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Author Topic: Gun makers baffled by ATF criteria  (Read 1206 times)

Offline Dan W

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Gun makers baffled by ATF criteria
« on: January 03, 2012, 04:24:33 PM »
Models OK’d on case-by-case basis

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/2/gun-makers-baffled-by-atf-criteria/

Quote
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is in charge of determining whether a gun model is legal, but the agency won’t say much about its criteria.

Despite overseeing an industry that includes machine guns and other deadly weapons, ATF regulations for the manufacture of weapons are often unclear, leading to reliance on a secretive system by which firearms manufacturers can submit proposed weapons for testing and find out one at a time whether they comply with the law, critics say.

The ATF recommends that manufacturers voluntarily submit weapons for case-by-case determination. But those judgments are private and, it turns out, sometimes contradictory. Critics say nearly identical prototypes can be approved for one manufacturer but denied for another.

That process, known as “letter rulings,” results in various findings about what makes a weapon. Program critics, including the ATF’s former assistant director of criminal investigations, said one determination contended that a shoestring was a machine gun.

The letters are sent only to the person submitting the weapon, making it hard for other gun manufacturers, designers and dealers looking for guidance to make judgments about the agency’s evolving interpretations of the federal code. That lack of publication also means that no one knows when the agency issues rulings at odds with similar cases.

‘Definitely contradictory’

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“When the rules are subjective and continue to change, we cannot expect these business owners to comply with moving target regulations. These inconsistent rulings from the bureau are confusing and result in a waste of time and resources,” said Rep. Phil Gingrey - Georgia

~Read more at the link~ http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/2/gun-makers-baffled-by-atf-criteria/
Dan W    NFOA Co Founder
Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom.   J. F. K.

Offline bkoenig

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Re: Gun makers baffled by ATF criteria
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2012, 09:22:22 PM »
I was talking to a certain gun dealer here in town and he said the worst thing about the ATF from an FFL's perspective is you can never get them to commit to anything.  They always want to waffle on everything, so you never know if you'll be in violation or not.

Offline armed and humorous

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Re: Gun makers baffled by ATF criteria
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2012, 04:34:30 PM »
Sounds sort of like the building codes division in Lincoln.  They wouldn't ever answer a question about what was up to code and what wasn't.  You had to bring in a plan, and they either approved it, or they didn't.  They wouldn't tell you what you needed to do ahead of time to get it approved.
Gun related issues are, by nature, deadly serious.  Still, you have to maintain a sense of humor about them.

Offline sparky

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Re: Gun makers baffled by ATF criteria
« Reply #3 on: January 08, 2012, 09:41:48 PM »
Sounds sort of like the building codes division in Lincoln.  They wouldn't ever answer a question about what was up to code and what wasn't.  You had to bring in a plan, and they either approved it, or they didn't.  They wouldn't tell you what you needed to do ahead of time to get it approved.
Its not just Lincoln's, Omaha's is the same way. 
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Offline JimP

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Re: Gun makers baffled by ATF criteria
« Reply #4 on: January 09, 2012, 01:28:21 PM »
Quote
Critics say nearly identical prototypes can be approved for one manufacturer but denied for another.


No room for corruption there at all, is there?

I am firmly of the belief that most Federal LE agencies are led by, if not mostly made up of, folks that have lost sight of the intended goal the agency was created for..... they are more concerned with the Organization than the purpose of the organization..... Much time and money is spent justifying the time and money spent .......
The Right to Keep and BEAR Arms is enshrined explicitly in both our State and Federal Constitutions, yet most of us are afraid to actually excercise that Right, for very good reason: there is a good chance of being arrested........ and  THAT is a damned shame.  III.

Offline armed and humorous

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Re: Gun makers baffled by ATF criteria
« Reply #5 on: January 09, 2012, 03:59:45 PM »
JimP:

Agreed.
Gun related issues are, by nature, deadly serious.  Still, you have to maintain a sense of humor about them.