Posted on 09/23/2014 10:56:54 AM PDT by Nachum
The gun prohibitionists are always in a tizzy about "the Internet sale of guns". Everytown Moms for Illegal Mayors is making a big deal about "Internet sales" in the campaign for the Washington State universal background check initiative I-594. That initiative, if passed, would mandate universal background checks for all sales and transfers of firearms. Of course, they are being helped by their allies in the Seattle media with articles like this giving the impression that Facebook is just one big gun exchange.
Here is what the Brady Campaign sent out to their true believers in their Toolkit 2014 which provides suggestions for contacting legislators and letters to the editor along with their general campaign strategy. Unfortunately, when the bill (Brady Law) was created legislators could not have dreamed of the booming internet market and rising gun shows as a means for gun sales. Current law does not require a background check through these venues, meaning that a dangerous person could order a firearm online, meet someone in a parking lot to pick it up, and commit a crime that same day. In fact, there are several instances of this exact tragedy happening. Gabby Giffords and the Space Cowboy are not to be outdone. Their "in-depth" report purportedly shows how the Internet is being used to circumvent laws banning firearm possession by the mentally ill. They are also pushing background checks as an issue in the race for Giffords' former Congressional set in their ads against Col. Martha McSally.
The Violence Policy Center has been on this bandwagon since the late 1990s as have anti-gun politicians such as Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
You and I realize that companies like CDNN, Bud's Gun Shop, Cheaper Than Dirt, and Kentucky Gun Company among others are not shipping firearms willy-nilly across the country like they are living in some pre-GCA 68 world where anyone could mail order a gun and get it delivered to their home. Moreover, as traditional classified advertising is dying in newspapers due to the cost and declining readership, it is being replaced with online venues ranging from the general to the specific. Many gun forums maintain their own classifieds.
It is within this context that I was surprised by a new question on the ATF Form 8 ((5320.11) Part II. This form is for the renewal of a Federal Firearms License I have circled it in the photo below. Having had my Curios & Relics FFL for going on 18 years, this will make my sixth renewal of my collector's license. My last renewal was in 2011 and it did not have this question on it.
It asks, "Have you conducted or do you intend to conduct internet sales of firearms? If yes, list the websites from which you conduct your internet business." If you go to this link, you can see that the prior version of ATF Form 8 did not have this question on it.
As best as I can determine, this is a recent change. The Federal Register contains a notice from ATF dated January 30, 2014 stating that they were submitting a request for review and approval of Form 8 (5310.11) and that the public had 60 days to comment. No draft of the form was shown. A subsequent notice extended this comment period to May 2, 2014.
The final revision was approved on June 26, 2014 according to this OMB database. (If you click on the form name in the link above, it will pull up a PDF of this form.) Reading the justification letter for this revision of Form 8, much ado was made about why they changed this or that question to make it more readable or easily understood. That said, there was absolutely no mention of Q. 8 and the inquiry about Internet sales of firearms. None.
So the question remains: why this question and why now? Is this a prelude to some future restrictions on the advertising for sale of firearms on the Internet? Why is this question not asked on initial applications for either a FFL or a Collector's License? I don't know because the ATF slipped it by OMB without any justification of it and they haven't said anything publicly about Internet sales that I am aware.
As with all things ATF, this bears keeping a watchful eye on them and this issue.
The list, Ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
Their messaging handbook. Use wording that doesn’t scare the rubes.
http://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/748675/gun-violencemessaging-guide-pdf-1.pdf
They are their own little fiefdom and can ask whatever questions they please. /Sarc
That FFL Form is UN-Constitutional in the first place. Nonetheless, thousands of unscrupulous “FFL Dealers” across the Country see no problem with further destroying the 2nd Amendment in the name of money. Screw them. The 2nd Amendment does NOT say, “...shall not be infringed as long as you have a background check”. SHALL NOT BE INFRINGED, PERIOD. But, like good little serfs, we consent to this destruction each and every time we walk into a gun store and submit to a background check. I will NOT comply.
I’ve noticed the forms change all the time. I recently renewed my C&R license, and it had different questions than the previous one. OTOH, a C&R isn’t meant as a business license, and you will draw attention if you make very many sales. Don’t accuse me of being an ATF apologist, but if you have a federal license you’d better dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. (and I know those apostrophes are incorrect)
Its unclear whether this question is compulsory or not. For instance SSN isn’t. I would just leave it blank and see where it goes.
+1 and I sure as hell won't give them the website of where I intend to buy or have bought. Screw yourselves ATF.
ATF form changes really took off with the Clinton administration. The 4473 had been pretty static for decades, then the Clintons figured out that they could screw with gun dealers through the BATF. They deliberately drove about 90 percent of small dealers out of business.
It was and is insane. We should repeal the GCA 1968 that required Federal firearm license sales for “dealers”.
If you think that “background checks” do any good, then have a list of prohibited persons online than anyone can check anonymously, for any reason.
All the law is designed to do is harass law abiding citizens and make the ATF’s illegal gun owner database more accurate.
All federal, state, and local laws that infringe on the right of the people to keep and bear arms should be repealed. That list includes the vast majority of existing gun laws. I’m strongly in favor of locking up violent criminals forever (an idea that offends liberals) and strongly opposed to infringing on the God-given rights of decent people (an idea that liberals adore). Clearly liberals and real Americans have irreconcilable differences on firearms as we do on numerous issues.
Lie, it’s just that simple. Just tell yourself that TODAY I have no intentions of selling anything on the internet so check the NO box. Tomorrow or next week you changed your mind. barry and his administration lies just about every time anyone of them says anything.
Give 'em Democrat Underground!
I've said for years that anyone who can't be trusted to be armed should not be running around loose.
How many of the ads are placed by the feds to entrap would be gun buyers?
Someone needs to tell these twits that any gun ordered online has to be sent to an FFL dealer. I honestly wonder how these people can stand being so stupid or pretending to be so stupid.
What are you, 12?
Part of having and FFL or C&R-03 is keeping a bound book as a record of every firearm that you purchase or sale using that license.
The thing with the C&R though is that for the most part it is just for show. And is never checked. But it is still required.
And a C&R is not a license to deal in firearms. But a means for one to enhance their collection.
Ed
Wow! Thanks for that.
Must have cost us a pretty penny.
I think there’s a couple of agendas at work here. One group is primarily interested in inhibiting the transfer of firearms by any and all means possible. Another group is interested in prohibiting any kind of transfers that they can’t tax. If there’s action, they want their piece of it.
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