Is it true...

[JCOJR]

.... that if I send my handgun to have night sights installed, that it will be registered with the Feds? I 've heard different opinions on this. Thanks--JCO

[Fatcat]

No, never heard anything like this.

[Jim Watson]

As I understand it:

A gunsmith has to have a FFL to ship and receive guns.
A FFL holder has to log guns in and out in his "bound book."
The feds can inspect his "bound book."

Registered? A matter of definition, it doesn't go into a central file, but you are on record in that shop as owning that gun.

[C.R.Sam]

Doesn't go into a central file untill the Feds visit the smith and copy the info from his bound book and 4473 forms. That is not legal but they are doin it anyway.

Sam

[George Stringer]

I've never heard of the ATF copying anyone's files unless they are looking for info on a specific person. Or unless the smith was involved in illegal activity. In 27 years I've never had them come in and copy my bound book. I have been asked to provide one copy of a 4473 on a guy who was turned down for a handgun back when the 5 day Brady wait was going on. And you are not on record as necessarily owning a handgun but merely as the person who brought it in for repair or whatever. If you're that concerned about having it "on record" you either have to fix it yourself or use it for a paperweight. George

[JCOJR]

That's what I thought. You all are thinking the same way I am. Technically, it's not registered, but later if they want to find people they can. I guess I'm getting paranoid!

Thanks All! JCO

[LIProgun]

I think we've lost "sight" of the original question. ;) Since it asked about "night sights" in particular, I assume the confusion may be caused by the fact that (IIRC) companies that handle tritium (a radioactive substance) and make night sights are regulated by the feds. Note that those who simply install night sights made by others do not need to be licensed.

So, tritium handlers are registered, but guns with tritium sights are not necessarily registered with the feds.

[James K]

Hi, George,

When BATF decides that "too many" guns sold by a single store have been "subject to tracing" or "associated with a crime" (press quotes), they have been wholesale copying the store's "bound book". There was a suit filed in the Baltimore area recently on this, and the store lost, though they will appeal. As of now, it looks like BATF has taken blanket authority to copy dealer's books and then check the names out; effectively this is registration, which the law never authorized.

Again, we have a case where "give 'em an inch and they will take 100,000 miles" with a federal bureacracy. Of course, they will define "too many" as anything they want.

Jim

[WESHOOT2]

Please remember that YOU take your gun to UPS and ship it 'for repair' to the night-sight installer; no gun shop or BATF involved.

Insure your gun.

[GrandmasterB]

No. If you want to have night sights installed, then just send your slide. You don't need to send the whole gun. There are no serial #'s on most slides (serail #'s are on frames), so even if this were true, how could they register anything since you are just sending a slide?

[JCOJR]

I'd rather be lucky than good. All I did was UPS the slides:) JCO