As the federal government shutdown moves into its third week, the examiners who process National Firearms Act forms are being called back to work.
The examiners for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' National Firearms Act Division are to be back on the job and processing NFA applications starting Oct. 20. Since the government ran out of money on Oct. 1, NICS, the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System, has remained operating as it is deemed essential to ensure law-abiding citizens can freely exercise their right to keep and bear arms. However, other gun-related functions, such as processing NFA forms for consumers looking to build or transfer items like suppressors or short-barreled firearms, have been placed on hold.
This meant only law enforcement and government entities could have their NFA transfers processed, with all other forms stacked in a queue, unworked. This comes at a time when NFA items have never been more popular. According to the latest figures from ATF, at least 3,533,533 NFA forms were processed in 2023 alone, a more than threefold jump from 2013's figures of 1,085,749 forms.
The American Suppressor Association advised Guns.com last Friday that the move to call back the examiners came "after weeks of back and forth between ASA, ATF, DOJ, OMB, the White House, and the Hill," with "Special credit to Chairman Jim Jordan for pushing the ball across the goal line for us."
Pressure also came from 2A member groups, such as Gun Owners of America, members of Congress, and firearms industry trade groups such as the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
According to the GOA, ATF anticipates that the current NFA forms backlog "will be cleared within 7-10 days."
Of course, the logjam also points out yet another issue with the outdated NFA, which was adopted in 1934.
"The whole situation just proves exactly why Congress must repeal the archaic National Firearms Act. Gun owners shouldn’t be forced to beg the government’s permission to exercise their rights," said Erich Pratt, GOA's Senior Vice President.
Banner image: Assorted SilencerCo Osprey and Omega type suppressors. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
