Armory Sponsor
Posted: 6/6/2006 8:31:16 PM EDT
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Yes, if you send them a photocopy of yours, they will send you a certified original copy. Of course, it will not have a stamp -- you only get one of those per $200 check. If you lose your original and do not have a photocopy, you have to hope and pray that BATF did not lose their copy as well. If that case, you're SOL in more ways than one. 
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A copy is as good as you want it to be. There is no legal requirement that you carry anything -- except that in most states, if there is no evidence that your NFA item is in the Registry, LE has the right to confiscate it until they can contact BATF and verify its status. A photocopy should serve as sufficient evidence for most LE. --The original Form 1/3/4/5 is a confidential tax document, just like the 1040 you send the IRS each year. No one, even LE, has a legal right to examine it without first obtaining a court order. --The original Form 1/3/4/5 is also your only proof that you have paid the transfer tax (where applicable) and that the item is legally yours. BATF's records are a mess, and many, many of their file copies were "accidentally" sent to the shredder over the years. If you lose yours, and they cannot find their copy, you are in double trouble -- at best, you will just lose your NFA item; at worst, you can be charged with felony possession of an unregistered NFA item. In addition to the dangers of losing your original, carrying it means that should you run into an unscrupulous LE officer, they can tear up your paperwork on the spot, and you have just lost your stay-out-of-jail card. IMHO, the day you receive your Form 1/3/4/5, you should go immediately to a copy center, then to the bank to place the original in secure storage. I usually make a half-dozen color copies, full-size -- I keep one in my forms binder, one in each travel case, one in the safe at home, and a couple for backup. Some NFA owners prefer to make reduced-size copies -- just remember that it should be large enough for everything to be legible. Also, some owners laminate one or more of the copies, in case they get wet at the range. Do not laminate your originals -- the lamination process makes it difficult/impossible for forensic experts to verify the stamp's authenticity if BATF loses their copy and you end up in a legal p***ing match over your toy's legality. HTH. YMMV. 
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No problem, I do what I can. Someone suggested multiple hard copies which is a great idea. I keep copies for everything in each vehicle I drive and each bag I put the NFA items in. Scanning Form 4's into a computer is also great idea for digital backups at a moments notice. I hardly think the  is appropriate since I did give useful info.I know where my Form 4's are . . . . do you? |
Armory Sponsor