Any FFL 03 holders have a visit from the ATF?

[sfvshooter]

I've had mine (along w/COE for ammo buying) for a few years and someone just mentioned if you have an FFL 03 (or any FFL I guess), the ATF can come by anytime, unannounced, and ask to see your firearms.

I suppose that's true, but I was wondering if any FFL 03 has been visited by the ATF.

I don't have anything to hide from the ATF, but I'm just curious.

Thanks

[OCArmory]

Not exactly true. The ATF can request a review of your bound book but you are not open to inspection like a dealer. The ATF has shown up announced at 03s home but due to criminal prosecution. I am trying to find the news story but basically a FFL 03 was a fixture at gun shows and constantly had new inventory. After several years the ATF charged them with dealing without a license.

[sfvshooter]

Not exactly true. The ATF can request a review of your bound book but you are not open to inspection like a dealer. The ATF has shown up announced at 03s home but due to criminal prosecution. I am trying to find the news story but basically a FFL 03 was a fixture at gun shows and constantly had new inventory. After several years the ATF charged them with dealing without a license.

Thanks. I have yet to use the license to purchase C&R firearms so there's nothing to review.

The thought of the ATF coming to my house while I'm at work and scaring my wife to death was a little unsettling.

[sbo80]

A review is a "make an appointment" kind of thing, not a no-notice show up. You'd be contacted ahead of time. You can in fact have the appointment at their office instead of your house too. But you'd have to bring all your C&R guns with, for some people that's a hassle. They will compare your current inventory to your book, that's pretty much it.
*Do note that as is often brought up, you do not use your license. You are licensed. If you acquire any C&R firearm while you are licensed, it goes in your bound book. It's not relevant if you buy it with a DROS from a FFL. Remember the bound book is actually called the "acquisition and disposition record".

[rromeo]

From what I have seen, the biggest reason the ATF would want to see your book is that your license shows up irregularly in the book of another FFL that they have audited. So if Jim Dandy Guns in East Crapslide, Kansas has 10 transfers to you every other week, they might come ask to see if you really did buy 10 guns every other week, and if you still have them.
Random checks are almost never random. That's

[M1NM]

All home FFLs (03/07) are subject to inspections - but the ATF has to make an appointment and can't just stop by.

[G-forceJunkie]

Why would your wife be answereing the door to ATF agents ever? I hope you have had that discussion with her. Let them kick the door in if they have a warrent, otherwise, never answer the door for feds.

The thought of the ATF coming to my house while I'm at work and scaring my wife to death was a little unsettling.

[painkiller]

I would be more scared for my dog than anything else

[sfvshooter]

Why would your wife be answereing the door to ATF agents ever? I hope you have had that discussion with her. Let them kick the door in if they have a warrent, otherwise, never answer the door for feds.

I'm sure if I tell her not to open the door to the police unless they have a warrant, she'll ask what I'm doing that would require a visit by the police or worse the ATF...opening a can of worms.

[Donny1]

I came here searching for answers to the same exact question.

From casual reading it does sound like they could come in the middle of the night and roust you out of bed with no warning. Makes sense they would need to give notice as an 03 FFL is not supposed to involve the scary "black rifes and hi cap magazines".

Is there an order to the process? FFL vs COE first?