ATF Rollouts New eForms Online System, BUT Problems Persist

U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- The improved eForms platform launched by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to review and process ATF  Forms 1,2,3,4,5,6,6A,9,10 and 5300.11 applications online, is finding implementation bugs. This is expected in the major launch of any large software system.

The new, improved, modernized eForms system at the ATF was rolled out on December 23, 2021. The American Suppressor Association said it was the biggest technological jump in the process since the fax machine. From the association:

We’re very excited about the launch of the much anticipated new eForms system. This represents the largest technological jump for NFA since the advent of the fax machine. The system is online as of this morning, December 23rd.

The system is experiencing bugs and difficulties. Those difficulties have been acknowledged in a broadcast email, which appears to be from the ATF :

Dear eForms Users,

At this time, we find it necessary to make everyone aware of some problems many of you are experiencing with ATF’s shift of all licensing applications to cloud services to include the eForms application. We are working on all reported issues around the clock to ensure they are fixed as quickly as possible. The failing infrastructure of the original legacy eForms system required us to move to this new environment as expeditiously as possible. We are sorry that you have been experiencing problems as a result. There will be continuous fine tuning to ensure all applications are working in sync.

Unfortunately, anomalies still exist with registration, login, and other areas in the application, and we are triaging those issues in real time. The development team is actively working to improve your ability to access your accounts and to perform all functions in eForms quickly and reliably. Despite internal and industry testing these anomalies have still surfaced after launch. You should be seeing significant improvements in the coming hours and days. Once basic performance is stabilized beyond an acceptable level, we have several planned tasks to add and improve features over the coming months.

We apologize for any current problems that you are experiencing and are taking them very seriously. This new eForms is built to evolve rapidly and continuously. ATF has the support team in place to keep pushing improvements until eForms smoothly delivers the services needed by all users.

Mason B. McDaniel

Chief Technology Officer

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives (ATF)

While it is boilerplate legalese which has no real application to a broadcast email, this notice was tacked on to the email message:

NOTICE: This e-mail message and any attached files are intended solely for the use of the addressee(s) named above in connection with official business.  This communication may contain Sensitive But Unclassified information that may be statutorily or otherwise prohibited from being released without appropriate approval.  Any review, use, or dissemination of this e-mail message and any attached file(s) in any form outside of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives or the Department of Justice without express authorization is strictly prohibited.

Government correspondence released to the public is in the public domain. It is not protected by copyright laws.

One of the most significant changes in the administration of the National Firearms Act by the ATF has been the implementation of licensing and tax stamp applications online.

While considerable paper forms were still required, the online application process significantly improved processing times. This, in turn, has assisted in the exponential growth in tax stamp holders. The number of legal silencers has been growing at a 21% rate for at least 10 years. There are now over 2.6 million legal silencers in the United States.

This correspondent expects the exponential increase in legal silencers to continue for the next decade and more. At some point, barring the destruction of our current form of government, the requirement to have a $200 tax stamp for a firearm safety accessory (silencer) will be removed.

The already massive increases in legal silencers have sparked a serious movement to remove silencers from the NFA. As the number of legal silencer owners and silencers skyrockets, the pressure to remove silencers from the NFA grows exponentially.

The implementation of an improved online system to apply for tax stamps is a step toward reform of the National Firearms Act (NFA).

About Dean Weingarten:

Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.