Armory Sponsor
Posted: 5/3/2010 12:44:38 PM EDT
|
If I have scans of bot sides of my forms on, say, an iPhone that's always with me, is that good to go as far as carrying the forms? I can scan
them in as PDF's and then just keep them on the phone for viewing if ever needed. Has anyone ever asked the ATF about this? Man, sure would be nice not to have to worry about making sure I've always got the right ones with me on trips out... On a a side note I work with cops (i'm a firefighter) and none of them has ever said they would ask to see paperwork if they saw me with a can or SBR either at the range or in the woods plinking or hunting. They all say "Isn't that a federal thing? We don't really care as long as your not hurting anybody." cheers, Benji |
|
Technically you do not have to carry your stamp, but you risk a cop confiscating your weapon until you can drive to the station with your stamp, or worse, arresting you and waiting until the ATF starts answering the phone at 9am on Monday morning to check if you're legal. There are also usually state laws against unregistered NFA weapons, your form is your get-out-of-jail-free card.
Stick a 1/4-page copy of your paperwork in every range bag. Kharn |
|
Our rifle range here is privately owned with membership and if you shoot NFA you are reguired o show your papers...no papers you are asked to leave.
Also no FA allowed our range. I scan mine and then print out about ten copies and keep the original in my bank saftey deposit box. I keep a copy in my rifle case pocket. |
|
There's one range like that around here, if you can't prove it's a legally registered NFA weapon, they won't let you use their range. Their range, their rules.
I keep my originals in a safe at home, and copies in my range bags. I've also got some copies on the guns themselves (stuffed in VFG compartments or tucked behind the buttstock ammo cuff on an 870 SBS). |
|
Right now the originals are in my safe and I've got 1/4-sized copies in the glove box of each vehicle. Originally I figured I'd always have either my car or truck with me, but I've since realized that's not gonna always be the case. The only range I go to doesn't allow f/a (I don't have any so it doesn't matter), but they don't care about cans or SBR's, so it's no big deal.
I think I will go ahead and scan them in and carry the digital copies for now. If I'm not legally obligated to carry copies of the forms with me, then scans of them should be reasonable proof of legality for a wiley coppa, eh? cheers, Benji |
|
I guess I'm naive about what he'd wanna see, but there's nothing else on there but songs, baby pics, contacts, and web history; none of which needs to stay hidden for any reason. Good thought though, didn't think about that.
I know there's lots I don't know about being a cop, but that's seriously irrational for him not to hand me the phone back and just go searching through it after I agreed tolet him view the scans... Maybe it's good I heard this, cause I will not hand it over, just "show" it if ever neccesary. Thanks, Benji |
|
Quoted:
I guess I'm naive about what he'd wanna see, but there's nothing else on there but songs, baby pics, contacts, and web history; none of which needs to stay hidden for any reason. Good thought though, didn't think about that. I know there's lots I don't know about being a cop, but that's seriously irrational for him not to hand me the phone back and just go searching through it after I agreed tolet him view the scans... Maybe it's good I heard this, cause I will not hand it over, just "show" it if ever neccesary. Thanks, Benji Dont mind the tin hat wearing crowd here. Cops have better things to do than to search a phone YOU hand them. Print up a copy of your form, stuff it in your wallet. If your found with an NFA item after 5pm M-F or on weekends it prevents any question about legality. Officers have no access to the NFA registry after business hours. Scream at the cop about your second amendment rights and " I DONT HAVE TO PROVE SHIT " and your likely going to lose your gun to the PD property room until you DO provide your Form at the very least. You chose your path in life, same here. It can be easy, it can be hard. 
|
|
Someone mentioned this earlier, but to clarify further: many states' laws against possession of unregistered NFA items mean that local LEOs have RAS to detain you, and if you cannot show proof of registration, PC to arrest you until/unless you can. My home state of Wisconsin seems to be this way. It is similar to CCW laws that are written in the "X=crime , except when Y is true" form; cops are allowed to treat it as a crime until you've shown affirmatively that it is not.
I would find another way (besides an electronic device) to show the police. It's a fine backup, especially if you have access to online databases or email where you keep the files, but it is inviting Johnny Law into your business, which can end in disaster. I know some people have made up laminated wallet cards and carried them at all times. Personally, I like the idea of keeping a copy or three with every single NFA item at all times. |
|
Like I said, right now I have 1/4-sized copies in both vehicles and in my range bag. I even stuffed the forms for the 556 can and the SBR F1 in the battery pocket of the ACS stock on my shorty AR. The problem is, and I know this is a very specific issue that lots of people would like to have... But I've got too many forms to keep them in my wallet. If I shrunk them down to credit card size they'd probly fit, but then they'd be kinda hard to read, eh.
99% of the time using the NFA stuff (cans and SBR only) are on either private property or the range I go to with a friend where they don't care about people using the two NFA types I've got. But that other 1% could be a bugger... cheers, Benji |
Armory Sponsor