macavada
Member
Just make sure you have that thing situated right. You don't want that potato making its way to the other side. I migh look like something else.
ATF Agents Just Left My House
- Thread starter USMCsilver
- Start date
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Just make sure you have that thing situated right. You don't want that potato making its way to the other side. I migh look like something else.
macavada
Member
These guys only do what they can handle. They've got an easy lead, so they work it to death. Whether or not it is going to produce results is beside point.
I agree that you did the right thing by cooperating. While I don't agree with a lot of the laws in this country, I do follow them and I will assisst those that enforce them so long as the rights of all involved are upheld. Good move, and thanks for the heads up on that company.
bogie
Member
You don't need a fancy little threaded dealie. If you own soda bottles and duct tape, you're violating the law. Pretty darn sad.
Wakal
Member
DM,
Good thing you didn't order potatoes from Germany, too!
I don't think that I'd have let the agents in Stately Wakal Manor, personally, but that is just me.
Alex
Good thing you didn't order potatoes from Germany, too!
I don't think that I'd have let the agents in Stately Wakal Manor, personally, but that is just me.
Alex
jojo
Member
I wouldn't care for it much, never did, but you did the right thing letting them in. Why elevate the situation if you did nothing wrong?
I had an FFL for 8 years and was checked three times, all clear, but for the most part the agents I dealt with were not nice people. I endured my fair share of insuations and veiled threats. I just said no more.
Glad all worked out for you USMCsilver.
jojo
I had an FFL for 8 years and was checked three times, all clear, but for the most part the agents I dealt with were not nice people. I endured my fair share of insuations and veiled threats. I just said no more.
Glad all worked out for you USMCsilver.
jojo
BerettaNut92
Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2002
- Messages
- 9,723
Too many carbs.
SLCDave
Member
I think you handled it well. You would have been well within your rights to ask for them to get a search warrant, but if they go get one, and start breaking lamps and furniture to look for your non-existant-supressor, you sure proved your point, didn't you? It all worked out in the end.
It all worked out in the end.
USMCsilver
Member
Nope. Nothing for them to take. Everything I had was legal to possess and I broke no laws in obtaining those items.
Here's my P22. Right now it is in a million pieces, but I'll try to get it back together later on tonight. Should be easier now with them gone. I was kinda nervous when they were here and had problems getting the allen wrench into the holes.
I agree that you handeled it well. But what if the agents appeared nice outside to get themselves inside...
I would just be worried that under the patriot act(s) they might see some more "suspicious" or "terrorist" items that they would need to confiscate if they didn't like you...along with punishing you.
I just hate the idea of good people like us having to be vulnerable when we did nothing wrong!
I would just be worried that under the patriot act(s) they might see some more "suspicious" or "terrorist" items that they would need to confiscate if they didn't like you...along with punishing you.
I just hate the idea of good people like us having to be vulnerable when we did nothing wrong!
USMCsilver
Member
From what I was reading in the agents, it seemed like everything I had purchased was subject to question. They wanted to inspect the barrels, I guess. IIRC, they asked if I could take it apart so they could see what I bought, that being the 5" barrel and weighted comp. Seems to me they didn't quite understand why the barrel was threaded in the first place.
Here's some more info. I'll cut and paste from another post on another forum:
What amazed me the most was that they didn't even know what all was involved, internally, on the P22. They were questioning the nut on the end of the barrel. See, that nut actually secures a shaft that slides over the barrel and then the nut is applied to the end. When the nut is tightened, it makes it so that the barrel does not fall out of the gun. The gun would not function without a threaded barrel and a nut.
They had pictures of things that the website offered; however, they never showed me a picuture of a bottle adapter, and I didn't even think about that adapter until I hit the internet and started posting about this. They just kept on asking if I had purchased a suppressor or the adapter needed to use with the suppressor. Purchasing that part is not illegal, but I can see that it is a damn good thing that I never got that part. I had thought about it, but always passed up the chance becasue I didn't need it and it would be silly to have.
They also questioned making a suppressor that has the adapter built onto it. I said that wouldn't make much sense because most people like to switch out .22 cans to use on different firearms. I stated that if the adapter was built onto a can that would work with the P22 only, it would be dumb and non-efficient because you could not readily use it with different types of firearms. It didn't seem like they knew where I was coming from.
The agents also seemed a little sketchy on my purchase of the grip frame. However, after much explanation and hands on demonstration, I proved to them that the serial numbered part was actually the guts of the frame and there is simply a window cut out on the grip frame so that one could see the serial number. They tried to say that the frame and slide were "firearms" initially. Nope...
I'm just glad things went over smoothly. Again, I wanted to pass the word on NOT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THAT COMPANY!
Others have been busted today and items have been seized. Wonder if anyone else here has gotten a visit.
USMCsilver
Member
Interestingly enough, I've had contact w/ another gun owner who had contact from agents today. He had his barrel and comp seized and was told that he could possibly be arrested for importation of illegal items. My agents didn't say such a thing, but I wonder what might arise when they get back to the office.
so other people are having the same accounts recently? something seems strange to me. there has got to be more to the whole story that we are unaware of. if they do return. I wouldn't let them in the house and i would not produce the firearm for them to see again unless accompanied with a warrant. you showed them once, nothing has changed. if they return send them on their merry way.
USMCsilver
Member
As of right now, I know of 3 others who have been checked in the US. 2 seizures that I am aware of. One guy got a gun and a suppressor seized and the other got a barrel and comp seized.
JoeWang
Member
UMCSilver, if anyone needs more proof that Paypal/Ebay just rolled your ass they have a hard primer.
7.62FullMetalJacket
Member
Unbelievable. This is wrong on so many levels.
How did they find you? EBAY? paypal? Is any transaction safe from prying eyes?
What is odd is that they had no idea what to look for and generally took your word for what you "don't" have.
What exactly are they all hot and bothered over a suppressor? $200? Or power? Gotcha? Sheesh. With all the focus on safety these days, this is a no-brainer. Not enforcing a stupid law is a start.
With terrorists running around with possible WMD, why are these a$$es running stable citizens to ground?
Warrant? We don't need no stinking warrant!
The old "what have you got to hide" routine.
How did they find you? EBAY? paypal? Is any transaction safe from prying eyes?
What is odd is that they had no idea what to look for and generally took your word for what you "don't" have.
What exactly are they all hot and bothered over a suppressor? $200? Or power? Gotcha? Sheesh. With all the focus on safety these days, this is a no-brainer. Not enforcing a stupid law is a start.
With terrorists running around with possible WMD, why are these a$$es running stable citizens to ground?
Warrant? We don't need no stinking warrant!
The old "what have you got to hide" routine.
USMCsilver
Member
This is my ignorant response to that question:
I think that customs ended up seizing enough illegal stuff to get a record of the German's sales records. On those, they found that I purchased something, along with the others who have gotten visits.
When I pulled up the receipt on Pay Pal, it had the links to the eBay auctions I had used "Buy It Now" on but of course, those had long expired. So, I don't think eBay had anything to do with it.
With Pay Pal, well, the purchase was made in December of 03, so, I kinda count them out as well.
This may just be a long running investigation. If that is the case, then there is no telling how they got their information. However, I think the German caughed up his records.
Again, this is all just speculation.
the NSA catches EVERYTHING that goes threw the air....and wire...without missing a thing...then it is matter of doing a simple search...all communications going overseas is captured...as well as cell phones sat phones etc... USMC..I doubt the feds will return..they usually do their business in their first act...you showed just cause...for the items you purchased...showed them openly...and did not escalate in tone or attitude. they reviewed you...as much as they did your equipment. Arc-Lite
Standing Wolf
Member in memoriam
Seems to me the nation would be safer if those B.A.T.F.E. agents were chasing down illegal aliens and Islamic terrorists rather than hounding American citizens about noise reduction gadgetry.
I kind of think that NSA has far bigger fish to fry than Joe GunOwner who bought a suppressor from someone on the internet.
Sounds to me like someone, somewhere got nabbed with some contraband and the BATF traced it back to the company that sold it and is now talking to all their customers.
Sounds to me like someone, somewhere got nabbed with some contraband and the BATF traced it back to the company that sold it and is now talking to all their customers.
Chris Rhines
Member
Both EBay and PayPal inform the feds of suspicious and/or illegal transactions as a matter of policy. Read their privacy agreements, and stop using them.
Selling illegal items on EBay is pretty much like serving crack outside the local precinct house.
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It is a really, really, REALLY bad idea to speak with federal officers without a lawyer present. Equally bad idea to let them into your house without a warrant. Are you absolutely sure that you're in full complience with all the various federal firearm laws?
- Chris
Selling illegal items on EBay is pretty much like serving crack outside the local precinct house.
---
It is a really, really, REALLY bad idea to speak with federal officers without a lawyer present. Equally bad idea to let them into your house without a warrant. Are you absolutely sure that you're in full complience with all the various federal firearm laws?
- Chris
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