Posted on 03/30/2006 6:50:31 PM PST by Copernicus
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Michael Bane
BATF Jihad Against Custom Gunsmths!?!?!
I didn't post yesterday tryng to make heads or tails of this, but quite frankly, I can't...and the information needs to get out!
It appears that apparently to thumb their noses at the current Congressional inquiry into BATF abuses, BATF have launched and initiative aimed custom gunsmithing in America.
The weapon they're using is a really fine point...what is the definition of "manufacturing a firearm"? That phrase is NOT defined in any legislation and, since it's not a legally defined term, it's open to interpretation. Since the late 1990s, when the then ATF hit gunsmith Jim Clark Senior for "manufacturing a firearm" (which cost Jim more than $100,000 but alledgedly clarified the question) was "making or providing the controlled, or serial-numbered, part."
The new BATF definition of "manufacturing a firearm" is "making any substantive changes to a firearm."
Using the new definition, the BATF hit Competitive Edge Gunworks — who has been featured on SHOOTING GALLERY and COWBOYS — and threatened chief gunsmith Larry Crow with SIX felony counts (including one for "changing the hammer and barrel of a Ruger and installing an octagonal barrel") unless he signed a paper admitting to "manufacturing" and agreeing to pay a fine and the back taxes. He thought he was out for maybe $1000.
The next day revenue agents showed up at his door and asked for his books. The paper he signed, and the "new policy" of the G, was that Crow has to pay the 11% excise tax — and big penalties — on EVERY SINGLE GUN HE HAS EVER WORKED ON SINCE DAY ONE. That moves the number from $1000 to roughly $100,000, enough to bankrupt his business.
Part of this, I suspect, is the BATF is pissed off that gunsmiths got a 50-gun exemption to the excise tax and manufacturing license last year, attached to a transportation bill. BATF BITTERLY opposed the bill, and there's a lot of thought that this is payback. There's also some speculation that BATF has been trying to find a way to get a lever on the HUGE "build-your-own-AR" parts business, and this would do it.
The agents alledgely showed Crow a membership list of the Pistolsmiths Guild and other gun craft guilds and told him that he was only the first.
Tom Gresham of GunTalk Radio and I have been sounding the alarm...both NRA and NSSF lawyers are on it now, with Second Amendment Foundation close behind. I'm going to the Congressional Sportsmens Foundation today. Master gunsmith Hamilton Bowen says if this isn't a tempest in a teapot...some local jockey trying to make his bones...it puts 3/4 of the Pistolsmith Guild, including him, out of business.
I'm traveling, but more as this develops! posted by Michael Bane at 8:38 AM 2 comments
Best regards to all,
Never trust an organization that plants its flag on property after a raid.
This is all so wrong. They're worried about people who have done NOTHING to harm this country and then turn a blind eye to millions of illegal aliens intent on bringing the nation to its knees. Boy, is this country screwed up!
Its a sad time in American history. This is exactly why i almost never buy my guns from FFL's anymore. One day those Background check papers will be collected. I believe they are collected by the ATF once a gun shop closes down.
I buy most of my guns privatly now. Its none of the governments damm business what i own.
"Manufacturing a firearm" is probably this side of putting together a potato gun ~
The is George Bush's BATF. After 5 years trying to blame Clinton won't work. Bush owns this one and he needs to take steps to stop the abuses.
I thought this was a pro-gun executive branch?
I thought I was the only one that noticed that.
During the fire you can see the Davidian flag floating away. But the flag pole was upwind of the fire and several yards away from the building.
The bastards cut away the Branch Davidian flag and raised thier own.
May God damn their souls to hell.
Institutionally, rot & corruption can be so entrenched that neither Clinton or Bush can be blamed for the putrid and murderous attempts to join the big leagues of federal law enforcement agencies. They (ATF) are gonna get respect no matter how many people they have to kill!
ping
Or as importantly, one whose very reason for existance is to violate the highest law in the land. BATFE no longer collects taxes, on "A", "T", or "F", now that they are part of Justice rather than treasury, so their main reason for existance is to enforce the unconstitution gun control laws.
Since even the President isnt'omnificent, I'd amend that to say that he owns it as soon as he's informed of the abuses.
OMG! Why would they go after someone who works with SINGLE action revolvers?
The BATF is nothing more than home to a bunch of homegrown terrorists. Waco, Ruby Ridge, all the FFL dealers they terrified in the middle of the night to check their records.
I don't see how a civil war can be avoided in this country with everything that is going on being handled so poorly.
http://www.competitiveedgegunworks.com/index.html
Who is involved in this inquiry? They need to introduce a bill to diband these tyrant thugs.
nuts
WTF, so if you go and install a match grade barrel on a firearm you already own it is considered 'manufacturing' a new firearm and you need to be a FFL?
Absurd.
Moral of the story, don't ever sign anything until you review it with legal counsel.
President Bush could have disbanded them, instead of moving them to the Justice department. Now they feel even more "in competition" with the FBI, ICE and other federal law enforcement agencies to see who has the biggest .. er .. "equipment"
Someone whose been in government that long and claims conservative credentials would mistrust the entrenched and proactively investigate to look for abuses and set out policies prescribing brutal punishment for civil rights abuses by staffers BEFORE he was aware of any abuses, just in case. Course the Federal employees unions would get their panties in a twist, but they already go to permanent maximum twist any time there's a (R) in office, so what more are they going to do?
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