E-filing coming back up?

[danattyfatty]

Just went to check on my Form 1 submitted Jan 27th 2014 and the site still shows its down for me.

It's been up and down today. Earlier, the site couldn't be found. About an hour ago, I logged on no problem.

[AErcen]

I am beginning to question the truth in what we are being told regarding efile.

For a while we were told it was the shear volume of users that brought the system to a stand still. Many in here and in the tech universe had a hard time believing that. As crazy as we are about SBRs and suppressors, it is not like few million people are logging in daily to file their form 1's or check the status of their applications.

Then we were told it was "batch filing" by SIlencershop that rendered the system unusable. Then they would re-boot the system 4 times a day. It seemed like efile couldn't handle any volume whatsoever. It would work for few minutes and then go off line. Those who have used the system few times would tell you, even when it worked it really didn't. Some of us spent multiple days to finish just one application. You didn't know at what point during your application you would get booted off the system and how many tries it would take to finally have your application in.

Then the system got taken down unannounced, only to come back unexpectedly but only serving those who are interested in filing their Form 6!! Just how many people are on line now given the limited users who are only interested in Form 6?

30 minutes ago I tried to log in to check on my pending Form 1s, only to be greeted with the spinning blue icon telling me "Loading....." it hasn't stopped spinning yet.

I can't begin to know just how many of us are trying to log in as I post this to have brought the system to a crawl this morning. 10? 20?
The hardware or the software is just NOT WORKING. Period.

I am inclined to believe in 2014 there is no way in the world ATF or any other organization can't put up a system that can handle a few users at a time without getting paralyzed. It must be something else. I am thinking they are deliberately slowing the process to discourage people from gaining any more stamps before the rules are changed for good for trusts and corporations to comply by requiring CLEO signoffs which will pretty well bring the whole NFA ownership to an end.

Call me paranoid if you like, but that is how I feel.

[AErcen]

As of 10:45 AM ( about 30 minutes or after I posted above) they now have the following message posted.

"eForms Outage

The eForms System will be unavailable for industry use each Wednesday, from 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. (EST) in order for ATF to conduct routine maintenance and processing.
Please direct any questions about this message to eForms.admin@atf.gov"

Fine, except today is Friday!! Not Wednesday.

[scooter22]

I am beginning to question the truth in what we are being told regarding efile.

For a while we were told it was the shear volume of users that brought the system to a stand still. Many in here and in the tech universe had a hard time believing that. As crazy as we are about SBRs and suppressors, it is not like few million people are logging in daily to file their form 1's or check the status of their applications.

Then we were told it was "batch filing" by SIlencershop that rendered the system unusable. Then they would re-boot the system 4 times a day. It seemed like efile couldn't handle any volume whatsoever. It would work for few minutes and then go off line. Those who have used the system few times would tell you, even when it worked it really didn't. Some of us spent multiple days to finish just one application. You didn't know at what point during your application you would get booted off the system and how many tries it would take to finally have your application in.

Then the system got taken down unannounced, only to come back unexpectedly but only serving those who are interested in filing their Form 6!! Just how many people are on line now given the limited users who are only interested in Form 6?

30 minutes ago I tried to log in to check on my pending Form 1s, only to be greeted with the spinning blue icon telling me "Loading....." it hasn't stopped spinning yet.

I can't begin to know just how many of us are trying to log in as I post this to have brought the system to a crawl this morning. 10? 20?
The hardware or the software is just NOT WORKING. Period.

I am inclined to believe in 2014 there is no way in the world ATF or any other organization can't put up a system that can handle a few users at a time without getting paralyzed. It must be something else. I am thinking they are deliberately slowing the process to discourage people from gaining any more stamps before the rules are changed for good for trusts and corporations to comply by requiring CLEO signoffs which will pretty well bring the whole NFA ownership to an end.

Call me paranoid if you like, but that is how I feel.

I've been thinking the same, but didn't want to be labeled as "tin foil"...

[danattyfatty]

I've been thinking the same, but didn't want to be labeled as "tin foil"...

Here in MD, we have a 7 day wait period for regulated firearms purchases (handguns and scary "assault weapons"). In the wake of Sandy Hook and our communist Governor's rhetoric, that 7 days ballooned to as much as 120 days. The State Police, who approve those applications, told us they were working 21/7 and bringing on extra help to address the surge in applications. Then there came the fax issues (that's how most FFLs here transmit the applications; though some still used snail mail!). Some days their fax machines were down. Some days, whole batches of applications were "not received", despite FFLs having their own fax confirmations stating the contrary. Some FFLs were running NICS checks on their own and releasing after the 7 days. That quickly got shut down by MSP. MD law allows the FFL to release the firearm on the 8th day, yet MSP was pressuring FFLs not to. It took a law suit for MSP to admit that an 8th day release wasn't illegal.

So yeah, I'm gonna go with the not tin foil on this one! It's all about setting up barriers and discouraging firearms ownership.

[rkwjunior]

Definitely not Tin Foil, if they really wanted a smooth running operation they could do it. They just want to slow the process so people give up, then make the people that have already submitted wait for months on end. It's 2014, there is plenty of technology out there to make the e-form system a well oiled machine. It's an EFF'in Joke.
In my state the legal wait time for an LTC is i think 40 days?? Some towns have been delaying people of their right for 6 months or more, it's a disgrace. Of course it doesn't matter if the state or town breaks the law, Massholes!!!

[JG007]

The health care website shows that even when a smooth running operation is their top priority they still can't do it.

The atf site is more than likely just government efficiency at work combined with the fact that it isn't a priority

[AErcen]

As of this morning May/01/2014 I got the following response to my inquiry asking when Forms 1, 3, and 4 would be back on line again.

"There is no time frame set for the return of these eForms to service. Analysis is ongoing. eForm 1 we hope will return soon."
Gary.N.Schaible@usdoj.gov
Thu 5/1/2014 11:53 AM

Based on this I don't think it is going to be a smart idea to wait until eforms are back on line if you are looking to file Form 2 and 4.
Even with Form 1, they are not making any commitment as to WHEN it will be back up but at least acknowledging the fact it will return soon. Certainly long before Forms 3 and 4 are made available again.If ever!

[BigWaylon]

As info (I didn't know this until two weeks ago, so I'll assume at least one other person didn't know it either), F2s/F3s can be faxed in. I bought two more cans in the last two weeks and SS.com immediately faxed in my F3s. I've read reports in the last couple days of the F3 getting approved in 3 weeks or less. The "EForms is back up" notification said they'd put emphasis on the paper F3s and F4s, and it seems they're making some headway.

I'd considered waiting for EForms to get the F4 filed, but I'll just let SS send it off as soon as F3 is approved.

[TehLlama]

I guess I can limp along with an SB-15 for my next SBR intended lower while I wait on the F1 to come back up... I guess I get to make interest on that $200 a while longer.