Built-In ATF-Format Gun Log — No Add-On Required

Pawnbroker Pawn Shop Software — The 24k edition includes a complete electronic gun log at no extra charge. Records pawns, purchases, sales, and transfers automatically when an item is flagged as a firearm. Formatted to ATF Form 5300.5 (Report of Firearms Transactions). Pay once, own forever. Trusted by pawn shops since 2005.

When an item is checked as a gun during entry, gun-transaction data is automatically captured and added to the log, eliminating double entry and reducing the risk of recordkeeping errors. The log covers pawns, purchases, sales, clients, and licensed firearms dealers.

Also see: LeadsOnline Police Reporting | Police Report Features | US Pawn Shop Licensing by State

Why an Electronic Gun Log Matters

Federal law requires firearms licensees to maintain accurate transaction records. A paper-based or manual system introduces error, increases the time spent on compliance, and can create gaps that are difficult to reconcile during an ATF audit. PPSS replaces that burden with an automatic, software-driven log that captures every required data point at the moment a transaction is created.

ATF Form 5300.5 Format

The PPSS gun log is structured to match ATF Form 5300.5 (Report of Firearms Transactions). Every required field is captured during normal transaction entry — no separate form to fill out. The log records:

  • Shop Name, Address, and FFL#
  • Date, Period Covered, Receipt Date, Disposal Date
  • Manufacturer or Importer
  • Serial Number, Model, Caliber, Action
  • Source and Receiver
  • FFL# / Date of Birth

ATF Compliance Reminder

The federal government requires shop owners to be aware of laws governing gun-related recordkeeping. Please refer to Records Required For Firearms Licensees published by the ATF. PPSS representatives can answer questions about the software but cannot make representations or interpretations regarding law, as that would constitute legal advice.

Transaction Types Covered

Pawns

Pawn

When a gun is accepted as collateral for a pawn loan and the item is flagged as a firearm, PPSS records all required gun-log fields automatically. The gun appears in inventory and in the electronic log simultaneously.

View pawned guns via Reports → Pawns → check Guns.

Purchases (Buy Outright)

Buy

Firearms purchased outright from individuals or licensed dealers are logged the same way. Use the Buy Outright transaction type and check Item Is a Gun — the gun log entry is created automatically.

Dealers must have an FFL# entered in their client record.

Transfers & Sales

Transfer

Disposal dates and receiver information are captured when a pawned gun is sold or a purchased firearm changes hands. The log tracks both the receipt side and the disposal side of every transaction.

Includes FFL# or date of birth of the receiving party.

Entering a Gun — Step by Step

Before a gun can be entered, a client record must exist in the system. Here is the complete process from client setup through gun entry and verification:

Adding a New Client: Press F5, enter the client's information, and flag the person or entity as a Licensed Firearms Dealer if applicable — then enter their FFL number. Select Save and Add New Items to proceed directly to item entry. For an existing client, select the record in the Client Work Area and press F4 to open the new-item screen.
  1. Open the new-item screen (F5 for a new client, F4 for an existing client selected in the Client Work Area).
  2. Enter the item description. To fit report columns and small labels, the description is limited to 20 characters — consistent abbreviations are helpful.
  3. Add a category, additional details, model, and serial number.
  4. Check Item Is a Gun. This triggers the gun-log fields and activates the firearm-specific drop-downs.
  5. Use the drop-down arrows to select descriptors for brand, action, barrel, and finish.
  6. Click Take Pic to capture and store a webcam photo of the firearm (optional but recommended).
  7. Choose any of the save options at the bottom. The gun is added to inventory and to the electronic gun log simultaneously.
Verifying the Entry: To confirm the gun has been added to inventory, go to the Inventory Work Area and click Today. Click View All to see all records. To view all firearms in inventory, go to Reports → Inventory and check Is Firearm on the report screen.

Client Records for Gun Transactions

Licensed Firearms Dealer

FFL Required

Press F5 to open the New-Client form and check Licensed Firearms Dealer. Leave Active Client checked to indicate an account.

Checking this option changes the first ID type from Driver's License to FFL #. Enter the FFL number in the field provided.

Use Buy Outright to purchase guns from the dealer.

Individual Customer

Standard

Complete the same New-Client form but leave Licensed Firearms Dealer unchecked. The ID type remains Driver's License and standard identification fields apply.

Accurate information is critical — the gun log is a legal record and data must be correct at the time of entry.

Your Shop as a Dealer

Self

To sell your own guns through the system, create a client record for yourself as a dealer and enter your shop's FFL number in that record.

Then sell your guns to the shop using Buy Outright. This ensures your own inventory flows through the gun log correctly.

Gun Log Reports

PPSS provides multiple reporting paths for firearms records, giving you flexibility for day-to-day review, compliance printing, and law enforcement inquiries.

Gun Log Report

ATF Format

Go to Reports → Gun Log. A print-preview screen opens formatted to ATF Form 5300.5. Press the printer icon at the top left to print on paper or to PDF.

Only transactions processed since the last time the report was accessed will appear by default.

All Data Option

Setup

To include all gun transactions regardless of when the log was last viewed, go to Program Setup → General tab and check All Data.

When this option is unchecked, the log only includes guns added since the last viewing — useful for incremental compliance review.

Inventory & Pawn Reports

Filtered

Go to Reports → Inventory and check Is Firearm to filter the inventory report to guns only. Use additional filters: guns on hold, category, brand, action, barrel, finish, pawn due date range, date-in range, and more.

Go to Reports → Pawns and check Guns to see a report of pawned firearms specifically. Note: this report does not include all gun-log fields.

Report Output Options: View the Report displays results in the main table. All other output options open a print preview and can be printed on paper or saved as a PDF. The print layout is sized to fit all ATF-required columns onto a standard sheet of paper.

Configuring PPSS for the Gun Log

The gun log uses predefined User Groups that require category files to be installed. The easiest path is to contact tech support and have the setup done for you — info@pawn-software.com or 800-710-6184. If you prefer to do it yourself to avoid a service charge, follow these steps:

  1. Close the program.
  2. Make a backup copy of C:\PPSS. New category files will overwrite some existing categories.
  3. Download https://www.pawn-software.com/gun-log-categories.zip.
  4. Extract the files from the zip archive.
  5. Copy category.dbf and category.cdx to C:\PPSS, overwriting the existing files.
  6. Open the program.
  7. On the Main Menu, click Inventory, then Categories.
  8. Select each gun-related category one at a time and confirm that the four user-defined groups — action, brand, caliber, and type — are associated with each category. When a category such as Handgun is selected during item entry, all four UDG drop-downs will appear automatically.
  9. If any previous categories are missing after the install, they will need to be re-entered manually.
Back Up First: Step 2 is critical. Copying the new category files will overwrite existing category records. A backup of C:\PPSS protects your data if any categories need to be restored. When in doubt, let tech support handle the setup.

Key Benefits at a Glance

Automatic Logging

Checking Item Is a Gun is all it takes. Gun-transaction data is recorded in the log automatically — no separate entry, no duplicate work, and no fields to forget.

ATF-Ready Format

The log matches ATF Form 5300.5 out of the box. Every required field — manufacturer, serial number, action, caliber, source, receiver, FFL#, dates — is captured during normal transaction entry.

Photo Storage

Attach a webcam photo to every gun record at the time of entry. Photos are stored with the item record and are available for inventory review, disputes, and law enforcement requests.

Rich Filtering

Inventory and pawn reports let you filter guns by brand, action, barrel, finish, caliber, category, hold status, date-in range, pawn due date, and more — turning your gun inventory into a searchable database.

FFL Dealer Support

Client records support both individual customers and licensed firearms dealers. FFL numbers are stored directly in the client record and flow automatically into the gun log for every transaction with that dealer.

Included — No Extra Cost

The electronic gun log is included in the PPSS 24k edition at no additional charge. No add-on module, no recurring fee, no per-transaction cost. Pay once and own it.

Frequently Asked Questions — PPSS Electronic Gun Log

Does the PPSS gun log satisfy ATF recordkeeping requirements?

The PPSS gun log is formatted to match ATF Form 5300.5 and captures all fields required for firearms transaction records, including manufacturer, serial number, model, caliber, action, source, receiver, and FFL/DOB information. However, PPSS representatives cannot make legal representations about compliance. You should confirm that your use of the system satisfies current ATF requirements with qualified legal counsel or directly with the ATF.

Which edition of PPSS includes the gun log?

The electronic gun log is included in the 24k edition of Pawnbroker Pawn Shop Software. When Item Is a Gun is checked during item entry, gun-transaction data is automatically recorded in the log. Call 800-710-6184 to confirm which edition is right for your shop.

Can I view guns that were logged before the last time I opened the report?

Yes. Go to Program Setup → General and check All Data. The gun log will then display all recorded transactions rather than only those added since the last time the report was accessed. Uncheck this option to return to incremental viewing.

What happens if I forget to check "Item Is a Gun" when entering a firearm?

If the checkbox is not checked, the item will be saved to inventory but will not be recorded in the gun log. You will need to edit the item record, check Item Is a Gun, and ensure all firearm fields are completed. Accurate information at the time of entry is essential — the gun log is a legal record.

How do I record a gun I'm selling from my own inventory?

Create a client record for your shop as a dealer and enter your FFL number in the record. Then use the Buy Outright transaction to sell the gun from your own inventory to the shop. This routes the transaction through the gun log correctly, just like any other firearm purchase.

Can I print the gun log as a PDF?

Yes. When the print-preview screen opens from Reports → Gun Log, press the printer icon and select a PDF printer as your output destination. The layout is designed to fit all ATF Form 5300.5 columns onto a standard sheet of paper at a readable size.

Do I need to set up special categories before using the gun log?

Yes, predefined User Group category files must be installed before the gun-log drop-downs (brand, action, caliber, type) will appear during item entry. Download the files from pawn-software.com/gun-log-categories.zip and follow the setup steps, or contact tech support at info@pawn-software.com or 800-710-6184 to have the configuration done for you.

Does PPSS integrate with L.E.A.D.S. or other law enforcement reporting systems?

PPSS supports police reporting for stolen-property compliance. See the L.E.A.D.S. and LeadsOnline section of the documentation for further procedures related to firearms and law enforcement reporting requirements in your jurisdiction.

Important Disclaimer: This page describes software features only and does not constitute legal advice. Federal and state laws governing firearms recordkeeping change periodically. Always consult with the ATF, your state regulatory agency, and qualified legal counsel to confirm that your recordkeeping practices satisfy current legal requirements. PPSS representatives can answer questions about the software but cannot interpret law or advise on compliance obligations.
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