What EXACTLY is FFL?

[trainwreck100]

If a gun is purchased through FFL is it put into a database with your name, address, ssn, mother's maiden name, keys to your house, soul, bank account and credit card numbers, etc., or is it just a background check before handing the gun over? I saw people talking about registration in another thread and I always thought that whenever you do an FFL it's the same thing.

Greg

 

[aguyindallas]

Well, an FFL is a Federal Firearms License. When you buy a gun through an FFL or have a gun transferred through an FFL, you submit yourself to a background check.

Thank the Brady folks for that.

Now, some states register the gun to you while this is taking place, ala California. Other (read: free states) just do the obligatory back ground check with the NICS system and you are on your way (hopefully). In some states, such as Texas, your CHL will allow you to skip the NICS check. They believe that if you have a CHL, it means you would pass the NICS check anyway, so why hassle with it.

 

[22-rimfire]

Registration infers a state wide or national database from which authorized persons may access for what ever informaton they desire. The anti's say that the access would help keep guns out of criminal hands and would be able to quickly track a firearm to the owner through the serial number. The reality is that criminals will destroy the serial number or obtain the firearm illegally where there is no background check. Hence, the database only hassles the law abiding citizen. It is also the first crucial step in firearm confiscation as once you know where the guns are supposed to be, when the law is changed, you track down the ownes and demand that the guns be turned in or suffer whatever penalties the state sets.

FFL dealers have a book where each firearm sale is recorded. They also save the form 4473 that are completed with the sale of each firearm. These are not turned into the state or federal government except when the dealer drops their license and can no longer sell firearms.

There is no national database of guns that is legal.

 

[trainwreck100]

FFL dealers have a book where each firearm sale is recorded. They also save the form 4473 that are completed with the sale of each firearm. These are not turned into the state or federal government except when the dealer drops their license and can no longer sell firearms.

There is no national database of guns that is legal.

^That was what I was wondering....a database would never work, because without knowing any statistics, I'd guess 2/3's of the guns out there aren't going to have history listed anywhere. It still makes me wonder if they do have a magical way of looking back on records somewhere if they ever decide they want to, that's the main reason I don't buy more than I do.

Greg

 

[thexrayboy]

I like that proviso..."there are no databases that are legal". However I'd be willing to bet the farm that the FBI and the BATF have a number of lists that
they can refer to telling them who owns what gun. It may not be complete but I bet they cross reference every database they can find from credit card purchases to recovered property reports to try and get as much data to enter into the "raid this house for these guns first" list as they possibly can.
The feds even violated the law that states they were not allowed to maintain lists of people who had Brady background checks at the time of a gun purchase. The fact that something isn't legal for them is not even an impediment anymore. At best if they are discovered it's just a "mistake".

 

[Jim K]

FFL stands for Federal Firearms License. There are 11 types of FFL, but the term is often used as shorthand for the holder of a Type 1 FFL, that is, a dealer in ordinary firearms (not machineguns or the like).

FWIW, a little paranoia might be a good thing, but I think xrayboy gives the feds credit for a lot more initiative than they really have. Believe it or not, they really don't give a damn about that little .22 cat rifle you inherited from your grandfather.

But some states do maintain registration, some on handguns, some on handguns and certain other weapons ("assault rifles"). I believe DC requires registration of all guns, the reason the city is totally crime free, but I don't know of any state that does.

Jim

 

[Eleven Mike]

Purchasing a gun through an FFL usually means that you are buying it from a gun store or from an individual who has obtained an FFL in order to simplify gun purchases. For example, when you see a gun you want and then ask your local gun-store to order it for you, you are ordering a gun through an FFL.

 

[AJ Dual]

I believe DC requires registration of all guns, the reason the city is totally crime free

Dry humor is always the best...

 

[pharmer]

When I surrendered my FFL in '95 my bound book along with ALL 4473's went to the ATF in Falling Waters, (WV?). At the time they were computerizing the data from approximately 40 million 4473's (from the 200,000 FFL's pushed out in that period). Sure it's of limited value today but the data exists nonetheless. Joe