Publications Library

ATF occasionally issues publications to inform the industries it regulates and the general public about the laws and regulations administered and enforced by ATF. These include guidebooks, newsletters, brochures, studies, and reports.

Title Description Category Document Type
Firearms Commerce in the U.S. Annual Statistical Update - 2013 (638 KB) Firearms Report
ATF Industry Circular 2000-4: Sale Of Certain Tobacco Products And Cigarette Papers And Tubes On Or After February 7, 2001 (34 KB)

This industry circular warns businesses about selling or holding for sale tobacco products and cigarette papers or tubes manufactured in the United States and labeled for exportation. On or after February 7, 2001, if you sell or hold for sale such products for domestic consumption, you may incur civil and criminal penalties.

Resource Center Industry Circular
ATF Industry Circular 93-5: Tax-Exempt and Tax-Free Sales of Firearms, Shells and Cartridges (827 KB) This circular gives general guidance to firearms and ammunition excise taxpayers about making tax-exempt or tax-free sales of firearms, and shells and cartridges (ammunition). Resource Center Industry Circular
ATF Industry Circular 95-1: Diversion of Distilled Spirits for Purposes of Smuggling (37 KB)

This circular reminds proprietors of distilled spirits plants (DSPs), importers, wholesalers and other persons who purchase distilled spirits products from DSPs of their responsibility to comply with all applicable Federal and state laws with respect to such sales.

Resource Center Industry Circular
ATF Guidebook - Importation & Verification of Firearms, Ammunition, and Implements of War (4743 KB)

This publication was prepared by ATF's Firearms and Explosives Imports Branch (FEIB) to assist importers and other firearms industry members in identifying firearms, ammunition, and defense articles that may be imported into the United States and to further clarify and facilitate the import process.

Firearms Guide
ATF National Firearms Act Handbook (ATF P 5320.8) (10614 KB)

This handbook is primarily for the use of persons in the business of importing, manufacturing, and dealing in firearms defined by the National Firearms Act (NFA) or persons intending to go into an NFA firearms business. It should also be helpful to collectors of NFA firearms and other persons having questions about the application of the NFA. 

Firearms Guide
1985-11-Surplus Military Firearms Frames or Receivers (653 KB)

This circular announces that ATF will allow the importation of surplus military curio or relic firearms that were previously prohibited from importation by 18 U.S.C. section 925(d)(3).

Firearms Industry Circular
1982-8-Discontinuance of ATF Form 5400.3, for Black Powder (660 KB)

This circular notifies explosives licensees that ATF Form 5400.3, Transaction Record for Black Powder to be used for antique weapons, is no longer required.

Explosives Industry Circular
1974-11-Environmental Responsibilities (704 KB)

This circular advises proprietors of their responsibility to ATF with respect to the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, the Federal Water Pollution Control Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act, and of the possible effects of these requirements upon their activities.

Explosives Industry Circular
1970-14-Importation of Firearms, Ammunition and Implements of War (3268 KB)

This circular announces the issuance of a  new Treasury Department regulation, Part 180 of Title 26, Code of Federal Regulations, entitled Importation of Arms, Ammunition and Implements of War.

Firearms Industry Circular
1968-28-Importation of Firearms, Ammunition and Implements of War (2230 KB)

This circular announces the transfer of the Arms Import Control Program from the Secretary of State to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Firearms Industry Circular
1986-8-Curio and Relic Updates (1195 KB)

This circular announces an addition of firearms that have been classified as curios and relics during the period January 1985 through March 1986.

Firearms Industry Circular
1986-15-Armor Piercing Ammunition (841 KB)

This circular announces that the President signed Public Law 99-408, on August 28, 1986.  This law regulates the manufacture, importation and sale of armor piercing ammunition.

Firearms Industry Circular
Federal Firearms Licensee Newsletter - 2019 (319 KB)

What's in This Issue: ATF Personnel Changes; Electronic Storage of ATF Form 4473s; ATF Procedure 2017-1; ATF Form 5; ATF For 4473: Clarification on Disqualifiers Related to Military Service; Electronic Signatures on ATF Forms; NFA Forms Common Errors; ATF FFL Alert System; Replacement Copies of NFA Tax Paid Transfer Forms; FFL Renewals, Updated Form 7 and much more.

Firearms Newsletter
ATF Fire Research Laboratory (Technical Bulletin 002) - Arc Mapping as a Tool for Fire Investigations (315 KB)

ATF Fire Research Laboratory Technical Bulletin 002 - Arc Mapping as a Tool for Fire Investigations - March 2017

Report
Explosives Industry Newsletter - July 2017 (238 KB)
What's in this issue: Updated Safety and Security Publication; Structures Used for Indoor Storage; Firework Processes and Manufacturing; Distribution Dates; Identification of Explosive Materials; Q&As; How to read an Explosive License or Permit Number; and List of Active Explosives Rulings.

 

Explosives Newsletter
2019 Firearms Commerce Report (1132 KB)

Firearms Commerce Statistical Update - 2019

Firearms Report
2016 Explosives Incident Report (1975 KB)
2016 Explosives Incident Report (EIR)
Explosives Report
Firearm Trace Data for Central America for CY 16.pdf (755 KB)
International Trace Statistics for Central America CY 16.
Firearms Report
TD-394: Final Rule: Manufacturers Excise Taxes-Firearms and Ammunition (Published: 02/04/98 – Effective: 04/06/98) (14 KB)

This final rule adopts without change temporary regulations published in the Federal Register on July 16, 1996. The temporary rule amended the regulations in 27 CFR part 53 that require exemption certificates or vendee statements in support of certain tax-free sales of firearms and ammunition. As amended by the temporary rule and this final rule, the regulations provide that taxpayers may use a pre-printed document as an exemption certificate or vendee statement, or design their own certificate and statement using specified information. The regulatory amendments are part of the Administration's efforts to reduce regulatory burdens and streamline requirements.

Rules and Regulations Report
Notice 911 — Expiration of the Registration Period for Possession of the USAS-12, Striker-12, and Streetsweeper Shotguns (37 KB)

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) is issuing this notice to announce the availability of ATF Ruling 2001–1. This ruling advises that the registration period for people who are currently in possession of the USAS–12, Striker–12, and Streetsweeper shotguns expires on May 1, 2001.

Resource Center Report
Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative Report 1999 (279 KB)

ATF established the Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative (YCGII) in 1996 to focus special agent and inspector resources on reducing youth gun violence. To increase our effectiveness, we resolved to equip our investigators and their State and local counterparts with more facts about how violent youth obtained guns. We asked our colleagues in State and local law enforcement to help us systematically follow the gun used in crime to help identify violent criminals and their illegal suppliers by tracing all crime guns with the National Tracing Center.     

Firearms Report
Explosives Industry Newsletter - September 2008 (1525 KB)
What’s In This Issue: Carson W. Carroll Named Assistant Director (Enforcement Programs and Services); Changes in the Arson and Explosives Programs Division; Two New Field Divisions; New “Orange Book”; New Headquarters Building; Storage Rulings; Fireworks Recordkeeping and Marks of Identification; Information Resources; Variance Request Guidelines; Determination Request Guidelines; Who Should Complete a Theft or Loss Report?; Exemption Request Guidelines; 2007 Explosives Thefts
Explosives Newsletter
Publication of Federal Explosives Laws and Regulations (ATF P 5400.7) (4325 KB)

Also known as the "Orange Book," this documentation provides federal explosives law and regulations and reflects changes and developments in response to the Safe Explosives Act of 2002.

Explosives Report
2018 Explosives Incident Report (EIR) (1759 KB)

2018 Explosives Incident Report (EIR)

Explosives Report
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