Confirmed - ATF Form Creates A Registry Entry For A Gun

[sjl127]

On the Works, History Channel, the guy just said that the ATF purchase form creates a registry entry for that firearm with that individual. This will allow authorities help in solving crimes.

[sjl127]

"All guns are registered with the ATF"

[Gallo]

As indicated, firearms are tracked from the time they are built at the assembly line to its current owner. Good program. Have the DVR recording for future views and reference.

[MOUNTAINORACLE]

"All guns are registered with the ATF"

I don't think so



oracle

[WVneighbor]

I don't think so



oracle

Thats a pet peeve of mine. Posting a one liner contradicting someone without an explanation backing it up. Hate it when people do that, no offense meant Oracle, nothing personal. So ...

All guns are not in the ATF database. All newly manufactured guns are supposed to be. All guns manufactured after around (I think) 1968 are supposed to be in the database. The GCA of '68 mandated unique serilization on all manufactured or imported firearms, but I don't know how long afterwards the database was created. Therefore firearms manufactured before 1968 did not have to have serial numbers and would most likely not show up in the ATF database.

The database is used to track guns. For example, Joe Cop finds a gun laying next to a dead body. He takes the pertinent info from the gun, serial #, manufacturer, caliber, type, etc and fills out a form. The form goes to the ATF tracing center here in Martinsburg, WV and the history of that gun is traced. From the date of manufacture, down through the subsequent owners to the 80 yr old man who reported it stolen a year ago.

[gnbrotz]

As indicated, firearms are tracked from the time they are built at the assembly line to its current owner. Good program. Have the DVR recording for future views and reference.

And how is this possible, since in PA (and many other states) you need not complete any paperwork to transfer long guns? This also includes handguns in some places (though not here).

[Pa. Patriot]

Not confirmed. There is no ATF "database".

Executed 4473's stay on file with the dealer, until they go out of biz.

There is no way the firearm info can get into an ATF database until the dealer goes out business.


Traces are done manually. Gun found at crime scene. ATF tracing center starts with the manufacturer and follows the paper trail - again, manually. By requesting/going to each distributer/dealer for the disposition record.

If the firearm was transfered privately (FTF) then the trail stops unless other evidence leads them further.

Moral of the story... Just because it's on TV does not make it true

[PA Rifleman]

And how is this possible, since in PA (and many other states) you need not complete any paperwork to transfer long guns? This also includes handguns in some places (though not here).

Hence the term ghost gun. (details)

[WVneighbor]

Not confirmed. There is no ATF "database".

Executed 4473's stay on file with the dealer, until they go out of biz.

There is no way the firearm info can get into an ATF database until the dealer goes out business.


Traces are done manually. Gun found at crime scene. ATF tracing center starts with the manufacturer and follows the paper trail - again, manually. By requesting/going to each distributer/dealer for the disposition record.

If the firearm was transfered privately (FTF) then the trail stops unless other evidence leads them further.

Moral of the story... Just because it's on TV does not make it true

There is a database, but the info doesnt come from dealers, its a manufacturers serilization database. Meaning the specific serial number assigned at the factory to a specific gun is forwarded to the ATF.

You are correct about the traces being done manually. I'm not 100% sure if the manufacturers include the dealer to which the gun is sold in the information they send to the ATF. Its not restricted information, so I'll ask my fiancee for the details. But after either the manufacturer or the dealer, then the traces are completed manually.

[Pa. Patriot]

There is a database, but the info doesnt come from dealers, its a manufacturers serilization database. Meaning the specific serial number assigned at the factory to a specific gun is forwarded to the ATF.

The conversation is regarding a database of transfers effected at a dealer/form 4473's.
To which no database exists. The database of manufactured firearms is another issue not related to the topic. Except when discussing tracing. The manufacturer is the starting point of the manual tracing procedure. Which is the only thing that info/database is useful for in this context.

...I'm not 100% sure if the manufacturers include the dealer to which the gun is sold in the information they send to the ATF. Its not restricted information, so I'll ask my fiancee for the details.

I'm an FFL and have been a manufacturer prior also.
They do not send that info to the ATF. As I stated. the trace starts at the manufacturer, manually. They then follow from there.
IE: They go to the manufacturer and find out (from the manufacturer) who the firearm was sold to via a bound book records check. They then follow through distributors/FFL's via the same method until they get to where the firearm was transfered to an individual. That would be the end of the trace. Reason being, even if the individual re-sells the gun later, through an FFL, there would be no way of knowing when or which FFL he took the gun to. In states such as PA, where we have a database of some handgun sales, the could check that. But it may or may not contain the transfer to pick up the trail. And for long guns will provide no additional info.