Which company provides the firearm industry with the best electronic Bound Book and e4473 software? 

Who are the best electronic bound book providers?

This is a crucial question that weighs on FFLs across the country.  This decision will impact every transaction a dealer makes and is a great question to ask.  We (4473 Cloud) get this question asked multiple times a day when speaking to FFLs from coast to coast.  First, 4473 Cloud doesn’t provide an eBound Book service, but we do provide excellent compliance advice!  So what you are about to read is as independent of a resource as you will find!

At 4473 Cloud, we are simply a digital repository to securely store your 4473s electronically.  We integrate with the industry’s leading e4473 providers.  Even if we don’t integrate with a specific e4473 software provider, you can still use our service and never print a 4473 again!  That said, let’s dive in and look at some of the most reviewed and commented on eBound Book and e4473 providers available to your FFL business.

First, let’s start with this, we did the homework for you.  We looked at reviews in as many places as we could find them (insider tip – there really aren’t that many out there, unfortunately),  We created a guide to save you time and help you find the right solution for your FFL.  Remember there is rarely, in any industry, true one size fits all, and what might be great for your business, may not be the best solution for others.  Therefore, we offer the below as a true comparison-based article designed to help you gather as much information as you can in one place.  Let’s get started!

We used 5 key metrics to provide you with the top 5 eBound Book options for your FFL.  They are:

1. Reviews (Whether Capterra™, Trustindex™, GetApp™, etc.)
2. Attorney Backed Solution (We are talking about compliance after all)
3. Integration options
4. On-Boarding/Training
5. Tech Support

We force ranked the providers 1 – 10 for each of the 5 categories, getting 10 pts for first place, 9 for second, 8 for third, etc.  If outside the top 10, zero points were rewarded.  Then averaged them.  Simple as that.  Ok, now that we have established what the criteria and metrics are, and the point system, let’s dive into the results.  This is the Top 5 (remember, there are numerous options out there that didn’t make this list), well Top 7, due to ties.  And, to keep our neutrality, we are listing them in alphabetical order.  We’ve also provided a link to each company’s website below along with a snippet from each company’s website to give you a brief overview of the services they provide, in their own words.

• Easy Bound Book™
  • “Easy Bound Book^® is an electronic A&D bound book available in the Cloud or on your premises. Easy Bound Book comes in three versions, Lite, Pro and Business, to fit your business needs. Whether standalone or integrated to your accounting, your bound book becomes a business tool that helps you run your firearms business. Save time, eliminate errors, get easy access to all your bound book records and simplify audits. Easy Bound Book is a time-tested, reliable, safe and secure using the best in modern technology.”
  • Product Launched 2008
• Epicor FFLCM™
  • “FFL Compliance Manager is designed to take full advantage of the latest web technologies. While most major web browser products will work just fine, some modern browsers are not fully HTML 5-compliant, or may not support a complete JavaScript implementation needed by our modern applications. Epicor strives to maintain compatibility with all major web browsers where possible. However, for the best experience we recommend using Google’s Chrome browser.”
  • Product Launched 2014
• EZ Arms Keeper™
  • “Unlimited Users. FFL EZ Check Integration. Barcode Scanning. Label and Barcode Printing. Universal Product Code (UPC) Auto Population. FFL Firearms Transfer.”
  • Product Launched 2011
• FastBound™
  • “Since 2010, FastBound’s FFL software for A&D and 4473 has provided thousands of FFLs including manufacturers, retailers, distributors, importers, and pawnbrokers with guaranteed compliance with the latest ATF rulings, and an attorney-backed legal defense.”
  • Product Launch 2010
• Gun StoreMaster™
  • “Manage your firearm transactions with ease – we can help! ATF compliance is a chore, we can help simplify that burden. Gun StoreMaster software is trusted by all sizes of FFL retailer, from some of America’s largest national retail chains to weekenders. Simplify ATF compliance burdens and spend more time with your customers, we can show you how!”
• Orchid eBound™
  • “Orchid LLC is the parent company to Orchid Advisors LLC and Orchid Solutions LLC, and partner to the firm FFL Law. Together, our companies are managed by a common ownership group and executive team who are dedicated to serving thousands of Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs), organizations and gun owners of the shooting sports industry.”
  • Product Launched 2018
• Rapid Gun Systems™
  • “Rapid Gun Systems is a 100% ATF Compliant point-of-sale solution providing software, hardware, installation, training and support for gun stores & ranges. A great gun store POS system not only improves efficiency of your operations, but helps you deliver the best possible experience for your customers. Investing in a Rapid Gun Systems is like acquiring a highly skilled team of accountants, marketers, compliance officers, salespeople, and more; all packaged beautifully in the smart and sleek appearance of a brand new POS system. Scroll down to learn more about the 8 ways a new gun store POS system will benefit your firearm retail organization”

When you Google eBound Book, or e4473 or the best of either of these options, each of their websites will tell you why they are the best, and quite frankly they mean it.  They believe in their product and well, they should, or why would they be offering it to the market? 

These eBound Book Providers are great additions to your FFL

If you have not done so, take the time to read, review and fully understand the requirements of ATF Ruling 2016-1 and 2016-2.  From that understanding, ask the tough questions when you are interviewing eBound Book and e4473 software providers and make them show you on a demo how their product complies.  Those that truly are compliant will have no problem showing you, while some others may try and divert the conversation.  Don’t take anyone’s “word for it” when it is your business and livelihood that is on the line!

As we mentioned, there are numerous options out there when it comes to selecting the best solution for your business.  We encourage all FFLs to click all the links above and review and speak to each of the solution providers on the products and services they provide.  Remember you, as the responsible person, are accountable for every transaction that takes place at your store and must be extra diligent in researching and finding the right software solution for your business.  Your FFL’s longevity depends on it. 

If you are using paper bound books and paper, handwritten 4473s, today, your compliance risk has never been higher.  ATF inspections are on the rise and the number of escalated actions against FFLs is at an all-time high.  eBound Book and e4473 software solutions provide critically beneficial guardrails to help keep your team and store on the right ATF Compliance highway.  Don’t let a simple clerical mistake, cause thousands of dollars in legal fees defending your business and license.  Do the research, use the above as the foundation, and spend the time to understand exactly what solution you need for your business.  Once you have identified it, don’t wait, get started right away and let technology guide your compliance health in the rest of 2022 and beyond.

Once you are digital, don’t forget to go completely digital and store your 4473s electronically as well.  At 4473 Cloud, we integrate with many of the eBound Book and e4473 software companies mentioned above; but, if the best solution for you isn’t integrated with us, that’s ok too.  You can still use 4473 Cloud to safely, securely and in the most compliant manner possible, store your 4473s digitally with us. 

Whether you take advantage of the electronic storage of your new e4473s or not, we strongly recommend you stop using the old pen and paper method. It is 2022 after all.  Time to get with the times!

We hope this article helped in at least getting your wheels turning on making the switch to go digital.  Also, providing you with enough of a jumpstart to get you into the process of using technology to ensure your ATF compliance!

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