<Updated!>CC gets interviewed by the ATF!

[Combat Controller]

Yup, you hear me right folks. I always knew I would end up on a list somewhere, and seems I was right.

I am a bit disturbed by the implications, I will refrain from most of my "slippery slope" speculations for the nonce, and just relate the facts, if a bit paraphrased.

Seems the ATF has pulled agents in from all over the country to the border states to find out why Mexico has so many gun and why there is so much violence. In aid of putting a stop to it the ATF has audited every FFL holder and is questioning in person anyone who has bought more than 5 guns in the last year.

Ooohh yeah, your old buddy CC popped up fairly high on the list.

To his credit the special agent was very nice, and quite a bit sheepish about the whole process, but had to do it anyway. He started the conversation off with the fact I was not in trouble. Nice to know, otherwise he would have had to wait while I traced down my lawyer. He seemed to have the attitude that this was a waste of time and told me by looking at my records that there was no real reason to question me other than he had to interview everybody who purchased multiple firearms.

I buy lots of old revolvers for the collection and they are often expensive ones, so it was obvious I was not making straw purchases and selling them to drug lords in Merry Old Mexico. He asked if I had sold any in the last year, and if I knew them, but stopped there. He read a prepared statement about if I want to be a dealer get an FFL, and that I have every right to sell my personal guns to friends, etc, etc. He had a long list of purchases and asked if I still had all of them. Since I rarely part with a gun it was pretty easy to answer in the affirmative.

Still, very disturbing. He was professional and nice, we went through what was probably the bare minimum to eliminate me as a suspect and he went on to his next interview.

I am very troubled by all this, I know very well this kind of stuff does not stop here. I wonder if they will share their data with the local cops who will now know how many guns I own and my address. I wonder if we get another liberal sheriff and they hear of a shooting if they will ring my doorbell to make sure none of my guns are stolen, etc.

I bet we will hear more about this on the blogosphere in the near future.

<UPDATE>

Ah ha! I have gotten the real story out of an ATF agent as well as my local Death Merchant! Seems my dealer was not audited, nor any of the usual local place I frequent, with the exception of a pawn shop.

Turns out it was not the 4473 they were going off of, but the form the dealers have to fill out when you buy multiple guns in a 5 day period. The ATF have plenty of records of that! Seems your buddy CC buys his guns in clumps and that is what landed me on the investigation list.

We had a straw purchaser and his two mules caught the other day in Buda as well.....

I must say I am not happy still, but I at least know what really happened. I discovered a buddy's brother is in the ATF and I got the story confirmed, so if you don't buy your guns in clumps and do it several times I think you will not be on that list.

Damn, I need to go to the range.

[308Mike]

DAMN, dude! WTF, over?? I *THOUGHT* this was a free country and we were in the United States of America, not some fascist dictatorship. Seems I may be wrong.

I wonder if they *REALLY* audited every border FFL dealer, or if they already had the list drawn up from all the 4473 inquiries. It might be interesting to see what you favorite gun dealer has to say about it.

[SleepTech7777]

As a LAW abiding citizen buying LEGAL arms, this should have NEVER HAPPENED to you. I'd be askin' some attorney types about a lawsiut... you know, the NRA, JPFO...
It seems a full court OFFENSIVE tactic will be the ONLY thing that slows down the 'Obamissiah' machine...

[Frankingun]

Holy crap. I also wonder if this means that they are auditing, er copying/imaging 4473s as fast as they can during "inspections" of ffl holders, or are keeping a record of NICS hits?

At least the agent had the presence of mind to do his research beforehand and realized that someone who owns a business with factories in several states is probably not looking to raise extra cash by reselling tiger-striped Desert Eagles to Mexican drug lords.

[Combat Controller]

I am pretty sure it was from auditing the FFL holders as I have a CHL and they don't have to call in on me. I could be wrong... The dealer might have had to send all the records in, but I am taking a stab in the dark. I am off to visit many of my haunts and ask if the ATF has come calling at all.

[SleepTech7777]

I am pretty sure it was from auditing the FFL holders as I have a CHL and they don't have to call in on me. I could be wrong... The dealer might have had to send all the records in, but I am taking a stab in the dark. I am off to visit many of my haunts and ask if the ATF has come calling at all.

CC. NEVER give the .gov the benefit of the doubt. They violated your rights as a free citizen. PERIOD. They had NO business inquiring into your LAWFUL arms requisitions or purchases.

[308Mike]

And now that the 4473's are electronic too, it makes their job just that much easier!

[Denis]

sorry to hear this. Speak to your lawyer regardless of what the agent said. Make as full a note of that conversation as you can. don't worry. more when i get hands on a pc.

[Darrell]

Wow. Just, wow.

[Frankingun]

And now that the 4473's are electronic too, it makes their job just that much easier!

I forgot about that. I haven't bought a gun since they came out with those.