Monday, September 15, 2008

"Not Properly Bound"

I received the following email. By way of caveat, I have not personally verified this information, but my source has proven reliable in the past. I am told the principal may be willing to come forward and identify himself if they actively try to remove his license, but for now wishes to avoid the revenge this would surely prompt if he removes the mask.

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He wishes this to be in no way connected to his name, but he'd like the story out.

He would like to be described as a Southern/Southwestern 20+ year long Type One FFL holder. Never been cited for anything ever ever ever before. Occasional gunsmith and does some trading on the gun show circuit. He's getting on in years and doesn't get out and around as much anymore. Happens with age.

BATFOO appeared on his doorstep last week unexpectedly and for the first time in 23 years requesting to look at EVERYTHING, including personal firearms. Cited him for "improper bound book" even though he has been using the "bound book" pages and binders that Brownell's has sold for years..."not good enough, not properly bound". Checked the serial numbers on everything both inventory and personal. Some of his collectors pieces pre-date mandatory serial numbering and have none, which caused an issue with the "inspector". He was also cited for "lack of significant business activity" whatever that means, and it was "implied" they are going to consider revoking his license and are planning to come back to look for further infractions "soon", whatever in hell that means.

He deals primarily in high-end collectables and high-end shotguns, so his inventory turnover isn't very high, it's quite low actually, but it is a business, not a hobby. It's a limited market. He does and has done ABSOLUTELY NO EVIL BLACK RIFLE gunsmithing or sales, NO HIGH CAP PISTOLS, "SATURDAY NIGHT SPECIALS", etc, and has never had any interest in military rifles post M1 Garands/M-14s, and didn't like M1/14s much, outside of shooting them very well in Marine Corps Military Rifle matches and in actual combat when he was in the service Korea/Vietnam, he's mostly always been a bolt rifle and bird hunting oriented High End Shotgun guy (Think Browning Citori and up to and including Holland and Holland) who perosnally likes German and Belgian pistols of the WW I era, GI early 1911s (NO-MODERN-HI-CAP/RACE-GUN STUFF), and .22 Match Pistols of the Ultra High End Bullseye-Olympic variety.

He was a competitive shooter of the Pre-IPSC/IDPA "bullseye" generation, and has no knowledge or interest of the modern stuff other than the blather that's more or less advertisements in the National Rifleman that comes in the mail each month.

Now he's a possible criminal?

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

An "improperly bound" book? Oh, the humanity!! Tell me it isn't so!

The bat boys must be having a terrible time justifying their overtime budget...

You are up and at 'em early, David. :)

Anonymous said...

The petty tyrants have sent their hordes to harass and meddle in the affairs of EVERYONE. The day of reckoning is coming sooner, rather then later.

SamenoKami said...

Said for years that the only reason all of us are not criminals is they haven't arrested us yet. With so many laws on the books and the BATFUs carte blanche on 'crime' it's just a matter of time.
I wonder if under these circumstances I would even hire a lawyer. You spend all the $$ and go to jail anyway. Just keep the money defend yourself and go to jail.

Anonymous said...

SPORTING USE! SPORTING USE!

It's not a legal defense any more. The LAWS haven't changed, but ATF REGULATIONS and the INTERPRETATION of them has. Anyone here ever vote for an ATF official? Me neither. I wonder how this person's ELECTED officials will respond.

"No matter which way you turn, they'll find a reason to take you with them." -- Mark Koernke, Michigan Militia, "America in Peril" video, 1995

18 years sounds like plenty of warning to me.

Anonymous said...

The fact of the matter is, we are ALL David Olofson. The sooner we all recognize it, the better.

-- Vanderboegh III

tom said...

I'm taking my 10/22 out this morning to practice on running jack-rabbits.

Hope nobody "Olofson's" me for my semi-auto .22LR double taps.

Anonymous said...

Hear over the weekend that the local BATFECES has been going to local rifle ranges and checking peoples weapons to see that they are in compliance with the STATE AWB.


Too bad, nobody is willing to do what has to be done. After all we still consider ourselves, civil people.

Anonymous said...

Two things:
1, the book is a problem for ATF because they are wanting everything to be on a computer so they can down load it for a national registration firearms list. Why are they do intensely pushing everything to be on a computer leaves little to wonder at.
2, This man can count on receiving zero help from the NRA. Well maybe some jive lip service at best.
If want David said is correct and we don't have any missing parts to the story that ATF and this FFL are dealing over. This would be the perfect case for the NRA to push and display to members of congress that ATF is pushing a national gun list that is in fact against the law. That ATF is putting this unlawful gun list together by running out of business fully legal and lawful FFL's with full intent to gain control of their books to enter the information in the computer system.
Again if what David reports is correct, this is one more huge warning sign we have a very big problem and we can count on not seeing the NRA to do the right thing. One more case of proof the NRA is no a Second Amendment group who is on firearm owners side.

Sean said...

I'm more than willing to do what has to be done. I'd like a little company is all. Keeping in mind that a US Infantry company is about 154 men. I'd settle for a squad. About 11 men. Females are good, long as they kin shoot and know how to whisper. Ready to go on a little routine patrol with a coupla volunteers what don't owe me no money. III.

Anonymous said...

I kinda almost feel sorry for the widows and orphans. Won't slow my trigger finger any. It's obvious which way they plan to play it.

Agents arrive. I pack up to leave rather than be inspected.
"You're leaving here over my dead body."
I find those terms acceptable. What's your office address again? The firt one is expensive, but the rest are free.

Kent McManigal said...

What is needed is a president who has promised to give a pardon for every single one of these gun "crimes". I only know of one candidate who has made that promise.

Ken said...

But when we disarmed they sold us and delivered us bound to our Foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: "Stick to the Devil you know.”


Seems entirely properly bound to me...depending on one's point of view, and for given values of "properly."

III

Anonymous said...

III

The_Chef said...

Screw 'em. I'm a pretty abysmal shot with my SIG, I desperately need more more range time and some training with it to help me. But in a situation like that at a range, within those tight confines ... I'll gladly do what needs to be done.

How unfortunate that most of those other people at the range would turn on me.

Anonymous said...

Interesting how out of all the criminals the BATFEces has created, not one has yet become a deadly enemy.

W W Woodward said...

"...which caused an issue with the "inspector".."

Problem with a lot of these inspectors is they don't know their own rules or the laws that authorize the rules. I find licensing authorities in Texas telling me, more than occasionally, "that rule doesn't really mean what it says."
Or, "we're a state agency, we aren't concerned with that law."

Anonymous said...

We are all criminals.

Kent McManigal said...

Criminal? Nah. I'm an outlaw.

tom said...

I'm a thought criminal.

It's a dangerous world to be a free thinker.