Gunsmith Kurt Derwort Cleaning an AR-15
Buzz Hayes Photo

The short answer is “no.” The NSSF recently wrote, “when a customer takes a firearm in for cleaning or for a quick repair, if the firearm is cleaned or repaired and returned to the customer the same day, it does not need to be logged into the A&D record and an ATF Form 4473 is not required to be completed.” According to the ATF, “the firearms acquisition and disposition (A&D) record, also known as a ‘bound book,’ is a permanently bound book or an orderly arrangement of loose-leaf pages, which must be maintained at the business premises. The format must follow that prescribed in the regulations and the pages must be numbered consecutively.”

If the firearm must be kept overnight or longer, the FFL must log the firearm into the A&D record. If the owner of the gun (the same person who brought the firearm in for cleaning) picks up the firearm, no 4473 is required, according to the NSSF. However, if another person picks up the firearm on the owner’s behalf, they must then complete a 4473 and undergo a background check, simply to pick up their friend’s or family member’s gun.

In this case, the person picking up the gun would leave question 21.a. of the 4473 blank, as the instructions state. That question is, “Are you the actual transferee/buyer of all of the firearm(s) listed on this form and any continuation sheet(s) (ATF Form 5300.9A)?”

20 COMMENTS

  1. “But in the case of picking the gun up as a favor, you are safe in answering this correctly as no money is changing hands, thus you are not making what is considered a straw purchase.”

    This is dangerous misinformation. Money does not need to change hands in a straw purchase. The offense is in falsely answering “yes” to 21.a. when you are not the actual transferee, and are receiving the transfer on behalf of someone else. (Bona-fide gifts are excepted.)

    • And you are correct KB. After posting, I got thinking more about that last part too and seeing your comment decided to circle back with a firearms attorney I know, and he said you can and should just leave that line blank in that situation. So, I’ve stricken the last sentence in the initially posted article so the information is legally accurate. And, as a matter of practice, it’s probably best to always just pick your gun back up yourself. That way there are no forms to deal with. Thanks for your input. It was helpful.

      • Considering the ignorance I’ve encountered in local guns stores, and the ignorance in what they have claimed AFT inspectors have told them, I’d be quite surprised if they would proceed if someone left that blank.

  2. Wow. What gunsmith these days can offer a one day turnaround? I have to leave stuff for several weeks!

  3. Why would an FFL remove the serial number of a firearm? Asking for TTAG from another recent article

    • They wouldn’t, that’s why the guy was arrested (if you’re referring to the baseball player article). He also wasn’t an FFL. There are serial number requirements in place should a licensed manufacturer create their own firearms (seperate from those made by individuals for personal use). The only circumstance I can imagine off the top of my head where an FFL might happen to destroy a serial # would be while destroying a serialized receiver per the ATF guidelines:

      “Use an oxy/acetylene torch (not band sawed)
      Must remove at least ¼ inch of metal per cut
      Must be made at angles and completely sever the receiver in at least 3 critical locations (specified by model)”

      Regarding licensed manufacturers:
      https://regulations.atf.gov/478-92/2019-24301

      Regarding altered/obliterated serial #’s:
      https://regulations.atf.gov/478-34/2023-01001

  4. ATF/Prog/marxist objective of a 100% record of ownership would say that YES anything crossing the threshold of an FFL must be logged/4473.

  5. I could be wrong, but I think there’s an exception if you leave the firearm for repair and it doesn’t leave the premise. I can’t keep up.

  6. Does an FFL make enough money to put up with all the BATFE bullshit?
    And why is Firearmns listed under the same bureau that regulates Alcohol and Tobacco.
    William Clinton’s “Sin Tax”
    Dirt Bikes are Evil

    • Try it in California where you have a the state paperwork. DROS, Dealer Record of Sale. Also FSC Firearm Safety Certificate good only for 5 years. One benefit off a CCW is you don’t need that and are exempt from the safety / function demonstration.

  7. When it’s the only FFL and you’ve decided that you can’t be owner enough to clean your own gun then you submit to whatever the FFL says is required. Wether it actually is or not.

    This is one of those more ridiculous kinda questions.

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