Suppressors ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

N

nortac

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Mar 19, 2009
283
10
Texas
#1
I bought another silencer and wrote a check to BATFE back at the first of April and was hoping to have the suppressor in hand early July. I noticed they had not cashed my stamp check as of last month. When I called and they stated it had been turned over to an agent and that they lost a batch of checks but it would be deposited. Well, it has been well over three months since I sent them the check and as of today the check has not cleared even though the paperwork has been turned over to an agent.

Anyone else having issues or exceptionally long wait times?
 
#2
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

Yep, turned in a Form 4 for another can back in April. They cashed the check April 19th. My previous stamps were back in 10 weeks. This one is way behind. I did see that others were reporting they sent theirs in mid March and just now getting them back so I hope the mid April stuff shows up soon.
 
#5
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

Something is wrong if they take a while to cash your stamp. My stamp got cashed within two days of them receiving my paperwork.
 
#7
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chull</div><div class="ubbcode-body">mailed 5/31 cashed 6/8 still not assigned to an anyone. I called and was told it might be 6 months till I get my stamp. </div></div>For what it's worth, they always tell you that. I think the canned speech is "it's our goal, but not a guarantee, to get your paperwork approved within 6 months." I got this speech, right before my can was approved (6 WEEKS after sending it.) Now given, this was in the third quarter of 2010, things seem to have slowed a bit since then.
 
#8
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chull</div><div class="ubbcode-body">mailed 5/31 cashed 6/8 still not assigned to an anyone. I called and was told it might be 6 months till I get my stamp. </div></div>

My latest approval is a Form 1
Rec'd March 11, Cashed March 17th, assigned April 5th, Approved July 19th

I still have a Form 4 pending that's annoying me big time.

Rec'd Feb 7, cashed Feb 17th, <span style="font-weight: bold">assigned May 16th</span> and still pending... needless to say I'm less than impressed.
 
#9
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

Are all the other form 4's and form 1's being reassigned to the correct examiner or are they still under original examiner before the change ?

I wonder how many got lost ?
 
#13
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

4 to 6 months seems to be the norm. I am waiting right now as well. My last two cans took 5 months. I remember my first sbr took 27 days door to door for approval, but this was pre-Obama days!
 
#14
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

I wonder if switching examiners to cover certain states will speed up the process or not. Will the examiners that have ones already finish them before switching to their states or will they switch mid wait time and make the wait longer
 
#16
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

ATF was at the Allen Tx gun show today. I don't go to gun show unless I need something. As I was walking thru looking as I walked, I spied a table with the ATF banner. I walked past to go find what I went there for. On my way back out, I figured I'd stop and ask the question this post originated from. Where's my form 4? They claim to be administrative people from ATF. They were handing out flyers, stickers and packets of propaganda. Things like legal gun ownership info, rules and regulations and responsible gun safety. All bullshit to help with the black eye they got over selling guns in Mexico. They said they didn't know anything about NFA stuff. Probably hired a temp agency to send out 3 people that don't know shit just hand out papers and stickers and smile.
 
#17
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

yeah the NFA examiners are a group of maybe 10 people. My neighbor is an ATF agent and he has no clue on what goes on in Georgia, or where ever the processing takes place.

The people at the shows are mostly clerical positions or public relations that are good at answering ownership or simple gun laws.
 
#18
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: pinky</div><div class="ubbcode-body">4 to 6 months seems to be the norm. I am waiting right now as well. My last two cans took 5 months. I remember my first sbr took 27 days door to door for approval, but this was pre-Obama days!</div></div>

Yep. Had a can go through in 37 days in 2007. 2009 it took over 6 months (June to January 2010). Just sent in ppwk for a couple cans on a trust. I'm thinking maybe 3 months from what I'm hearing in general, but it seems that some examiners actually do their job; God knows what the others are doing that it takes them so long (probably lots of training. The PC stuff like "Concern for Others", pro-gay propaganda sessions and the like).

In a perfect world, cans would be cash and carry, mail order even.

Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a federal agency.
 
#19
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

I spoke to the ATF on Friday about my form 4's. Received the first or march went pending on May 25. The lady told me around 5 months from the pending date.
 
#20
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: wdebo</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I spoke to the ATF on Friday about my form 4's. Received the first or march went pending on May 25. The lady told me around 5 months from the pending date.</div></div>

Has anyone every heard the justification for the delay? Esp. for trusts? Esp. for trusts that are going to previously approved taxpayers?

Just wondering.
 
#21
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

thats one thing I could never figure out... If you have already been approved for a suppressor or FA then why the extreme wait the second or third time around. Wouldn't they have your information on file and be able to process it faster.

Or maybe since this is 2011 couldn't it be easier to have forms electronically submitted to eliminate paperwork or accidental shreddings.

just saying the wait sucks if we've been through this once before...
 
#22
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

I just sent the paperwork in for my Thunderbeast from the SH group buy. I sent it on Monday, 18 July and the the check was cashed by Thursday, 21st of July. My dealer told me to expect 120 days with the new reorganization and I told him I have never had one less than 120 days yet. May be that has been my bad luck. I would like to hear why they did the reorganization. It should be to get faster not longer but...who knows. Every personal discussion I have had with the people in West Virginia has been positive. What is silly about this whole system is having to do finger prints and pictures on every form. Get to the 21st century and data base it. Finger prints don't change. It is silly.
 
#23
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: trophyhunter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thats one thing I could never figure out... If you have already been approved for a suppressor or FA then why the extreme wait the second or third time around. Wouldn't they have your information on file and be able to process it faster.

Or maybe since this is 2011 couldn't it be easier to have forms electronically submitted to eliminate paperwork or accidental shreddings.

just saying the wait sucks if we've been through this once before...</div></div>

More transfers being processed = more time to wait.

Had a customer finally come in after almost 4 months of waiting to pick up his suppressed .22 - he's got an approved Form 4 in hand, and the background check came back as a Conditional. Talk about frustration!
frown.gif
 
#26
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

I had a couple TBAC cans go pending on May 24th through a trust... just checked today and they are still pending. I hope it's not 5 months from pending date
 
#28
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Arbiter</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> and the background check came back as a Conditional. </div></div>

Never heard of "conditional" on a NICS check, only delayed or denied. Can you explain "conditional"?
 
#29
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Arbiter</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: trophyhunter</div><div class="ubbcode-body">thats one thing I could never figure out... If you have already been approved for a suppressor or FA then why the extreme wait the second or third time around. Wouldn't they have your information on file and be able to process it faster.

Or maybe since this is 2011 couldn't it be easier to have forms electronically submitted to eliminate paperwork or accidental shreddings.

just saying the wait sucks if we've been through this once before...</div></div>

More transfers being processed = more time to wait.

Had a customer finally come in after almost 4 months of waiting to pick up his suppressed .22 - he's got an approved Form 4 in hand, and the background check came back as a Conditional. Talk about frustration!
frown.gif
</div></div>

Wait, why was there an additional background check done if he had the Form 4 approved? The 4473 form has a part on there that says "If this is part of an NFA transfer the phone call isn't necessary".

My Form 4 was approved, I filled out the 4473 and it was just filed. No additional phone call.
 
#31
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

What's this long wait times nonsense you speak of. I sent my form 4 on may 20, it's was received and check cashed on may 23, got the call today that my stamp is back. By my calculations that's 9 weeks 3 days from the time the check cashed. Guess I'm just lucky!
 
#32
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Csf45</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What's this long wait times nonsense you speak of. I sent my form 4 on may 20, it's was received and check cashed on may 23, got the call today that my stamp is back. By my calculations that's 9 weeks 3 days from the time the check cashed. Guess I'm just lucky! </div></div>

Dude, you should buy some Lotto tickets...
 
#33
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Csf45</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What's this long wait times nonsense you speak of. I sent my form 4 on may 20, it's was received and check cashed on may 23, got the call today that my stamp is back. By my calculations that's 9 weeks 3 days from the time the check cashed. Guess I'm just lucky! </div></div>

Wow thats great. I wonder if anything other then luck could have helped on your part. Was it on a trust? Your first item etc? I have also wondered if SOT's who send more forms in make any difference? I doubt any of this I think you are just a lucky one. I have one pending since June 6th and a batch of four that I have not checked on yet I hope I am so lucky. Maybe they are going to be nice to this Fort Worth good old boy too! PG
 
#34
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

Ok latest up date on my last form 4

Originally sent in early April. Approved July 17th and paper work dispatched July 26th.

After a detailed conversation with Sara at ATF my check cleared on their end but apparently shows up as a credit card charge through my bank. So it is possible if you are trying to figure out why a check has not cleared it may be because your bank looks at the transaction as a credit card charge. Go figure. Looks like this one only took an extra month.
 
#35
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bm11</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Something is wrong if they take a while to cash your stamp. My stamp got cashed within two days of them receiving my paperwork. </div></div>

Not necessarily.

There are numerous instances of checks being cashed at 3+ months or, in some cases, <span style="font-style: italic">after</span> the person receives the stamp back.
 
#36
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGG</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Wow thats great. I wonder if anything other then luck could have helped on your part. Was it on a trust? Your first item etc? I have also wondered if SOT's who send more forms in make any difference? I doubt any of this I think you are just a lucky one. I have one pending since June 6th and a batch of four that I have not checked on yet I hope I am so lucky. Maybe they are going to be nice to this Fort Worth good old boy too! PG </div></div>

On a trust and also my first stamp, but why would that have anything to do with lead time?
 
#37
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Danneskjold</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bm11</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Something is wrong if they take a while to cash your stamp. My stamp got cashed within two days of them receiving my paperwork. </div></div>

Not necessarily.

There are numerous instances of checks being cashed at 3+ months or, in some cases, <span style="font-style: italic">after</span> the person receives the stamp back. </div></div>

That would be great if they posted my stamps approved back to me and still hadn't cashed the checks... I'd be tempted to cancel those checks...

All of my checks have been cashed within days of the forms being delivered.
 
#38
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: bohem</div><div class="ubbcode-body">That would be great if they posted my stamps approved back to me and still hadn't cashed the checks... I'd be tempted to cancel those checks... </div></div>


I was actually about to cancel my check for the Form 4 stamp but after a long discussion with Sara Jones at ATF it would have done me zero good.
My check for my Form 1 I sent in at the end of May shows it has not cleared either but after talking with my bank it cleared as a credit card transaction as well.

I originally started this post because I suspected some issue with the ATF and possibly thought the Arizona/Mexico debacle was the cause. This was simply an error on my part not realizing my checks had cleared, just not as checks but credit card transactions.
 
#39
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Csf45</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGG</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Wow thats great. I wonder if anything other then luck could have helped on your part. Was it on a trust? Your first item etc? I have also wondered if SOT's who send more forms in make any difference? I doubt any of this I think you are just a lucky one. I have one pending since June 6th and a batch of four that I have not checked on yet I hope I am so lucky. Maybe they are going to be nice to this Fort Worth good old boy too! PG </div></div>

On a trust and also my first stamp, but why would that have anything to do with lead time? </div></div>
---------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure it would doubt it would just hoping I guess. I have a five in the works and was kind of hoping once they check out the trust maybe it would speed up future forms pending. I got two last year with the same trust. Again nothing but wishful thinking on my part. I have one that went pending June 6th and four I have not checked in on. Lets hope its a new fast trend and not just you being super lucky. Thanks PG
 
#40
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGG</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Csf45</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: PGG</div><div class="ubbcode-body">
Wow thats great. I wonder if anything other then luck could have helped on your part. Was it on a trust? Your first item etc? I have also wondered if SOT's who send more forms in make any difference? I doubt any of this I think you are just a lucky one. I have one pending since June 6th and a batch of four that I have not checked on yet I hope I am so lucky. Maybe they are going to be nice to this Fort Worth good old boy too! PG </div></div>

On a trust and also my first stamp, but why would that have anything to do with lead time? </div></div>
---------------------------------------------------------------

Not sure it would doubt it would just hoping I guess. I have a five in the works and was kind of hoping once they check out the trust maybe it would speed up future forms pending. I got two last year with the same trust. Again nothing but wishful thinking on my part. I have one that went pending June 6th and four I have not checked in on. Lets hope its a new fast trend and not just you being super lucky. Thanks PG </div></div>
Haha thats understandable, I dont know how but I didn't call to check on it once. Then I got the call a couple days ago and was so surprised it already went through after reading all this stuff about long lead times. Hopefully they got their shit figured out and its back to normal.
 
#42
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

Hello all, was searching for this and decided to join.

I am on week 13 I believe of my form 4. ATF cashed my check May 2nd or 3rd. I forgot but I know it was a Monday. I know nothing else on this yet. I have done a form 1 before and it took 3 months back in 09 and it came back about 2 months into it with a correction form. Even with that it took 3 months.
This is BS that we have to wait for them to get off there a$$e$ and get us done. I mean here we are supporting them with tax money and trying to do this the legal way. We should be rewarded not punished by sitting on our forms.

PS, I have nothing on in my back ground and am a federal employee myself and think this is BS. If I am even a day too late in my business I have to stand before the man and explain myself.
 
#46
Re: ATF Current lead times (whats up with them)

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DocHoliday13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Last few suppressor I've transferred to my customers have had are around 8 -10 weeks</div></div> since you are in Virginia, and we are using the same examiner now, I hope that is my case. I would love 8-10 weeks vice 16 weeks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
ATF auditor ignorance on pistol brace
Replies
2
Views
603
Jgault
Jgault
Blue Sky Country
New disgusting details revealed in Congressman's probe of the lethal ATF raid on Bryan Malinowski.
Replies
64
Views
4K
LRRPF52
LRRPF52
AFGWS
Sig Kilo 10K updates
Replies
3
Views
231
srt-4_uk
S
M
obiden's atf next move
Replies
20
Views
1K
Docsherm
Docsherm
Blue Sky Country
BREAKING: Gun Owners of America backs JD Vance for Vice President.
Replies
13
Views
736
Fx51LP308
Fx51LP308
Top Bottom
Back
Home
Forums
Merch
Alerts