BREAKING: BATF Shutting Down Most Custom Gunsmiths!

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - BREAKING: BATF Shutting Down Most Custom Gunsmiths!

Posted: 3/30/2006 9:26:19 PM EDT

Let's get on the ball folks & raise holy hell over this BS!!!

Get on the horn to your Congressman, Senator, and the NRA... this has got to STOP NOW!!!

michaelbane.blogspot.com/2006/03/batf-jihad-against-custom-gunsmths.html

Posted: 3/30/2006 9:32:52 PM EDT

[#1]

dupe.

Posted: 3/30/2006 9:39:13 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
dupe.

Yeah, but a worthy one & in a completely different (and relevant) forum, so how about some slack?

If this is true, we need to be all over this matter like white on rice!

Posted: 3/30/2006 9:44:00 PM EDT

[#3]

oh you got slack my brotha from another motha

I think they are setting the stage to come after those of us who roll our own ARs.

Posted: 3/30/2006 11:04:16 PM EDT

[#4]

Frankly, I don't know what to make of this story. It seems like it is from a credible source, but....

Nothing is posted on the NRA, GOA, or SAF web sites about it and I just spent about 20 minutes looking over the BATF's website, and found nothing in their "rules", "proposed rules" or March 2006 newsletter that would indicate that the definition of "manufacturing a firearm" has been changed in any way.

Anyone been able to verify this report?

Posted: 3/30/2006 11:26:25 PM EDT

[#5]

It's got to be BS! We would hearing a lot more on it by now.

Posted: 3/31/2006 12:33:11 AM EDT

[#6]

Posted: 3/31/2006 1:15:59 AM EDT

[#7]

Most custom smiths are thriving.

Posted: 3/31/2006 6:34:02 AM EDT

[#8]

So ONE guy posts a "blog" or whatever about ONE gunsmith - How does that equate to BATFE going after the do-it-yourselfer market?

Posted: 3/31/2006 7:57:05 AM EDT

[#9]

I don't think I'd be too quick to blow off this guy's blog. If you know anything about
Micahel Bane you would know he is very entrenched in the industry and something
can happen under the radar before it hits everywhere.

One thing about it is true-the BATF is abusive of their power and making new interpetations
of firearms law to suit their agenda and this has been going on for years.

I think it is definitely something to watch and I certainly hope it is a bunch of BS as it
doesn't bode well for either the AK or AR builders-either private or professionels.

Posted: 3/31/2006 10:50:15 AM EDT

[#10]

OK... I just called the NRA-ILA, and the girl I spoke with had not heard anything about this case or about any BATF rule changes.

I don't know what that is worth however, because she didn't seem to truly grasp what I was explaining to her, and she transfered me to the voice mail of "the person who handles these things"

Maybe a few of us can contact the NRA & hopefully get to the bottom of what's going on here?

Posted: 3/31/2006 11:38:43 AM EDT

[#11]

Posted over at TheHighRoad.org...

Dear Forum Members:

Please regard this as an unofficial notice, but I thought I could help clear up what’s going on.

The Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax (FAET) is a tax imposed by Chapter 32 of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. 4181) on the sale of firearms and ammunition by manufacturers, producers, and importers. The present situation has arisen due to a possible misinterpretation of the term “manufactured” by the ATF. It has been difficult in the past for gunsmiths to determine exactly which services performed by gunsmiths were “manufacturing” and thus subject to FAET. Generally, gunsmiths are not subject to the FAET, unless the gunsmith has title to the firearm and his work materially changes the firearm so that a different taxable article results. See Rev. Rulings 58-586, 64-202 and 69-325.

Which specific acts (mounting a scope, re-stocking, checkering, engraving, etc.) count as “manufacturing” has been difficult to determine and inconsistently applied by ATF in the past.

To address this problem, on October 1, 2005, 26 U.S.C. Section 4182 was amended to also exempt any pistol, revolver, or firearm from FAET if it was manufactured, produced or imported by a person who manufactures, produces or imports less than an aggregate of 50 such articles during the calendar year. This allows gunsmiths to operate (for fewer than 50 guns per year) without worry that a particular act would be considered “manufacture” or not.

The 50 guns per year change, however, is not retroactive (despite our efforts to make it so). Recently gunsmiths have been aggressively investigated by ATF, and their back records examined for FAET compliance. This investigation is legal and proper, however, there is concern that ATF is again misinterpreting “manufacture” and including transactions under FAET that should properly be excluded.

Larry Crow, owner of Competitive Edge Gunworks and member of the American Pistolsmith Guild, is currently being charged as liable for taxes and penalties for the “manufacture” of firearms; Mr. Crow questions the validity of ATF’s determination that he manufactured the firearms. In meetings and discussions with the ATF and IRS beginning 24 January 2006, Mr. Crow has been unable to get a direct and consistent answer regarding both ATF and IRS policy.

The National Rifle Association is in contact with Mr. Crow and others in the gunsmithing community, and is actively exploring both regulatory and legal remedies for this situation. This situation is, however, one which may not lend itself to a quick or easy fix, as it involves statutes, regulatory rulings, and policy decisions at the intersection of two separate federal agencies.

I assure you that the National Rifle Association will make the most efficient use of its resources, with the goal of protecting the civil rights of Americans, as the Framers sought to protect those rights under the Constitution. We will provide updated information on our website as further significant details or activities become known.

Thank you for your continued support.

-Eric Swartz
Office of Legislative Counsel
National Rifle Association – Institute for Legislative Action

Posted: 3/31/2006 8:50:49 PM EDT

[#12]

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - BREAKING: BATF Shutting Down Most Custom Gunsmiths!

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