The ATF now holds more than 1.4 billion pages and images from closed firearm dealers, according to information provided to Congress.
Rep. Michael Cloud, R-Texas, says the massive collection operates as an illegal national gun registry. He is now calling for an independent investigation and the destruction of any records maintained unlawfully.
Gun Owners of America is backing Cloud’s effort and has spent years investigating the ATF’s Out-of-Business Records system.
Table of contents
What the ATF Confirmed
The ATF reported holding exactly 1,414,088,513 pages or images from former federal firearms licensees as of May 19, 2026.
That total includes:
- 912,184,571 images in the agency’s Enterprise Content Management system
- 397,009,542 images converted from microfilm and microfiche
- 104,894,400 hard-copy pages awaiting scanning
That means approximately 1.309 billion pages, or nearly 92%, are already digitized.
Importantly, the number represents individual pages and images. It does not necessarily represent 1.4 billion separate firearm purchases or gun owners.
The total has grown dramatically since 2021. At that time, the ATF reported holding approximately 920.7 million records, including roughly 865.8 million in digital form.
How the Records Reach ATF
Federal firearm dealers must retain transaction records while operating. When a dealer permanently closes, those records go to the ATF’s National Tracing Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
The documents can include purchaser names, addresses and other identifying information. They also contain firearm makes, models, calibers and serial numbers.
ATF says it retains the records to help law enforcement trace firearms recovered during criminal investigations. The agency’s Records Search Request Program also allows qualified law enforcement agencies to request searches connected to legitimate cases.
SEE ALSO: PTR 9KT MP5K Build: My $5,008 Dream Gun
The ATF denies maintaining a national registry. It says the digitized documents are stored as static images and are not searchable by a purchaser’s name or other personal identifier.
GOA disputes that characterization.
The organization says records obtained through the Freedom of Information Act show that the system can filter information using firearm serial numbers, manufacturers, models and weapon types. GOA argues that this capability makes the collection a functional registry, even if ATF disables direct name searches.
Cloud Wants the Records Investigated
Cloud’s latest letter asks for an independent investigation into the Martinsburg record system.
He also wants officials to destroy records held in violation of the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act or congressional spending restrictions. Cloud further requested that future ATF record-retention rules comply with those limits.
“ATF has confirmed what we suspected: this unlawful database exists,” Cloud said. “This database functions as a national registry of gun owners.”
Cloud warned that the information could threaten gun-owner privacy if used by a future administration seeking firearm bans or confiscation.
The Texas Republican first pressed the ATF for answers in 2021. He sent additional inquiries with other lawmakers but did not receive the latest detailed response until 2026.
GOA Says the System Is Searchable
GOA’s latest video (see above) revisits its earlier investigation and highlights the rapid growth of the record collection.
The organization says the danger goes beyond the number of stored documents. Its main concern is whether officials can search firearm information and connect those results to completed Form 4473 records containing purchaser details.
GOA also objects to the ATF’s proposed change from indefinite retention to a 20- or 30-year schedule. The proposal would establish retention periods for dealers and the ATF’s Out-of-Business Records Center.
GOA argues that records could still remain in government or dealer custody for decades under that system.
Cloud and GOA instead support the No REGISTRY Rights Act. That proposal would require ATF to delete existing firearm transaction records, allow closing dealers to destroy their records and prohibit future federal firearm registries.
The central dispute now comes down to function rather than size. Everyone agrees that ATF possesses more than 1.4 billion record pages. The unanswered question is whether the agency’s search capabilities have turned a crime-gun tracing archive into the national registry Congress prohibited.
*** Buy and Sell on GunsAmerica! ***
Available on GunsAmerica Now
is a seasoned outdoorsman, lifelong hunter, and the kind of guy who’d rather track whitetails than scroll social media. As an editor for GunsAmerica, he’s got a sharp eye for spotting both solid gear and bad gun laws. Whether he’s deep in the woods or deep in editorial deadlines, Larry brings a no-nonsense, tell-it-like-it-is approach to firearms, hunting, and the great American tradition of self-reliance. If there’s a hot debate on gun rights or the latest in hunting tech, you can bet Larry’s got an opinion—and it’s probably backed up with both facts and field experience.
Experience:
– Licensed Bowhunter, Hunter, and Trapper – Experienced in ethical hunting and wildlife conservation.
– Concealed Carry Permit Holder (NYS & AZ) – Trained and licensed to carry in multiple states.
– 2A Journalist – Covering firearms legislation, Second Amendment issues, and gun rights for over a decade.
– Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) – Certified to provide emergency medical care in the field.
– Field-Tested Gear Reviewer – Hands-on experience with firearms, optics, and hunting tech.