Dumb registration question.

[ETCss Phil McCrackin]

OK, I did a search, but as you can imagine, there are a few posts involving gun registration. When you buy a new rifle at Joe Schmuckatelli's Sporting Goods, they do the phone call yes/no check. The .gov don't keep a record of that transaction, but does the store? Further, with no official records, what does it mean when TV cops say, "That gun is registered to blah, blah." Where do they get that info, if it even exists? And what "registration" is actually required?

 

[rritter]

When you buy the rifle, you fill out the form 4473. That form goes into the store's records, and must be kept for 20(?) years. There is no registration. That's the federal part of the law. Depending on what state you live in, there may also be state registration forms which are kept. Texas doesn't have any.

What it means when TV cops say "That gun is registered to him" is that the TV cop read the script for that episode. Although the TV shows make it sound like all guns are registered nationwide, it ain't so. There is no federal registration (by law), and state registrations vary from none at all to very tight control, depending on the state.

Although federal registration is prevented by law, there are apparently two loopholes. First, when you call in the 4473 for the background check, that record is kept for 24 hours. This is enough time for the computer's backup regimen to pick it up and store it offline. It's neven been clarified whether or not this information is kept on backups as a hidden registry. Second, ATF has the right to inspect the shop's records. Agents are free to write down their own copies of the 4473 information. What happens to that information once the agent returns to the office? I don't know.

 

[Standing Wolf]

When you buy a new rifle at Joe Schmuckatelli's Sporting Goods...

I had no idea Agent Pat Schmuckatelli of the B.A.T.F.E. had relatives in the business!

 

[insidious_calm]

Registration?

I was under the impression that 4473's amounted to registration because all .gov has to do is trace the serial number from the manufacturer to the dealer, to your filed 4473, to your front door. 2 cents.



I.C.

 

[444]

I have been in my local dealers store when law enforcement called him to find out about a gun. I don't know if the gun was used in a crime, was confiscated, or what. Appearently the manufacturer sells the gun to a wholesaler and a record is made on that transaction. The wholesaler sells the gun to an individual dealer and a record is made of that. The dealer sells the gun at retail and a record is made of that both in his bound book and on the 4473. So, yes, any gun you bought from a dealer is registered. If you bought the gun in a private party sale and anything happens with that gun that involves law enforcement, they will go to the guy that bought the gun at retail. And possibly to you, if they guy you bought it from knows who you are.