Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire How long are records kept on firearm purchases?

With the prospect looming of the democrat nominee possibly assuming the presidency, by whatever means, and her advocacy of firearms confiscation, the big question is: How long are records kept on legal firearms purchases? What about those firearms one may have prior to the registration process?

It appears to me that gun owners probably face the biggest threat to have their civil rights violated on a mass scale on search and seizure and violation of their 2nd Amendment rights.

I don't believe that the vast majority of gun owners who legally possess firearms would willingly give up a legally owned firearms, as happened in Australia, where they had no 2nd amendment protection.

What's your take on this?

ROUNDUP

I suspect that all records acquired since background checks were initiated are still available. It's not in the nature of government to throw anything away.

From the ATF:

The government does not get the 4473 unless the ffl goes out of business and then they have to send them in. I don't know how long they keep them from there.

Recently, I heard when a ffl calls in for authorization to sell, the batf has to destroy those records in 2 years if no crime was traced to the gun. But they don't.

That does leave it a little in the air.

The ATF isn't involved with background checks. Those go to the FBI, and don't involve any gun or serial number information. It's just a check on YOU to see if you can buy any gun.

On allowed transactions, I believe the FBI is supposed to remove identifying information from the system within 24 hours. On transactions that are denied or open, they can keep them longer.

All govt. agencies only do what the laws allow. Bwa..Ha..Ha..
I crack myself up sometimes.

Does it really matter? If you've ever bought a gun legally. If you've ever had a subscription to a gun magazine, or an NRA membership. If you've ever been on a gun forum, or ever bought anything gun related online. If you've ever bought ammunition with a credit card.

When confiscation time comes, YOU WILL GET A KNOCK!!!

That's why I laugh when people say they want "off paper" guns. I just wonder what they think they're getting away with.

Here's what it comes down to...it's really simple.

When the knock comes:

1 - You'll surrender your guns
2 - You won't surrender your guns

The paper trail is quite irrelevant, and quite honestly the LEAST of your worries if they're confiscating guns.

I agree on the above.

I don't know about you, but I might have a boating accident they might fall overboard.

I just have to get a boat first.

you damn right they are.

Won't mean they won't come looking.

What good does a gun do me if I can't use it.... enjoy it....

Buried and hidden its typically of very little use...

Stand up for your rights when the day arrives.

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BATF - so Mr. Jones we have a list here that says you have a mini-14, a marlin, a savage 110 and Taurus .357

me- no I sold them at a gun show

I lost all of my guns that way, then my boat sank.........

no matter what they say they are keep forever

Since 1968 and the passage of GCA:

Dealers keep a copy of 4473s as long as they operate.
That includes C and R licensees.
Once the license is surrendered or expired, then the paper records are supposed to go to ATF for storage.

At the same time, manufacturers keep a record of what guns were made and where shipped (to FFL or govt agency). That makes it possible to "trace" to point of sale and original purchaser.

However, after the original sale, it gets more difficult because the next dealer (and paper record) is unknown. So tracing usually only works for new guns bought at retail legally. After that, there's a thin trail if any to follow.

Gun haters HATE that. They'd like a little beacon that would light up every evil owner, right? So they want to take all those 4473s and put them in a nice database. Part of their logic is -- when you and I take a gun that has been through several hands down to our dealer to trade in, when that thing goes out the dealer's door, there's another 4473 filed, to eventually go to ATF's repository.

So, a Model 70 that never touched a 4473 since Jack O Connor's buddy bought it in 1949, is now back in the stream of commerce record. Or, if private sales or family transfers need paper -- EVERY gun will be back into the immediate circle of known transactions with known buyers.

So the control freaks want a 4473 of every transaction of every person now. Once they have that, of course they will continue to push for a "database" and then, push to "use the information in the database to keep children SAFE" and then to "find and punish gun addicts" et cetera.

So all this crap about universal background checks is aimed at getting "floaters" or "ghost guns" AND THEIR CURRENT OWNERS back into the information pool.

Well, geek, maybe people like "off paper guns" because they don't feel like filling out the goobermints stupid piece of [bleep] 4473 passive firearm registry documentation - and that's their small way of given the man the finger?

Maybe they just don't want the government, even a stupid piece of regulatory red tape in their [bleep] business?

Maybe its not always how you wonder about things, eh?

First, C&R licensees never use 4473's for guns they sell.
Second, C&R licensees never have to send any records in to the ATF when they let their license expire.

Except emails.

I think they are allowed to keep the records for three years. After that, if you are not suspected of a crime, they are required to delete the data. They likely simply ignore these requirements, however, as the rule of law has largely been abrogated in the US.

I know a guy who has off paper firearms that fire some of the same ammo as his on paper firearms.
That's the reason he buys some junkers on paper.