NFATCA Report: Striving to Level the NFA Playing Field

By Jeff Folloder

We all know that the fancy proposed legislation will have absolutely zero impact on those who are already inclined to break the law and wreak havoc upon our communities.

This article was written in March, just before the start of Spring and daylight savings time. Looking out the window, one would be convinced that Mother Nature has been on a heck of a bender. Hot, cold, wind, rain, snow, sleet, flooding … many times all in the same week! The same “weather pattern” is apparent in our nation’s capital, as a divided government sets about shrill finger-pointing and virtue signaling. And our gun rights (not permissions) are in the crosshairs of the new and old wave of Democrats now in control of the House of Representatives.

Bills are already being rolled out that purport to solve the “gun problem.” We all know that the fancy proposed legislation will have absolutely zero impact on those who are already inclined to break the law and wreak havoc upon our communities. But like stormy weather, there will be predictions, prognostications and pontifications that will likely amount to not much. There will also be screaming and gnashing of teeth within our own community in regard to whose Second Amendment bona fides are the most pure. Now, more than ever, we cannot eat our own.

The mission of the NFATCA has always been to level the playing field to provide more opportunities for more NFA firearm ownership for more people, more often. We engage in constructive dialogue with members of the community on both sides of the fence, and we include the government in our discussions. That is not always a widely accepted stance. So be it. We understand that many of the regulations and legislation pertaining to NFA firearms are patently silly. To put a fine point on it, there are many parts of the NFA that need to just vanish. But that doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen without many parties participating in the dialogue. We aim to keep that dialogue going.

In the meantime, the NFATCA is finally dipping its toes a bit more deeply into the social media waters. We have expanded our presence on Facebook and Instagram. Look us up under the @nfatca tag on either platform. You will find that we are providing many daily posts that feature NFA items, both modern and historical. We’ll inject a bit of humor from time to time and also keep those communities informed on what we feel is important. Make sure to like and follow our pages so that you are always in the loop.

We are still doggedly pursuing our Amnesty Registration efforts. We have an active petition going to help strengthen our demand that the president green-light what is already law. You can add your name to the petition by electronically signing it here: surveymonkey.com/r/LBG PSVB. We also continue to assist our members with their interactions with ATF. We know, all too well, that not every ATF employee has as much training as one would think is required. Application of regulatory authority can be inconsistent, and we are here to help our members achieve favorable outcomes by working with the system, not against it. Further, we know that there are serious burdens placed upon the NFA process. Burdens that were made worse by the government shutdown and burdens that will be exacerbated until new resources within the NFA Division become efficient and productive. Our job is to help. We’ve been doing it for 15 years, and we will continue to do it.

The spring show season is about to hit, and we are preparing, as always, to answer your questions and offer you a firm handshake. If you have questions or comments, feel free to send us an email at info@ nfatca.org. Or visit us online at nfatca.org, instagram.com/nfatca or facebook.com/nfatca.