This information is used by the ATF to potentially detect illegal firearms trafficking.

Multiple Sales Programs: FFLs must report the sale of two or more handguns sold to the same purchaser within five consecutive business days.

The ATF then searches its out-of-business records for any leads. Records Search Requests: When firearms are recovered and the ATF is contacted to trace the firearm, often the firearm may have been purchased from a now defunct FFL.Curious about how much they receive? About 1.2 million per month, and since 1968 they have 'several hundred million' and the ATF says it's the only system of its kind across the globe. Out-of-Business Records: When FFLs go out of business, they are legally mandated to send the NTC all firearms transaction records.Obliterated Serial Number Program: The ATF provides forensics service in the positive identification of firearms with partially removed serial numbers.Interstate Theft Program: The ATF fields reports of theft and loss of firearms in interstate shipments by interstate carriers.From these reports, the ATF develops investigative leads when these firearms are later found and reported to the ATF.

FFL Theft/Loss Program: FFLs are required by law to report to the ATF within 48 hours of discovering a theft or loss firearms inventory.Electronic firearms tracing requests are submitted with their respective details and subsequently handled by the NTC. eTrace 4.0: this web database provides an online system for over 6,000 law enforcement agencies, including 43 foreign countries and over 40,000 registered law enforcement officers.These requests from law enforcement agencies are filtered through multiple programs that the NTC coordinates.

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