MARYLAND GUN OWNERS ARE BEING COERCED BY FEDS TO TURN IN THEIR GUNS FOR 'BALLISTIC TESTING' !!!

TheFiringLine.com ^ | 17 October 2002 | Vigilant1

[Vigilant1]

Over at TheFiringLine.com, there are many reports from credible long-time posters that the feds are intimidating Maryland gun owners into 'voluntarily' turning over their guns for 'ballistic testing'. Please check out the following discussion threads:

5000 rifles turned-in, in Maryland?

A Special Note To Maryland Gun Owners

Goodbye TFL- for now

This is a realization of the worst fears of gunowners. Feds showing up at your door, demanding you turn over your guns. Threats and intimidation. Absolute proof that the fedgov keeps lists of who owns what guns. This is our Orwellian nightmare come true. If you turn over your guns to the feds, good luck getting them back! Perhaps Maryland is just a test case for federal gun confiscation techniques? We'll see....

[Britton J Wingfield]

Good idea!

[Redcloak]

Has there been any confirmation of this from any other sources? talk.politics.guns hasn't a peep about it.

[Vigilant1]

Well, the gun banners are pushing for a 'ballistic fingerprinting' database. It looks like they'll have one in Maryland now, with even the inconvenience of having to get any legislation through Congress. These bullets and fired cases that they collect will be scanned into a database, and remain on file forever.

BTW, just in case national ballistic fingerprinting passes, you can get a 'fire lapping kit' at most gunstores. It contains bullets coated with various grades of industrial grit. You reload these into cases with standard reloading equipment, and fire them in your gun. You fire the coarsest grit ones first, then move on to the finer grits. This will 'lap', or sand down the rifling grooves in your barrel, removing those nasty factory machining marks and smoothing out the interior of the barrel for better accuracy. Of course, it will also completely change the 'ballistic fingerprint' of the gun. Lots of target shooters use these kits on their guns. Best to get them now, before any ballistic fingerprinting bill passes, as they're going to be sold out & backordered soon after such a bill becomes law. Also, you might want to get a spare extractor, ejector, firing pin and to carefully polish up the bolt face with a Dremel tool and rouge pad. That will change the unique marks left on ejected brass cartridge cases, marks that are electronically photographed and added to 'ballistic fingerprinting' databases as well. Just a tip for you....

[Publius]

The lady who spearheaded Australia's gun confiscation is now working in Baltimore. Click here for details.

This may not be a coincidence.

[Lurker]

FYI

[Alberta's Child]

Either way, she isn't going to be too happy about the whole thing. Over the last few days, police departments in Virginia have been swamped with applications for concealed carry permits.

[Politically Correct]

You've missed the point.
If you've had the gun "fingerprinted". Now they know you have a gun.
They don't really care if you change the fingerprint.

[Vigilant1]

Rc:
"Has there been any confirmation of this from any other sources? talk.politics.guns hasn't a peep about it."

I also checked a few places, including KeepAndBearArms.com, and found no mnetion of this story yet. I also tried to call both the President and Chairman of the Maryland Rifle & Pistol Association, but I just go their answering machines. I will try again later tonight.

I did report this story to Cybercast News Service, so hopefully they will investigate and post a news report about it on their site.

[MickMan51]

Tell 'em to "F" Off and hang up.

[aristeides]

Doesn't the Brady Bill prohibit that kind of use of that form?

[Vigilant1]

PC:
"You've missed the point. If you've had the gun "fingerprinted". Now they know you have a gun. They don't really care if you change the fingerprint."

I didn't miss that point, but it bears elaboration. 'Ballistic fingerprinting' is a reasonable-sounding (to the sheeple) synonym for national gun registration.

"A pile of sh*t, by another name, smells yet as foul...."

[aristeides]

That proof could come in very handy if we play our political cards right.

What will the NRA have to say?

[Alberta's Child]

Better yet, tell them that you don't own the gun any more -- You lent it to a friend who brought it to the Branch Davidian compound in Waco back in 1993.

[aristeides]

That posting reminds me of the way they treated Hatfill. In both cases, it's presumably law enforcement reacting to heavy poltical pressure.

[cavtrooper21]

First thing, what this "agent" did was on the border of very wrong....
1st: Purchase a tape recorder that can monitor your phone.
2nd: Be able to dupe that tape fast in case the "arrest
team" really is on the way and have a way to hide or secure both tapes seperatly.
3rd: Find a "gun owner friendly" lawyer and keep his number on you at all times.
4th: You have done nothing wrong. Do not get mad. Do not let scare tactics get to you. If this yutz calls again, make sure he ids himself clearly on tape before he tries to hassle you. Most important, never give any information to them. He may say he knows all, sees all and smells all, but that is an intimidation tactic. I know, I've used it.
Best wishes

[Psycho Francis]

Sounds like a buncha pussies. Without a warrant, they will not enter my house, period.

[aristeides]

there's nothing that would prevent them from framing you for the crimes.

Indeed. They're under pressure to find the perp. Look at the way the FBI has treated Hatfill.

[backhoe]

Thanks for posting this... I will include it in the next mass email to about 50 editors, opinionators, etc.- but I'll check back for further info before so doing.

[aristeides]

My reading of it does not preclude the government from passing data to a NON-governmental group (like handgun control inc) and letting THEM maintain a database.

Surely that is prohibited by the Privacy Act?

[aristeides]

And the Privacy Act includes provisions for damages (and, if I'm remembering correctly, even criminal penalties) for flagrant violations.