Will 100% follow up here.  Hopefully this never happens to anyone else, but if it does, maybe this thread will give them a bit of hope.  Clearly the ATF didn't understand how this process would go.  I'm hoping they don't push back anymore and now with the stamps in hand, it should be seamless.  I know I am going to have to wait a while though for things to be inventoried and then claimed through asset forfeiture.  Holy shit, what a ride.  

Massive thanks to every single person here for your help, advice, and input throughout this nonsense!!!!

Devil's advocate, it's still just a civil issue at best, given the approval of the registration documents to the new owner are what transfers ownership.

Say I'm selling you my truck.

We could exchange funds, I give you a bill of sale / receipt, your attorney drafts a sales agreement, I sign the title confirming my intent to transfer ownership to you....but I never give you the title because I'm cuffed and stuffed on the way over to hand it to you.

All you've got is a stack of paperwork confirming all the appropriate steps to transfer ownership have been completed, but you don't have the document confirming ownership. There's not much the regulating body (DMV / Title Clerk) can do, less law enforcement.

It's just a civil contract gone awry in reality.

If your congressperson is pro-2A they can absolutely be helpful. My former congressman was instrumental in lighting a fire under someone’s ass and getting 4 cans approved that had been in a “pending” black hole for more than 14 months. Idk how helpful senators will be, but it can’t hurt to try.

Moral of the story, be the squeaky wheel. Don’t chalk it up to “oh well, I’m SOL”. You paid for them, you jumped through their hoops. The only reason you don’t have possession of them is due to their regulatory bullshit. Make noise.

Well said. That’s exactly what I did. Now, I don’t have any confirmation as to whether it worked or not, but I just received my approved forms. Coincidence? Who knows, but it’s certainly a step in the right direction.

Now to deal with ATF and the asset forfeiture team. Who knows if they’ll even get notice that they’ve been approved!

I doubt they would. They are not in the chain of communication.

You will have to inform them that you have approved Form 4s for the items in their possession.

What sucks the most is that the only reason they were “pending” at the time of the forfeiture is because their own process sucks so bad they can’t do it in a timely fashion.

Hopefully you have the cans in hand in short order

Appreciate it man.  Yep, I can't fault only ATF though.  They're definitely complicit in this ass-backwards process, but the FFL closing doors without talking to ATF to expedite/transfer the cans is definitely messed up too.

Maybe next time they'll get some liability insurance before letting their dog out....

I did, I spoke to the IOI and let him know.  Not going to stop me from calling relentlessly to make SURE they are aware.

The lack of communication amongst agencies truly blows my mind.

Absolutely. When you are dealing with the govt at any level, the right hand has no idea what the left hand is doing.

From what I have seen almost nobody at the ATF cares what a lawsuit cost.  They have the backing of the Justice department and your tax dollars. If it is cost effective does not matter because of an unlimited taxpayer funded budget. They do hate losing .