ATF Visit (Alaska)

[Casca]

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Had a visit this evening from a very nice ATF agent. She had been calling me since monday, during the day, since I work during the day I would always miss the calls. Last night she called,in the evening, wanting to set a time and day for an inspection. I told her that I would be happy to bring the bound book and collection to her office. Laughing, could hear in her voice that the idea of bringing rifles and pistols to the Federal Building wasn't a good idea. Today at 4pm, she came by.

She was very nice and stated upfront that this was her first C&R inspection. We have to go thru the guidelines about some trades I made. We went through the collection (8 pieces) to check for serial numbers and the data in the boundbook. Since I had the shipping paperwork from each wholesaler, it made things alot easiler.

She made note of the two guys I had sold/traded rifles with. They will run a background on the two guys.

All in all everything took about 30 minutes.

PS..
She mentioned that this was her first inspection of a C&R Lic. holder in 16 years.

 

[Wildalaska]

So all in all not an unpleasnt experience, why the


WildtheagentsherearecoolAlaska

 

[carpettbaggerr]

Was there some special reason for the inspection? I'd think they'd have better things to do these days.

 

[Moparmike]

Do C&R's get inspected much? I really dont think the ATF would bother seeing as how if someone is going to go through the hassle of getting the darned thing and is only collecting/trading ooold milsurps. Surely they have better things to do, like concocting new policies or teaming up with the FBI to burn religious extremists.

Wait. Can we send the ATF to hunt for Al-Queda?

 

[Casca]

The was more about why the change in inspections for the C&R lic. holders.

I don't have anything to hide but it did cost me a night's sleep. She was very good, we both read thru the green ATF book to understand some of the questions she asked. Which most dealt with FFL 1 lic. holders and shops.

 

[Wildalaska]

Something is strange.....did perhaps ya get sumpin for Interordnance?

I know of several FFLs that havent been audited in several years, know of a bunch of Class 3 guys who have never even spoken to the ATF....


WildtellusmoreAlaska

 

[WonderNine]

Ehhh

I better get my CZ's entered into the book.

 

[glocksman]

Something is strange.....did perhaps ya get sumpin for Interordnance

Oh, Christ.

Not that I have anything to hide and my paperwork is in order, but I did order a Russian M44 Nagant from I/O back in December.

 

[Don Gwinn]

You do know you could have insisted on taking the C&R guns to the office, right? She can suggest that it would be better to come to your house, but she can't force you to let her come in without a warrant. You differ from an 01 in that respect.

My papers are all in order, but I don't let my friends see the half-constructed-half-demolished tenement I live in, much less federal agents.

 

[c_yeager]

This is actually the first C&R inspection i have heard of even on the INTERNET. Glad it went well though. Maybe they are really bored and want to start running them. THey have to do SOMETHING with all that money they got for fighting terrorists. Wouldnt want a bunch of guys running a Jihad with M-44s and K-31s that they ordered from AIM.

 

[Logan5]

Actually, the way I understand it, the people who conduct the field inspections are a lower level rating than the sworn agents. It's something they do, among other reasons, to gain experience. Lots of the infusion of Federal funds is going to new 1811 equivalent ratings, and if you're like an 1801 equivalent, conducting inspections is a way to get documented experience to pad your KSA's when you apply for a badge/gun/federal car rating. They can say they've conducted field interviews and have good people skills. I've only talked to a few people who've done ATF dealer inspections, but the story is generally the same; they meet a lot of very nice people who are initially very suspicious that it's a witch hunt, discover very few serious violations, and want to move up to chasing church bombers and such in pretty short order.

 

[Wildalaska]

It's something they do, among other reasons, to gain experience

Not in the Alaska office, inspections are done by the non LE people who have been there for quite some timne in the same positions....

WilditsidfferenthereAlaska

 

[Logan5]

Ah, I suppose so. I'm not an expert in any way, I just browse federal job boards. But what I hear is that the position in ATF is like an Intelligence Analyst in some (note the some, it's just a rumor!) regional FBI offices... the joke that comes to mind is the Hollywood one about the Executive Producer credit in a movie; It's what you give your secretary instead of a raise.

 

[clange]

Jeez, you'd think they'd send out some real guys on inspections. Some newb that doesnt give a ???? may run into billy badass that doesnt want anything to do with the feds (like the 2 deputies that got killed recently).

None of my business i guess, but it seems foolhardy to send out resume padders to check peoples firearms inventories..

 

[Trebor]

There have been several C&R holders on the Fal Files and over at Gunboards who have reported that they have had inspections. They were from various parts of the country, but this is the first one I've heard of in Alaska.

Time to double check my records to make sure I'm up to date, just in case.

 

[Henry Bowman]

She made note of the two guys I had sold/traded rifles with. They will run a background on the two guys.

Does this part bother anyone else besides me?

 

[CB900F]

Henry;

No, you're not the only one it concerns. I wondered if anyone was going to raise this point as I read down the posts.

I also wonder about the people here who list their guns in their signature lines. I'd take the above mention on the checking of the sources of the C&R guns in Alaska as a further proof that the Feds are indeed databasing owners. I hope some poor schmuk hasn't 'padded' his brag list on the bottom of his posts. That could, sometime around the next liberal congress/presidency, turn around & take a big chunk out of one's rear.

900F

 

[TimRB]

"Some newb that doesnt give a ???? may run into billy badass that doesnt want anything to do with the feds (like the 2 deputies that got killed recently)."

Clange, I know you didn't mean it this way, but that's the sort of thing a gun-grabber would say. Probably the biggest problem shooters face is the media-induced public perception of gun owners as borderline loons who could flip out at any moment and start shooting up schoolyards.

People with FFLs are not criminals. They have undergone background checks to prove it, and besides, criminals don't bother with licenses.

Tim

 

[AJ Dual]

It probably has more to do with regional ATF "politics" or hiring-firings, or something budgetary that's affecting the level of make-work they're doing.

There was an initial flurry of activity and very stringent inspections with some 01 FFL's, right after the ATF got put under the DOJ and Ashcroft. They're feeling the pinch now that they're under the same command chain as the FBI. There now more under the federal law enforcment TOE, rather than the IRS/Treasury TOE, and the scrutiny is higher than ever on them.

I think it also has to do with the big scandals involving saw-cut vs. torch cut recievers with the milsurp parts importers. And why we're seeing full blown "raids" on these "illegal machinegun importers", instead of a simple "Hey, these are supposed to be torch cut, go fix em and we'll reinspect in two weeks...." from the ATF.

 

[moa]

I thought there is a difference between ATF inspectors and ATF agents. Last I heard, there are only 600 Inspectors to inspect over 100,000 FFL holders. I found that rather surprising considering Clinton's animosity toward the "gun culture".

 

[clange]

Clange, I know you didn't mean it this way, but that's the sort of thing a gun-grabber would say. Probably the biggest problem shooters face is the media-induced public perception of gun owners as borderline loons who could flip out at any moment and start shooting up schoolyards.

People with FFLs are not criminals. They have undergone background checks to prove it, and besides, criminals don't bother with licenses.

Tim

Touche. I also seemed to miss the part about him being a FFL holder for some reason. I assumed it was just them checking out a private owner.

 

[Casca]

This is to answer some of the questions asked.


The Expert
I live in anchorage. She wanted to see each firearm and match the serial numbers. She also made note that on the shipping for one of the SKS from AIM didn't have a serial number on it. Stated that the wholesaler was suppose to write all serial numbers on shipping paperwork.

neatguns

I had traded one of the sks for an handgun and only had a handwritten reciept. She accepted that. SHe took down all the info of the guys I sold/traded with. Had to call one of them to get a birthdate. She said it was needed to get the background. I use one of the boundbook formats found on different C&R sites. She pulled out the guidebook (green one) to make sure that the format was correct.

Not sure how she would check some of your guys collections with hundreds of pieces and alot of trades. Guess everyone should be bring a bag lunch because it will take all day.

She also stated that I was the first person to know what C&R meant when we did the survey asking about terms in the guidebooks.

WildAlaska

I never brought anything from I/O. Did get a catalog before, I believe, from them.