“It is almost as if many of us are just waiting for somebody else to do the heavy lifting. And hoping that it will turn out well.”

Welcome to the new normal. How many times have you heard that? How about, how many times have you heard that just this week? It would seem as though “the new normal” is the moniker that is hung out as a response to dealing with things having changed. The intent, one would assume, is to convey the thought that things have changed on a somewhat permanent basis and may not have changed for the better. Let’s have a look at some of those new normal.

Gun shows. There are fewer of them, now, and many of the familiar ones are no longer a regular part of our community. When you do go to one of those shows, there are all kinds of new rules and mandates, depending on locale, that guide and inform expected behavior at the shows. Much of the firearms safety guidance is not new (hopefully!). But pandemic guidance is another thing. Wear a mask, maintain social distancing, wash your hands, etc. It has been my observation that most of the pandemic guidance is… casually ignored.

And that brings up the trip home from the gun show. Got the sniffles? Perhaps a sore throat, feeling a little achy, congestion? Now you go through your post-crowd punch list. Check yourself for fever, perhaps an in-home or drive-through Covid test? Each glance that the evening news has you doing an internal review of recent activities to see if your own, personal threat gauge needs to be adjusted. The new normal. We’ve done this for the annual two-step with influenza. It’s reasonable to believe that we will be doing the same with Covid and its evolution for the foreseeable future. The new normal.

Sadly, it would appear as though politics has garnered its own version of the new normal. What used to be partisan politics, with rational discourse as way to engage debate, has become significantly more polarized and perilous. What’s worse, political engagement has become so bothersome that most do not even bother to vote. That is setting up the mother of all harmonic feedback loops: those of us who are capable of effecting change are deliberately removing ourselves from the ability to do so. The new normal? It is almost as if many of us are just waiting for somebody else to do the heavy lifting. And hoping that it will turn out well.

The NFATCA is all too aware of the shortcomings of polarization and absolutism. We regularly hear from potential members and the community about their own ardent stance that falls nothing short of advocating the complete repeal of the National Firearms Act. To be sure, the NFA should be abolished! But there is absolutely no indication that any Congress in recent memory (or anyone contemplated in the near future) would even consider such a premise. When asked if the ardent patriot would like to financially support action aimed at repealing the NFA, the wallet never comes out. Just a pointing finger. We go on to explain what the NFATCA is doing to help make things better for all of the NFA community in light of the regulation. We do not apologize for the progress that we have made. Progress that has made more NFA opportunities available, more often, for more people, on a fair and equitable basis. Spending resources against that goal is productive. It’s our new normal. We are patient in working towards results that benefit the entire NFA community. If you would like to join us and support us, we would be honored! nfatca.org

The National Firearms Act Trade and Collectors Association has always endeavored to work cooperatively with all of the moving pieces of the National Firearms Act (NFA) community in order to make more NFA opportunities available to more people, more often.  This is not an easy path to travel.  And even though one of our most ardent supporters describes us as “surprisingly effective,” we know that much of what we do is a long, slow, sometimes painful process. Time to finish can be measured in years and decades.

One of our very first major accomplishments was the NFA Handbook. Way back in 2007, it became painfully clear to the Board of Directors of NFATCA that the general public was having a difficult time understanding all the meanings and implications of the ocean of regulations that concern NFA. We also acknowledged that there was a certain amount of shortcoming from the regulators themselves in their understanding, as well. The idea was floated to embark upon a comprehensive review of all of the relevant regulation, execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with ATF to begin working cooperatively and create a handbook that was less legalese and more plain English. Most folks thought us to be just few slices short of a full loaf on this project.

But we stuck with it. Lots of meetings. Lots of drafts and reviews. The lawyers stepped in and out of the project… Yet we kept at it. And in 2007 we published the very first guidebook titled ATF National Firearms Act Handbook, or “NFA Handbook,” for short. It was an immediate success. It won a significant amount of praise from collectors, dealers, manufacturers, and importers and even the ATF and Department of Justice. It became the go-to reference for making sense out of the world of NFA. It was also intensely gratifying to learn that Industry Operations Investigators (IOI’s) were using the reference in their day to day to activities. The success of the roll out was so profound that NFATCA formally presented the ATF with the publication and they, in turn, made it an official publication with the official designation of document 5320.8.

Like everything having to do with government regulation, the world of NFA continued to change. A few minor updates of the NFA Handbook were released, but those updates dried up fairly quickly. The NFA Handbook withstood many different White House administrations, but stayed substantially the same.  There was a desire to do comprehensive updates. Unfortunately, a lack of resources and several government restrictions on the publication of new “guidance” meant that the NFA Handbook had grown a bit stale. The NFA Handbook was in desperate need of an overhaul and it showed. The NFATCA dutifully offered many times a year to execute a new MOU and once again work cooperatively to get the updates and revisions put together and published. As many know, these types of effort are often akin to watching dry paint fade.

Yet the NFATCA kept at it. We are used to being told “no” or being told that we would revisit the issue in a few months, or next year. We knew how important the issue was. ATF knew how important the issue was. All that was needed was a perfect storm of opportunity to get the ball rolling again. January 17, 2022 was the date that things changed. It was a very long time since there had been ATF industry meetings at SHOT Show. Travel restrictions resulting from COVID were something that nobody had contemplated, yet the 2022 meetings were a go. NFATCA held a comprehensive and productive meeting with ATF senior management (while wearing masks and social distancing, of course). Once again, NFATCA brought up the desperate need for a significant NFA Handbook update  This time, we were not rebuffed! ATF committed to getting the project rolling in the short term and assigned a senior chief to oversee the endeavor. We already have a lot of notes for needed changes and updates. We know that you have ideas, too. Please send any NFA Handbook updates and suggestions to us at info@nfatca.org so that we can make sure that everyone has a voice!

The NFATCA will continue working for you on this project and many others. We all will benefit from progress, and we will stay focused on the long road. We encourage you to support us financially with memberships and donations. You can sign up online at nfatca.org. Please do so today!

“He went to the wall so many times for this NFA community that I wondered how he did not bloody his forehead.”

Almost twenty years ago saw a group of like-minded individuals get together with a goal of trying to simplify the world of National Firearms Act weapons and make more opportunities available for more people, more often. John Brown, Dan Shea, Teresa Starnes, John Tibbetts, and Bob Landies began what would become known as the National Firearms Act Trade and Collectors Association (NFATCA). John Brown was elected president of the organization and would serve in that capacity for the life of the organization. John brought a can-do attitude to the job and was determined to figure out a way to work with ATF instead of against it so that all could benefit. John, and the NFATCA, was enormously successful.

John K Brown, III passed away on January 7, 2022 after a sobering fight with cancer. He leaves behind a wife, children, and grandchildren. He leaves behind a legacy of accomplishment and success. He leaves behind accolades, memories, victories and partnerships. His passing also leaves holes in many hearts.

I joined the NFATCA almost 15 years ago. John and I became immediate friends and he asked me to take over the day-to-day duties of running the organization; the under-the-hood stuff so that he could focus on the relationships and the building of programs. Done. John was a demanding boss and the style suited me just fine. What I was quite unaware of was that John was also doing something under-the-hood himself. John had noticed something in my world, a missing piece, as it were. Without fanfare or even acknowledgement, John began to fill the role of father in my life. Friends share and John learned of the lack of a real father figure in my world. And John stepped right into that role without me even noticing. At least, not in the beginning. Sure, he answered business questions. Yes, we developed business plans, strategies, and tactics, and dreamed up ambitious goals and ways to get things done. But slowly and deliberately, John provided me the paternal resource that had been missing in my life. It was a really big deal.

John was a father to his own children, treating each one in the way that he believed suited them best. He did that for me, even though I was not his natural son. The truth is that there really was no way for it to be more natural. To put it plainly: I am a better person for having John as my father. He was stern, he was giving. He was passionate and generous. He gave of himself until it hurt. He went to the wall so many times for this NFA community that I wondered how he did not bloody his forehead. And, even when some folks thought John was bad for us, he stood fast and always did the right thing. He knew that the real win was never in the short game. Getting rid of the dreaded CLEO signature requirement and leveling the playing field? Some screamed that NFATCA was killing the industry. John knew better. He knew there would be a small, temporary dip. But he also knew that the dip would be followed by a surge that would see even more growth of NFA ownership at an even faster pace. He was right. He almost always was. And when he wasn’t, he owned those mistakes.

John served his wife, his family, his country, and this community. He became ill and fought a battle that none of us should have to wage. I stood by his side and tried to serve him the way he had taught me. Upon hearing the news of his passing, I debated cancelling the NFATCA presence at SHOT Show. I immediately heard John’s voice imploring me to, “suck it up, Buttercup!” I knew that I could not abandon John’s dream, his mission. I went to SHOT. I delivered many eulogies and shared in many celebrations of his life. Each time, even though the desert was dry, I found that I had more tears to give because of the awful hole in my heart. John touched many lives, and he will most certainly be missed. If memories are blessings, then we shall all certainly have an abundance. Please join me in thinking about John and offering a prayer of peace to those who loved him. The NFATCA will continue to be his enduring legacy.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has been continuously improving their automated filing system, eForms, for years. Many of you have experienced the growing pains of eForms as it grew into a usable system that served many needs. As with many government systems, there were, well, challenges. eForms is certainly no exception. As folks learned about the usefulness of the system, more folks started using it. Capacity bred contempt as the system struggled to keep up with an ever-increasing workload. NFATCA worked with ATF to help ameliorate these issues. As an example, the days of Wednesdays being completely off limits for public use are securely in the rearview mirror.

Where are we at today? By now, you should have heard about the introduction of a significant new component of eForms: the Form 4. NFATCA worked diligently with ATF to help bring the electronic version of Form 4 to public use with some very important design features that we think are critical to long term success. eForm 4 has been in use for many months now. Anyone, individual or entity, can use it. At the top of the list is the fact that fingerprints can now be submitted within the application using a secure, FBI-approved, encrypted file format. Photographs can be submitted in the same process and the system validates each step of the application so that mistakes are minimized. The eForms system is also using the Federal government’s pay.gov system so that folks do not have to deal with the cringing mistake of bouncing a check to Uncle Sam (it happens far more often than you think).

eForm 4 was something that the entire NFA community demanded and something that the NFATCA was proud to be a part of. How is it going? Quite well, actually. System capacity is growing and approval time for electronically submitted, complete Form 4’s is dropping. ATF’s stated goal of less than 90 days from start to finish on a “clean” Form 4 is becoming a reality. Have you used it? If not, it may be time for a refresher on how to get set up on eForms. It is not difficult at all.

The first step is to register as an eForms user. Anyone that has registered for anything online should feel comfortable with the registration process that begins at eforms.atf.gov. All of the fields with an asterisk are required entries and certain fields will be automatically populated. The execution of the “Register” button at the bottom of the page will initiate the validation process and the new user should expect to receive emails from ATF in short order regarding the status of the registration.

The next step? Whether you are a federal frearms licensee or an individual, there are a host of forms available, right now, that will make your life easier. Increased accuracy is baked into the system because you are not allowed to move forward in the process with an existing mistake. Speed of approval is increased because you are submitting an accurate application. It makes no difference whether you are using a Form 1, Form 2, Form 3, Form 4… and more! Everyone can benefit from this system, and everyone should be taking advantage today.

The NFATCA would like to tip its virtual hat to the folks at ATF that took the time to listen to us and be responsive to the needs of this community. The work was not easy, and the journey was not short. But we all worked together to do something that truly makes more NFA opportunities available for more people, more often. And now, with faster results! If you would like to join us and support us, we would be honored! www.nfatca.org , info@nfatca.org

 “Let’s go Brandon!” By now, you almost certainly have heard this cheer. If you’re unfamiliar, this cheer/meme started when a crowd was heard during a live news presentation screaming out a vulgar epithet about our president. The reporter decided to portray the vulgar cheer as “let’s go Brandon!” instead of what was really said, despite what was really being said being very clearly understandable. Queue the meme factory. Social media posts, shirts, stickers, opinion pieces, arguments… all conspired to make “let’s go Brandon” famous. Yet another example of a variant on the Streisand Effect, which promotes the idea that you cannot make something go away by suppressing it. Doing so tends to have the opposite effect.

We are at an interesting time, politically. We are polarized. We are divided. Many of us are vocal. And many of us are unhappy with the current state of political affairs. Brandon does not appear to be bringing us together. More importantly, Brandon appears to be widening the divide, albeit with a different approach than its predecessors. Where are we at, as a National Firearms Act community?

From my perspective, we are in a precarious place. Many of us are getting older and have lost some of our zest for politics and doing something about those politics. Many of us have grown weary of the political shouting that never seems to get anywhere. Many of us don’t even bother to vote anymore. These are factual statements, and the accuracy of those facts imperils our ability to affect change. We must get out and vote. We must engage in civil discourse. We must try and win hearts and minds. We must find ways to work with the regulators to correct mistakes and make progress. Giving up is simply not part of the program. And it’s time to reengage.

An example of an engagement opportunity involves a news item that was circulating at the time this column was written. A great turmoil was caused when noted actor Alec Baldwin negligently shot and killed a cinematographer on a movie set. Many took the incident as an opportunity to create a divide: us versus them, liberal versus conservative, Second Amendment supporter versus gun grabber. There was and is a better way. It was a time for us to educate with civility. It was time to take the high ground by calmly explaining the four rules of gun safety instead of creating even more conflict:

• Treat every gun as if it was loaded, until you determine that it isn’t
• Never point a gun at anything you do not intend to shoot
• Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot
• Know your target and what’s behind it

We are all aware how important these safety rules are. Each one is a reinforcement of the other and provides a redundant failsafe in case one gets overlooked or ignored. The Alec Baldwin incident was an opportunity to demonstrate that the issue was not a gun issue, it was a gun safety issue. Anyone who ignores all the rules of gun safety is going to encounter calamity. Alec Baldwin did not have a major problem because he was a liberal. He had a problem because he was untrained and had a cavalier attitude to a specialized tool. It’s an opportunity for civil discourse.

The NFATCA has spent almost two decades engaging in civil discourse with our community, our regulators, and our legislators. We believe there’s more productivity in discussion than there is in shouting. We are patient in working towards results that benefit the entire NFA community. If you would like to join us and support us, we would be honored! www.nfatca.org

It’s hard to look at current events and not conclude that the United States of America appears to be in a heap of trouble. Though this column was written in September, I have no doubt that the coronavirus scourge is still raging. And dividing us. Republicans versus Democrats. Liberals versus conservatives. Big government versus little government. The loud versus the quiet. Race, religion, creed, color, gender, sexual preference… We seem to have figured out more ways to divide ourselves and create a tension of opposition. And, unfortunately, we are now seeing that the firearms community is engulfed in a simmering cauldron to see just who can or cannot be “worthy” to be featured as a fair representative.

Really. I’ve been having an ongoing conversation with my friend, Chris Cheng. Chris is The History Channel’s “Top Shot” season four champion. Chris is a great shot and has been trying to come to terms with his joy of shooting machine guns. He speaks English and Spanish. His mother is both Japanese and Cuban. His father is a Chinese American. He’s a foodie and a techie. He’s also gay and happily married. Chris represents everything that is good about America. So, I turned to him when the “gun issue” got off the rails after his feature on the cover of a national magazine. People who are different are the fastest growing segment of new firearm purchasers. Ever. So why is it “bad” for someone who is different to champion the cause of firearms ownership. There are vocal folks who are not pleased with Chris’ celebrity. To be sure, pretty much every gun advocate is solidly behind the concept of everyone having the inalienable right to defend themselves with a firearm. The concept of taking personal responsibility for one’s safety resonates with everyone singing from the same hymnal. It’s just that Chris is different. And that seems to be rubbing some folks the wrong way.

Our conversation has stretched over months. Right now, pretty much everyone is talking and acting in terms of their differences. Instead of becoming united, we are even more divided. Back in August I wrote, “We have to get to the point where our differences are no longer the point of the sword. We have to get to the point where we are us and not them. The rules are for everyone. Respect is for everyone. Decency is for everyone. And hate/disdain for anyone, simply because of their difference(s) is simply not acceptable. It’s okay to have animus toward someone for what they do. I can feel anger and rage at the person who commits murders on a crowded street. I cannot feel that same anger and rage because of the differences that person may possess. In other words, it’s okay to hate the murderer. It’s not okay to hate the murderer because of him/her being black, Asian, overweight, tatt’ed, Jewish, etc. … The whole Black Lives Matter/All Lives Matter thing could have covered this conversation. Instead, I suspect it made matters worse. We just cannot get to we if all we are focusing on is the difference. Black people have been screwed over. So have lots of different non-whites. And of the whites, so many of them have been screwed over because of differences. Screwed over because of sexual preference, weight, appearance, religion, and a host of other differences. We get to “we” when we recognize that equality is equal. It must apply to everyone, or the effort is but a sham.”

Chris agreed on all the points. And we both agreed that it’s painful to accept there are still far too may who worry about the differences. We are a long way from truly being we. So, we (the two of us) work on being inclusive and accessible. We both believe that our freedoms, our rights, and opportunities should be equally available to everyone. Everyone should have the same opportunities as everyone else. Especially when it comes to firearms and the ability to defend themselves.

The NFATCA has been making more NFA opportunities for more people, more often, on a level playing field. That’s a big deal. We don’t care what you look like or sound like. We only care that you value the same freedom and opportunity that we do. We have accomplished quite a bit! If you would like to assist us with this important work, please consider joining or renewing today.

Join at www.nfatca.org. Contact NFATCA at info@nfatca.org.

It has often been said that being involved in the shooting world is all about turning money into once-fired brass.  Even more so with machine guns!  One can often witness the twisted smile that develops on an NFA shooter’s face when somebody laments the cost of burning up a “whole” box of 50 pistol rounds at the range.  A box of 50?  Many of us are very well acquainted with the gentle pull on the wallet of dropping 5,000 rounds at the range in just a few hours.  But what if we could accomplish a bit more?  Instead of just making sure that the bullets go “that way,” we deliberately and purposefully strive toward building our skillsets.

What I am suggesting is that each of us get out and take a class.  It really doesn’t matter what the class is all about, as long as you are building on your skills.  Pistol work.  Carbine use.  Long range.  Small pistol.  Low light.  Long distance.  Active shooter.  Close quarters.  Drawing from concealment.  And then we move into personal skills.  Situational awareness.  Space combatives.  Team work.  There is literally no limit to what can be served up.  Please allow me a specific point:  I am not talking about watching a YouTube video.  I am talking about doing a bit of research and finding a qualified expert to help you achieve your goals.  It’s not for everyone, but everyone can gain something from it.

I recently had several opportunities to take multiple classes at West Orlando Firearms Training (W.O.F.T.) in Orlando, Florida.  Okay, it’s also known as Tactical DisneyLand… I signed up for a variety of instruction modules that were specifically tailored to my initial skills, something that they call “meeting first gear with first gear.”  I should probably stress the plural in that module word that I tossed out.  I went through red dot pistol, close quarters combat in a blade dojo, carbine, scenario training for shoot/no shoot, small pistol techniques, low light awareness and shoot house scenarios.  I was pushed and I got exhausted.  And I learned quite a bit!

Yes, I still put lead downrange.  But I built a lot of skills on the first set of classes and immediately jumped back into the mix and signed up for even more.  More importantly, I learned that the skills that I was learning were far too important to keep to myself.  So, I signed my wife and kids up for the exact same classes.  Making once-fired brass is fun.  But learning how to shoot well, at the right time… Learning the proper techniques for superior marksmanship and situational awareness… Gaining confidence in my ability to make good decisions… That took things to the next level.

You certainly don’t have to do the grand weekend extravaganza (though you should consider it!).  You absolutely should endeavor to expand your horizons.  Feel free to give my friend, Phillip Toppino, a look over at www.woft.com.  He takes a lot of pride in the training he provides, as I am sure, many other teachers do.  The point is to do more.  Today. I have been writing this column to encourage you to expand your opportunities and experiences.  The NFATCA has been doing that for nearly 20 years.  More NFA opportunities for more people, more often, on a level playing field.  We have accomplished quite a bit!  If you would like to assist us with this important work, please consider joining or renewing today.  www.nfatca.org , info@nfatca.org .

The mind of a collector. It’s a strange and curious thing. I would like to be specific and declare that I am not talking about somebody who acquires things; many of us do just that. I am talking about somebody who enlists a deliberate process—a theme, if you will— that adds extra elements to the pursuit. A collector “has it bad.” I admit that I often occupy both modes in my life, even in terms of NFA weapons. Allow me to elaborate.

I’ve been what many would call an HK “fan boi” for many decades. It started off innocently enough. If it had the HK brand and I had the money in my pocket … I would buy it. No particular rhyme or reason. It said “HK” and I had to have it. From my nearly 60 years of perspective, that doesn’t really qualify as collecting. There’s no deliberation or theme. It’s just building a war chest. And then I managed to pick up an HK USP Compact factory cutaway with a translucent frame in a charity auction. Fascinating piece. I loved being told by George Schultz of Heckler and Koch that the item was a fully functioning firearm and that it absolutely would fire. Once. (Safety concern duly noted!) And then I had an opportunity to pick up another factory cutaway of a different model. Guess who has become a collector?

Sure, it’s a subtle difference. A gentle line in the sand, if you will. But it’s there and I suspect that many of you know exactly what I am talking about. I find that mindset is key in the whole drama of selecting an item to add to the collection. I’ve added a few pieces to my machine gun collection over the years. Yes, there’s a plethora of HKs that are representing the brand quite nicely. It’s the other pieces that presented a problem. How to choose? The “others” started out with me wanting to celebrate the intellect and wisdom of John Moses Browning. So, I added an M1919A4 (two, actually) and then a Ma Deuce. I found myself in acquisition mode, not collector mode. And that wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I had hoped. Sure, the guns ran great! Something was missing.

I have had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with a lot of great people at gun shows. I’d like to think that I used a lot of that time to soak up some knowledge and passion. Several years ago, I was chatting with a long-time vendor at Knob Creek. He and I always managed to chew the fat and swap stories and lore. He had almost always had an FN MINIMI on his table with a large price tag on it. I had never paid it much attention, but the last time we were chatting I asked him why the gun had never sold—it seemed to be a great piece, in great shape. He told me that it was one of his favorite guns and that he loved to shoot it. Under the pretense of running a business he had it for sale, but at a price that was too high to actually induce anyone to buy it. He then looked me in the eyes and asked me if I was interested. “Of course! I’ve always wanted a SAW and had never found the right one at the right time.” “Well, tell me how much you want to pay for it.” We got to a number and shook hands. A check was passed, paperwork was executed. The machine gun arrived a few weeks later in a giant box that was filled with the gun, spare barrels, parts, manuals, product catalogs … the whole shebang. I figured out my collecting mode. I want to acquire weapons that brought joy to my friends. Guns that made people happy. It’s not a bad way to go! I have managed to pick up a few more machine guns that fit this description. And I am in the process of adding one more as I write this article. The NFATCA understands the mind of the collector. We’re not just about righting the wrongs of onerous regulation and oversight. It’s also about something that brings so much happiness to so many of us. I am happy to say it again—for almost 20 years we have aimed to represent the interests of the whole NFA community in ways that benefit everyone, fairly. To make more NFA opportunities available to more people, more often and more equitably. We have accomplished many great achievements. We know that there is more work to do, though. We welcome your help and support; please consider joining or renewing today. nfatca.org / info@nfatca.org

Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot—The End of an Era

To say that we live in interesting times would be an understatement. Things do change and we all are faced with adapting to those changes.

Those lyrics (penned by The Buggles, if you are curious) were part of the very first music video that was broadcast by MTV on August 1, 1981. The words boldly stated what the music world already knew—things were changing. And boy, did they! Interestingly, it’s somewhat difficult to find a music video on MTV these days, but I digress.

By now you have heard the news that the Fall Shoot at Knob Creek (in Kentucky) will be the last shoot. The range is staying open, but the twice-yearly festival known as the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot is ending. After many decades of what many felt was a rite of passage, the end is in sight. To quote another band (The Talking Heads), “Well… how did [we] get here?”

It would be easy to say that we are all getting older, that the grind is getting too hard or that business is down. Sure, those are valid components. Knob Creek began as the destination for the so-called Class 3 world. Twice a year you could head to Kentucky … and overdose on all that is NFA. Lots of stuff to look at, lots of stuff to sell, to buy, to shoot. And the line was pretty much always a grand spectacle. You could see and be seen. You could start, augment or complete a collection. You could laugh with friends and get caught up. Whether it was hot or cold, raining or dry, snowing or muddy (sometimes all in one day)—you could get your machine gun on.

And then things started to change. Just like new modes and technology changed the vision of the radio star. The internet, forums and social media have changed the world of NFA. The old timers still value the up-close and personal way. But the old timers are not the majority of the community these days. If you want to shop for a transferable HK MP5, there are quite literally hundreds to choose from on the screen of your smart phone. If you want to learn how to take apart that MP5’s bolt assembly, head on over to YouTube for dozens of video lessons on how to do just that. Want to see all those wonderful machine guns going off? No need to brave the elements when there is an unlimited supply of entertainment that is just a few clicks away. For the Knob Creek vets, “pictures came and broke your heart.”

Is it a bad thing? Maybe not so much bad … rather, it is sad. Things change. Knob Creek changed. The world of NFA continues to change. The NFATCA is determined to ride the wave of that change and not get overwhelmed by it. We have a presence on Facebook, Instagram (the pictures!) and other venues. We still do shows, too. For almost 20 years we have aimed to represent the interests of the entire NFA community in ways that elevate everyone. To make more NFA opportunities available to more people, more often and more equitably. We have accomplished many great achievements. We know that there is more work to do, though. If you would like to assist us with the important work (that Robert Segel found so valuable), please consider joining or renewing today. nfatca.org | info@nfatca.org

This article first appeared in Small Arms Review V25N7 (August-September 2021)

By Jeff Folloder

This article was written at the beginning of February, while the pandemic was still in full swing. There is hope that by the time you are reading this, the effects of COVID-19 upon our community, our country and the world will have begun to abate. Sadly, many people and their families have been severely impacted, and it is not without sadness that we note that there have been three, back-to-back cancellations of the lauded Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot. There have been some opportunities for NFA enthusiasts to meet face-to-face, but those efforts have been few and far between and have left a bit to be desired in terms of opportunity and interaction.

The same can be said for the NFATCA’s work with the regulatory community. The NFATCA has sought, over the past ~15 years, to maintain a working and productive relationship with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). We are passionate Second Amendment supporters but also understand that the world that we live in does have regulations and restrictions upon firearms. As such, we have sought to work with the appointed regulators to find ways to make more NFA opportunities available to more people, more often and to work with the ATF to find ways to speed up what many view as an onerous application process. One of the best ways that we do this has been in face-to-face meetings with the leadership of the ATF.

Unfortunately, the pandemic has managed to wallop that endeavor, as well. The NFATCA has maintained a very visible outreach at the annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas, held by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, each January. We also use that time to have productive, formal and informal meetings with ATF leadership. As feared, COVID-19 put the kybosh on that. SHOT Show was cancelled, along with almost all in-person meetings with the ATF. Though not a totally adequate substitute, ATF leadership held an extensive Zoom video conference with the NFATCA leadership at the end of January.

Sharing a few notes from this meeting is in order. First up, the ATF has confirmed that the surge and drop-off in NFA forms processing associated with 41F is now a distant memory. Not only has the consumer-forms flow caught up with the volume and trend lines from pre-41F, it has now surpassed the volume trend from before the “deadline deluge.” Put another way, the laments that 41F would kill the NFA business were flat out wrong, as we knew they would be. Putting everyone on an equal playing field has, ultimately, expanded the purchase volume. No more need to kiss the sheriff’s ring to buy a suppressor or a machine gun. Getting fingerprints and photos is not the arduous burden that many lamented. Now we are selling and buying more, which is good for everyone.

Second, we are proud to discuss that patience has been rewarded. The ATF is now in a position to grant our request to update The NFA Handbook, which is certainly showing its age. The NFATCA was the original author of this valuable reference guide, and we will be working with the ATF over the coming months to bring the resource into a more current status. Concurrently, the NFATCA and ATF are looking to resume work on a key effort that has been languishing for some time. When we first started during a snowy Armageddon in West Virginia many years ago, the working title of a new effort was The FTB Handbook. Well, the Firearms Technology Branch (FTB) is now the Firearms Technology Division (FATD). That handbook is still needed, and it looks like we have a way forward to resume work on it. We will keep you informed!

Now, about that previously mentioned forms volume increase. It doesn’t appear to be abating, so the NFATCA has been working closely with the ATF, as always, on improvements to the eForms system. Many non-licensees have already experienced the speed and fast approval times of using the electronic Form 1’s. A process that previously took many months is now down to a few weeks. That is welcome. The NFATCA is pleased to announce two significant improvements. The first is that the eForms system is no longer completely down on Wednesdays. We heard you loud and clear, and we made sure that the ATF also heard you as well. The ATF will make eForms available at 10:00 a.m. each Wednesday for all to use. There may be an occasional need for additional outage, but the goal is for the system to be useable, at the least, every business day and most weekends.

The second eForms improvement involves eForm 4. You read that right! The NFATCA has been working with the ATF’s development team on the upcoming rollout of eForm 4. All of us will agree that bringing a robust and functional eForm 4 back to the NFA community is an essential component of improving the NFA experience. We have moved from development to an impressive demonstration of the release candidate for eForm 4. Here are some key elements of what is to come:

• Users will only be able to advance each step of their applications (getting to the next “train stop”) with “clean” data. If the data is not right, one cannot advance or submit.
• Users will be able to submit electronic and encrypted fingerprints.
• Users will be able to submit electronic photos and other supporting documents.
• Users will only be able to pay online, in the application using pay.gov.
• Users will be able to eventually receive 90-day approvals on Form 4s.

The NFATCA will be participating in the upcoming beta test program for the eForms release candidate. If all goes well, you will likely be able to use it by the time you read this article. If not, it’s just around the corner. We understand the belief that there really should be no regulation of the NFA or any firearms. That said, the world we live in does have regulation. The NFATCA will continue to find ways to lessen the burden of the regulations by working within the system.

Please consider supporting us, today. You can renew or start your membership at nfatca.org.