ATF Serial Number Database

[thumbtack]

http://www.atf.treas.gov/firearms/serial.htm

Here is the information a person would use to request the ATF lookup a firearm's serial number if the gun was lost or stolen.

Now, I was under the impression that the ATF did not keep a database like this, and all information was purged after 90 days. It appears that I was wrong and if the ATF can lookup look up a serial number for you does this not mean that basicly this is firearm registration.

 

[EnfieldIII]

"NOTE:

The Federal Firearms Licensee (dealer) who sold you the firearm must be "out-of-business (OOB)," otherwise we cannot conduct the search. "

Records get turned over after the dealer goes out of business and are presumably kept forever.

 

[thumbtack]

If a record is being kept by the dealers then at anytime the ATF or whomever could come and retrieve them. What is the reasoning for dealers getting a permanent record?

 

[EnfieldIII]

If a record is being kept by the dealers then at anytime the ATF or whomever could come and retrieve them.

Yep, or just want to come a talk to you. Check out this thread.
www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=135575&highlight=Sniper

What is the reasoning for dealers getting a permanent record?

The law says they must keep the records.

 

[Poodleshooter]

[fantasy]One executive order, commanding the elimination of this database of 4473's turned over to ATF would make registration completely impossible on a nationwide scale. [/fantasy] I wonder how large the d-base of 4473's is?

 

[Shamaya]

Just Under Clinton...

"Now, I was under the impression that the ATF did not keep a database like this, and all information was purged after 90 days. It appears that I was wrong and if the ATF can lookup look up a serial number for you does this not mean that basicly this is firearm registration."

Reportedly, 74% of the licensed firearms dealers went out of business during the Clinton regime. All of those 4473's were turned over to the gun NAZIs. That's quite a large registration database, yes.

 

[CAP]

Interesting info. Thanks for the posts.

More research is definitely needed. I was unaware of the rider of OOB dealers records being returned to the govment.

I don't doubt they can trace most guns for at least a little ways. Then the pressure of whatever ongoing investigation will make the sheeple tell any and all.

There aught to be more fires.

 

[Riss]

ATF keeps no (known) database of current ownership. BUT, they can backwards tracr ownership through their records. Assuming they receive an unknown gun they start at the maker and follow the trail to the last registered owner.

 

[jjdoodah]

Out Back

I turned in my FFL a few years back, having had it for 10+ years, as a hobby type thing.
I sent a letter & my License in, then received a phone call regarding my records. All they wanted was the Transfer Forms. When I asked what they did with them, they replied that I was shipping them to a warehouse in I believe Tennessee, where they wouldn't even open the box, only tag it with my license number, for future research, if needed to trace a particular gun.

 

[JRH6856]

There was a THR thread about this over a year ago:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=699668

 

[HighExpert]

I gave up my FFL under Clinton as well. When I sent my 4473 forms in they were all redacted. Never heard a word about it.

 

[wadcutter45]

Wow...a Zombie thread..resurrected after more than 11 years.

 

[Midwest]

I think this is the oldest thread ever to come back to life
.

 

[morcey2]

:banghead::banghead:

 

[Frank Ettin]

Geez, the link in the OP doesn't even seem to go anywhere now. I didn't even get a "timed out" message.