I realize that the reverse side of the ATF Form 1 states that the form shall be made available to any ATF Officer upon reaquest. My question is can any local law enforcement officer (local police or deputy sheriff) require to see the completed AFT Form 1 or check your NFA Weapon (SBR) for compliance. Can you carry a copy of the completed Form 1 with the tax stamp or do you have to carry the original AFT Form 1 with the weapon. Thanks for your input.
I carry multiple scanned color copies, reduced so that the front and back of the form can fit on one piece of 8.5" x 11" paper. The original stays in a fireproof file box at home.
The way it reads only ATF Agents have the proper right to request to see your paperwork, however I don’t think it would make for a wise decision tell your local LEO they can’t see it if confronted. Seems like you’d be setting yourself up for a lot of wasted time and frustration in addition to a free ride downtown till things are cleared up. Thats when it can get really interesting as my understanding is local law enforcement can’t simply call in to ATF to verify since the information is private, so their checks must be done in writing.
If my understanding is off base I’m sure someone will coe along and clarify for us.
Its is perfectly legal to carry “copies” so like BC98 I carry color scanned copies that have been reduced in size while leaving the originals locked up in the safe.
Many states have have laws against possession of an SBR without the Federal tax stamp/registration, it would be wise to keep a copy of your F4 to show local LE.
Thats a great point Todd about different states having different laws. Its just so much easier to carry copes of the forms with you than not.
I will say that I don’t like going to ranges where they want to “hold” your forms while you’re on their range. For me its a privacy issue since the forms have your address and such on them. I always argue the point that they simply need to see the forms rather than hold them since I need to keep them in my possession.
In addition to printed copied in my range bags, I keep scanned pdf copies in Dropbox so I can pull them up on my iPhone or anywhere with an Internet connection in case I forget the printed ones.
1/2 sized Form 1 that is laminated stays in my rifle case that I carry my SBR in.
Here in CO where I live and work as LE, the law is that it is illegal to have any NFA regulated item without paperwork that says you can have it. So if you’ve got an NFA item a cop can ask to see the paperwork, and if you don’t have the legal right to own the NFA item it’s a felony and off to jail you go. So keep a copy with the item and you’re good in my opinion.
Battery compartments in grips or stocks make a great place to stash a copy.
- 1 on the grip
The way the Sheriff explained it to me, some states (this one doesn’t) have laws that require that an SBR be registered with the ATF. Since that isn’t the law here, local state-certified law enforcement would be essentially looking to enforce federal law if they asked. Here, they don’t ask. In some states, they might.
OTOH, it’s no big deal to keep a size-reduced scanned copy in a battery storage compartment and doing so might defuse a misunderstanding some day. So I do.
Nope, not going to happen. The range I use wants to see the form and that the serial number match. It is a tax document and who to say while you’re shooting and they have your form 1,4, they aren’t making copies, which they in no way need or have right to.
I always hear strange stories about ranges that don’t allow suppressors, or hold your paperwork, or inspect your serial numbers - where do you people live? Our public ranges aren’t even manned (which leads to other issues) but the private range I’m a member of sure doesn’t inspect my guns. It would be like walking into JC Penny and having them inspect your wallet to make sure you have a form of payment before you’re allowed to shop there.
WTF! Man I’m lucky to live where I do! I never shot at an indoor ranges because of the abundance of public and private outdoor ranges and private lands to shoot on. The private range I frequent is the way to go though as we typically have a range to ourselves with the freedom to shoot and move lay down, breakdance or whatever strikes our fancy. All that they ask is that select-fire weapons, like the ones that the local machine-gun shop smiths bring on a regular basis, are kept to the far range. I’ve never been asked to show papers, our Sheriff thinks SBR’s are cool, and the local ATF guys are cool old dudes who aren’t overly concerned with NFA.