The short version
- When a licensed gun store goes out of business, federal law requires it to send its sales records to the ATF.
- The ATF now holds about 1.4 billion pages of these records, mostly stored as scanned images.
- On Wed., Nov. 18, 2026 at 2 p.m. ET, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform holds a hearing on how the ATF keeps them. (hearing notice and livestream)
What officials are doing
- Sept. 24, 2026: Eight U.S. senators (Jim Risch (ID-R), who led the letter, Mike Crapo (ID-R), Marsha Blackburn (TN-R), Ted Budd (NC-R), Tom Cotton (AR-R), Steve Daines (MT-R), Cindy Hyde-Smith (MS-R) and Pete Ricketts (NE-R)) wrote to Attorney General Todd Blanche. They asked for an independent investigation of ATF's records facility in Martinsburg, West Virginia, destruction of any records kept in violation of the 1986 Firearm Owners' Protection Act, and a final retention rule that follows that law. (release)
- Late September 2026: Rep. Michael Cloud (TX-R) sent a similar letter to the President and Vice President. His office reports that ATF held roughly 1.41 billion pages and/or images of these records as of May 2026. (Rep. Cloud's office)
What the ATF says
As reported on Rep. Cloud's site, the ATF says the files are stored as static images, indexed mainly by the dealer's license number rather than the buyer's name, and used to trace guns found at crime scenes when the original store no longer exists.
What could happen next
- Congress could advance bills to end the requirement or destroy the records (bills exist in both the House and Senate).
- The ATF could change its rules on how long it keeps the records.
- Or nothing changes, and the records stay where they are.
We'll watch the hearing and report what's said, word for word.
Sources
Antler Alerts report what officials say and do, with sources. They are not endorsements or criticism. Short link: willythewhitetail.com/a2