From: [a--y--r] at [nmsu.edu] (Nosy)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.guns
Subject: Gun Shows Are Targeted
Date: 13 Oct 93 11:26:15

Reproduced without permission, author is Neal Knox.
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Washington, DC (Sept 10,1993)

We don't know where the shots will come from, but the target is
obvious: gun shows are dead-center in the X-Ring.

For instance: No one truly believes the Administration-supported
"Brady Bill" will have any impact -- except on gun shows.

By requiring a waiting period, it would prohibit any handgun transfers
until after the gun show is over, so, in theory, there would be no
more handgun sales at gun shows -- which is the objective.

(In states with waiting periods, guns "purchased" from out-of-the-area
dealers must be transferred to a local FFL-holder, who then begins the
transfer process and retains the gun to be picked up after the
required wait. That procedure may explain why BATF seeks to prohibit
face-to-face transfers between out-of-state dealers.)

"Brady" is only one of the numerous bills that are aimed at gun shows.
Others include Sen. Paul Simon's (D-Ill.) efforts to clamp down on
dealer licenses (while radically increasing FFL fees), and President
Bill Clinton's Aug. 11 Executive Order to do the same thing under
existing law.

If substantial numbers of violent criminals were obtaining their
firearms through gun shows, as is claimed, there would be plenty of
evidence. But little or no evidence is being presented, which means it
rarely happens.

When the Gun Control Act was first implemented, BATF -- then the
Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms division of the IRS -- wouldn't allow
dealers to sell at shows. 

Then, in an unrequested reversal, they opened up the shows to dealers,
which caused more than a few of us to figure it was one of those gift
horses you're not supposed to look in the mouth. I'm still convinced
it was a Trojan horse.

If BATF continues in the direction it's now going, no one except
dealers will be able to sell guns at gun shows. The ability of
individual gun owners and collectors to swap or sell guns would be
kaput.

Further, if only dealers could sell at shows, then a simple change of
the regulations -- again insisting that FFL's could only conduct
business at the premises listed on their licenses -- would make gun
shows a thing of the past.

So would drastically reducing the number of dealers.

That's one intent of President Clinton's Executive Order directing the
Treasury Department and BATF to "take whatever steps are necessary, to
the extent permitted by law, to insure compliance with present
licensing requirements, such as...Improving the thoroughness and
effectiveness of background checks...revising the application
process...to require fingerprinting;...making the 'premises'
requirement more meaningful by increasing field checks..."

"Providing automated access to multiple sales report information by
serial numbers for firearms trace purposes [Writers Note: That would
be in violation of the McClure - Volkmer prohibition -- hated by BATF
-- against new regulations centralizing and computerizing dealer
records.]

"Requiring dealers to obtain more reliable information from
purchasers;...adding the option of license suspension for certain
violations; expanding the use of cooperative agreements with State and
local law enforcement agencies..."

"Expanding ATF's capabilities to utilize effectively the firearms
transactions records of out-of-business licensees for tracing purposes
through the use of automation and other technology." [Note: another
probable violation of McClure - Volkmer.]

The order concludes by requiring a progress report within 90 days
"and annually thereafter" while cautioning against exceeding the law
-- which BATF is already doing in some areas by requiring dealer
applicants to meet local zoning and business licensing requirements.

Many FFL's are held by dealers whose sole business is conducted at gun
shows. They do it because of the vague requirements of the Gun Control
Act, which prohibits "engaging in the business" without a license, but
does not define what constitutes "engaging".

According to BATF's survey of FFL's last February, almost half -- 46
percent -- of their sample made no firearms sales in the past year, so
they cannot possibly be adding to criminals stocks. They're buying
guns, not selling them.

And many of them are buying at gun shows. As dealers, their sales must
be recorded (even if not obtained through their license).

But non-dealers buying or selling at gun shows aren't required to keep
any records. That lack of regulation is anathema to regulators --
which is why their main target is gun shows.

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