Electronic 4473s

[Cabin Fever]

Am I the only one who doesn't like electronic 4473 systems? I know one very popular shop uses them, and I am sure it saves time.

But people complain about the ATF photocopying paper 4473s... an electronic system seems ripe for abuse, and could save the ATF the trouble.

 

[DispositionMatrix]

I just assume it is abused. ATF has allegedly been swooping in on FFLs to get their paper record prior to them being warehoused anyway. As long as they don't call the db a registry and state it is for solving crime they will get away with it.

 

[thormx538]

An FFL told me he doesn't use the electronic 4473 because he's required to make/keep his own paper copies of the form, as opposed to just getting a stack of 4473 forms from the BATFE for free and using them.

 

[one-eyed Jack]

I've had several ATF audits in the last 32 years and was never asked to provide copies of 4473s. They only look at some. Is this something new? Anyway, they like me. Jack

 

[Mr. Brownstone]

Don't they call in all the pertinent info on the 4473 anyway? Doesn't the guy or gal on the other line enter that into a computer to do you BC? Granted, they don't get the exact firearm you purchased. I don't like helping them either, but I have a sneaking suspicion that unless you never purchased anything with a BC, and never purchased any accessories online, they got your info.

 

[dcmdon]

No need for the Thugs from ATF to bring a copy machine to make the copies, Just hand the shop owner a CD and tell him to burn a copy for them. Why Make life easy for the thugs when there is no requirement in the law to do so.

Then the JBTs showed up at Lavasoft (Ed Snowden's encrypted email provider) to get the encryption keys from the company's founder, rather than give them a thumb drive or DVD, he printed the keys out on hundreds of sheets of paper.

Imagine 500 sheets filled top to bottom with gibberish.

A judge eventually ordered them to provide the keys in digital form.

He was barred from telling his customers that he had been forced to give away the keys to the kingdom. So he shut the whole service down instead.

That is a very stand up guy.