Curbs on sales at gun shows sought

[gunsmith]

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/217316.html

Curbs on sales at gun shows sought

A leading Sacramento researcher on gun violence is pushing to ban "private party" sales at gun shows after documenting that several troublesome transactions in other states are behind an apparent pipeline of guns used in crimes in California.

The findings by Dr. Garen Wintemute of UC Davis Medical Center, scheduled to be published today in Injury Prevention, an international health journal, bolster recent suspicions among law enforcement officials in Sacramento that a number of guns linked to crimes here came from gun shows in states such as Nevada and Arizona, where weapons laws are looser than California's.

Sacramento Police Chief Albert Nájera said he wanted to read the study before commenting. But in an earlier interview, Nájera said that his "gut feeling" was some of these guns were coming from Nevada gun shows.

The study by Wintemute, who directs the UC Davis Violence and Prevention Research Program, was based on observations at more than two dozen gun shows he attended in California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas and Florida from April 2005 through March 2006.

Wintemute said the findings, while limited in scope, represent the first academic study on gun shows in the country.

Other states were specifically selected for the study because they had been identified earlier as a leading source of guns used in crimes in California, apart from guns purchased within the state.

Unlike California, states Wintemute reviewed do not require background checks or that records be kept on private-party sales at gun shows.

And at gun shows outside of California, Wintemute documented 24 so-called "straw purchases" -- purchases usually made on behalf of individuals who cannot legally own a gun.

"These transactions allow for prohibited persons ... access to guns -- no questions asked," Wintemute said. "States and the federal government should take another look at the wisdom of these undocumented purchases."

Gun show promoter Bert Guy, who stages events in Arizona and Nevada, said in an earlier interview that Wintemute's fears are exaggerated.

Most sellers at gun shows, he said, are licensed and conduct background checks on prospective customers, adhering to federal law. Adding regulations at gun shows, he said, will only punish law-abiding citizens.

"Do you think these laws are really going to do anything to slow (criminals) down?" Guy asked.

Frank Adams, executive director of Nevada's organization of sheriffs and police chiefs, said Monday he was not aware of any problems or illegal gun sales linked to local gun shows.

In the study, Wintemute reported that about 70 percent of the gun dealers he came across were not licensed, and that private party sales appeared to be about equal to the number of sales made through licensed gun dealers. He also noted a lack of police presence at the gun shows.

More than 4,000 gun shows are held across the country each year.

 

[ConstitutionCowboy]

Why not take a look at keeping these people who can't be trusted with arms locked up? Why make us all suffer so they can roam free and get guns anyway? Then ,too, there is the Second Amendment...

Woody

 

[gunsmith]

my gut feeling

Nájera said that his "gut feeling" was some of these guns were coming from Nevada gun shows.

My gut feeling was to move out of CA!

 

[kcmarine]

Why do they have to ruin it for us? Hey, man, your gun- hating countries already exist. Go there.

 

[Elza]

As he yet again asks the tired old question, “if guns are the problem why don’t the states with such loose laws have crime problems?’

 

[mnrivrat]

Wintemute said the findings, while limited in scope, represent the first academic study on gun shows in the country.

WOW - Where do I begin ? If this was an example of academic study it sure falls short of intelligent or non-biased conclusion.

And at gun shows outside of California, Wintemute documented 24 so-called "straw purchases" -- purchases usually made on behalf of individuals who cannot legally own a gun.

And he documented this information how ? how did he determine they were straw purchases ? and how can he say with any certainty they were for individuals who can't legaly purchase firearms? I'd realy like to see how he pulled that rabbit out of his XXX hat!

Zero creditability to another fantasy "academic" study by a fool who has only bias to guide his conclusions !

 

[Prince Yamato]

And at gun shows outside of California, Wintemute documented 24 so-called "straw purchases" -- purchases usually made on behalf of individuals who cannot legally own a gun.

So he witnessed 24 felonies in progress and did NOT report them? Doesn't that make him an accessory to 24 crimes? Let's see 24 x 5 = 120 years in prison 10,000 * 24 = $240,000 in criminal fines. And if it was interstate crime, that makes it federal.

Also, note that the weapon in the picture is an AW, which is already illegal in California, so thus wouldn't his study be a moot point.

Actually, if the weapons in question were AWs that were straw purchased, that will land additional charges in California. Wow, this professor is a real winner.

 

[Telperion]

And at gun shows outside of California, Wintemute documented 24 so-called "straw purchases" -- purchases usually made on behalf of individuals who cannot legally own a gun.

"These transactions allow for prohibited persons ... access to guns -- no questions asked," Wintemute said. "States and the federal government should take another look at the wisdom of these undocumented purchases."

Well Mr. Wintemute, if straw purchases from FFLs are the problem, how are restrictions on private sales between individuals going to fix that, hmm?

Wintemute said the findings, while limited in scope, represent the first academic study on gun shows in the country.

Evidently, this "leading researcher" couldn't find the government's own research on the subject, which is rather dismissive of his claims. Quelle surpise!

[url]http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/pub/ascii/fuo.txt[/url]

                         Percent of State inmates
                         possessing a firearm
Source of gun               1997        1991
     Total                 100.0%      100.0%
Purchased from --           13.9        20.8
Retail store                 8.3        14.7
Pawnshop                     3.8         4.2
Flea market                  1.0         1.3
[i]Gun show                     0.7         0.6[/i]
Friends or family           39.6        33.8
Street/illegal source       39.2        40.8

 

[Frog48]

In the study, Wintemute reported that about 70 percent of the gun dealers he came across were not licensed, and that private party sales appeared to be about equal to the number of sales made through licensed gun dealers. He also noted a lack of police presence at the gun shows.

This guy is full of cow pucky. Theres no way those statistics are anywhere close to accurate.

 

[Cosmoline]

The good doctor's smug face as he encourages the journalist to take a random picture of a scary scary black rifle should tell you all you need to know about him. on California.

 

[LAK]

Been saying this was coming for a long time. The injection of the word "loophole" in conjunction with "gunshow" was the first major flag - many years ago.

I could have saved the professor much of his alleged trouble all these years, and told him about his "findings" more then three and a half decades ago (at a wild guess). I could have told him something like;

"Well; let's see. People smuggle guns across oceans and national boundaries. A state boundary ought to be assumed to be of no consequence. In fact, how can it be of any consequence?

Do we need a "study" to find out? No; what for? In a country of a couple of hundred million people, the law of averages says that this is not just very likely; I could with certainty say, yes. I can say with certainty that guns are bought in states with lesser "controls" than those with "more controls" and taken into and sold and used in those with "more controls". Just as sure as some people buy alcohol in states where the drinking age is 18, and take it to those where it is 21. Or any number of other examples. And yes, no doubt some people, hundreds, even a thousand perhaps? ... die every year...... "

No surprize. And like the revelation that there were "no background checks at gunshows" - the awful "loophole" - the correct response is "so what"?.

Yes, indeed; SO WHAT.

For what these people that are pushing the agenda based on these supposedly new discoveries and revelations have planned for all of us is far worse than any consequence of "felons" buying guns at shows - or anyone taking them from one state to another.

Yes, FAR WORSE. This is what the lemmings need to be made to understand.

-----------------------------------

http://searchronpaul.com
http://ussliberty.org
http://ssunitedstates.org

 

[SWMAN]

Unless the good "doctor" is assuming a lot or is a party to illegal gun trafficking, how does he, a private citizen, know what guns were purchased by whom and used in California crimes?

 

[tulsamal]

In a country of a couple of hundred million people,

It was a long time ago when we had only a "couple" hundred million. We went over three hundred million in 2006.

Gregg

 

[LAK]

Perhaps you did not fully understand my viewpoint. In 1970 our resident population was estimated at about 203,302,031. The professor is several decades late in breaking any news to me.