Armory Sponsor
Posted: 11/25/2009 10:35:31 AM EDT
|
If you havent been through one yet, heres a heads up of how my recent inspection went. I've been through them before, but they are always different. The last time(3yrs ago) it was 3 agents, this time it was just 1 guy.
The run down: Day 1 We physically did an inventory check against my A&D book. We found 3 guns that I forgot to log out - but I had the 4473s. 2 of them were over 2yrs ago and on the same page in the book, sold the same day. Musta been distracted that day. He asked for a sample of 4473s from the last year. I opened the drawer and he pulled out almost 600. He asked if he could take them with him to check and I said yes. I know I didnt need to, but I fugure if the ATF is out to get you, they are going to get you anyhow. Day 2 Physical inventory of NFA items matched against his report of what I should and shouldnt have. His records showed I still had posession of 4 items which were transfered out. The Inspector had me pull the FFL and SOT and copies of the approved transfer forms to verify why I dindt have them. As a surprise, he asked to see a SBR I did a corporate register (form 1) 5 years ago before I had an SOT. After the NFA stuff he pulled out a report of my denied NTNs and wanted to see those 4473s. When I produced the 4473s, I had to then trace every gun listed and show who eventually did buy it if it had been sold. He wanted to make sure the guns were not sold the next day to a family member or the guy next door. Next we went over some more 4473s. The inspector had a list of NTN #s and we had to match them up to the NTN # on 4473s from the date ranges listed. Day 3 I got my 4473s back. The inspector pulled out 2 4473s, that the dates written by the customers did not match the dates in the 2 spots I filled in. They were 1 day off. I.E., customer though it was the 11th, it was really the 12th... That was it for errors on my 4473s, told me I had a .5% error rate. We both though that was great. We then went over the checklist confirming I was aware of all the little bullshit - current FFL on display, youth handgun safety act, straw purchases, etc... We both signed my violation report, incorrect dates, and untimely logging out of the 3 guns and he was on his way. Overall the inspector was pleasant, a personable guy. |
|
Second paragraph of Day 2 makes this thread a whole lot more interesting.
|
|
Quoted:
snip After the NFA stuff he pulled out a report of my denied NTNs and wanted to see those 4473s. When I produced the 4473s, I had to then trace every gun listed and show who eventually did buy it if it had been sold. He wanted to make sure the guns were not sold the next day to a family member or the guy next door. snip I am not an FFL but I though this was in interesting post. In regard to the paragraph above, is that really something you are supposed to look for and more importantly can you be held responsible for it? Say I walk in to day and try to buy serial number 123 and get denied. Then tomorrow my wife, or neighbor, comes and tries to buy the same gun. Are you supposed to remember and not sell it to them because I tried to buy it yesterday? In other words, why would my denial make somebody else ineligible for the purchase? This is just curiosity. I understand the logic behind what they were looking for, just curious about the actual rules. And, congrats on the good results! |
|
Quoted:
Say I walk in to day and try to buy serial number 123 and get denied. Then tomorrow my wife, or neighbor, comes and tries to buy the same gun. Are you supposed to remember and not sell it to them because I tried to buy it yesterday? In other words, why would my denial make somebody else ineligible for the purchase? Its not about someone else being ineligible, its for dealers to look for clues and using common sense. I doubt they expect me to pull up mapquest and check that if he lived on the same street as the denied guy. I think if they(ATF) found several denials where I sold the gun the next day to someone with the same last name, I'd get smacked for missing something obvious, eventhough I dindt intentionally do anything wrong. The game with having an FFL, is to draw as LITTLE attention from the ATF as possible to keep my life simple. I never would have though to check who I was selling a gun to, if it was a gun that an earlier customer was denied on. But, its better for me to follow the clues. If the guy is denied, odds are hes an "bad guy". Cousin comes in the next day and buys the gun and gives it to the bad guy. Bad guy uses it in a crime, ATF contacts me for a trace - I'm in the sights of the ATF... |
|
Informative thread. I had an inspection a few months back. All firearms accounted for. Violations were also wrong dates as the OP stated, but more so were the multi handgun sales. I have a customer who can't wait to pick up what he ordered and comes in a few days later. Two separate sales of handguns that were only days apart to the same person. How am I supposed to remember that? The inspector also had brought a list of all the multi purchases. She also looked at every 4473 for the prior 12 months. I suspect she had to find something to justify her job. She said that they are now well staffed and will now be doing annual inspections. Last one was five years prior. |
|
Quoted:
Two separate sales of handguns that were only days apart to the same person. How am I supposed to remember that? We use QuickBooks for invoices. When we make a new customer invoice we can also see all the other ones for that customer, so it's easy to see if we've transfered out another gun to them in the prior few days. |
|
Quoted: Quoted: Say I walk in to day and try to buy serial number 123 and get denied. Then tomorrow my wife, or neighbor, comes and tries to buy the same gun. Are you supposed to remember and not sell it to them because I tried to buy it yesterday? In other words, why would my denial make somebody else ineligible for the purchase? Its not about someone else being ineligible, its for dealers to look for clues and using common sense. I doubt they expect me to pull up mapquest and check that if he lived on the same street as the denied guy. I think if they(ATF) found several denials where I sold the gun the next day to someone with the same last name, I'd get smacked for missing something obvious, eventhough I dindt intentionally do anything wrong. Or they might think you were telling the guy to have his wife come back tomorrow, if it happened multiple times. OTH, if you are a large shop with multiple employees, the selling employee might not have any knowledge of the denial the day before. Good write-up though.
|
Armory Sponsor