Posted: 10/16/2012 12:56:43 PM EDT
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Hi All,
I'm not very informed in regards to the legal aspects of a firearm purchase or registration. Your help is appreciated. I am aware of how to purchase a firearm but I'm curious about the following: What exactly goes on in regards to a background check from an FFL dealer? I'm curious if this is simply a background check to ensure that the buyer is qualified to own a firearm. Do they submit make/model/serial number to the ATF in this process? My question sounds a little paranoid, but someone asked me once if I knew if my firearms are 'registered' or part of a national database. As far as I am aware, there is no national database but I'm unclear on this topic. Basically I'm curious if some day when the 'stuff hits the fan', is there a list that the federal or state government will use to go secure firearms from the citizens? BTW, I'm in Ohio. Thank you, |
| The background check is done in many states by the FBI NCIC system. But in other states, it is done by the local state law enforcement system. It is actually against Federal law to use the Federal background check system to maintain a registry of firearms. The ATF is also forbidden from creating or maintaining a database of firearms outside of its actual criminal investigation purposes however it is believed that ATF has illegally spent funds to computerize the old 4473 forms that are submitted to the ATF when an FFL goes out of business. |
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When I've purchased guns from an FFL, they call in my name and CCW license number to the state. The state responds with approved or denied. That's it. As noted above, the ATF is prohibited from compiling a database of gun owners. Most of us cynics believe that the ATF certainly IS compiling a database. A few weeks ago, there was a post discussing the New Jersey assault weapons law of 1991, with mandatory assault weapon surrendered to the police. It was rescinded due to massive non-compliance. If this ever became a national law, you'd see sales of PVC tubing and shovels go up exponentially. We'd all take a cue from the IRA, who've been burying and squirreling away guns for generations. |
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Quoted:
Hi All, I'm not very informed in regards to the legal aspects of a firearm purchase or registration. Your help is appreciated. I am aware of how to purchase a firearm but I'm curious about the following: What exactly goes on in regards to a background check from an FFL dealer? I'm curious if this is simply a background check to ensure that the buyer is qualified to own a firearm. Do they submit make/model/serial number to the ATF in this process? My question sounds a little paranoid, but someone asked me once if I knew if my firearms are 'registered' or part of a national database. As far as I am aware, there is no national database but I'm unclear on this topic. Basically I'm curious if some day when the 'stuff hits the fan', is there a list that the federal or state government will use to go secure firearms from the citizens? BTW, I'm in Ohio. Thank you, <–––––––––– OH FFL employee We call a center (or in AIM's case, it's submitted online). The do a quick federal background check on you (any felonies? domestic violence? court records of being insane? etc). If it comes back OK, you take your gun home. The center does NOT receive any sort of firearm information other than the type of firearm you are purchasing (handgun/longgun/other). Ohio has no gun registration (unlike some states). It is illegal to maintain a federal database of firearm holders. However, your information (and the gun's) is required on the form 4473 and dealer's are required to store them for a period of time. The information on it cannot be released except in limited circumstances. For example, let's say you bought a Springfield 1911 from us and it's later found at a crime scene. The ATF calls Springfield and says "what happened to serial number XXXYYY?". Springfield says "we sold it to Jerry's Sports." The ATF then calls Jerry's and asks the same thing. The ATF continues to follow the trail of bread crumbs until they find the person who bought it on a 4473. Then they'd talk to that person and find out what happened to it. Bottom line: no gov't agency knows what you own if you live in OH. |
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Quoted:
Interesting info. Thanks for that. BTW, I am a big fan of Aim Surplus, I live around 20 miles from Middletown and have made a few purchases. Well we do our background checks on a computer, so if you ever come in to buy a gun you can see the whole process. |