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
Explosives Industry Newsletter-June 2012 .pdf (1440 KB)
What’s In This Issue: ATF Celebrates 40 Years of Public Service; New Publications; ATF Ruling 2012-2, Uncovered Firework Bins; Storage of EPCDs Aboard Fishing Vessels; ATF Regulation of 1.4 Materials; Recording in the Daily Summary of Magazine Transactions; Aluminum Type 2 and Type 3 Magazines; Advertised as “ATF Approved”; ATF to Host Explosives Regulatory Conference; Questions and Answers; Explosives Thefts Reported During 2011
Explosives Newsletter
Explosives Industry Newsletter December 2012 (2782 KB)
What’s In This Issue: New Explosives Industry Programs Branch Chief; ATF Explosives Industry Meeting in Washington; ATF Ruling 2012-5 Type 4 Wood Floors; Signage and Placarding at Regulated Mining Sites; Explosives Violations; Applying Tables of Distances at 555.218 and 555.220; Type 19 Licensed Activities; Recording Packaged Displays in the DSMT; Questions and Answers; EIPB at the AFSL Display Fireworks Seminar in China
Explosives Newsletter
Gun Shows: Brady Checks and Crime Gun Traces (1/99) (220 KB)
The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act (Brady Act) provides crucial information about firearms buyers to Federal firearms licensees (FFLs), but does not help nonlicensees to identify prohibited purchasers. Under the Brady Act, FFLs contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to ensure that a purchaser is not a felon or otherwise prohibited from possessing firearms. Until the Brady Act was passed, the only way an FFL could determine whether a purchaser was a felon or other person prohibited from possessing firearms was on the basis of the customer's self-certification.
Resource Center Guide
ATF P 5300.21: Best Practices: Transfers of Firearms by Private Sellers (165 KB)
This publication provides best practices in regards to transfers of firearms by private sellers.
Firearms Guide
Gun Free School Zone Notice (ATF P 5310.1) (934 KB)
This notice provides information about the laws and public responsibility regarding firearms near to or in school zones. 
Firearms Guide
Publication on Safety and Security Information for Federal Explosives Licensees and Permittees (ATF P 5400.15) (1779 KB)
This document provides all members of the explosives industry with the importance of employing security safeguards over explosives materials.
 
Explosives Guide
Publication on Explosives Magazine Construction Requirements (ATF P 5400.17) (476 KB)
This publication provides information on magazine explosives classes and storage requirements.
Explosives Guide
Recordkeeping Requirements for Explosive Material Manufacturers (ATF P 5400.19) (4772 KB)
This publication identifies what licensed manufacturers must do for compliance, as per the Federal explosives regulations at 27 CFR, Part 555.
 
 
Explosives Guide
Recordkeeping Requirements for Explosive Material Importers (ATF P 5400.21) (3763 KB)
This publication defines what each federally licensed importer must do for compliance, as per the Federal explosives regulations at 27 CFR, Part 555.
Explosives Guide
Recordkeeping Requirements for Dealers of Explosive Materials (ATF P 5400.22) (4851 KB)
This publication defines what federally licensed explosives dealers must do for compliance, as per the Federal explosives regulations at 27 CFR, Part 555.
Explosives Guide
Protection Orders and Federal Firearms Prohibitions (ATF I 3310.2) (143 KB)
A qualifying court order may be issued by a criminal court or civil court, such as divorce court, family court, magistrate or general jurisdiction court.  The following list enumerates the elements that define a qualifying protection order under the Federal firearms prohibition.
Resource Center Guide
ATF I 3310.4 — Federal Firearms Prohibitions Under 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(4) – Persons Adjudicated as a Mental Defective or Committed to a Mental Institution (100 KB)
Any person who has been "adjudicated as a mental defective" or "committed to a mental institution" is prohibited under Federal law from shipping, transporting, receiving, or possessing any firearm or ammunition. Violation of this Federal offense is punishable by a fine of $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to ten years.
Resource Center Guide
ATF I 5300.2 — Youth Handgun Safety Act Notice (97 KB)
Federal law prohibits, except in certain limited circumstances, anyone under 18 years of age from knowingly possessing a handgun, or any person from selling, delivering, or otherwise transferring a handgun to a person under 18. A knowing violation of the prohibition against selling, delivering, or otherwise transferring a handgun to a person under the age of 18 is, under certain circumstances, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Firearms Guide
Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Newsletter - June 2021 (943 KB)

What's in this issue: What is a Straw Purchase; Silencer Markings and Registration Requirements; Changes to ATF Form 4473; State of Residence and Identification; NICS Alternative Permits and Age Restrictions;  Medical Marijuana and CBD Products; Private Party Sales; Internet Sales; Firearm Raffles; Firearm Registry; Variance Requests and the Approval Process; Special Occupational Tax Requirement – Business Locations; Reminders – Renewals / RPs / FFLC Address / AFMER ; and NFA Forms Processing Times

Firearms Newsletter
Tommy Built T36 FAQs 2021-03-15 (117 KB)

FAQs Regarding the Industry Replacement of the Tommy Built Tactical Model T36 Receiver

Resource Center Guide
2021R-05 - Preliminary Regulatory Analysis and Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (426 KB) Rules and Regulations Report
ATF Industry Circular 1985-2: Importation of National Firearms Act Curio and Relic Firearms (691 KB)

This circular provides information concerning the importation of National Firearms Act (NFA) firearms for use as a sample for sales to law enforcement agencies when such firearms have been determined to be curios or relics.

Firearms Industry Circular
ATF Industry Circular 2003-1: Establishment of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (52 KB)

The purpose of this industry circular is to advise members of the alcohol and tobacco industries that, effective January 24, 2003, a new Treasury agency, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), will be responsible for administering the alcohol and tobacco laws noted below and implementing regulations currently administered by ATF.

Alcohol & Tobacco Industry Circular
ATF Industry Circular 2003-2: Establishing the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (54 KB)

The purpose of this industry circular is to advise firearms and ammunition excise taxpayers that effective January 24, 2003, a new Treasury agency, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, will be responsible for administering the firearms and ammunition excise tax laws and regulations currently administered by ATF.

Firearms Industry Circular
ATF Industry Circular 89-6: Facsimile Transmitted Copies (1365 KB)

The purpose of this circular is to advise industry members that an ATF ruling will be published in a future issue of the ATF Quarterly Bulletin. The ruling will read substantially as follows: The ATF has been asked whether certain forms and other documents could optionally be transmitted to the Bureau by means of facsimile machines.

Resource Center Industry Circular
Congressional Budget Submission 2017 (819 KB) About ATF Report
Congressional Budget Submission 2018 (686 KB) About ATF Report
Congressional Budget Submission 2019 (1133 KB) About ATF Report
Congressional Budget Exhibits 2017 (428 KB) About ATF Report
Congressional Budget Exhibits 2018 (267 KB) About ATF Report
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