Is the 4473 Racist? – Episode 59 For The Love Of Guns

The 4473 – A Government Mystery

Ah, the ATF Form 4473—the mandatory paperwork that lets you buy a gun after proving you’re not a criminal, an alien (the illegal kind, not the cool sci-fi kind), or some other prohibited person.

But if you’ve ever filled one out, you’ve probably asked yourself:

• Why do they need to know my race?
• Why do they care about my weight? (Thanks for the self-esteem check, ATF.)
• Why does this form feel like I’m applying for a loan AND joining a secret government database at the same time?

Well, you’re not alone. There’s some serious controversy around the 4473, and today, we’re going to talk about it, laugh about it, and probably question everything about it.

What Is the 4473 and Why Do We Fill It Out?

For those new to gun buying (or those lucky enough to live somewhere that doesn’t require this level of bureaucracy), the 4473 is the form you fill out when purchasing a firearm from an FFL (Federal Firearms Licensee).

It collects a bunch of personal information, like:

✔️ Your name, address, and birthday (reasonable)
✔️ Your height and weight (wait, what? This isn’t a dating app.)
✔️ Your race and whether you’re Hispanic or Non-Hispanic (because apparently, that’s the first thing criminals disclose?)
✔️ Whether you’re under indictment (which leads to our first major issue…)

“Are You Under Indictment?” – The Constitutional Problem

Recently, a judge ruled that one of the 4473’s questions is unconstitutional—the infamous “Are you under indictment?”

Here’s why that’s a problem:

👉 In the U.S., you’re innocent until proven guilty.
👉 Indictments are accusations, not convictions.
👉 If you haven’t been found guilty, why should your rights be limited?

It’s like getting grounded because your sibling accused you of stealing their fries, even though they have zero proof.

And if one part of the 4473 was ruled unconstitutional, that begs the question: What else should be challenged?

Why Does the ATF Need to Know Your Race?

Now let’s get to the most baffling part of this whole thing.

The 4473 form asks:

👉 “Are you Hispanic or Non-Hispanic?”
👉 “What is your race?”

You’d think race has nothing to do with firearm ownership, right? Well, not according to the ATF.

A Real-World Example (That’ll Make You Facepalm)

When I was an FFL, I had a customer filling out a 4473 for the first time. He was Asian.

He skipped the Hispanic or Non-Hispanic question because… he’s Asian.

When I pointed it out, he looked at me like I just asked if he preferred crunchy or smooth peanut butter.

“I’m Asian,” he said.

“I know. But the ATF needs to know if you’re Asian… AND whether you’re Hispanic or not.”

After five minutes of staring at each other in mutual disbelief, he finally checked Non-Hispanic, because what other choice was there?

What Purpose Does This Even Serve?

Let’s break this down logically:

✔️ Does your race determine your ability to safely own a gun? → Nope.
✔️ Does checking a box make you more or less dangerous? → Absolutely not.
✔️ Does this info affect your background check? → Not officially, but it sure feels like unnecessary profiling.

Meanwhile, the ATF insists it’s for statistical purposes—because clearly, that’s the real issue in gun crimes, right?

So… Is the 4473 Racist?

Well, let’s put it this way:

👉 If a government form asks about race for no good reason…
👉 If it forces people to classify themselves in weird, unnecessary ways…
👉 If it creates confusion instead of solving actual problems…

…then, yeah, it raises a lot of eyebrows.

What Else Should We Be Questioning?

If we already know that:

✅ One question was ruled unconstitutional
✅ Another question makes zero sense
✅ The government “claims” they delete NICS records (wink wink)

…then maybe it’s time to question the entire system.

✔️ Why does the ATF collect this info at all?
✔️ Should we trust that they delete background check data?
✔️ If parts of the 4473 are unconstitutional, why are we still using it?

Final Thoughts: Time to Ask More Questions

Gun rights are civil rights, and anything that smells like government overreach should be challenged.

So, let’s hear from YOU—should the 4473 be revised, challenged, or even eliminated?

Drop a comment and let’s get the conversation started.

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