I was talking to my local gun dealer yesterday and got to talking about having class 3 weapons. He told me to stay away like the plague from class3. He said I might as well give the ATF a key to my house, because they'll want to keep checking out your collection constantly. My question is does the ATF ever come to your house and inspect your collection? and how often? What other problems do you run into with class3? Thanks capitalist

I've never had them contact me in any way concerning mine.

My understanding on this topic is the ATF [i]could[/i] do this if they chose to do so. They have that option.

If you want class III weapons, go for it.

The dealer is absolutely wrong.  Having a registered NFA weapon in your posession doesn't give BATF any more right to come and inspect your stuff than if you own just semis.  Its not a license for thewm to go on a fishing expedition anytime they want.  If they want to come and inspect, they need a proper warrant supported by probable cause.  You do, however, have to let them know if theres any interstate movement of the registered weapon on a form 5320.20 and transfers must be done according to the NFA, taxes paid, and transfers recorded on the NFRTR.

Having a FFL or class 3 "license" (FFL & SOT) does give them the right to come and inspect your licensed premises which may extend to the home if theres weapons on the license stored there.

That's the urban myth of the shooting world.

I think that myth got started with home/hobby dealers whose business address was their residence.  In that instance ATF certainly could conduct a compliance inspection of your house because it was the same as your business.  

I just had this conversation at work.  Someone who doesn't own and machineguns, has never fired a machinegun and has admittedly never spoken with an ATF agent or FFL/SOT desperately tried to convince me that I was going to have my home invaded by the JBT squad.  Whatever.  This person, while holding a copy of one of my Forms 4 in their hand, tried to tell me that I HAD to have a license too.

I shouldn't say anything so that fewer people buy NFA stuff and help keep the prices down.


DAMN IT! BEAT TO THE PUNCH BY SHAGGY'S EDIT!!!

What Shaggy said.  Now go buy something!

It's true!!!  The ATF provides all the names and addresses on the NFA Registry to the Trilateral Commission who sends out black helicopters to circle the gun owner's house and emit mind control beams that will condition them for their future life in UN controled prison camps in Montana.



Seriously, if a gun dealer gave you that info about the ATF being able to invade your house any time they want he is a complete idiot and I wouldn't do any business with him.  When I'm working gun shows I lose track of the number of drooling morons who come up to my tables and say stuff like "I'd buy a machine gun 'cept'n I don' wanna be on any sekrit gummint lists."

These people are in serious need of a clue.  Not to mention a few more layers of tin foil on their hats.  Avoid these cretins like the plague.

This mostly applies to Class 3 dealers/SOT. The same holds true for ordinary FFLs. The ATF "can" inspect privately owned Form 4 NFA weapons, but I've never heard of it actually being done.

What 7 said Shaggy said.

Just tell him about the "new dealer enforcement and compliance program" you heard about and get a good laugh behind his back.  He is FOS.  Most class III dealers never get checked, or inspected by the ATF.

Actually SteyrAUG you are only 1/2 right.  They can inspect the FORM 4 anytime they like by asking you to produce it.  To inspect the gun is exactly like any other gun - they need a warrant.

Typical dumb ass dealer that doesn't know crap. I run into this all the time. Had a Class 3 dealer tell me that there was no such thing as a corporate transfer. Funny that my corp. owns several NFA weapons and that guy missed out on about 30k in sales.

Thanks to this site and the Internet in general, I know more about the gun business than most FFL's and SOT's in my area combined.

Don't worry, I may have to change my answer; you and SteelRat make excellent points.  The Trilateral Commission's black helicopters are circling my place all the time and when I got my CLEO signoff, they required a computer chip to be implanted in my butt.  The mind control beams are working and I don't notice the JBT's kicking in the door every Tuesday night, but I still want a Krink and prices are just too damn high.  [:)]


Now what happened to all the tin-foil in the house?

God isn't that the truth. Almost every FFL here doesn't know sh#t, but are 100% knowledgeable if you ask them. And gunshows... don't get me started.

My class II dealer had a good phrase about the  "List". If the government has a secret list, me buying 10,000 rds of South African Surplus already got me on that bad boy [;)]

Go for it is my advice.. at least you will be better prepared when they kick down your door..
Just kidding.. NO don't shoot my dog officer!