back in the day when i was still on Facebook and there was the NFA Guns group, about the time they first introduced the HPA, i had some spirited exchanges with the guys with the American Silencer Association (ASA) who claimed they were the main authors and drivers of that bill. Mainly my issue was that their approach was crap and was destined to fail from the beginning, like a failure to launch. Don't misunderstand me, I don't think that silencers should be regulated under the NFA either, but their legislation was NOT going to pass and we would be in the EXACT same place we have been and currently are. My position was removing a tax will raise all sorts of alarm bells with the politicians and we might end up royally screwed if one of those assholes decides to throw some amendment or a separate bill bringing the 1934 $200 tax in line with the current value of the dollar and inflation. A tax on firearms absolutely violates the 2nd amendment, but I didnt think removing it would be something any of the politicians would go for.

But wait, because of Obama and 41F, we are worse off (those of us with trusts, but I get it eliminated CLEO permission for individuals). It was being pushed and lobbied for as something completely different, i think it was 41P and id have to revisit what it would really have done, but the ATF baited and switched us hard. My opinion is that we should have and should be taking incremental bites to get outcomes we want instead of the homerun/hail mary that the HPA was. So now we are in the exact same position ( minus removing the CLEO signoff in 41F) that we were in 10-20-30 years ago.

We and they (the ASA) should have tried for something much less cumbersome. Like all FFL/SOT dealers have stamps available and unassigned, on hand, just like the Federal Duck Stamps, so that suppressors and Form 4s can be completed at the dealer and issued immediately. The receiving person gets run through the NICS, or bypasses it in the instance of State CHL, etc. Each person uses their eforms dashboard, they log-in with their password, dealer has a place on your dashboard to enter his code and password to enter all the information needed on the transfer and the can, its "certified", the entering into the system alerts and updates the registery with the NFA. and the person walks out the door with their can within the hour.

i am disappointed something similar to this has not been pushed harder by our industry partners and those within the gun lobby. especially since the concept of eforms has been around for about 8-9 years now.
 
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Filed - ATF states Form 4 for TBAC Ultra 7 was received 26 May 21 (we actually did it on the 16th but....this is the government).
Approved - 20 Jun 2022 (although this was a Fed holiday....I'm not arguing)
Stamp Rec by FFL - 28 Jun 2022

AND, if I didn't engage my Fed Senator's office and bang on the FBI, my NICS check would still be sitting there on Delay and my Form 4 would still be pending...apparently until the end of time or someone moved the box of donuts what was sitting on my NICS check transaction. sigh

She's (FFL) out today and I have some errands to run too so will pick up tomorrow.

vu0oda433d471.jpg
 
Filed - ATF states Form 4 for TBAC Ultra 7 was received 26 May 21 (we actually did it on the 16th but....this is the government).
Approved - 20 Jun 2022 (although this was a Fed holiday....I'm not arguing)
Stamp Rec by FFL - 28 Jun 2022

AND, if I didn't engage my Fed Senator's office and bang on the FBI, my NICS check would still be sitting there on Delay and my Form 4 would still be pending...apparently until the end of time or someone moved the box of donuts what was sitting on my NICS check transaction. sigh

She's (FFL) out today and I have some errands to run too so will pick up tomorrow.

vu0oda433d471.jpg

That’s funny, mines dated the 19th…a Sunday. Maybe they’re working from home?
 
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Hey man… It could be worse! You could’ve been run through the system as an illegal immigrant and denied in 66 days! And then started the process over again…
Those are rookie numbers. Mine was declined for a dealer error at the the 88 day mark, then took another 18 days to get back to day 1. On the bright side, my traditional form 4 still has a chance to beat the eform.
 
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Just called.
Paper form 4. 2rp trust.
Approved 6/27/22
Elapsed time from cash date 385 days.

Will update more when I get the call from my dealer.
 
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Finally got my email stating my form 4 was approved.

Purchased: 4/2/21
Stamp dated: 6/19/22

I’ll be getting it this Friday. 🖕🏾🖕🏾🖕🏾 That’s for all you 90 day e-filer’s
My check was cashed 5 days after you purchased. Here's hoping mine gets approved soon