I have just spoken with Matt Jones of the Senate Finance Committee, an aid to Sen. Max Baucus. He related the following:
s1962 (Gunsmith Excise Tax Exemption) has passed the Senate as included with the Highway Bill. It is now in the House where they are doing their own version of the Highway Bill.
Congressman Bill Thomas (R- CA) Chairman of House Ways & Means Comm. is the man to contact. Encourage him to include Gunsmith Excise Tax Simplification (s1962) in the House Highway Bill package. Stress that this is a non-partisan, small business tax relief measure.
For those online, go to:
http://waysandmeans.house.gov/contact.asp
and fill out the simple form. Or:
http://billthomas.house.gov/contact.asp

I have also been in contact with Jason Osborne of the NRA-ILA who believes this is the time and opportunity to pass this 11% Excise Tax Exemption.

In a nutshell, the BATFE and the IRS have attempted to collect the federal excise tax on manufacturing guns and ammunition from gunsmiths and custom gunmakers. If not exempted, all of your gunsmithing bills will be going up by 11%
It is very important to all gunsmiths and their clients.

Steven-
Thanks for helping lead the way in lobbying for this legislation. This may be one of the few times I've benefitted from a lobbyist.
Forrest

Gun repair, installing a barrel, blueing, stocking etc, are not makeing a gun!

I would like to encourage everyone who wants gunsmiths to stay in business to email the congressman on this thread.

Here is what is boils down to as the law stands now.

As a full time gunsmith if I order a surplus 98 Mauser and rebarrel it to a differant cartridge in the ATF's eyes I have changed the purpose of the gun from a military collectable to a sporting gun. Therefore I should get a Manufacturers License and collect 11% excise tax.

If I remove the military stock and fit a custom stock, the same rule applies, I am "manufacturing".

If I order an after market 1911 Gov 45 frame, slide and parts to build a custom or target hand gun the same rule applies.

Some gunsmiths decided to sell the customer the surplus rifle and have him return at a later time to have it rebarreled, restocked, etc. ATF ruled that they were trying to use a loophole and it was still considered manufacturing.

Small one or two man shops should not have to obtain a manufacturers license and deal with all that red tape just to build a few custom guns a year.

Fellow gun enthusiasts and brothers.

Dont put this off, go to the link above and ask your congressman to fight to get this bill through.

Thanking you in advance for your help.

BTT


Good luck and good shooting,
Ernest Terry