Guess I have all I want...

[Steelharp]

Considering the ATF guy stopped by my local FFL and doing the routine book check... he saw my name enough to inquire about what I might be doing... guess I have all the guns I need. Won't be selling or trading any, either. Oh, well...

 

[Radjxf]

So the agent questioned your FFL about your purchases? Interesting. I suppose us law-abiding gun purchasers are easier targets. Our purchases can be tracked, our residences can be located. Too much work to find those Muslim extremists who don't buy from the local gun dealer I suppose.
As much as I've bought/sold/traded in the last year, I'm surprised they haven't sent the black helicopters to my place!

 

[jerkin]

Why would you let some questioning by an ATF agent stop you from buying a firearm? It isn't like you're doing anything illegal.

 

[Javelin]

Why would you let some questioning by an ATF agent stop you from buying a firearm? It isn't like you're doing anything illegal.

Pretty much. You are probably on their watch list but the cool thing is they are pretty lazy so as long as your not doing nothing bad don't worry about it.

 

[Steelharp]

Why would you let some questioning by an ATF agent stop you from buying a firearm? It isn't like you're doing anything illegal.

I know... it's just "da feds," ya know... it creates an unnecessary nervousness... like that time in Vegas with... well, never mind...

 

[45Badger]

Ah, the joy of being a compulsive buyer, seller, swapper

 

[Vermont]

I am relatively new to guns so I am outraged by this. I suppose most of you exhausted your anger a long time ago and now just feel a sense of inevitability when a federal agent has the right to routinely check up on your purchases.

 

[TexasRifleman]

There's one reason not to use the same FFL over and over.....

 

[Inverness11]

Vermont: Yeah, this isn't new to us, we're all just jaded now. If you get a chance, check out the book Unintended Consequences by John Ross. You might want to google "Ken Ballew" and "Ruby Ridge" for some light reading to tide you over until you get a copy.

ETA two words: Private Party

 

[Stump Water]

Buy at one shop, two, or a hundred. Since your purchases are above-board all of the info about those purchases is going to the same place anyway.

If "big brother" wanted to find out something or anything about you, it would.

 

[Headless]

Realistically, if they track usage of NICS then they know every time you buy a gun from an FFL, and which FFL you bought it from anyway.

They can come to that FFL and audit their 4473's any time, so, if they want a list of all guns you've bought (from other than face to face private in-state transactions), they run a query for all NICS checks on you, pull up the list that shows your info and the place that requested each check, then send out someone to check the 4473's at each location. An hour later, they have a compiled list of every gun you've bought, from which locations, and when.

...and people say a national gun registry doesn't exist... just because it's not a centralized, digitized database containing all information needed doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

Anyone know if usage of the NICS system is actually not logged/tracked? Heh. It seems to me like they'd have to log it if for nothing more than billing the FFL's...

 

[Old Fuff]

Unless you are buying unusual quantities of EBR's and high-cap pistols they wont pay much attention. I know some serious collectors that often buy large collections, keep what they want, and sell the rest to recover their money. ATF&E has never so much as given them a phone call, and the same can be said concerning the FFL's they work through.

The only thing that might get you in trouble is if you are buying a large number of guns and then selling them over a short period of time without doing the selling through an FFL or C&R. Doing so could bring up an issue of you being an unlicensed dealer.

From what you describe you're doing nothing wrong, and since the 1968 GCA was amended they are required to show evidence of criminal intent, and in your case I suspect that requirement hasn't been met.

If I was in your shoes I'd keep right on buying...

 

[1911Tuner]

I'd say that a "Red Flag" for an agent would be your name coming up a few dozen times for purchase of the same type of gun...especially if that gun was something like a Hi-Point or other such inexpensive model. It would raise the suspicion of straw man/trunk dealing and would likely earn you a watchdog on your tail.

Older or collectible guns, such as Smith Hand Ejector models or
USGI pre WW2-era 1911s would indicate a collector goin' about his business and likely wouldn't even raise an eyebrow.

 

[NG VI]

you'll be ok

 

[strat81]

If "big brother" wanted to find out something or anything about you, it would.

And if they wanted you locked up, they'll just ship you to Gitmo.

 

[silverlance]

... or if you get your guns "stolen" a few times too often

 

[Just Jim]

I doubt this should bother you. I have bought and sold guns legally all my life and have never been bothered. I am 55 and not an FFL. Seems I just like something new and sell the old ones.

jj

 

[Soybomb]

it creates an unnecessary nervousness.

How come? I'd make it a point to buy more guns there, maybe get a few multiple handgun forms filled out even

 

[mekender]

next time you go there, get a bunch of 12ga ammo, a nice knife... then ask if he sells bone saws and ski masks... that should raise the nervousness level a bit

 

[SC-Texas]

Did you get a visit?

 

[Steelharp]

No...

 

[DougDubya]

If you know any butchers personally, ask to borrow their most blood-stained shirt and pants. Then give your pet cat a pill. Any pill. Then jog on a hot day to the gun shop. When you get there, go to the counter, ask for thirty AR magazines and all the mil.grade ammo you can get. Tell the counter guy to hurry.



'Course, it still doesn't match my plan to go to the local grocery store one night at midnight with four of my best friends in monk robes to EACH buy a lamb's head, a butcher knife, and a large candle, all while chanting in forboding Latin.

 

[Zedicus]

Inverness11: Vermont: Yeah, this isn't new to us, we're all just jaded now. If you get a chance, check out the book Unintended Consequences by John Ross. You might want to google "Ken Ballew" and "Ruby Ridge" for some light reading to tide you over until you get a copy.

Sent him a Link to a Video on Ruby Ridge.

If anyone else is intrested the link is here:
http://www.stage6.com/user/Zedicus/video/1908013/Documentary-on-the-Siege-at-Ruby-Ridge

 

[K.O.A.M.]

I work with our ATF folks on a couple of things. In Central Florida, they don't respond to stuff like that unless they get called by someone.