Federal Firearms Act

Federal Firearms Act - Title I: Congressional Findings - States that the handgun has increasingly become the principal instrument of violent crime in the United States and that illicit acquisition and possession of such firearms must be curbed by Federal, State, and local governments.

Title II: Amendments to Gun Control Act of 1968 - Revises Federal firearm dealer qualifications to provide that pawnbrokers may not deal in firearms other than shotguns or rifles.

Increases the license fees for dealers in firearms.

Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to make affirmative findings that requirements precedent to the issue of a license to deal in firearms have been met.

Authorizes, in addition to license revocation, a civil penalty of up to $10,000 per violation of Federal law relative to firearms by the holder of a license to deal in firearms.

Requires licensees to make quarterly reports to the Secretary of the Treasury which shall contain specified information, including the number, type and localities of firearms sold by such licensees.

Prohibits the traffic in interstate commerce of handguns with a confirmed length and height of not less than 10 inches, or not meeting other specified requirements, including attainment of a total of 75 points for the following features: overall length, home construction, pistol weight, caliber, safety features, and other miscellaneous equipment.

Enumerates criteria of the same nature for legal traffic in revolvers.

Makes unlawful the importation, manufacture, sale, or delivery of any firearm not meeting the requirements set forth in this Act.

Prohibits: (1) the sale of more than one handgun to other than a dealer licensed under this Act; and (2) the performance of any work on a handgun by a licensed dealer unless the owner verifies that he is in lawful possession of the handgun.

Directs the Postal Service to promulgate regulations consistent with the provisions of this title concerning conveyance in the mails of handguns subject to Federal law.

Title III: Federal Handgun Owner's Identification Card, and National Handgun Registration Standards - States that a person, other than a person licensed under Federal law, may purchase, receive, own or possess a handgun or ammunition other than ammunition for a rifle or shotgun only if that person holds a valid Federal Handgun Owner's Identification Card previously issued to that person by the Secretary in accordance with this title.

Specifies information to be included on such card.

Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to suspend or revoke such Card if the holder of that Card no longer satisfies such informational requirements.

Requires any person who owns or possesses a handgun, unless he transfers such handgun before the effective date of this title, to file an application for registration of the handgun with the appropriate governmental authority.

Authorizes the States to establish handgun registration systems according to specified Federal standards. Authorizes the Secretary to make payments to the State agencies in amounts equal to the cost of carrying out the handgun registration program.

States that any person not covered by a State handgun registration system shall be covered by a Federal handgun registration system for 2 years, after which all States shall enact or adopt a State handgun registration system.

Provides that no information submitted by a person as required for the Identification Card or Federal registration requirements (or any information directly or indirectly derived from such information) may be used against that person in any Federal, State, or local proceeding with respect to a violation of law occuring prior to or concurrently with the submission of the information.

Authorizes the Secretary to pay just compensation for handguns voluntarily relinquished to him. Directs the Secretary to destroy handguns relinquished to him.

Allows the Secretary to declare periods of amnesty for the registration of handguns after which persons knowingly violating registration requirements shall be subject to criminal penalties.

States that whoever: (1) uses a firearm to commit any felony for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, or (2) carries a firearms during the commission of any felony for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, shall, in addition to the punishment provided for the commission of such felony, be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than ten years in the case of the first offense, and to increasingly longer terms of imprisonment for each successive offense.

Authorizes to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this title.

Title IV: Federal Firearms Enforcement Policy Coordinating Council - Establishes the Federal Firearms Enforcement Policy Coordinating Council to remain in existence for ten years to: (1) coordinate administration and enforcement of Federal firearms control laws; (2) assist the States in the implementation, administration, and enforcement of State firearms control systems and laws; (3) implement and coordinate research programs to hasten the development of improved methods of firearms detection; (4) develop and implement programs to reduce firearms misuse; (5) develop improved methods of firearms tracing, identification, ballistics, and detections; and (6) develop an effective nonlethal weapon for use by law enforcement agencies.

Title V: Development of State Firearms Misuse Prevention Systems and Implementation of Model Firearms Misuse Statute - Authorizes the Administrator of the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration to make grants to State and local governments to assist them in planning, establishing, operating, coordinating, and evaluating projects directly, or through contracts with public and private agencies for the development of more effective education, training, research, and prevention in the area of firearms misuse.

Sets forth a model firearms misuse statute which must be adopted by a State to be eligible for such financial assistance. Enumerates criminal penalties for the violation of provisions of such statue.

Title VI: Imposes a tax of $25 upon the sale of any pistol or revolver by the manufacturer, producer, or importer thereof.