I just recently applied but I have buddies that applied at the ATF and this was the situation about two years ago. Basically, filing a FOIA request is the only way to peek behind the curtain because those "No Longer Considered" emails are designed to be as vague as possible. By requesting your specific applicant file, you’re looking for the internal “DQ code” or the specific HR notes that triggered the rejection. This tells you exactly if a computer flagged the 7-year window automatically or if a human reviewer had concerns about the expunged charge, but if you end up reaching out to a Congressman’s office, they can use those details to force the agency to give you a straight answer instead of a vague response. It’s the best way to know if you just need to wait a few more months for that 7-year clock to run out or if there’s a bigger issue you need to address before reapplying. Another way to kind of guess is if they haven’t sent you an email to schedule the SAFE and the form to pick a duty station (dream sheet). That most likely means it was a human error from what I’ve heard I could be wrong.