Ditch the Paper, Slash the Costs: Why Digital Form 4473 Pays for Itself

For Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs), compliance isn’t optional — it’s the backbone of your business.  But every paper ATF Form 4473 you file carries hidden costs: hours of labor, storage fees, and the ever-present risk of clerical error.  E4473 by Bravo Store Systems replaces that friction with automation, accuracy, and audit-ready confidence — built right into your point of sale.   The Hidden Costs of Paper 📜  Paper may look cheap, but it drains profit in four ways:  Pitfall: Human Error – Hidden Cost: The #1 source of ATF violations. Handwriting, skipped fields, and correction errors create rework, citations, and risk. Pitfall: Time Sink – Hidden Cost: Staff spend paid hours reviewing, correcting, and filing forms instead of helping customers. Pitfall: Audit Stress – Hidden Cost: ATF audits mean digging through cabinets and boxes—slow retrieval increases inspection time and exposure. Pitfall: Storage Overhead – Hidden Cost: You pay for valuable space to store 20 years of records that could live securely in the cloud.  The ROI of Going Digital 💰  Transitioning to a digital 4473 isn’t a tech upgrade — it’s a profitability move that saves time, eliminates errors, and protects your license.  Fewer Errors, Greater Protection E4473 validates every field before submission, preventing the mistakes that drive most ATF violations.  Real-time validation: Customers can’t skip required questions or enter invalid data.  Built-in help text: Clarifies confusing items, reducing clerk intervention.  Perfect legibility: Every form is clean, consistent, and auditor-ready — no handwriting to interpret.  Result: fewer corrections, faster audits, and less stress for your compliance team.  Time Saved Is Revenue Earned Every minute not spent on paperwork is a minute spent selling, serving, or training.  Accelerated completion: Customers fill out the digital 4473 on a kiosk or tablet — no duplicate data entry.  Instant retrieval: Locate any form in seconds instead of hours.  Integrated workflows: E4473 connects with NICS and your A&D Bound Book for automatic updates.  That’s how Bravo turns compliance time into business time. Lower Overhead, Higher Security Cloud retention: Records are securely stored for the full 20-year retention period — accessible anywhere, anytime.  No paper storage: Free up square footage for merchandise, not filing cabinets.  Disaster-ready backups: Protection against fire, flood, or theft — risks that destroy paper but not encrypted cloud data.    Make the Switch with Bravo Store Systems  Migrating from paper to digital compliance can sound daunting, but Bravo Store Systems makes it simple. E4473 is fully integrated with Bravo Point of Sale, giving you one system for sales, loans, and firearms compliance — no plug-ins, no double work.  Unified workflow: Sell an item, auto-generate the digital 4473, update your bound book — all in one motion.  Audit-ready 24/7: Digital retention to ATF spec; export in clicks, not hours.  Expert support: Bravo’s firearms specialists understand ATF protocols and help your team stay inspection-ready year-round.    Stop paying for inefficiency. Start operating with precision, speed, and compliance built in.  👉 See How E4473 Works › 
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Government Shutdown Gridlock: The 4473 Form is Your FFL’s Biggest Headache

When the federal government shutters its doors, FFL dealers brace for impact. While the lights stay on in your store, the essential paperwork that makes a transfer legal—the ATF Form 4473—is suddenly at the mercy of bureaucratic gridlock.  A government shutdown means furloughs and reduced staff across various federal agencies, and this ripple effect hits your compliance process directly where it hurts: the background check.  Here’s why the Form 4473 becomes the choke point during a federal funding lapse, and how it impacts your business immediately.    The Form 4473’s Pain Points During a Shutdown  The Firearms Transaction Record (Form 4473) itself doesn’t stop being required, but the mechanisms needed to complete it legally slow to a crawl:  NICS Delays Cripple Transfers: The heart of the 4473 process is the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Even though NICS is considered “essential,” reduced FBI staffing means a surge of delays. If your NICS check takes hours or days instead of minutes, the completion of your 4473 is directly stalled.  Increased “Default Proceed” Decisions: Slow NICS response times increase the likelihood that the three-business-day waiting period (the “Brady delay”) will expire before a definitive ‘Proceed’ or ‘Deny’ is issued. This forces you, the FFL, into a difficult position: risk transferring the firearm without a final federal determination, or lose the sale. This discretionary decision, noted on the 4473, carries inherent risk.  The Compliance Backlog Grows: Any errors, required corrections, or compliance issues you encounter during the transfer process will be virtually impossible to resolve quickly. Reduced ATF staffing means fewer personnel available for oversight, inspections, or clarification, allowing a potential clerical issue on a 4473 to sit unaddressed and pose a long-term liability risk.  Protecting Your FFL: A 4473 Checklist  In this uncertain environment, your focus must be on mitigating risk and maintaining impeccable records.  Transparency is Key: Proactively inform all customers completing a 4473 that background check times are severely impacted by the shutdown. Set realistic expectations to maintain a positive customer experience despite the delays.  Compliance Under Pressure: Ensure every single line of the 4473 is completed perfectly. Since the time frame for NICS resolution is unpredictable, you must be prepared for increased scrutiny on the documentation you can control.  Digital Advantage: If you use an electronic system, ensure it’s compliant with ATF Ruling 2022-01 and capable of instantly and securely recording the disposition of every firearm on your A&D log, even when the federal backend is lagging.    Bravo Store Systems: Your Shutdown Solution  You can’t control Washington, but you can control your compliance. When federal services are compromised, Bravo Store Systems is the stable, reliable backbone your FFL needs.  Bravo minimizes your 4473 risk and keeps you efficient:  Error-Proof 4473: Our digital system guides both the customer and the FFL through the form, flagging required fields and errors before the transaction is submitted, dramatically reducing fatal compliance mistakes.  Instant Record Keeping: Every transaction is immediately and accurately posted to your electronic A&D log, ensuring your bound book is always audit-ready, even if a federal inspection were to be delayed by the shutdown.  Task Management & Alerts: Our built-in tools track all pending NICS checks and outstanding compliance tasks, ensuring nothing—including follow-up on delayed 4473s—slips through the cracks.  Paperless Security: Move beyond stacks of paper. Securely maintain your digital 4473 records, making them immediately accessible and safe from damage or loss.  Don’t let government gridlock put your FFL at risk. Bravo provides the digital compliance solution you need to operate safely and confidently.  Book a Walkthrough! 
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Beyond the Paper Trail: How Electronic Bound Book Technology and E4473 Empower Modern FFLs

                                                    For Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs), ensuring ATF compliance is not just a requirement – it’s the foundation of a successful business. Yet, the traditional paper-based systems, with their manual processes and endless paperwork, can feel like a tangled web. This is where Bravo Store Systems offers a powerful solution, transforming the way FFLs manage compliance and daily operations.  By embracing modern electronic bound book technology and our streamlined E4473 process, FFLs can leave the burden of the paper trail behind and gain unparalleled control, accuracy, and efficiency.  The Challenges of Traditional Compliance  For years, FFLs have relied on manual, paper-based systems, which are inherently prone to error and inefficiency. The process involves meticulous data entry into bound books and the manual completion of forms like the ATF Form 4473. This outdated approach presents several significant challenges:  Susceptible to Human Error: Manual data entry can easily lead to inaccuracies, creating discrepancies that can cause issues during an ATF inspection.  Time-Consuming Operations: Filling out forms and updating bound books by hand is a tedious and slow process, leading to longer wait times for customers and operational bottlenecks.  Inefficient Recordkeeping: Storing and retrieving paper records, especially during an audit, is a cumbersome task that can significantly prolong the inspection process.  The Bravo Solution: Seamless Digital Compliance  Bravo Store Systems offers a revolutionary solution that integrates the core components of modern compliance: electronic bound book technology and E4473. Together, these tools provide an end-to-end digital solution that is built for speed and accuracy.  Electronic Bound Book Technology  This is the cornerstone of modern compliance. Our digital bound book technology replaces the manual process with a secure, cloud-based system. All firearm acquisitions and dispositions are electronically recorded, ensuring every entry is accurate and instantly accessible. This feature provides a complete and easily searchable record, making you audit-ready at a moment’s notice.  Bravo’s E4473  Our electronic Form 4473 solution streamlines the background check process from start to finish. Customer information is captured digitally, eliminating manual data entry and minimizing the risk of errors. This not only speeds up the transaction but also ensures that every piece of information is accurate before it enters your digital bound book.  Beyond Efficiency: The Strategic Advantage  The combined power of Bravo’s E4473 and electronic bound book technology extends far beyond simple operational improvements. It provides FFLs with a strategic advantage:  Drastically Reduced Risk: By eliminating manual errors and maintaining a complete, secure digital record, our software significantly reduces the risk of non-compliance. This protects your business from potential penalties and fosters a culture of responsibility.  Enhanced Customer Experience: Faster, more efficient transactions mean less time spent on paperwork and more time dedicated to customer interaction. This leads to a more positive experience, building trust and loyalty.  Unrivaled Peace of Mind: Knowing that your compliance is handled with the highest level of accuracy allows you to focus on growing your business and serving your customers with confidence.  Your Partner in Modern Compliance  Choosing the right partner is crucial for a successful FFL business. Bravo Store Systems is a leading provider of point-of-sale and compliance software designed specifically for the needs of FFLs. Our innovative solutions empower you to navigate the complexities of ATF regulations, streamline your operations, and secure your future.   
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The Ultimate Business Upgrade for FFL Dealers and Pawnshop Owners

As an FFL dealer or pawnshop owner, you are constantly looking for the next big business upgrade—a new security system, a better display case, or a faster internet connection. But what if the most impactful upgrade for your business isn’t a piece of hardware, but a digital solution that modernizes your entire operation? Your Acquisitions and Dispositions (A&D) book, the very foundation of your business, is ready for a revolutionary upgrade.  By moving beyond the traditional paper log, you can transform a legal burden into a powerful tool for efficiency and profitability. Platforms like e4473.com and Bravo Store Systems offer this essential upgrade, integrating compliance directly into your daily workflow to make your entire business faster, smarter, and more secure.    Upgrade Your Inventory Management  Manually entering every item into a physical book is not just tedious—it’s a recipe for costly mistakes. A single misplaced digit can lead to a failed ATF audit. A digital A&D book is a fundamental upgrade that eliminates this risk. Item details – like serial number and manufacturer – are automatically pulled from the transaction record into the A&D log, eliminating redundant data entry. This saves you countless hours and ensures every record is flawless.  With a system that links your A&D book to your Point of Sale (POS), your inventory is updated in real time. The moment an item is acquired or sold, its status is instantly updated in your digital log. This gives you an accurate, up-to-the-minute view of your stock without ever having to close your doors for a manual count.    Upgrade Your Sales Process  The moment of a firearm sale is where a digital A&D book truly shines. Instead of fumbling through a paper log, you can complete the Form 4473 electronically. E4473 specializes in this, guiding you through the form to ensure every required field is completed accurately. This is a critical upgrade that not only speeds up the checkout process but also drastically reduces the risk of errors that could lead to a failed audit.  The digital log then automatically records the transaction details, linking the firearm to the buyer’s information. This seamless process eliminates redundancy and ensures a perfect, compliant record for every single sale. It’s an instant, stress-free path to compliance that leaves you free to focus on the customer.    Upgrade Your Business Intelligence  When your A&D book is a fully integrated part of your business software, every process becomes more efficient. Bravo Store Systems, for example, combines your digital A&D book with a robust POS, comprehensive inventory management, customer management, and in-depth reporting tools. This all-in-one approach means your entire business—from compliance to sales – is connected.  With everything in one place, you can generate reports that provide crucial business insights. You can track which firearms are your best sellers, identify trends in your inventory, and manage your customer relationships with ease. A digital A&D book is more than a convenience; it’s a strategic asset that makes your operations faster, reduces compliance risk, and frees you up to focus on what matters most: growing your business and increasing your bottom line.   
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ATF Audit Ready: The Role of Digital 4473 Software in Stress-Free Inspections

For every Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL), an ATF audit can feel like a pop quiz you didn’t quite study for. The pressure to maintain impeccable records, ensure flawless compliance, and swiftly retrieve documents for an Industry Operations Investigator (IOI) is immense. Even a minor oversight on an ATF Form 4473 can lead to citations, fines, or even the dreaded revocation of your FFL.  This is where digital 4473 software steps in, transforming what could be a grueling inspection into a much smoother, stress-free experience. Forget the mountains of paper, the illegible handwriting, and the frantic searches through dusty filing cabinets. The future of FFL compliance is digital, and it’s designed to make your ATF Audit Ready at all times.    The Paper Predicament: Why Manual 4473s Create Audit Headaches  Traditional paper Form 4473s, while once the standard, are ripe for common pitfalls that become glaring issues during an audit:  Illegible Handwriting: An IOI can’t audit what they can’t read. Poor penmanship is a frequent source of compliance violations.  Missing or Incomplete Fields: Human error is inevitable. Skipped questions, unchecked boxes, or missing signatures on a physical form are easy to overlook until an audit highlights them.  Time-Consuming Retrieval: Imagine an IOI asking for a specific 4473 from five years ago. Sifting through binders and boxes wastes valuable time and creates a perception of disorganization.  Storage Challenges: FFLs are required to retain 4473s for up to 20 years. This demands significant physical space and secure, organized storage, which can be costly and prone to environmental damage or loss.  Correction Complications: Correcting errors on a paper 4473 after the fact requires specific, multi-step procedures that can be cumbersome and, if done incorrectly, lead to further violations.  These issues are compounded during an audit, turning what should be a routine review into a high-stress event that drains your time and resources.  The Digital Solution: How E4473.com Puts You in Control  This is precisely why Ee4473.com, a cutting-edge digital 4473 software powered by Bravo Store Systems, has become an indispensable tool for modern FFLs. It’s built from the ground up to address these audit pain points, ensuring you’re always prepared.  Here’s how digital 4473 software transforms your audit readiness:  Guaranteed Accuracy & Error Prevention:  Intelligent Forms: E4473.com features smart, guided forms with built-in logic. They prevent customers from skipping required fields and use ATF to help language to clarify questions, dramatically reducing common errors like incorrect ethnicity/race entries or actual transferee questions.  Legibility Guaranteed: No more deciphering handwriting. All information is entered digitally, ensuring perfect legibility for both your staff and ATF auditors.  Instantaneous Record Retrieval:  Centralized Digital Storage: All your completed 4473s are securely stored in the cloud, eliminating the need for physical filing cabinets. This meets ATF Ruling 2022-1, which permits electronic storage of 4473s under specific conditions.  Powerful Search Capabilities: An IOI needs a specific record? With digital software, you can search by customer name, firearm serial number, transaction date, or any other relevant field, instantly pulling up the required documents in seconds, not hours.  Integrated Documents: Supplemental forms, like multiple handgun sales reports or non-immigrant alien documentation, can be digitally attached directly to the 4473, keeping all transaction-related documents together and easily accessible.  Simplified Audit Process:  Dedicated Audit Portal: E4473 Cloud Storage, as part of the Bravo Store Systems ecosystem, often includes a designated ATF Audit Portal. This allows your IOI to access the necessary records directly (with restricted, read-only access) from a designated workstation within your system, streamlining their review without compromising other business data.  Organized for Review: Digital records are inherently organized, allowing auditors to efficiently review batches of forms, conduct traces, and verify compliance with far greater ease than sifting through physical documents.  The Confidence of Compliance with Bravo Store Systems  Knowing that your 4473s are 100% compliant with ATF regulations, always accessible, and securely stored provides invaluable peace of mind. E4473.com is not just a digital form; it’s a comprehensive compliance powerhouse built to simplify and secure your FFL operations. Its seamless integration within the Bravo Store Systems platform means your 4473s automatically sync with your POS, inventory, and A&D bound book, ensuring consistency across all your records.  Don’t let the next ATF audit catch you off guard. Embrace the efficiency, security, and accuracy that digital 4473 software provides. Be ready, be compliant, and operate your FFL with unmatched confidence.  Is your FFL truly audit-ready? Visit e4473.com today to learn how Bravo Store Systems can help you achieve stress-free ATF inspections! 
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Why Bravo POS Customers Need E4473

Desktop view of E4473 for Bravo POS users
There’s no better way to manage your inventory than with Bravo Store Systems point of sale (POS), but it’s time to take your store to the next level. E4473 is the only 360-degree digital solution that integrates with the Bravo Platform POS for Form 4473—allowing you to quickly and securely process firearm transactions. With seamless integration into your POS, E4473 allows you to safely and easily sell firearms to your customers while saving yourself time and stress. Learn more about why Bravo POS customers need E4473. Why you need E4473 E4473 is an end-to-end digital verification process that cuts out the need for paper versions of Form 4473—no more printing, wet signing, faxing, scanning, mailing, or filing. Integrating E4473 into your Bravo POS is a smart move for both you and your customers, as it ensures your customers’ information is always secure and ATF-compliant. Better for your customers When you use E4473 for your firearm verification process, your customers will love how easy it is for them to fill out the necessary forms in minutes right from their own smartphone. That’s right—no wait times. There are also commonly asked questions, definitions, and exceptions listed within the form to help your customers fill out each field correctly. Your customers can rest assured that their data is always protected with E4473, too, thanks to a secure sign-in process and round-the-clock data monitoring. They’ll love how quickly they can get through firearm verification at your store and move through the purchase process to go home as soon as possible with their latest acquisition. Better for your business No matter the size of your business, E4473 will eliminate the need for manual data entry and help cut down on any potential employee errors. We stay on top of all of the latest releases, regulations, and requirements from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and are constantly updating our system accordingly. Your employees will also be able to easily complete background checks with the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), which can be completed via form or phone call. E4473 has easy data transfer capabilities from the digital Form 4773 to the NICS form to help streamline the process for your store. Optimized for every major operating system, E4473 can be run both on your customers’ phones and your in-store retail kiosks to give them options. With multi-user capability, there’s never any issue with multiple customers or employees using the system simultaneously, removing any worries about errors or timeouts. You can remotely access the E4473 system from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection. To simplify things even further, the E4473 system can also be integrated into your POS with ease, allowing you to have full control all in one place. Make your life easier and your customers happier with E4473. Sign up for a free demo today!
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9 Ways E4473 Brings Your Business Into the 21st Century

Guns on display at a store
E4473 is not just another piece of technology. It’s not just for large firearm retailers or e-commerce firearm stores, either. Bringing your business up to speed has never been easier than with our E4473 system, which fully digitizes the process of firearm verification requests and background checks. It’s time to get with the times, so here are nine ways switching to E4473 will bring your business into the 21st century. Upgrades galore: How E4473 will elevate your store 1. Digital signature and submission With digital paperwork, this means no more printing, wet signing, faxing, scanning, mailing, or filing. Digital signatures can be recorded and submitted from any mobile device. 2. Digital storage You no longer have to deal with physical copies of customers’ paperwork nor having to worry about keeping those copies safe. You’ll also save thousands of dollars a year on paper and always be able to access your forms remotely. 3. Developed for businesses of all sizes E4473 works for pawn shops, small gun shops, e-commerce firearm stores, large firearm retailers, and everywhere in between. Our different pricing packages accommodate every type of business and are based on your unique needs. 4. Bulletproof security With round-the-clock security, your data is being kept safe 24/7/365. We also perform ongoing data back-ups to ensure none of your information is ever lost and offer the utmost in customer privacy and verification, including a secure sign-in process and two-factor authentication. 5. Happier customers Being able to fill out the necessary forms in minutes and from their own mobile device means wait times are a thing of the past. This also means customers can get through the entire verification process and go home with their new firearm much more quickly. 6. Easy-entry NICS system Gone are the days of manually filling out forms for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Our Easy-Entry NICS system ensures error-free forms, accurate background checks, and automatic compliance updates. 7. Integration with Bravo Platform POS Seamless integration with the Bravo Platform POS means you won’t have to change a thing about the way you operate. This allows you to streamline your in-store and even further improve your customer experience. 8. Faster ATF audits E4473 stays up-to-date on all of the latest releases, regulations, and requirements by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), which means your forms, system, and storage are always 100% compliant with ATF regulations. When it comes time for an audit, digital paperwork is also much quicker and easier to go through, as there is less room for error and issues with legibility. 9. Empowered employees The E4473 system comes with exclusive access to 24/7 online training videos, as well as FAQ and support. Inside the platform, each section of the application also has questions with definitions and exceptions to make everything easy to understand and refer back to. Want to see E4473 in action? Schedule a free demo for your store today!
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Meet The Founder: An Exclusive Interview with Tally Mack

Meet the Founder logo for E4473 and Tally Mack
Tally Mack, CEO of Bravo Store Systems and Founder of E4473, sat for an exclusive interview to give some insight into what inspired E4473 and why this 360-degree digital solution is the way of the future. Listen as Tally talks about the hurdles firearm retailers and customers deal with when it comes to paperwork, like Form 4473 and NICS background checks, and learn how E4473 solves these problems. Some of the features of E4473 that aid in this process include: Easy-entry NICS submissions, which take all of the manual efforts out of handwriting your background check forms. E4473 Cloud Storage, which allows you to securely store all of your paperwork online for up to 20 years in 100% compliance with ATF regulations. E4473 Business Portal, which gives you on- and off-site access to your account and the ability to add more forms and different packages with the click of a button. As a firearm retailer, digitizing your store with E4473 allows you to streamline your operations. When paired up with the Bravo Store Systems Point of Sale (POS), it gives you full control all in one easy-to-use place. With multi-user capability, you, your team, and your customers can all access E4473 at the same time to make firearm sales a breeze. Most importantly, our 360-degree digital experience eliminates the plethora of errors often committed when filling out 4473 forms by hand. You will no longer have to deal with deciphering someone’s handwriting nor manually combing through customers’ paperwork field by field. When and if the time comes, this also means easier ATF audits, too, as you’ll be able to quickly locate any documents they may need. Have you scheduled your free demo of E4473 yet? Sign up today!
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Firearm Sales: What Pawn Shops Should Expect in 2021

It’s no secret there’s a shortage of ammunition and firearms. Unfortunately, this shortage has triggered a retail frenzy over the past 18 months. Nearly 40 million guns were purchased legally in 2020, and another 4.1 million were bought in January. U.S. gun sales in January surged 60% to 4,137,480. This makes it the largest single month since figures started to be recorded in 1998. The gun sales industry has become an example of the double-edged sword effect—the basic rule of supply and demand. The less guns, ammo, and supplies that are available, the more people will be lined up to grab any and all inventory as soon as stores stock up. Moreover, without inventory, most shops cannot compete to drive customers into stores. So, where does this end, and what can pawn shops expect in firearm sales through 2021? First off, what happened? Short answer, 2020 happened. Let’s be frank: What didn’t go wrong in 2020? First, COVID-19 hit full force in early 2020, shutting down businesses, manufacturing plants, retail stores, and so much more. By our estimation, this lit the match to cause one serious chain reaction in the firearm industry. Next, our country found itself caught in the midst of a political war. It was the perfect storm. This media-driven “molotov-cocktail” hit the country hard. The minute stores opened, ammunition was swept off the shelves. Firearm application submission went through the roof. More than 21 million gun background checks were conducted in 2020 – up 60% from 2019. All while firearm and ammo manufacturers were still shut down. The end result – one of the largest shortages we have ever seen. Shortages are lightening up. The good news is most of the manufacturers and distributors have stepped up. As of April 2021, we are seeing signs of inventory coming down the pipeline. Companies, like Ruger and Smith & Wesson, have come forward to ensure their customer’s new processes are in place and that product is coming. While it may take some time to restock circulation, we can all sleep a little easier knowing that firearms and ammunition manufacturers are doing their part to make more inventory available in the very short term. This scenario would likely put the general public at ease and in turn decrease the instant demand for guns, ammo, and supplies once again bringing balance to the firearm industry.  A shift in power For gun stores, pawnshops, and firearm customers the not-so-good news is a major shift in power has taken effect. One of the largest most controversial items on the forefront of the Biden Administration’s docket is gun control. We may very well in fact be in the midst of firearm history as we know it. In March of 2021, a bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives passed two bills to close what they refer to as “loopholes” in the gun background check system. Additional major changes are mounting from the Biden Administration aiming to appoint a new Director of the ATF as well as working to pass more restrictions and laws around manufacturing guns, purchasing guns, and yes simply owning guns. Should these reports have any truth and beyond that new laws put into place, this will surely impact the firearm industry as a whole. To what level we can’t exactly say at this moment. We might assume this could make it more difficult to purchase and possess guns and ammunition in the United States. This could push the American consumer market to continue to line up around the block awaiting retail distribution deliveries.  The long and the short of the barrel If trends are telling us anything, like a pawnshop or any firearm retail store, it’s more important than ever to stay informed of ATF compliance and offer customers the ability to legally purchase a firearm in the most convenient ways possible. With demands seemingly increasing through 2021 and lines to purchase becoming longer, retailers should aim to find ways to better serve their customer base. Streamlined digital solutions like the E4473 integration will prove largely valuable to keep things quick, simple, and law-abiding when it comes to gun sales. For more information on E4473 and how we are working to digitize a 360-degree firearm selling experience, check out our website! Sources: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/02/10/this-is-how-many-guns-were-sold-in-all-50-states/43371461/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/07/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-initial-actions-to-address-the-gun-violence-public-health-epidemic/ https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/gun-background-checks-2020-record-firearms
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Everything You Need to Know About NICS Background Checks

NICS Background Checks
The National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) was launched as part of the Brady Act in 1998 and is run by the FBI. The FBI website describes the mission of the NICS as “saving lives and protecting people from harm.” The goal of NICS background checks is two-fold: ensuring the timely transfer of firearms to eligible buyers and not letting firearms fall into the wrong hands (source). From November 30, 1998, to September 30, 2022, the FBI conducted 434,836,997 background checks. ATF Form 4473 is the first step in this process. As a firearms dealer, here’s everything you need to know about NICS background checks. NICS Background Check System In order to participate in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, you first need to enroll. This involves completing the NICS enrollment form which you can find here. The fastest way to complete a background check while your customer is in the store is by using the NICS E-Check system. “FFLs who use the NICS E-Check are able to initiate an unassisted NICS background check for firearm purchases via the Internet.” It requires a separate enrollment, which can be completed here. The speed of the background check depends on which contact method you’re using. Call centers can process a background check in a little more than two minutes on average. Calls requiring further investigation take about eight minutes. Electronic processing is the fastest at just under two minutes. Whether you’re requesting the background check by phone or by E-Check, you should make sure to have all the necessary information — for all the checks you want to request — ready to go before calling or logging in. The customer service representative won’t be able to hold while you look for missing information. Here’s what you need: Sections A & B of the new 2020 Form 4473 fully completed A valid photo ID for each background check An answer of “yes” to question 21a, answers of “no” to questions 21b-21k, and answers of “no” to questions 21.1.1 and 21.1.2. (unless the transferee/customer is using a Visa, in the US temporarily, possess a valid hunting license or other qualifying exemption document). The Gun Control Act (GCA) makes it unlawful for certain categories of persons to ship, transport, receive, or possess firearms or ammunition, to include any person: convicted in any court of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year; who is a fugitive from justice; who is an unlawful user of or addicted to any controlled substance (as defined in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act, codified at 21 U.S.C. § 802); who has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution; who is an illegal alien; who has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions; who has renounced his or her United States citizenship; who is subject to a court order restraining the person from harassing, stalking, or threatening an intimate partner or child of the intimate partner; or who has been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. See additional details by visiting the  ATF website. NICS Background Check Databases While four primary databases are searched during a NICS background check (The NCIC, the Triple I, the NICS index, and the DHS database), the FBI NICS checks searches more than 60 databases or “indexes” and checks state records which are submitted daily/weekly/monthly by state agencies. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) is “a criminal records database allowing criminal justice agencies to enter or search for information about stolen property, missing or wanted persons, and domestic violence protection orders; to get criminal histories; and to access the National Sex Offender Registry.” The Interstate Identification Index (III) is a national index of criminal histories maintained by the FBI. It includes people who have been arrested for a serious crime anywhere in the U.S and allows states to share information on criminal activity between themselves. The NICS Index is used to determine whether or not a person is eligible to purchase firearms or explosives. The Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement database is used when the prospective buyer isn’t a U.S. citizen. NICS Responses If the response to a background check is “proceed”, the NICS transaction number (NTN) is recorded in field 27b and the firearm is transferred. If the response is “denied”, a NICS resolution card with NTN at the bottom is provided to the customer so they can appeal. If the response is “delayed”, the NICS has three days to research and respond. Often the NICS examiner can provide a response immediately, but if there is no response after three days, the transfer of the firearm can proceed. From November 30, 1998, to September 30, 2022, 2,139,545 firearm transfers have been denied, ½ of 1% of the number of background checks conducted. Of those, 51% were due to the conviction of a crime, 10% were because the person was a fugitive from justice, and 10% were due to the unlawful use of a controlled substance. The FBI, through NICS, provides full-service background checks for 37 states, the District of Columbia, and three U.S Territories. Thirteen states act as a point of contact (POC), which means that FFLs contact the state-designated agency directly for background checks. The remaining states act as a partial POC, sharing responsibility with the FBI for background checks. A complete map of NICS participation can be found here. When a state acts as a POC, it expands the number of records that are searched. If a potential buyer has a state record that doesn’t allow the purchase of a firearm, it will be found when the state databases are searched. The federal government encourages states to share their records with the FBI, but it isn’t a requirement. The NICS Improvement Amendments Act of 2007 was passed to improve communication between the states and the feds, leading to more records available for search in the national databases.   To go deeper on the details of the National Instant
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