Made up BS. I have no idea why ranges do this. I've heard all the stupid excuses, and they are just that. My personal favorite is one outdoor range close to me that doesn't allow SBRs because they are "inaccurate" and "to loud". Sooo at a place where you can shoot a 460 S&W Magnum with a 3" bbl or a 458 win mag... You can't shoot a short barrel rifle in 9mm... Because of noise. lol

 Next time I'm just gonna tell them I'm a manufacture and I just made them and I don't have to send the forms in for 24 hours.

I've made copies and one set stays in the truck.  Out of respect of range/land owners, I inform them that I will be using an NFA item and offer to show them my paperwork.  Most don't care and don't want to see it. One range I go to a lot wanted to make sure everything was legal just because there is always a fed or state LE on the range training or qualifying.  The ATF FAQ says the approved paperwork must be presented to any ATF AGENT who asks for it. Doesn't say "to anyone who asks for it". I'm not going to get into it with anyone over my own legal items, so I'm either going to leave or be up front about it. If their ignorance is strong in not going to even entertain that shit They don't need my business.

On the flip side if I owned a range or facility that is my livelihood I'm not going to chance illegal items being use at my place.  So it would be my policy for people to bring their paperwork with them. It CYA if LE gets involved.

I used my M16 at an apple seed shoot once.  Obviously didn't go FA with it.


I saw one instructor do a double take while inspecting the line.  No one else noticed.

The failure in this logic is that ANY firearm on your range could be illegal (stolen, straw purchase, fun switch that they just don't activate, what have you) and since you don't check the legality of all those other guns (which would likely be 99% of the guns used at your range) what sense does it make to examine a person's tax documents? You'd be more likely to find an illegal gun checking the NON-NFA stuff.

How is informing range owners you're using an NFA weapon a sign of "respect?"  WTF?

This has always been my response. They don't check people walking in to make sure they aren't felons (and there has been plenty of times at the range I've wondered about the guy next to me).  

My favorite example I've ever seen of this, I was at a range one day and the RSO was so uber focused to "check my forms"  while the guy in the lane next to me is shouldering a Sig brace. Talk about the heart of irony.  Most RSOs have no idea what they are even looking for even when you show the stamps. I have my 30+ in booklet form attached to my trust and just hand it to them like the Bible and say good luck. I have another friend who claims he is going to print a random form 4 off the internet and start keeping it in his bag to hand them, see if they can even figure it out. I bet most RSOs couldnt spot it.

Their range, their rules.  Sucks they're too pussy to just say "we want to see your paperwork before we let you on our range".

It'd be amusing to show them a form1 with an SBR that didn't have a stamp on it. :)

Or when I show them my Form 3 (they don't have stamps)

Or a Form 10, and explain that you're the government, and function testing is "official use". lol

Sad thing is they no they are full of fucking shit claiming it.