The United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) on Friday issued a statement making it easier for federally-licensed gun dealers to stay open and provide essential services while “safe distance” protocols are still in effect.

CTV News:

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) announced on Friday that federally licensed firearms businesses could carry out transactions through drive-up windows and temporary booths in their parking lots or other parts of their property. Those transactions include verifying customer identity, completing paperwork, accepting payment and delivering firearms and ammunition. “An FFL may carry out the requested activities through a drive-up or walk-up window or doorway where the customer is on the licensee’s property on the exterior of the brick and mortar structure at the address listed on the license,” the guidance states. “An FFL may also carry out the requested activities from a temporary table or booth located in a parking lot or other exterior location on the licensee’s property at the address listed on the license, but any such activities must occur in a location where the licensee has the authority to permit ATF’s entry for inspection purposes,” it continued.

The article goes on to say that many in the firearms industry had been seeking some guidance about being able to “legally conduct business outside of their brick-and-mortar stores.” It’s a credit to the ATF that it managed to speed up the usually slow wheels of the federal bureaucracy and respond in a somewhat timely fashion.

While the feds have been very clear that they consider gun stores “essential” during this quarantine/shut down/stay-at-home phase, some states and municipalities have been ignoring them.

The Los Angeles County sheriff wasted no time in asserting his petty tyrant status by ordering all of the gun stores in the county to close. He was told by an attorney for the county that gun stores fell under California’s definition of “essential” and should remain open. A federal judge appointed by — SURPRISE! — Barack Obama then intervened and allowed the closures to proceed.

New Mexico and Massachusetts are also being sued over gun store closures.

As my good friend Kurt Schlichter wrote at our sister site Townhall last month, people should have been stocking up on guns and ammo all along. Now that we have seen how readily government officials at all levels are to use a crisis to infringe upon a constitutional right, maybe more people will heed the advice.

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PJ Media Senior Columnist and Associate Editor Stephen Kruiser is the author of “Don’t Let the Hippies Shower” and “Straight Outta Feelings: Political Zen in the Age of Outrage,” both of which address serious subjects in a humorous way. Monday through Friday he edits PJ Media’s “Morning Briefing.”