Posted on 02/28/2010 5:56:07 AM PST by Harrius Magnus
CORNELIUS, Ore. - A local business owner is flabbergasted after a shipment of 30 toy guns for his store was confiscated by ATF agents in Tacoma.
Brad Martin and his son, Ben, sell the Airsoft BB guns from their store in Cornelius where they’ve been in business for seven years.
The Martins said they buy their stock from Taiwan because the merchandise is less expensive. But the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives seized a shipment of 30 in October. That shipment is worth around $12,000 and the ATF is promising to destroy the entire shipment.
Special Agent Kelvin Crenshaw said the toys can be easily retro-fitted into dangerous weapons.
"With minimal work it could be converted to a machine gun," Crenshaw said.
Brad Martin is furious about the loss of money, for sure, but also in what he now thinks as a loss of his time and the use of government agents to seize toy guns.
"All this manpower, all this time, all this taxpayer money, [it is] wasting my time and my profitability,” Martin said. “[Just] to seize 30 toy guns!"
Ben Martin disagrees that the toy guns could ever be considered dangerous.
"To say these are readily convertible to machine guns is absolutely preposterous,” he said. “The round wouldn't go into the firing chamber and even if the firing pin did strike the primer the gun would basically blow up in your face.”
ATF said it also seized the toys because they are missing the blaze orange tips required on all imported toy guns.
The Martins said they've received shipments before from Taiwan that were missing the orange tips and were simply asked by customs agents to drive up to Tacoma and paint the tips orange themselves. They are wondering why it is an issue now.
Although we are in general agreement regarding the BATFE, there MAY be further considerations:
The store owner in question was a guest on a local radio talk show. It SOUNDED as if he said that the “lower receiver” of this replica was nearly an exact copy of an M16/m4 “lower receiver;” except for one pin that needed to be drilled in and added. It SOUNDED as if this “lower receiver” could be used relatively easily, to make an AR15 into “full auto.”
This may be true, and may be just my imagination.
DG
Crenshaw is a first class ignoramus.
Some people trick out real auto weapons to look cooler by fitting the guts inside toys. This doesn’t mean that toys are any more contraband than wallets are (remember the tragic case of Amadou Diallo?).
I agree. We have to get rid of this government before it gets rid of us.
These are made of metal. Probably zinc castings.
Still like to see one fire a live round, or even a blank...from a distance of course.
Jack
Obviously we have too may ATF agents with nothing useful to do. Fire 20% of these idiots. ATF does have a useful mission and should stick to it
“It was something Irwin Mann said this morning. I had a lot on my mind and it didn’t register. Now it doesn’t make any sense. I’m sure I heard him correctly, though; his accent’s not that heavy. It was when I asked him if he really did have business to attend to in Missouri.”
“What did he say?”
“He said yes. He said he had to go feed his hogs.”
Government and government unions are gang raping America.
From one of my favorite novels.
I'll bet folks don't buy 'em like they used to when we were kids. Probably lots of rules and liability regarding their use and sale, too.
Is it your business or mine WHAT someone pays for a bb gun? For sure it’s not, nor is it the BATFag’s business.
Exactly why should that make a difference? The toys in question are perfectly legal toys which are to be sold for that purpose... a legal one, BTW.
When will the BATFags confiscate a shipment of writing pens, or word processors or PDA’s because they “could” be used to write obscene words, kiddie porn or words advocating the violent overthrow of the BATF... in the hands of the wrong, evil persons?
When will they seize a shipment of Toyotas because they “could” be used to kill somone or used in a drive by?
I can think of thousands of other products that are perfectly legal that “COULD”, with enough money and work, be turned into something dangerous or illegal that “COULD” be used illegally or improperly.
Next they’ll be shuttering the doors of certain churches and confiscating the property because they “COULD” be used to preach hate or advocate for believing in one true God (and against Mooslimes), or endorse certain political candidates in violation of the IRS rules. Ya know, “POSSIBLY”, “MAY” or “COULD” be used illegally.
Is it time for the revolution to start yet?
I just wish this store owner had lots of money and the nastiest set of attorneys in the legal system and sued each one of the agents individually and severally and the BATF, and take it all the way up the chain. Think of the case. A legal, legitimate product was stolen at gunpoint by the government thugs from a legal retailer before they were even legally purchased by end users on the grounds that the product “could” at some point in the future be made into some kind of weapon that “could”, after those expensive modifications, be deemed “illegal”.
Hands and Free Minds could easily be turned into dangerous weapons.
Thus, Hands and Free Minds must be henceforth possessed only under strict license and control of the state.... for the good of the collective.
Bad enough that these idiots have access to firearms,let alone the authority that comes with a badge
Yea, anyone with one eye and a grain of sense knows that even if you COULD convert it to fire live ammo, it would only fire one round and the only person killed with it would be the person holding the gun.
Also, when the the ATF’s authority extend to things that merely LOOK like guns?
High-end “paint-ball” type of toy.
That is not uncommon for those that take gaming serious.
Ref the cost, please see post 99.
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