Smith & Wesson Forum - View Single Post

JSR III · 06-20-2017, 09:46 AM

The purpose of a C&R FFL is to allow a collector to purchase firearms that qualify in interstate trade legally. The problem with this is that the C&R license is affected by local and state laws in your home state. Here in the Peoples Republic of Massachusetts, the state has added restrictions to the term "bonafide collector".

Collecting for your own collection does not raise you to the status of a bonafide collector. One must display ones collection for the education of the public which is why I either try to attend the S&WCA Symposiums when possible or at the very least display my collection at local gun clubs when they hold swap meets that also allow displays of guns that are not for sale. My feeling is that in this way I meet the MA requirement.

The one question that I have had that always seems to get different answers depending on which ATF person is answering is, "If I buy a C&R gun here in MA where I hold a LTC class A which allows me to purchase handguns from MA residents face to face without going through a FFL 01, do I need to add the transaction to my book?" What if I buy from a FFL 01 dealer in MA and use my MA LTC and not my C&R to make the purchase?

Some will say YES and some have said NO. Since the MA requirement on a face to face also requires you to file an FA10 form with the state informing them of the transfer including the license numbers of both the buyer and seller, adding the gun to your C&R book seems redundant. In the dealer purchase the dealer files the 4473 so the government already has a record of the transaction.

Some agents have said any C&R eligible firearm must go in the book regardless of whether the license was used or not, while others have said it is not necessary.

For my purposes, I have decided to add all C&R eligible transactions to the book. If I error in this regard, it is merely because there is too much paperwork on the transaction. If I don't list the gun I could be guilty of failing to use the license properly and risk losing it.

I have decided that too much paperwork is the better option.