FFL03 bound book - mix other guns too?

[SPaikmos]

Just got my FFL03, and looking to get a bound book....

The idea hit me. Seems like a good idea to keep track of all my guns in a book format.

Would it be ok to enter my other guns into my 03 book, or is that a really bad idea? I guess the ATF could go through the rest of my purchases if I get audited, so the less info I give them the better. Anyone do anything like this?

Or maybe better to just keep a separate book for my non-C&R items?

As for the book itself, how strict is the ATF in terms of formatting? Seems that there are a lot of bound books on the market; do they get some sort of ATF "seal of approval" or can anyone print out a bunch of excel spreadsheets and sell it for $10?

I'm thinking to go the looseleaf + binder route, so I could also put my non C&R pages in there, and take them out when the ATF wants them. bad? good?

[paul0660]

Real bad idea.

When I had a 03 I kept a bound book and a separate list of what I had bought, owned, and sold, including the 03 stuff. I still have that separate list, and the bound book hit the round file when my 03 expired, as it should.

[sofbak]

My memory may be off here, or the rules may have changed. But IIRC, it used to be that any firearm you acquired after the date your 03 was issued had to be recorded in your bound book-regardless of C&R status. Anything you had prior to that date was not recorded in the book.


Hopefully someone with more current knowledge will step up and clarify for both of us.

[timdps]

Real bad idea.

+1. Just get another book to record your other firearms.

My memory may be off here, or the rules may have changed. But IIRC, it used to be that any firearm you acquired after the date your 03 was issued had to be recorded in your bound book-regardless of C&R status. Anything you had prior to that date was not recorded in the book.

The book is only for C&R firearms. Any C&R you had prior to the new book is not recorded in the book unless you sell it. Then it gets recorded as "from personal collection" and added to the book along with the purchaser info.

Tim

[littlejake]

Any C&R firearm acquired, disposed of, transferred (ever temporarily such as to a gunsmith) during a period when you are licensed as an 03 must be recorded. Antiques and modern firearms do not belong in your 03 A&D book.

It is a good idea to keep a personal firearms log -- that's a separate issued from the mandatory recording requirements.

Your personal log may include your C&R holdings -- it's your private record.

It's a good idea to keep a copy of your records off site as the primary records could be lost through fire or theft -- makes reporting the loss easier if you have the information.

[C&Rtrader]

It's a good idea to keep a copy of your records off site as the primary records could be lost through fire or theft -- makes reporting the loss easier if you have the information.

Google docs is pretty good for that. always with you whenever you need it, always backed up, and free.

[TheExpertish]

Real bad idea.

When I had a 03 I kept a bound book and a separate list of what I had bought, owned, and sold, including the 03 stuff. I still have that separate list, and the bound book hit the round file when my 03 expired, as it should.

+1

Bound book should be for the ATF only, not to keep track of what you have. And do keep them seperate. Doesn't even really have to be bound. Can be an excel file you print out when ATF wants to visit. However, it is okay to include your C&R items with your other personal guns on your personal list. I'd recommend it.

Google docs is pretty good for that. always with you whenever you need it, always backed up, and free.

This is a good way to go. There are programs out there that you can pay for that work pretty well and even let you include photos.

[golddredger]

Do you guys have the excel sheets link handy?

[Petra]

This is a good way to go. There are programs out there that you can pay for that work pretty well and even let you include photos.

Meh... I just took photos, tossed them into a 256-bit AES encrypted .zip archive that I'll probably forget the password to, and uploaded that to Google Drive to supplement my backup spreadsheet in Google Docs.

[olhunter]

You could try these in addition to your 03 book -

https://www.box.com/shared/onhhczinq2

http://www.nmcollector.net/nmguncollector/downloads/Free/index.htm

I like GunSafe. It's no longer supported or updated, but it works fine on all Windows boxes, including Win7.

And they're both free. Yay!