Why? Kesselrings gun store BATF closure?

Keb said:

Big and good gun shop S of Bellingham WA 65 years old being force to close.

Owner under BATF order not to talk and say why.

Does anyone here know anything?

Click to expand...

Don't know why they were closed by the BATF, was it permanent or temporary? . Maybe there is an ongoing investigation where they need to audit the store before they are allowed to open up again. Are there any links to the story?

http://www.kesselrings.com/servlet/StoreFront

Nothing about closing on their web site above. Are you sure?

I heard about it from a bud that lives up that way. He got it first hand from the owners. They're closing as forced by the BATF.

Kesselrings Closing ... Fact...

Just got off the phone with along time co-worker & friend that lives about 10+ miles from that store . It is happening , don't have an exact date , however it is True. Rumor around the area is that there record keeping of guns in & out weren't up to snuff . Happened B-4 & they were fined by BATF, happened again & this time they are closing the Door's ... Was a fine place to shop , did so myself for many yrs B-4 I moved to WY. in 2000... My 2¢ .. Russ.

normally

sound's very black helicopter's but we live in the age of "oh crap those crazies where actually right about that?" so what do I know

JellyJar said:

http://www.kesselrings.com/servlet/StoreFront

Nothing about closing on their web site above. Are you sure?

Click to expand...

It's on their facebook page:

"

Here's an update on what is going on with the shop; we are NOT closing we just will no longer be selling firearms as of October. We will still be selling everything else though such as ammo, reloading supplies, etc. We had originally stated we wouldn't carry ammo either but that decision was recently changed."

Click to expand...

Keb .....Owner under BATF order not to talk and say why......

Click to expand...

Doubtful.
ATF doesn't have the authority to gag a licensee. More likely it's the store owners own attorney who said not to talk about the case.

Whatever the truth the place is/was an institution. One I bought a fair bit of odd kit from. I wish them well.

When I lived on the B C coast, Kesselrings was where I used to go to shop for my reloading components! When it became apparent that the &*%@#*% Liberals were going to screw Canadian gun owners I made several trips to stock up before the idiot politicians acted. I am sorry to hear they have trouble with one of your government agencies. They were a great place to deal with (while I could)!

Russ in WY said:

Rumor around the area is that there record keeping of guns in & out weren't up to snuff . Happened B-4 & they were fined by BATF, happened again & this time they are closing the Door's.

Click to expand...

That's exactly what happened to Gun City in Nashville, one of the oldest gun stores in town. Three strikes and they were out. Over 1000 guns weren't properly accounted for, from the newspaper reports. They're still around, selling accessories and they have a range. Someone smart opened a gun store right next door.

http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/judge-s-ruling-may-shut-down-nashville-gun-shop

Tough to imagine Kesselring not selling guns anymore; my family has been shopping their since Ron's dad Clarence started the business.

From what I understand, they had MANY guns not accounted for! I'm hearing the store will remain open and sell just about everything, but guns....scopes, ammo, reloading supplies etc. No gunsmithing! My guess is Don will run it! I believe Keith is working on opening a shop/indoor range in Burlington that will sell guns.

As many know, they are a very large wholesaler and police department seller and this will be a huge loss for the departments they serviced. A friend also told me that they have lost the Glock license, so this could be a huge loss considering their affiliation with LE.

I hope everything I've heard is wrong and it's just a bad dream!

The BATFE is allowing the store to sell off its inventory. A family member will sell guns at a his new firing range when that facilty opens.

http://www.goskagit.com/all_access/...cle_d8a7474d-d575-57af-858e-7a28acc23bfa.html

Theres a local guy at this link who seems to know some of the details. Among other things, he says the FFL was never transferred to the family member who was operating the store:

http://forum.opencarry.org/forums/showthread.php?115955-Kesselrings-loses-firerams-license

It is sad to hear of another beloved, long time FFL closing their doors. We just had one shut down near us that had been in business forever.

The crazy thing is that one turned out to have had an even worse track record. Just shocking that they let things get as bad as they did. While none of us agree with the existence of the ATF, or the laws it is enforcing, when the deeper story comes out and it reveals many years of warnings and thousands (or tens of thousands, in the case up here) of violations including missing guns and sometimes even sketchier stuff, well it makes you wonder how they didn't see it coming and move heaven and earth to fix it before the hammer fell.

From a selfish perspective, it is very sad to see another pillar of the local gun community fall, and you could be forgiven for saying they owed it to the community to keep their house in some respectable semblance of order.

Now how many violations came about during the "Fast & Furious" agenda put on by the DOJ, hmmm their still in business though.

Now how many violations came about during the "Fast & Furious" agenda put on by the DOJ, hmmm their still in business though.

Click to expand...

Unfortunately it's an "apples and oranges" comparison because the apples hold all the power.

> That's exactly what happened to Gun City in Nashville, one of the
> oldest gun stores in town. Three strikes and they were out. Over
> 1000 guns weren't properly accounted for,

That's sad... but the ATF inventory regulations aren't all that complicated, and they'll answer questions promptly if you can be bothered to call or email them.

Same thing happened to "The Traders" in San Leandro, Ca. Biggest gun dealer in Cali, records were a disaster and they go closed down 12 years ago. You'd think the owners would do a surprise inventory every couple of months to make sure none of the guns are walking out the back door.

Why can't they remain in business with the Kesselring name and let someone else hold the FFL?

I'm thinking of in terms like what happened with Red Jacket when Will and Stepanie lost their FFL.

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2011/12/daniel-zimmerman/oops-red-jacket-firearms-loses-their-ffl/

What we are seeing is a crackdown by a Anti gun lame duck President and his appointed henchmen.

Sam1911 said:

Unfortunately it's an "apples and oranges" comparison because the apples hold all the power.

Click to expand...

absolutum dominium

I am also sad to see this happen. Kesselring's is one of those shops where you think such a thing would never occur. Row after row of firearms you could actually pick up and feel.

Yeah, I also heard there were inventory issues of more than one incident which caused BATFE to invoke an involuntary surrender of their FFL.

If they manage to morph into a Powder Valley of the Wet Coast... more powder to them.

I feel for the people who worked there and for the customers, but dealers just have to learn to comply with the law. Sure, BATFE is cracking down, undoubtedly under orders from Obama, but sloppy dealers are giving an anti-gun administration an excuse to throttle the gun trade.

It would be one thing if someone forgot a period on a 4473; but howinhell does a store lose track of hundreds of guns? I am as pro gun as anyone on here, but I don't like to see guns "take a walk" out of a store and end up in the hands of the bad guys. It hurts us and gives Obama, Soros, Bloomberg and Company another excuse for demanding a total ban on guns.

Jim

Sam1911 said:

Unfortunately it's an "apples and oranges" comparison because the apples hold all the power.

Click to expand...

Yes, most unfortunate.

"...used to go to shop for my reloading components..." That'd be illegal now. U.S. law says no exporting components.
"...owners would do a surprise inventory..." It's the owners who should be knowing what they havein their inventory. No surprises are required.