Electronic Bound Book Software
Go Digital, Stay Compliant
An electronic bound book replaces your paper Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) logbook with a secure, searchable, cloud-backed digital record system — fully authorized under ATF Ruling 2016-1. Every entry is time-stamped, every correction is tracked, and your records are available from any device during business hours.
What Is an Electronic Bound Book?
Federal regulations under 27 CFR Part 478 require every Federal Firearms Licensee to maintain an Acquisition and Disposition (A&D) bound book recording every firearm received and transferred. Traditionally this meant a physical paper ledger stored on-premises. In 2016, the ATF formally authorized electronic alternatives through ATF Ruling 2016-1, provided the software meets fourteen specific conditions.
Logbooks for Guns is purpose-built electronic bound book software that satisfies every one of those conditions. Your A&D records live in a secure, encrypted database accessible from any browser. Records cannot be altered without a full correction trail, cannot be destroyed by fire or flood, and can be searched, filtered, or exported to PDF in seconds — exactly what an ATF inspector needs.
Unlike generic spreadsheets or document editors — which do not satisfy ATF Ruling 2016-1 Method A requirements — Logbooks for Guns maintains immutable version history on every field, enforces mandatory data elements, and generates ATF-formatted PDF bound books on demand.
ATF Ruling 2016-1 Requirements
ATF Ruling 2016-1 lists fourteen conditions an electronic system must meet to qualify as a lawful alternative to a paper bound book. Logbooks for Guns meets all fourteen.
Searchable records
All A&D records are indexed and searchable by serial number, manufacturer, importer, model, caliber/gauge, type, date, buyer name, FFL number, or any other field — instantly.
Data element completeness
Every required acquisition and disposition field is enforced: date, name/address of transferor or transferee, FFL number where applicable, manufacturer, importer, model, serial number, type, and caliber or gauge.
Correction history (Method A)
No record can be overwritten. Every change captures the original value, the corrected value, the identity of the person making the change, the date and time, and the stated reason — permanently.
Print-on-demand capability
Generate ATF-formatted PDF bound books at any time matching the traditional paper layout — cover page, receipt pages, disposition pages — suitable for ATF inspection or out-of-business submission.
Export capability
Export records in PDF, CSV, JSON, XML, and ATF ASCII pipe-delimited format. The ASCII format is accepted directly by the ATF Out-of-Business Records Center.
Accessible during business hours
Cloud-hosted on US servers with 99.9% uptime SLA. Records available from any internet-connected device during normal business hours as required.
ATF read-only access
Dedicated inspector access route provides ATF agents read-only access to your records during an audit without exposing administrative functions.
Secure against unauthorized access
AES-256 encryption at rest, encrypted sessions, Content Security Policy headers, HSTS enforcement, rate-limited login, CSRF protection on every form, and optional two-factor authentication.
Backup and recovery
Automated hourly database backups to geographically separate cloud storage. Daily full-system backups. 14-day hourly retention, then daily indefinitely.
Data integrity
Checksummed backups and read-after-write verification prevent silent data corruption. Backup integrity is validated automatically on every restore test.
No time limit on retention
Records are retained indefinitely. ATF regulations require A&D records for 20 years and Form 4473 for 20 years; the system enforces no deletion of records within those windows.
Concurrent multi-user access
Multiple staff members can log in simultaneously from different devices. Role-based permissions control who can enter, edit, or only view records.
PMF and special record types
Full Privately Made Firearm (PMF) support per ATF Final Rule 2021R-05F: auto-generated FFL prefix serials, PMF indicators in bound book and Form 4473, and permanent records that cannot be deleted.
Out-of-business records
On license expiration or surrender, generate a complete, ATF-formatted ASCII export for submission to the ATF Out-of-Business Records Center, plus a PDF copy for your own archives.
Paper vs Electronic Bound Book
Paper logbooks are legally sufficient but carry operational risks that an electronic system eliminates entirely.
| Capability | Paper Logbook | Logbooks for Guns |
|---|---|---|
| Search by serial number | Manual page-by-page | Instant — any field |
| Search by buyer name | Manual page-by-page | Instant — full text |
| Fire or flood destruction | Records permanently lost | Geographically redundant cloud backup |
| Theft of physical book | Records permanently lost | No physical record to steal |
| ATF audit preparation | Hours to days sorting pages | Minutes — filter, print, export |
| Correction compliance | Strikethrough with initials only | Full Method A version history |
| Multiple sales detection | Manual count required | Automatic flag and report |
| Handwriting legibility | Permanent risk of disputes | Typed, structured fields only |
| Off-site accessibility | Impossible without physical book | Any device, any location |
| Out-of-business export | Manual transcription to ASCII | One-click ATF ASCII export |
| Form 4473 linkage | Separate paper form, manual cross-reference | Linked digital record, instant lookup |
| Inventory audit report | Manual count against pages | Automated audit with discrepancy report |
| Data backup | None — single physical copy | Hourly cloud backups, 14-day retention |
| Multi-user access | One person at a time, in person | Simultaneous multi-user, role-based |
How It Works
Five steps cover the full life cycle of every firearm in your bound book — from receipt to disposition to ATF inspection.
Receive a Firearm
Enter the acquisition: date received, manufacturer, importer, model, serial number, caliber, type, and transferor name/address/FFL. Required fields are enforced. The system auto-assigns a sequential record number and timestamps the entry.
Log the Disposition
When selling or transferring, enter the disposition date, buyer name, address, FFL or government ID type, and Form 4473 reference. The A&D record is immediately linked to the corresponding 4473 for instant cross-reference.
Track Corrections
If you need to correct an entry, the original value is preserved. The system records who made the change, when, and the stated reason — satisfying ATF Ruling 2016-1 Method A without any extra steps.
Search Instantly
Find any firearm by serial number, buyer, date, caliber, or any other field in under a second. Supports partial matches and wildcard searches across your full record history.
Export for ATF
Print or download a PDF bound book formatted to ATF specifications at any time. For out-of-business submission, generate an ATF ASCII pipe-delimited export accepted directly by the Out-of-Business Records Center.
Who Uses Electronic Bound Books
ATF Ruling 2016-1 applies to all FFL types that are required to maintain A&D records. Logbooks for Guns supports every license type with account-specific fields and workflows.
Type 01 — Dealer in Firearms
The most common FFL. Dealers in handguns, rifles, shotguns, and any combination. Required to maintain A&D records, run NICS checks, and complete Form 4473 for every over-the-counter transfer.
Type 02 — Pawnbroker
Pawnbrokers accepting firearms as collateral must log acquisitions on receipt and dispositions on redemption, sale, or destruction. Pawn-specific acquisition fields are supported.
Type 03 — Collector of Curios & Relics
C&R collectors licensed under 27 CFR 478.41 are required to maintain a bound book for C&R-classified firearms. Logbooks for Guns includes a dedicated C&R book type.
Type 07 — Manufacturer
Manufacturers must record each firearm manufactured and every subsequent transfer. PMF and serialization workflows are built in per ATF Final Rule 2021R-05F.
Type 08 — Importer
Importers log every firearm brought into the US for commercial sale, with mandatory importer name and country-of-manufacture fields on every acquisition record.
Types 09 / 10 / 11 — Dealers & Manufacturers in Destructive Devices
FFL holders authorized to deal in or manufacture destructive devices use the same A&D record requirements with additional NFA-specific fields supported in the system.
SOT / Class III — NFA Items
Special Occupational Taxpayers dealing in NFA items (machine guns, suppressors, SBRs, SBSs, DDs, AOWs) can maintain separate NFA books with NFA-specific disposition fields.
Out-of-Business FFLs
When a license is surrendered or expires, the full record history remains accessible for generation of the ATF-required ASCII export and PDF archive — no data is lost.
Built on ATF Regulation, Not Workarounds
The primary federal regulation governing FFL record-keeping, transfer records, Form 4473, NICS checks, and A&D bound book requirements.
Formally authorizes electronic A&D records in lieu of paper bound books, subject to fourteen operational and technical conditions.
Authorizes electronic Form 4473 with digital signature, subject to conditions for storage, correction, and accessibility.
Mandates permanent retention of A&D records and Form 4473 (no 20-year purge), and establishes serialization requirements for Privately Made Firearms.
Clarifies electronic storage and cloud-based record-keeping requirements including off-site backup and geographic redundancy expectations.
The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which eliminated the 20-year destruction provision for A&D records and Form 4473, requiring permanent retention.
Start Your 30-Day Free Trial
No credit card required. Full access to every feature for 30 days. Set up your electronic bound book in minutes and be ATF Ruling 2016-1 compliant from day one.
Questions? Contact us or browse the help center.