Out of Business FFLs

[SMarquez]

What happens to the 4473s when a FFL goes out of business, retires etc? Does the ATF take them over? I have rifles where the dealers have been gone for over 30 years.
TIA

[SkyHawk]

https://www.atf.gov/firearms/discontinue-being-federal-firearms-licensee-ffl

When an FFL discontinues business, the FFL must send their firearms transactions records to the National Tracing Center (NTC). The NTC receives an average of 1.2 million out-of-business records per month and is the only repository for these records within the United States.

Records can be mailed to the NTC or, alternatively, they may be delivered to your local ATF Office in order to comply with laws for surrendering records (which include all bound log books/acquisition & disposition books and computer printouts, ATF Form 4473’s, Theft/Loss Reports, Multiple Sales Reports, and Brady forms).

[alland]

FFLs were only required to keep 4473s for 20 years, I believe. When an FFL goes out of business any 4473s that exist are sent to the ATF to be filed away for eternity.

[SMarquez]

Thanks guys.

[Tyke8319]

An alternative...I was instructed by by ATF auditor to call the local ATF office and they would either pick them up or give you a addressed and paid for label to ship[ them to wherever they go. A recent NSSF webinar confirmed that information.

[OCArmory]

They picked mine up.

[rbetts]

mine too. 8 Pallets worth of Bankers Boxes

[Eddy's Shooting Sports]

mine too. 8 Pallets worth of Bankers Boxes

[GoingQuiet]

What happens to the 4473s when a FFL goes out of business, retires etc? Does the ATF take them over? I have rifles where the dealers have been gone for over 30 years.
TIA

Shipped to ATF.