courtesy techcrunch.com

From an email blast (below) forwarded to us by FirearmConcierge, it looks like the ATF’s thrown some extra food at the gerbils busily spinning the wheels in the agency’s back room. That’s right, the beatings have continued long enough now that morale has finally improved. So much so, in fact, that they’ve added ATF Form 1 back to the eForms system. And don’t worry — there’s apparently no truth to the rumor that the DOJ uses IRS-proven email retention protocols to make sure they keep track of pending NFA applications. Keep your fingers crossed, though . . .

From: <[email protected]>
Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Subject: ATF eForms update
To:

Good afternoon:

We are pleased to announce the following updates to the eForms system:

  1. Performance enhancements – We were able to address some of the technical issues.  You will see improvements in the overall performance of the system.
  2. We are able to add the ATF Form 1 back to the eForms system. Our plans are to closely monitor the performance of the system in order to determine if we will be able to add additional forms back to the system.

Below is an update on the status on our processing of paper and electronic NFA applications.  In the future, this information will be available through links on the eForms login screen:

In follow-up to ATF’s letter dated April 16, 2014, regarding the status of the eForms system; this update is being provided to inform the industry of ATF’s progress in addressing eForms and paper NFA applications. To accommodate the substantial increase in application volume that has recently occurred, ATF is working diligently to decrease processing times while continuing to enhance the eForms platform.

What is our progress to date?

From a peak of over 81,000 pending NFA applications at the end of February 2014, as of June 18, 2014, ATF has reduced the number to less than 63,000applications pending (23% reduction in pending applications).  In the last four weeks, although the NFA Branch received over 17,800 applications we processed more than 22,400 applications.

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The statistics in the table below represent the processing of NFA Forms over the past four weeks.

NFA FORMS PROCESSED BY WEEK
Date (Week of) 5/28/2014 6/4/2014 6/11/2014 6/18/2014
All Forms 4,815 5,629 5,635 6,323
eForms 1,199 1,204 1,905 1,682
Paper Forms 3,616 4,425 3,730 4,641

At the same time, ATF has directed additional resources to NFA application processing:

  • There are currently 15 Legal Instrument Examiner (LIE) applicants currently in the background investigation phase of hiring.
  • The use of overtime funding has been authorized for those employees processing NFA applications.
  • ATF has cross-trained LIEs from various other ATF branches to support NFA application processing.  This is an ongoing process and has already beneficially impacted application processing.
  • ATF has dedicated additional data entry contract resources to reduce the time it takes for an application to be entered into the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR). As a result, data entry time has already been reduced from eight weeks to two weeks.

If you have any questions regarding any of the information included in this email, you may contact us through the eForms system by using “Ask the Experts” or by emailing us at eforms.admin_atf.gov.

Thank you for your continued support of eForms.

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41 COMMENTS

  1. So if I just filed for two tax stamps the snail mail route, will this affect me that much?

    • They only cleared 4600 more forms than they received in a month, 22400 processed, 17,800 added to the end of the line. At a static trend line it will take them 13.54(rounded) months to completely clear the remaining 62,277 backlog of forms

      • I don’t think so. They are clearing 5,000+ per week. The current backlog of 60K would be cleared in approx 12 weeks. If you submitted today you’d be number 60,001 and would get processed on the 13th week. It doesn’t matter that during those 12 weeks that 3months*17K other applicants were filed after you.

        I don;t care about the backlog glide slope now if the push trough rate has significantly been increased.

        • My “I don’t think so” is incorrect as respect to fll.tang.halo. The net is 13 month to have a zero backlog but 3-4 months in theory for an authorization from the submittal. In theory after 13 months you’d get approval in 1 week. They will de-staff before that happens.

        • So the quicker the gov’t employee drones process the paperwork the sooner they will be unemployed therefore they will be very speedy and accurate. Or perhaps Obuma will move them to the Mexican border to provide security and nanny help.

          Perhaps they will have the VA assisting with scheduling and processing?

          From Iowa were there are NO CLASS 3

  6. Only the government can justify patting themselves on the back for rising to an even higher level of mediocrity.

    • Every time I try to say “SDN-6” only the phrase “Saker 7.62” comes out of my mouth!

  8. I wonder if the bureaucratic brain can even comprehend the idea that eliminating the whole process (which does nothing to increase safety, fight crime, etc., etc.) would eliminate all delays and reduce government expenses.

        • Thanks, Seth. That’s my plan as well.

          And damn, B. I sure hope my eFile goes quicker than 10 months… but I’m ready for the wait if it does. Not happy about it… but mentally preparing for it.

          Thanks

    • I e-filed another can 2/16/14, and already have my stamp in hand. Should be getting the one from 3/24/14 in about a month. Call your dealer, and ask him WTF is taking so long?

        • 🙂

          Want to hate me a little more? It only took 7 months for the last 3 I purchased, and they were paper filed.
          Bwaaahahahahaha !!!!

          🙂

        • Bwaaahahahaha!!!

          Want to hate me a little more? Welll…….It took my last 3 only 7 months to be approved, and they were paper filed.

          🙂

        • Bwaaahahahaha!!!

          Want to hate me a little more? Welll…….It took my last 3 only 7 months to be approved, and they were paper filed.

          🙂

  13. ATF has cross-trained LIEs from various other ATF branches

    So they have learned something from the IRS after all.

  14. I have a better idea. Let’s file a lawsuit against the U.S. government for violating the common law standard of “innocent until proven guilty”. What am I talking about you ask? ATFe infringes our right to purchase a short barreled rifle until we prove our innocence … which we have to initiate via registration, paying a tax, and then waiting for the ATFe to check us for prior felony convictions.

  15. Progress, at least. Hopefully Form 4 will be back soon. This is typical in software development after a crash. You bring it back online a little at a time to test the load. If it can handle the other forms, then they will put Form 4 back.

  16. Not using the IRS MY ASS!!! I had a cancelation of debt tax that was supposed to be sent to me in 2012 and I never got it. It was for a deal with an auto dealer I traded a car into and they never paid off. The went out of business and manager arrested for fraud. 2 years later after I sent in for my tax stamp. IRS SENDS ME A LETTER I OWE TAXES ON THAT CAR I TRADED. I had to locate and get a written letter from the DA on the case and fax that and a letter explaining the issue that I told the operator on the phone. Now still waiting on my suppressor, that I purchases in Oct. but now waiting over a month on a confirmation letter that I don’t owe the IRS that money. But they did not tell me about this whole issue till I applied for a tax stamp. Hmmmm.

  17. my colleague needed ATF 5310.12 yesterday and was informed of a great service with lots of fillable forms . If you are looking for ATF 5310.12 too , here’s a http://goo.gl/1d5NUC .

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