How to prevent straw purchases?

[Rex B]

Jim Wrote-
"My question is how to relieve the political pressure for an "assault weapons ban" while limiting the damage".
Answer-Demand proof of the problem before you enter into a discussion about how to solve a problem that may, or may not exist. Do not accept hearsay as evidence of the supposed problem. Let's see some real evidence with names, locations, numbers of weapons, types of weapons etc.

The libs did not need proof to advance their global warming agenda. The facts just get in their way.

Personally, I am going to fight any attempt to add more laws ....INFRINGEMENTS .... on my rights as a gun owner.

As for cash sales being a red flag - cash is THE single acceptable FOP for a FTF firearms transaction except between people that know each other very well.
While a postal money order would be fine, I've never received, nor been asked for a MO when doing a private transaction.
Cash is king, period.

I have never bought nor sold a firearm where I was uncomfortable with the other party. Many were from this forum, and produced a CHL.
If no CHL, I ask for a texas DL. Often we exchange receipts. I am confident that no firearm I have sold wound up in criminal hands, unless it was further downstream.

One thing that occurs to me would be to engrave an identifying number hidden in each gun you sell. Perhaps your "NRA############" member number burned into the back side of a grip panel, or in the barrel channel of a rifle. For an AR, it would be simple to vibro-engrave it on the inside edge of the magwell.
The other half of this equation would be to keep good records on each sale and buyer. That would make the gun trackable back to the NRA, who would be able to put a name with the member number. We would expect them to be good stewards of that information.
I'm not sure this is a good answer, but it would give us gun owners a way to self-police without the government being involved earlier in the process than absolutely required.

[Purplehood]

I am hoping that we can come up with constructive ideas that we find tolerable that assist Law Enforcement and help combat any overreactions by those that want to create excuses for restricting firearms in the US.

/nudge

[mbw]

I still contend that if there really is a problem with arms smuggled from the US, some people are blowing it all out of proportion because of an anti gun agenda. That agenda is for more restrictions on our rights under the 2nd amendment.

Check this out from an article in today HC. John Kerry in El Paso-

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6349811.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

But U.S. border cities are still being affected, according to Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and DEA officials said. And the trafficking of high-caliber weapons made or sold in the U.S. continues to pose one of the greatest threats, said William McMahon, ATF deputy assistant director for field operations.

"We are seeing that they (cartels) are using military grade weapons," McMahon said. "More southbound inspections would be very helpful."

McMahon said ATF officials are also concentrating on prosecuting gun dealers and gun buyers with a clean criminal history who buy guns to smuggle to Mexico.

Harriet Babbitt, the former ambassador to Organization of American States, testified that the U.S. could help its own efforts by ratifying a cross-border weapons smuggling treaty originally signed more than a decade ago.

The treaty requires countries to mark guns so they can be traced. The U.S. already requires that of guns imported or sold here, which helped officials to conclude that 90 percent of the guns traced by Mexican authorities are from the U.S.

The problem, though, is that only about one in four guns found in Mexico is ever traced, McMahon said. Babbitt suggested that ratifying the treaty probably would increase Mexico's participation.

Doesn't this put a little different take on the claim that 90% of the weapons that are seized by the mexican government come from the US? I think that makes the figure more like 22% of weapons from the US! So if the Mexican seize say 1000 firearms and trace 25% of those that is 250 firearms traced. 90% of the 250 are from the US, that is 225 firearms.

Is that a problem that is large enough to call for a new AWB or other new firearms law?

I don't think so!

[seamusTX]

I still contend that if there really is a problem with arms smuggled from the US, some people are blowing it all out of proportion because of an anti gun agenda.

You are absolutely right.

However, they are doing it successfully. As some of you may have noticed, I do not jump to condemn the media; but they have been bamboozled by this propaganda and are helping to spread it.

Perhaps we can encourage our representatives in Congress (most of whom are on our side) to stay in this fight. We think about RKBA issues all the time. They don't, and can't.

- Jim

[Oldgringo]

mbw wrote:

Is that a problem that is large enough to call for a new AWB or other new firearms law?

I don't think so!

As Jim has repeately pointed out, it is the reported news and the percecption there from that is our problem. Facts are for the objective participants. The anti-gunners are a lot of things - objective is not one of them.

[jimlongley]

Fox news just ran the article featuring "Swift Boat" Kerry, who undoubtedly will try to find some anti-gun connection to exploit even if there is none.

The weapons displayed included grenade launchers, but the picture went by too fast to get a good feel for whateve else was there.

[Liberty]

The only thing more despicable than a politician that wants to take away our 2A rights is a firearms smuggler.

Anygunanywhere

Doesn't it depend on who and where the guns are being smuggled too?

If someone were to sneak in a few AR15s along with a BMG .50 Cal I would consider them heroic. Bringing guns to the villagers and country folks so they can protect themselves against the raiding gangsters would be a good thing. We have been suckered into believing that more guns into Mexico is a bad thing. The real problem in Mexico is that there aren't enough people with guns and not enough guns for the poor people.

[anygunanywhere]

If someone who barely speaks english wants to buy your whole stock of ARs and wants to pay with cash call the ATF. We all know about the massive spike in firearms sales recently.Anygunanywhere

So if my ex comes up to the counter and orders every AR in sight, and does it in flawless, unaccented English (which she taught as a HS teacher) are you going to let her slide? After all, she was born in Mexico.

No.

Anygunanywhere

[barres]

Why oh why oh why are we even considering writing a new law to prevent something that is already Illegal!

We know better. Any new law won't matter to someone who would already have been breaking the law to begin with. That's like expecting a mass murderer to stop at the boundary of a college campus because it is a "Gun-free zone." They don't care!

If we want to suggest anything that has even the remotest chance of making a real impact on straw purchases, we need to modify the existing law to give harsher mandatory penalties. Say 20 years for the first offense. Double the mandatory sentence for any additional offenses (which would be even harder with a felony conviction). As someone else suggested, give rewards to those individuals or gun shops that aid in the arrest and conviction of straw purchasers. And if the media/anti's want to use Mexico's situation as impetus for something, we need to turn that impetus toward securing the border.

Now excuse me for a moment while I let my blood pressure return to normal.

[thankGod]

And if the media/anti's want to use Mexico's situation as impetus for something

This is a very interesting thread. Personally, I don't have a clue as to how to fix the current situation regarding straw purchases. However, the media and the anti's will use this situation as an "impetus for something". I believe that this is where the problem lies.

Should we try to clean our own house? Should we wait, and counter any new law though the NRA, GOA etc. and our legislators? So, will it be an offense or a defense?