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As part of ATF’s recent package of 34 new rules, they’ve proposed a change to their “out-of-business” records retention.
This record retention amounts to an unconstitutional, illegal registry of guns and gun owners.
The registry, compiled by ATF using Form 4473 — which is the dealer sales form completed by gun owners during firearms transactions — must be destroyed.
Now, thanks to a proposed rule change, gun owners have the ability to make their voices heard.
GOA is providing a model comment, so you can fight back against the ATF.
PASTE & SUBMIT COMMENT
Preview comment
ATF’S NEW RULE: WORSE THAN OBAMA-ERA RETENTION
ATF’s new proposed rule change, “Firearms Records Retention Periods” continues to require decades-long retention of firearm transaction records.
Worse still, it also allows ATF to maintain their “out-of-business” dealer records for additional decades.
While the rule is a step in the right direction, (Biden required FFLs to keep records forever) it reverts to an Obama-era status-quo — that records should be kept by gun dealers for 20 to 30 years after the firearms transaction.
And of course, ATF is suggesting that they should be able to keep those records in their illegal registry for another 30 years after they receive them.
That’s 60 years of your information being held by the federal government.
ATF should adopt the shortest possible retention period permitted by law. Ideally, ZERO years.
That’s why we need GOA members to submit their comments to the federal register ASAP.
Our vocal grassroots members can hold ATF accountable.
GOA members have been crucial to change and have worked to stop bad policy in the past.
Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Copy our model comment, which is provided here.
PASTE & SUBMIT COMMENT
ATF CANNOT RETURN TO THE STATUS-QUO. REAL CHANGE IS NEEDED.
ATF’s own historical findings demonstrate that the law-enforcement utility of decades-old records is minimal.
In its 1985 rulemaking, ATF acknowledged that trace usefulness sharply declines over time, especially after 10–15 years.
And the ATF itself admitted to Texas Rep. Michael Cloud that the agency “has no ability to determine” or link any crime gun traces to successful prosecutions.
Yet under the current framework, records may effectively be retained for generations—first by dealers, and then by ATF after a dealer goes out of business.
A return to the status-quo is not good enough for gun owners.
ATF should use this rulemaking to dismantle—not preserve—the infrastructure of a national gun owner registry.
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