Whenever I buy long guns or shot guns I have to fill out a yellow form that asks questions in regard to past criminal convictions and citizenship status along with address, name, SS#, physical descriptions etc. etc.  Then the store makes a phone call to I guess register the firearm.  Who are they calling and who gets copies of the yellow form?

The phone call is for the NICS check and the 4473 stays with the selling dealer until he goes out of business, then it gets mailed to the AFT.
Ron

Ron, is the 20-year rule still in effect?  It used to be that any FFL could destroy 4473's when they turned 20 years old.

I thought that the sale info was transcribed into the dealers bound book and then the 4473 was mailed in to the ATF. Then when the dealer went out of business or died, his bound books were sent to the ATF.

As I recall yes, the dealer must keep the 4473's for 20 or 25 years, then he may destroy them. The only time the bound book goes anywhere is when the dealer goes out of business.
Dealers must keep their 4473's in case of a trace, the FFL I work with just had a trace of a gun that was used in a double homicide. The gun was stolen from the customer.
Ron

When the dealer goes out of business, they have to send ATF the 4473's from the last 7 years.  They can then destroy the ones older than 7 years.

ATF requires the yellow forms to be kept for 20 years at which time they can be destroyed.  The A&D book shows the name of the person or company that the gun came from and the name of who it went to.  It also shows the serial number, caliber, type of gun, and maker.  The dates that it came in (acquired) and went out (dispositioned) are also in the book.  The A&D book does go to ATF when the FFL goes out of business.  The Form 4473's under 20 years old also go to the ATF when an FFL goes out of business.  The A&D book and 4473's are used to help trace firearms that turn up in crimes or ones reported stolen.

NICS background checks only tell the FBI the name of the person buying the gun plus the DOB, height, weight, social, state of residence, and place of birth.  The only info given on the gun at this point is the type of firearm: long gun, handgun, or both.

If ATF wants info on a gun transaction they have to go out and personally inspect a dealer's A&D book and Form 4473's.  The stolen gun and crime scene gun traces, however are done over the phone.

Another reason to do private party sales (in your own state)

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