GCA 1968 question

[Mike1951]

I recall the GCA 1968 having a provision preventing the ATF from compiling/maintaining any sort of database of firearms/owners.

I've spent about an hour reading/searching the current regulations without finding anything.

http://www.atf.gov/publications/downloa ... 5300-4.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Did I miss it or is it gone?

NICS would provide the FBI with a list of owners.

The multiple purchase forms 3310.4 provides the ATF with specific purchase information.

Plus, many 4473s are shipped to the ATF when the business closes. There is no guarantee that years of these forms have not been recorded.

[puma guy]

I recall the GCA 1968 having a provision preventing the ATF from compiling/maintaining any sort of database of firearms/owners.

I've spent about an hour reading/searching the current regulations without finding anything.

http://www.atf.gov/publications/downloa ... 5300-4.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Did I miss it or is it gone?

NICS would provide the FBI with a list of owners.

The multiple purchase forms 3310.4 provides the ATF with specific purchase information.

Plus, many 4473s are shipped to the ATF when the business closes. There is no guarantee that years of these forms have not been recorded.

I read the law when it came out and seem to recall the provision preventing the use of 4473 form to be used for any sort of database (we didn't know that word in '68). I think there was a time limit we had to maintain the records, maybe 7 years????. I had a few ATF audits after the GCA of '68 and they did look at random 4473 forms. They were really interested in our internal records for inventorying firearms and always wanted our ammunition log books. We had to log in every sale of handgun ammunition. I really, really, really hated our "Midnight Madness" sales of .22LR for 34 cents a box. I had one agent who came to investigate the sale of a Marlin 336 30-30 that apparently was used in a homicide in Louisiana. The buyer was a Texas resident, but the agent thought maybe we'd improperly sold him the rifle. He was livid we had sold a gun that was used to kill someone, even though it was perfectly legal (Probably a Democrat).
The interesting thing about it was I remembered the buyer. I was installing a scope for him and we were cajoling about different stuff and while I was bore-sighting the scope I asked him if he needed some ammunition. (we pushed ammo since we only made about 10% gross on firearms) I offered him the choice of 150 or 170gr and he asked what was best for squirrels. I told him I'd definitely go with the heavier bullet. I guess he had a different squirrel in mind. I assume when the chain closed down the records went to ATF, but Walgreen's was the parent company, so maybe they didn't have to submit them to ATF.