So you finally are going to listen to your friends and take the leap of faith and buy a transferable machine gun. We want to give you some tips and information that should help you buy; whether it’s your first machine gun or just another purchase.

On May 19, 1986, Congress passed legislation that prohibited the future sale of any new machine guns to the general public. In the simplest of terms that meant that the number of legally registered, transferable machine guns in the United States was frozen from that point on. No one really knows the exact number on the registry at that point but the number was probably close to 250,000. To make matters seem even more pressing the last check on the number of transferable machine guns that was conducted in November of 2007 revealed that at that moment in time there were only 182,619 transferable guns. How did that happen? The truth is that legally registered machine guns come off the registry for a variety of reasons almost every day, whether it’s a widow having the guns cut up or someone doing something stupid causing the gun to be confiscated, never to return to its owner. What that number really means to the general public is that anyone that did not have a felony record, lived in a state that permits the ownership of machine guns, was eligible to buy one of those guns.

When you take into consideration that the number of machine guns available was frozen in 1986, a lot of interesting things started to happen. First the law of supply and demand took immediate effect and prices for machine guns started to move slowly upward. Take into consideration that in 1986 you could buy an M16 for less than a thousand dollars, as compared to today, that same gun will cost you at least fifteen thousand.

The next important factor that starts to play into this scenario beyond pricing is the time since these guns were actually manufactured. Given the fact that May of 1986 was over twenty five years ago, you must keep in mind that most of what you will be looking at will be at least that old, even if it is advertised as new in the box. If it is advertised as new in the box keep in mind that gun had to be registered prior to May 19, 1986. That instantly means that your new purchase is at least that old. In many cases you may find that the gun you are interested in purchasing may even date back to WWII, or even earlier and really have some interesting history to it. Although this all seems really neat, the one important thing is there is a lot in the history of this gun that you will never really know. Even if you invoke the Freedom of Information Act and secure as much information as possible there are many things about the gun’s history or it’s pedigree you will never be able to find out. The gun that you are buying is “used” in most cases, pure and simple. Even if the buyer represents that gun is in excellent condition you will still not know the true history behind the piece, especially when it comes to the wear and tear the gun has experienced. No matter whether it’s a MAC 11 or an FN 240 always keep in mind; the gun is at least 25 years old. What does all of that mean? It means that you want to take whatever steps possible to insure that you know as much about the gun as possible. Talk directly to the seller and make certain that you ask the right questions and get the assurance necessary that you will get what you are paying for. Some dealers will offer a three day inspection period where your local dealer can receive the firearm and if it isn’t up to the description, transfer it back to the originating dealer. A better choice would be if a firearm is an expensive one, it’s worth the airfare to hop out and inspect it, then there’s no question.

The one thing to ALWAYS keep in mind is that what you are buying is used goods, no matter how you slice it. If you are expecting perfection on a 25 year old item I have some bad news for you, even brand new in the box items will break unexpectedly.

One thing to make certain that you do is to get some assurance from whom you are purchasing the gun from that they will stand by their product, as advertised, once you receive the goods. In any circumstances you want to make assurances that your dealer stands behind your purchase with whatever support you may need. Obviously many sellers are a little reluctant to offer these types of warranties as it is difficult if not impossible to know what actually happens to a gun, once in the hands of the recipient. Most sellers maintain a very high level of integrity and will stand behind their sale.

Another issue to keep in mind is to remember that not all sellers are experts at the platform they may be selling. Even the most senior of sellers can’t know everything about every gun that they sell. This makes it all the more critical to get the right assurances from the seller in the process of purchasing your gun.

One thing to always keep in mind is the right expert can find anything wrong with any gun be it new or used. Once again be clear that you are buying a used gun, no matter how it is advertised. On the other hand if you are that concerned about the purchase be certain that you ask all of the right questions, get plenty of pictures, and whatever other assurances you need when making your purchase. Remember, something as simple as an extractor, fired or not, is at least 25 years old. Expecting perfection in any machine gun purchase is just not a reality, in most circumstances.

In one recent case a rather expensive gun was sold in “excellent condition.” When the buyer actually tested the gun with his local dealer there were many items discovered that were not represented in the sale, nor was the seller experienced enough to discover the problems. Even though the gun was sold in “excellent condition,” there were still problems when dissecting the entire platform. In this particular case the seller did the right thing and negotiated a repair order to put things right.

Here is an analogy about buying transferable machine guns. If you go out and buy a new, no mileage 1986 Corvette that had only been started a few times, and if you think that because you were paying a premium for that car that it will run perfectly, think again. Like anything else on the market, that is that old, it too will experience unanticipated issues.

In short if you are buying, realize several things in the process of getting a transferable machine gun.

• A transferable machine gun is going to be a least 25 years old
• Get several references on the seller
• Ask the seller about assurances on what they are selling, e.g. do they have a return policy where the transfer dealer you are using can transfer it back immediately if it isn’t as described? Better yet, go inspect it.
• Ask all of the right questions about the history and condition of the gun
• Get lots of pictures of the gun, inside and out
• Get help from someone that knows the gun you are considering

Most of the dealers and individuals on the market today want satisfied customers and want to avoid the news flash on many of the internet sites of, “Beware of this person!” You’re going to spend a good chunk of change on your new investment. Like any investment, do your homework and make your investment count.

And, by the way, join the only organization on the planet that is willing and able to help you safeguard your venture. Come visit us today at www.nfatca.org.

Several months ago the NFATCA received a call from the NFA Branch Chief, Ed Saveedra, notifying us that the NFA Branch, in an effort to continue to improve efficiency, would be making some changes in how it processes NFA forms. As many of you know, the NFA Branch has been struggling for years to keep up with the increasing numbers of forms coming from the industry. With a drastic slump in the economy many NFA buyers have elected to shy away from the more expensive items and focus on the more affordable ones, such as suppressors, short barreled rifles and short barreled shotguns. When funds are tight it doesn’t long to figure out that purchasing a short-barreled Colt rifle for $1,500 makes more sense than buying an M16 for $15,000. Many buyers are holding out for better times but the habit is still there. Satisfying an NFA owner’s needs can be easily solved by more affordable venues.

It seems like every time that the NFATCA checks on the status of transfer times the NFA Branch is continuously making progress but the numbers still keep climbing. Even in the roughest economy, the numbers are hanging in there at the 900,000 mark. We are not that far from the one million transfers a year watershed. If you look back at the NFA Branch five or six years ago you will see that an increase in head count has not been in the cards to handle such a drastic increase in industry demands. Over the last five years the Branch has literally been frozen, from everything from Congressional continuing resolutions to freezes in spending. Additionally, handling industry demands in this particular Branch of ATF has literally driven Branch Chiefs away from the job. The day to day demands and the plain pressure of this kind of work would drive anyone crazy. Every time we are afforded the opportunity to sit with the Branch Chief and ask, “How can we help?” I am still dumfounded at the many reasons why some transfers take longer than others. Simple, yet ridiculous issues, such as bad checks, continue to be a problem in this process.

One of the top resources in the NFA Branch is Ted Clutter. Ted is still a good Marine and hard at serving our country in yet another position, managing the examiners. The last time that we spoke with Ted he mentioned that the NFA Branch was considering many issues in an effort to improve the process with the same available resources and thus try to stay ahead of the power curve.

To begin, the Branch will now be handling forms 1, 2, 10, and the 5320.20 to the appropriate legal instruments examiner, according to the State of the applicant’s address. Likewise, the NFA Branch will be assigning Forms 3, 4, and 9 applications to examiners by the State of the Transferor’s address.

As most of you will remember, NFA examiners were assigned, regardless of the types of forms to be used, by the alphabetical listing of the name of the dealer. This new process will no longer follow that routine. This will mean that many of the transferors and transferees will see different examiners handle forms. Why? The primary reason for this change has more to do with the ever-changing state of affairs within the states and their NFA laws. Not only has the increasing demand been a strain on the Branch but having examiners try and keep up dozens of different state regulations has been an untenable task to most of the examiners. Thus allowing specific examiners to become experts in a limited number of states has allowed these same examiners to know these laws and more efficiently process our forms. This has become one of the tools that Ed Saveedra and Ted Clutter have pulled from their arsenal of changes to increase efficiencies in the Branch.

The following list will represent the process of handling the various NFA Forms by the examiners from July forward:

Examiner/States to handle:

Nicole Dudash: IL, IN, OH, PA
Chris Farris: AK, CT, MA, ME, MI, NH, RI, VT
Ann Feltner: AZ, CA, NM, NV
Jason Frushour: CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WI, WY
Sara Jones: LA, TX
Albert Lamberger: AL, FL, TN
Dana Pickles: DE, KY, MD, NC, NJ, NY, VA, WV
Suzanne Santamaria: GA, SC
William Shipman: AR, HI, IA, KS, MN, MO, MS, NE, OK
Sandra Snook: ID, OR, WA

“Applications for the District of Columbia and US Territories will be assigned to the Supervisory Legal Instruments Examiner.”

So You Want to Buy a Machine Gun

I have been in the NFA business for a long time and it has been one of the most enjoyable experiences in my entire life. As is so common in your life, the story is: “You should have been here yesterday.” Back when M16s were $1,500 and MAC 10s were selling for $300 is a time long gone along with the 5-cent Coca Cola and the 10-cent Hershey bar. Like everything else the prices continue to go up over time, regardless of the state of the economy. When you take into consideration that twenty years ago an M16 did sell for $1,500 it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that if that same gun sells today for $15,000, then you made a pretty darn good investment. Compare that to your stock portfolio and the fog starts to lift. You immediately start thinking, “I wish…” There were a lot of individuals who made the decision to invest in a machine gun and have enjoyed the growth of their investment.

You should always remember when it comes to this type of investment, it’s never too late. You have to remember that this opportunity has a limited supply that continues to dwindle in numbers every year. In November of 2009, we knew that there were only 182,619 transferable machine guns available to anyone that had the time and the money to buy one. Every year that number gradually falls due to a variety of reasons. Although prices do fluctuate, make no mistake, no other asset in your portfolio has a history like this type of investment. So what is holding you back? A variety of reasons, all which make little sense to those of you that have been collecting this most magnificent investment for a number of years.

The most frequently heard reason why many people don’t make the leap of faith is, “I don’t want to get a special license to buy a machine gun.” Other common things we constantly hear are, “I don’t want to give up my privacy rights when I do this allowing the government to come into my house anytime they want.” For those of you that have been buying, selling, or collecting machine guns you have heard the frequent issues and have been plagued with the same old wives-tales with a ton of bad information. The truth of the matter is none of this is true. When you buy any NFA item all you need to know is, that it is, and has always has been, a tightly controlled process that insures that these types of weapons do not fall into the wrong hands. ATF has always handled the transfer of a machine gun from one person to another extremely carefully. You don’t need a special license and you do not give up any rights when you buy a machine gun. You are simply applying for the transfer of a title from one company or individual to yourself, and paying the appropriate tax to the government one time for the cost of the title transfer. You pay this tax only one time. For the cost of machine guns this tax is $200. For that $200 you are paying for a clear title to a weapon. When you get your approved form back from your dealer it has a beautiful Internal Revenue Service tax stamp on the form that is proof that you have paid the tax. It is often humorous to see sometimes that when someone sells their machine gun, that stamp, which is no longer valid, is often auctioned off on eBay or some of the other collection sites. Most people keep their paperwork and the associated stamp for memorabilia.

Simply stated, buying a machine gun is a darn good investment. It will not only continue to increase in value over time but offers the opportunity to have some fun like you have never had in your entire life. When you find a good dealer the experience will be an enjoyable one that is virtually painless. The anticipation, the excitement, and the joy of procession are beyond words. Just talk to anyone that has a couple of guns and it’s hard to continue to pass up this opportunity when it is such a good investment.

One of the other attractive options about buying machine guns is that many dealers in the market today offer various buying options to help stave off the impact of such a large sale. Taking 50% down or multiple payment options are not uncommon in today’s market. When you buy simply ask and you may be surprised at how many options may be available.

The other opportunity that you want to explore when you break the ice and buy your first machine gun is to align yourself with all of the right resources for answers to all of the questions that you may have after you purchase. A good dealer, other enthusiasts, and especially an organization like the NFATCA can provide you with a wealth of information to keep you better informed. Good dealers and a membership with the NFATCA and their associated web site will be worth their weight in gold.

Our advice today is, buy now. The market is prime, the prices are good, and the opportunity is right. So what are you waiting for?

Still have questions? Come join us today at www.nfatca.org and let us help you make the right decisions to improve your investment future.

The NRA Convention 2011

This year marked the first in a series of events that will go down in history for the NFATCA. Just before the NRA convention in Philadelphia began, we received a last minute invitation to pony up and set up a booth in the main convention hall. All hands were called on deck and when the show opened a brand new booth background and posters were on display for the thousands of attendees at this year’s convention. You could not help but stop when an 8×10 foot display showed a happy NFA owner walking away from the range with a nice MG42 slung over his shoulder.

I have to say that in the more than a dozen years I have attended the SHOT Show, the NRA Convention was definitely on the top of the list of places the NFATCA wanted to have a presence. We had no idea how much interest could be generated in this type of show in discussing the Class 3 world. Not only were we greeted with open arms from Board members of the NRA, but literally hundreds of people stopped and asked many questions about NFA ownership. In the thirty years I have been in this business I was dumfounded at the interest and the enthusiasm the title one gun community gave to supporting an organization on the NFA front. Not only did we manage to enlist many new members but we generated so much interest in the NFA community that at one point crowds began to gather around to hear the many facets concerning NFA ownership. If there were ever an old wives tale about NFA ownership we heard every single one of them at this show.

It was obvious to all that supported our efforts at this year’s convention that we should have been there years before. Long gone are the days where we used to sit around and wonder why the NRA didn’t embrace the NFA community. Over the last year I have learned many things from the experienced leadership at the NRA and we have been given some guidance that proves, in this world of the love of the gun, we truly are in this together, fending off a barrage of regulations, and enduring an administration that has proven to be silent but deadly. I reference all of us to the many times in these articles where I have stated “United We Stand, Divided We Fall.” In these trying times, the NFATCA has seen the full support of not only the NRA but also the National Shooting Sports Foundation. These two organizations alone wield some important support for not only the title one gun community but are also deeply rooted in support of everything of interest to all of us from the importation of long lost M1 carbines and M1 Garands, but the interests of the NFA community as well. In 2010 and 2011 both the NRA and the NSSF have been at the table with the NFATCA battling many of the issues that we have been focused on together. We have truly united to protect all gun owners both large and small in so many issues in the past months it has become apparent why any organization in this arena must be smart, must be aggressive, yet savvy on how to approach any issue.

2011 marks the first year, but not the last, that we shall be present on the floor of the NRA convention. Thanks to our membership and those that have supported us throughout the last six years the NFATCA steps up again.

In the coming years we shall be prepared to provide a wealth of information about:

• Dispelling all of the tales about having to have a special license to own an NFA item,
• Dispelling the idea on having to give up all of your privacy rights when you purchase an NFA item,
• Dispelling the notion that an annual tax has to be paid for life on each NFA item you own,
• Details on the total process required to purchase an NFA item,
• Understanding the collectability and the desire to owning an NFA item, and
• NFA items as an investment

The list of questions and the answers to these questions were abundant at the NRA convention. Just about the time that you thought you have heard everything another wild idea would come out of the woodwork. I have to say that we had a blast dispelling the many rumors that have surfaced over the years. It also became apparent that trying to summarize all of these issues and provide the proper information to help set the truth straight on many of these issues would certainly be a task worthy of the NFATCA.

When all is said and done, we accomplished spreading a lot of good information on the ownership of NFA items in this great country of ours and the multiple levels of support that is available to support gun owners of all types. Of all of the accomplishments that we enjoyed at the convention one of the largest was to open the eyes of several hundred attendees that they could, and now have more than a casual interest in owning NFA items. They learned that this interest is fun, affordable and most importantly one of the safest investments available for collectors of all types.

We will look forward to joining the NRA convention in St. Louis in 2012 and once again having the opportunity to spread the word on the ease and interest of owning a variety of NFA weapons.

Come join us today and support the cause of NFA ownership for yourself and the many generations to come. Visit us today at www.nfatca.org.

If anyone even remotely looks at the news in our community, there is a lot of press that should cause concern. You can read controversial news starting from the appointment of Andrew Traver for the new Director to some pretty disturbing news on collateral damage from Project Gunwalker. I always try and keep in mind something my father taught me growing up, “Don’t believe a word you hear and only half of what you see and you will live twice as long.” Well some days the evidence is just overwhelming.

It all started about two years ago when rumors of organizational changes were circulating at ATF headquarters. It was at this stage that we began to see a shift in the wind with how ATF treats the industry. The NFATCA, as many of you witnessed, had spent an inordinate amount of time working to tear down the “Berlin Wall” and establish a better relationship with all facets of ATF. Many of you remember reading our older articles where we spoke about the tremendous strides we made with the NFA Branch from our completely lost efforts when the Branch was in Washington DC. We worked closely with the NFA Branch and actually helped get a Form 3 transfer down to five days. We presented awards to the examiners and had routine meetings to work closely with everyone to bring the industry and ATF together to help make a mark on improving public safety. Of course there were always the tin-foiled hats that accused us of cavorting with the enemy and being double agents. I even had the opportunity to meet with ATF employees who were also very open about the fact that ATF was an enforcement agency and that ATF must stay at arm’s length with the industry. Unfortunately what was needed to strengthen that relationship was not more tin-foil hats or badges, but a spirit of wanting to work together to make a difference on all fronts.

When ATF published the NFA Handbook, a product of the NFATCA, everyone started to sit up and pay attention to what we were doing. Our efforts were unprecedented in success and the relationship was built on the strategy that it was in everyone’s best interests to work together. You didn’t have to go very far to attend a meeting where we sat side by side and presented together. What had been needed for over forty years, working together, was finally happening. I knew then, as now, that there was still a major faction within ATF that felt getting close to the industry was a mistake. How wrong they were then and so today. The NFATCA has worked diligently for nearly seven years to bring to the table in helping ATF make a difference. To pull back from that relationship and to think you can make all the right decisions in a vacuum will simply not work. Every regulatory agency in the government has found that they have two missions when it comes to regulatory affairs, learning from entrepreneurs and regulating according to what questions come out of this relationship. Enforcement comes out of a natural rule making process to keep an industry on the right track.

Not long ago everyone noticed that there was a significant distance being placed between the industry and ATF. Not only were there a lot of new faces in Washington but a lot of old ones either retired or in some cases, in their words, got fed up and moved on to other opportunities in life. At the same time the NFATCA efforts with ATF begin to shift. Although still cooperative, our efforts began to take on a more formal approach. Meetings were cancelled; attendance to events withdrawn and a host of other strategies began to form that has slowly pulled ATF farther away from the industry. But remember, if you don’t like something, wait along enough and it will change. It is not my intent to get everyone all excited, but it is not news that the marriage between the industry and ATF is somewhat strained today. For what reason, we have no idea. The one thing that is important for all of our members and readers to remember is that together, ATF and the Industry have made major strides in years past. That effort will continue and we will continue to move each and every issue forward that the NFATCA feels merits a little different view than what ATF has presented. This cooperative effort was initiated and grew on the fact that we all knew that working together would serve all involved. We all have also realized that we won’t always agree on everything. Like any great relationship working together takes strength, stamina, and a good sense for give and take. These words mark the success of a relationship that started a long time ago and will continue to make a difference in the future.

We have worked together for seven years and the joint achievements have been spectacular. Rest assured, the NFATCA will continue to trudge forward in re-forging that relationship in the spirit of creating a safer world for the community nationwide. As we mentioned earlier, all things change with time. We will continue to move forward and make a difference at every opportunity when it comes to supporting what is best for our industry and you the membership. Always remember our motto, “United We Stand.” Join us today and get in on making a difference with your efforts supporting the entire NFA community. Visit us today at www.nfatca.org.

It is unfortunate at my age that I have seen several gun-unfriendly administrations come and go all with the same agenda in mind: chip away at the Second Amendment, whatever it takes. Thus far we have always managed to survive. Even administrations that we thought were going to preserve the Second Amendment didn’t exactly help us in our cause. And today that journey for the gun industry continues.

I remember two years ago, one of the best firearms attorneys in the industry delivered a message to the industry entitled, “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” At the time I really didn’t know the depth of his understanding of what we would be facing in the coming years. His delivery was spot on for what we were about to endure with this administration.

We all knew at some point in time with this administration an agenda focusing on gun control would surface. There were simply too many other issues for this to be a priority during the first two years. That time has been slowly coming and, believe me, it’s here. Their agenda isn’t written anywhere nor will you see it summarized in a newsletter on any publication. The gun control community has gotten smart and is working in a quiet but stealthy fashion. They are using multiple venues to get to the heart of controlling one of the most coveted rights in the United States, the Second Amendment. The anti-gun community is working below the radar screen and approaching from every angle possible to chip away at your rights. We know this is the case simply because we find there aren’t enough hours in the day to work on all of the issues at the Federal, let alone the State level. It started three years ago when ammunition prices went through the roof, for no apparent reason. Look a little deeper and you will find OSHA and EPA looking into pollution and a ton of other nonsense issues. If I look back I am convinced that the gun control groups starting looking at, “If I can’t control the gun, then let’s go after the ammunition.” Three years ago a lot of strange things happened for no apparent reason on the ammunition front, even if you weren’t wearing a tin foil hat. Since the debacle with ammunition pricing and availability there have been no less than a dozen pot holes the NFA industry has fallen into that have consumed hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars in resources that would never have been available in years before. We have now gained the strength and the muster to fight off many of the issues we face.

For many of you, seeing the entire picture is difficult if you aren’t standing next to what is really happening. Therefore, we wanted to take the time this month and fill you in on some of the “cuts” that we are attempting to avoid or heal.

Between struggling to figure out why we all of a sudden need a definition of small arms ammunition, requirements on the importation of shotguns, getting clarification on what constitutes manufacturing, fighting multiple sales on long guns, restricting the intake of post samples from police departments, restrictions on the importation of barrels, and a list of items as long as your arm, I know now what our Firearms Attorney meant by his expression “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” The NFATCA has been, and continues to be, your feet on the street protecting your NFA rights and many other facets of responsible gun ownership. Every day we are faced with no less than a dozen issues which we work to keep our rights on the fore front of those we represent, you the collector, the manufacturer and the owner in the NFA community. I often times feel like we are constantly in a reactionary mode with the many agendas coming from ATF and other enforcement agencies. I know that as the organization gains momentum through corporate and individual memberships we will slowly but surely begin to have a more powerful voice in an environment that traditionally is not a good listener. The NFATCA along with its sister organization the F.A.I.R. Trade group have enlisted congressional assistance to get the support our community rightfully deserves in order to take on a more proactive approach to legislative issues. Stay tuned to the many upcoming meetings to hear details on the level of legislative assistance we have been successful at obtaining.

This past year has been one of the best years the NFATCA has experienced in its relationships with sister organizations. We have attended meetings with the National Rifle Association, The National Shooting Sports Foundation and Safari Club International, among a few. We have found it critical to keep each other tuned into one another’s agenda making certain that we are all singing from the same sheet of music, protecting your rights, whether they are NFA rights or Title One firearms. As the administration unleashes the many things that we will see in the near term, the simple term of “United We Stand” is, and has always been, paramount to what we as a firearms community must know. We at the NFATCA look to a very powerful year standing for all gun owners and the right to keep and bear arms. The board at the NFATCA stands today for the entire community and what is right for any aspect of the NFA world.

I am proud that we can stand for the community and for the first time stand with all of the organizations that protect all of our rights. Come join us and help make a difference in how we serve the good for NFA owners everywhere. Come and visit us at nfatca.org.

Most of you have read a blog here or there that accuses the NFATCA of being an exclusive Big Boys Club. We supposedly have membership dues that are for the rich that no one can afford except an anointed few. We supposedly have private club meetings and are double agents for ATF. It is about time that someone set the record straight and told the truth, for a change.

This month marks the sixth year of formal organization as a 501(C) for the NFATCA and was formed with one goal and objective in mind: formal representation of NFA owners by NFA owners at a level never before achieved by any other organization. And that my friends is exactly what has been accomplished in six years of blood, sweat and tears. This organization was initially formed by more senior members of the NFA community, all of whom had been in the NFA business long before the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA), Public Law No. 99-308, 100 Stat. 449 (May 19, 1986), to include the Hughes amendment, was passed by Congress in May of 1986.

Every original board member had been in the NFA business, individually, a minimum of 30 years. It took that kind of strength, experience, maturity, and stamina to build something that would truly represent the community in a fashion never before accomplished. We formed the original board of directors at Knob Creek in April of 2006 and at that meeting each individual founding (Plankholder) member wrote a check to the organization for $5,000, to help get that organization off the ground. It took experience, time, and yes, a lot of money to accomplish what was necessary to move the NFATCA to the forefront of the ATF agenda. Having worked at every level of the executive leadership at ATF we took a completely different approach to working with the government, working together, instead of working against each other. We worked in the interests of the NFA community and in the best interests of public safety.

For six years now the NFATCA has held a consistent board with an agenda working for the benefit of NFA owners nationwide. We initially needed a lot of operating capital to move ahead with the strength necessary to make a difference. Membership levels ran from a life membership of $25,000 to an entry level of $250. This past year we introduced a $50 membership that has given the organization a tremendous boost in its ranks. We have now formed a formal steering committee that drives many of our initiatives from a working agenda to the best utilization of our top resource, our individual members. Our representation spans the entire agenda of NFA owners.

So if you still believe in the rumor that this organization is a special rich boys club, then take a look at the numbers. The majority of our membership is made up of regular NFA owners, like yourself, from all over the United States.

We have, and continue to take on, Benefactor Members, like The Freedom Group, to help us reach our goals. We have and will continue to work with groups like the National Rifle Association, Safari Club International, The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI), and The National Shooting Sports Foundation, to do one important thing: represent your interests as NFA owners and collectors. That initiative requires time, money, and the right kind of experience to make a difference in a world that is, many times, not so friendly. What we do isn’t cheap and it takes more time and energy than you could ever imagine. We have managed and continue to maintain a presence at every single point of enforcement and legislative interest that can and will affect our NFA community. If you want to refer to what the NFATCA does as a “Boys Club,” then you simply don’t understand what it takes to make a difference with the right of NFA ownership. Of course it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize that if you personally are not at the forefront of someone else’s success, it’s easy to find fault in something you had absolutely nothing to do with.

I often refer members to the NFATCA’s incorporation statement to remind me of what we are supposed to be all about:

The NFATCA Operating Charter

This corporation is organized as a non-profit corporation for the following purpose: To promote the interests of the general community comprised of collectors, manufacturers, importers and dealers of firearms and devices regulated by the National Firearms Act; to promote educational and cultural interest in the firearms and devices covered by the National Firearms Act; to address matters of public policy regarding firearms, in general; to encourage research, development and innovation in the firearms community; to encourage the lawful use of firearms; and to engage in any other lawful activity as instructed by the corporation’s Board of Directors.

You don’t have to look far to see the results of our charter. Most have seen the NFA Handbook, now in its fourth iteration, or the working version of the Firearms Technology Handbook, or the less than half dozen rulings that we have been responsible for working side by side with ATF in the making. We are often amazed at how fast some people forget that the NFATCA was the single organization that pulled the FNC ruling out of the fire and into a safe haven. But then too we can understand that if you didn’t come forward and help you should feel left out and probably a little angry and jealous of a success story where you could have made a difference. It’s not too late for you to step up.

I’m certain that the old expression on this particular topic is more than appropriate at this juncture, “Enough Said”.

Why don’t you come and join us today and lend your personal expertise to our endeavors. You too can make a difference with your time, your experience, and a mere fifty dollars. Come visit us at www.nfatca.org.

Many of you have seen the recent references and rumors about the NFATCA and major industry representatives working with ATF to reach an agreement on the definition of small arms ammunition. If you have not, then you should know that there is a move to clearly define the term “Small Arms Ammunition.” All of this was brought on by the fact that ATF has never really put a clear definition of the terms in any rulings. In the interest of public safety it would better serve everyone if there were some clarity to the subject and definition to the terms. Most everyone has stayed away from this issue simply because of the complexity of a seemingly simple definition.

This activity originally started in 2009 when a letter was sent out by ATF to clarify this subject. The letter was written under the auspices of the Safe Explosives Act and was intended to begin the process of defining small arms ammunition. That letter was actually rescinded when ATF realized that it may prompt an unusual number of people to apply for explosive permits and furthermore allow these same personnel to engage in the explosives industry, endangering their own safety. Since this was not the intent of the opinion letter, ATF wanted to invite the industry into further discussions to help better define the process of defining what small arms ammunition really is and to draw a line in the regulations on what ammunition could really be deemed an explosive and further define what weapons might be considered destructive devices. Hence this initiative became a major topic of discussion in both ATF and the industry.

This undertaking required the expertise of many industry personnel and especially experts from ATF’s Explosives and Firearms Technology Branches. The objective: define Small Arms Ammunition and all of the nuances associated with the repercussions of such a decision. To say this is a major undertaking is an understatement. Careful examination of this subject crosses the lines of gun regulations and explosives laws at every angle. Because of the complexity of the issues, the NFATCA enrolled the help of the National Rifle Association, The National Shooting Sports Foundation, The Safari Club International and experts from SAAMI (Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute) to work with ATF in defining the issues and specifics of everything that has a bearing on creating not only a clear definition but the side effects of such a ruling. In developing industry representation for such a major undertaking, additional explosive and ammunition experts have been collected from all over the country to work collaboratively with the NFATCA to fairly represent the concerns of the entire industry.

There are so many facets of this process it is almost scary to consider that no matter what direction the mission takes the world as we know it will change. The simple process of buying, even as a collector, certain types of live ammunition will change. This is also complicated by the fact that there are so many large caliber ammunition rounds that are not controlled that the language for this process will affect the industry in one fashion or another.

If, for example, an opinion letter were to be written that declares that all ammunition above .50 caliber would be considered an explosive, well, let your mind do the rest of the work. Not only does that round become an explosive but the mere possession would require having an explosive license and an approved magazine for safe storage of the ammunition. That combined with the fact that your magazine must now have a mandatory inspection by an ATF Explosives expert every three years would throw a very large wrench into the way we know ammunition today. Once again, let your mind wonder for a moment and see where you end up. Are those cases of 40mm practice ammo, powered by a .38 blank now going to be considered an explosive? Is that .600 Nitro or your grandfathers 4 Bore now going to be considered an explosive? Do powder types and amounts play into the picture? If I am a collector of cartridges of all kinds what will be the requirements under this new scenario? The list of questions goes on and on and the answers are scattered among the many facets of defining small arms ammunition.

So how do we understand this problem? The answer is simply bringing together any and all experts in this field that can add value to what is decided. Thus, the NFATCA has taken the lead and gathered as many of these experts as possible and is meeting in joint sessions with ATF to reach a satisfactory resolution to the problem. In the interest of all concerned this team of experts has one mission in mind, “Work collaboratively with the right experts within ATF and the Industry to develop a ruling that will be in the best interests of public safety.”

As with many of the issues that have been tendered with ATF during the last seven years, we know today that we won’t always agree with everything and we don’t always get everything that we want, but once again we have been allowed to sit at the table and participate in this ever important ruling process. The mission of these and many other meetings are to form a “Team” that works together in an effort to satisfy the requirements of both interests. That is exactly what is happening today and in the future with these efforts.

This issue, its consequences, and the outcome will have a major impact on virtually all facets of not only the NFA but the regular owners of firearms nationwide. We will gladly keep you posted on the details as this team works diligently to collaborate with ATF on such an important issue. If you have thoughts, comments or concerns, please come join us at www.nfatca.org and give us your input. The NFATCA is diligently watching over your NFA rights and fighting to protect them.

One of the many things that the NFATCA continues to monitor are the statistics and particulars on NFA transfers. Many of you remember the days of transfers that took, on the norm, 10-12 months. The last thing in the world you would do is call and check the status of your own transfer because you didn’t want to disturb the process. Those days made you feel helpless. Thank goodness those days are long gone.

When the NFA Branch moved to Martinsburg and Ken Houchens, as the new NFA Branch Chief, took this bull by the horns and things seemed to change overnight. Most of us went from being scared of our examiners to developing a good relationship with them. At that time the NFATCA actually went to Martinsburg and presented the examiners with a special plaque recognizing them for their excellence in getting a better handle on transfers for the entire community. At the height of the best times that we have seen, Form 3 transfers were taking a mere 5 days and Form 4s were handled in 22 days, once at the Branch. Did we get spoiled by all of this? You bet we did!

If you had the occasion to go to Knob Creek in October last year you would have seen the new NFA Branch Chief Ed Saavedra explain that Form 4s were holding at 4 months in 2009. In a later article I will detail an interview with Ted Clutter who has taken the lead as the NFA Branch Supervisor and is holding the line of this tidal wave that takes transfers 4 months as best possible with the resources that are available.

Prior to the Knob Creek meeting, resources at ATF and the NFATCA pondered on why the transfer times are running at the rate they are. We all knew that with a new President that the rush was on. NFA purchases went through the roof and purchases of the AR family of rifles were unprecedented. After the election panic and with the fall of the economy everything came to a screeching halt. Not only did the panic purchases come to a full stop but prices began to fall. The decline of disposable income and the fear of a complete collapse in the economy caused an interesting phenomenon in purchasing. Most of the NFA community decided not to spend their disposable income on high end items and instead spend their money on more affordable items, such as suppressors, short barreled rifles and similar more affordable items thereby holding on to as much cash as possible. At least that’s what appeared to be happening. To verify this, we decided to study the overall numbers and present those to our readers on what was actually happening with the types of NFA transfers during the last five years.

If you carefully look over the statistics in the following chart there are some amazing conclusions that can be drawn on how the presidential election and the economy have affected our community.

It is especially interesting to see that the more economical NFA items have increased dramatically. Also of note is how the pace in purchasing machine guns has drastically slowed as compared to any of the other five years. Additional surprises are also apparent in silencer purchases and short barreled rifles over previous years. Take into consideration that short barreled rifles and silencers are more affordable and still being made, it is no wonder that machine gun purchases have fallen off over the last year.

The last point of interest is how this work load has affected the ATF examiners in Martinsburg. Since 2006 their job has been, with the same number of resources, almost unmanageable. Taking a look at what happened for the total in 2009, it is no wonder that the NFA Branch has been forced to institute a multitude of new practices to keep pace with the increases in form processing. It is also important to understand that this chart only addresses Form 4s. This combined with the many other forms that are processed by the NFA Branch has put the NFATCA and ATF at the table together on many occasions to address how the NFTCA can better communicate issues to the community to assist the Branch. Working together has proven to help us both in better managing submission and processing.

On multiple occasions since the inception of the NFATCA we have had the privilege and the honor of working closely with the NFA Branch to better understand and assist the Branch whenever possible.

Still wondering what we do for our community? Continue to follow our updates in future articles to see exactly “What we have done for you lately,” or come join us and make a difference at www.nfatca.org.

SAR West… one of my favorite events of the year. We travel to Phoenix and set up for five days in the sun (we hope) and enjoy the Arizona atmosphere, while surrounded by thousands of tables of firearms related items and tens of thousands of like-minded people. It’s a carnival of guns, and the SAR building is dedicated to NFA firearms and black rifle related items, making it a haven for those with this affliction. The NFATCA Saturday meeting is informative and now it’s “tradition” to have this gathering. There are shoots and parties that surround the show and people travel from far and wide to see old friends and shop or sell. We’re handing this issue out at the show, and the content is tailored to the crowd there. We’re all pretty excited about SAR West, and the coming SHOT show in January.

This necessarily brings us to discussions about SAR East in York, PA. We like to have two shows per year and during the 2010 show in York we had been “iffy” about putting on the 2011 show due to health issues in my family and then decided to forge ahead and do it. Then, at the end of the show, a number of our exhibitors and machine gun displayers informed us that the weekend scheduled for 2011 was the same as the NRA Convention in Pittsburgh and they were already booked in there and couldn’t attend our show. Much deliberation ensued in the coming months, with Appalachian Promotions trying to change weekends and finally all they could get was the same as Knob Creek weekend – and that doesn’t work either of course. So, SAR East in May 2011 is canceled regarding our participation in it. Nonetheless, Appalachian Promotions will be having their gun show with a machine gun theme. Check their website for more information at www.appalachianpromotions.com.

Because we want to present two shows per year, and with some rational exuberance regarding our 14th year in publication, we decided to have another convention in 2011.

Yes, SARCON 2011 is on. Our schedule now is for SARCON to be on 15-17 September 2011. It will be immediately preceded by the SAR Three Gun Match led by The Godfather himself, Tony Dee. Tony is working out whether it will be pistol-subgun-carbine or pistol-subgun-shotgun, and the parameters of the test. He and his wife run a three-gun in the Vegas area and had been heavily involved in the old SOF Convention three-guns.

Highlights of SARCON 2011? Here’s the plan: it will be at the Tuscany on Flamingo Avenue, right behind Bally’s. Conventioneers should arrive on Wednesday unless they want to do the Three Gun Match, then it would be earlier. Wednesday September 14 will be registration and reception in the evening. Thursday 15 September will be coffee and pastries at a reception in the morning and registration as well – all of this in the exhibit hall. No, we’re not having a “gun show”… but we are having an exhibit hall for about 40 booths worth of companies that want to exhibit- and have the live fire demo of their products on Saturday evening at the range. Thursday, Friday and Saturday there are a morning and afternoon session for one of 8 courses, with a long lunch break in the exhibit hall.

The Schedule looks as follows but is subject to change, you can find the final on the SAR website:

Tuesday, 13 September:
SAR Three Gun Match
Wednesday, 14 September:
SAR Three Gun Match
Evening registration and reception at Tuscany
Thursday, 15 September: SARCON 2011
Morning coffee & pastry reception and registration in Exhibit hall
Morning session, 4 courses to choose from
Lunch in exhibit hall
Afternoon session, 4 courses to choose from
Evening hors d’oeuvres beer & wine in Exhibit hall
Friday, 16 September: SARCON 2011
Morning coffee & pastry reception in exhibit hall
Morning session, 4 courses to choose from
Lunch in exhibit hall
Afternoon session, 4 courses to choose from
Evening reception and dinner at LMO – the collection will be open
Saturday, 17 September: SARCON 2011
Morning coffee & pastry reception in exhibit hall
Morning session, 4 courses to choose from
Lunch in exhibit hall
Afternoon session, 4 courses to choose from
Bus to the range for live fire with the manufacturers
BBQ at the range and then a firepower demo

We hope you will consider blocking this off on your calendar. It should be very educational and a heck of a good time as well. We look forward to seeing all our friends there. – Dan