What happens to 4473's?

[JWHuey]

What happens to form 4473's when a shop closes its doors? For instance,I purchased a few rifles from SoCal guns and they are now out of business. Where did all their paperwork go?

[DEPUTYBILL]

I could be wrong,but I think they have to be turned into ATF.

[halifax]

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/how-to/discontinue-being-an-ffl.html

Discontinue Being a 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).

[CSACANNONEER]

Sometimes there are floods or fires that damage them before they can be turned over. But, most of them just sit in boxes in a government basement.

[JWHuey]

Thank you kindly gentlemen !