[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 27, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2005]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 27CFR53.11]

[Page 980-982]
 
            TITLE 27--ALCOHOL, TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND FIREARMS
 
 CHAPTER I--ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO TAX AND TRADE BUREAU, DEPARTMENT OF THE 
                                TREASURY
 
PART 53_MANUFACTURERS EXCISE TAXES_FIREARMS AND AMMUNITION--Table of 
Contents
 
                          Subpart B_Definitions
 
Sec. 53.11  Meaning of terms.


    When used in this part and in forms prescribed under this part, 
where not otherwise distinctly expressed or manifestly incompatible with 
the intent thereof, terms shall have the meanings ascribed in this 
section. Words in the plural form shall include the singular, and vice 
versa, and words importing the masculine gender shall include the 
feminine. The terms ``includes'' and ``including'' do not exclude other 
things not enumerated which are in the same general class or are 
otherwise within the scope thereof.
    Appropriate ATF officer. An officer or employee of the Bureau of 
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) authorized to perform any functions 
relating to the administration or enforcement of this part by ATF Order 
1130.18, Delegation Order--Delegation of the Director's Authorities in 
27 CFR part 53--Manufacturers Excise Taxes--Firearms and Ammunition.
    Calendar quarter. A period of 3 calendar months ending on March 31, 
June 30, September 30, or December 31.
    Calendar year. The period which begins January 1 and ends on the 
following December 31.
    Chapter 32. For purposes of this part chapter 32 means section 4181, 
chapter 32, of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
    Code. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
    Director. The Director, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the 
Department of the Treasury, Washington, DC 20226.
    Electronic fund transfer (EFT). Any transfer of funds effected by a 
taxpayer's financial institution, either directly or through a 
correspondent banking relationship, via the Federal Reserve 
Communications System (FRCS) or Fedwire to the Treasury Account at the 
Federal Reserve Bank.
    Exportation. The severance of an article from the mass of things 
belonging within the United States with the intention of uniting it with 
the mass of things belonging within some foreign country or within a 
possession of the United States.
    Exporter. The person named as shipper or consignor in the export 
bill of lading.
    Financial institution. A bank or other financial institution, 
whether or not a member of the Federal Reserve System, which has access 
to the Federal Reserve Communications Systems (FRCS) or Fedwire. The 
``FRCS'' or ``Fedwire'' is a communications network that allows Federal 
Reserve System member financial institutions to effect a transfer of 
funds for their customers (or other financial institutions) to the 
Treasury Account at the Federal Reserve Bank.
    Firearms. Any portable weapons, such as rifles, carbines, machine 
guns, shotguns, or fowling pieces, from which a shot, bullet, or other 
projectile may be discharged by an explosive.
    Importer. Any person who brings a taxable article into the United 
States from a source outside the United States, or who withdraws such an 
article from a customs bonded warehouse for sale or use in the United 
States. If the nominal importer of a taxable article is not its 
beneficial owner (for example, the nominal importer is a customs broker 
engaged by the beneficial owner), the beneficial owner is the 
``importer'' of the article for purposes of chapter 32 of the Code and 
is liable for tax on his sale or use of the article in the United 
States. See section 4219 of the Code and 27 CFR 53.121 for the 
circumstances under which sales by persons other than the manufacturer 
or importer are subject to the manufacturers excise tax.

[[Page 981]]

    Knockdown condition. A taxable article that is unassembled but 
complete as to all component parts.
    Manufacturer. Includes any person who produces a taxable article 
from scrap, salvage, or junk material, or from new or raw material, by 
processing, manipulating, or changing the form of an article or by 
combining or assembling two or more articles. The term also includes a 
``producer'' and an ``importer.'' Under certain circumstances, as where 
a person manufactures or produces a taxable article for another person 
who furnishes materials under an agreement whereby the person who 
furnished the materials retains title thereto and to the finished 
article, the person for whom the taxable article is manufactured or 
produced, and not the person who actually manufactures or produces it, 
will be considered the manufacturer.
    A manufacturer who sells a taxable article in a knockdown condition 
is liable for the tax as a manufacturer. Whether the person who buys 
such component parts or accessories and assembles a taxable article from 
them will be liable for tax as a manufacturer of a taxable article will 
depend on the relative amount of labor, material, and overhead required 
to assemble the completed article and on whether the article is 
assembled for business or personal use.
    Person. An individual, trust, estate, partnership, association, 
company, or corporation. When used in connection with penalties, 
seizures, and forfeitures, the term includes an officer or employee of a 
partnership, who as an officer, employee or member, is under a duty to 
perform the act in respect of which the violation occurs.
    Pistols. Small projectile firearms which have a short one-hand stock 
or butt at an angle to the line of bore and a short barrel or barrels, 
and which are designed, made, and intended to be aimed and fired from 
one hand. The term does not include gadget devices, guns altered or 
converted to resemble pistols, or small portable guns erroneously 
referred to as pistols, as, for example, Nazi belt buckle pistols, glove 
pistols, or one-hand stock guns firing fixed shotgun or fixed rifle 
ammunition.
    Possession of the United States. Includes Guam, the Midway Islands, 
Palmyra, the Panama Canal Zone, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
American Samoa, the Virgin Islands, and Wake Island.
    Purchaser. Includes a lessee where the lessor is also the 
manufacturer of the article.
    Revolvers. Small projectile firearms of the pistol type, having a 
breech-loading chambered cylinder so arranged that the cocking of the 
hammer or movement of the trigger rotates it and brings the next 
cartridge in line with the barrel for firing.
    Sale. An agreement whereby the seller transfers the property (that 
is, the title or the substantial incidents of ownership in goods) to the 
buyer for a consideration called the price, which may consist of money, 
services, or other things.
    Secretary. The Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate.
    Shells and cartridges. Include any article consisting of a 
projectile, explosive, and container that is designed, assembled, and 
ready for use without further manufacture in firearms, pistols or 
revolvers. A person who reloads used shell or cartridge casings is a 
manufacturer of shells or cartridges within the meaning of section 4181 
if such reloaded shells or cartridges are sold by the reloader. However, 
the reloader is not a manufacturer of shells or cartridges if, in return 
for a fee and expenses, he reloads casings of shells or cartridges 
submitted by a customer and returns the reloaded shells or cartridges 
with the identical casings provided by the customer to that customer. 
Under such circumstances, the customer would be the manufacturer of the 
shells or cartridges and may be liable for tax on the sale of articles. 
See section 4218 of the Code and Sec. 53.112.
    Taxable article. Any article taxable under section 4181 of the Code.
    Treasury Account. The Department of Treasury's General Account at 
the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

[[Page 982]]

    Vendor. Includes a lessor where the lessor is also the manufacturer 
of the article.

[T.D. ATF-308, 56 FR 303, Jan. 3, 1991, as amended by T.D. ATF-312, 56 
FR 31083, July 9, 1991; T.D. ATF-330, 57 FR 40325, Sept. 3, 1992; T.D. 
ATF-365, 60 FR 33670, June 28, 1995; T.D. ATF-404, 63 FR 52603, Oct. 1, 
1998; T.D. ATF-447, 66 FR 19088, Apr. 13, 2001]