ATF and ghost guns

[jag2]

I'm guessing the ATF will do something to alter the rules about ghost guns. My bet would be they eliminate the 80% projects. Biden continues to make it seem like a political issue. So if the ATF wants to do it they just issue the rule change, right? Do their rulings need any sort of congressional approval? Are they just worried about the inevitable lawsuits? Seems like Biden would just tell the head of the ATF (yes I know they don't have one right now) to issue the new ruling. Where have I gone wrong in my thinking?

[44 AMP]

I'm guessing the ATF will do something to alter the rules about ghost guns.

Like other gun related things that have been turned into political issues, an actual VALID definition doesn't exist, and new laws/rule changes are not needed (and would not be beneficial to anyone except politicians who need to be seen as "doing something") because these guns, manufacture, use, and misuse are already covered under existing law, and have been for generations.

There is so much poo being flung to spin people up, nearly all of it misleading partial truths and the rest out right lies, demanding that "something be done" and I haven't seen anyone pointing out that this "new problem" is already covered under law.

Just what exactly, as you understand it, is a "ghost gun"??

What is commonly being said is that they are guns made from kits and lack serial numbers. And, that the kits can be ordered by anyone, without any background checks or anything like that.

Partial truth, and misleading. Parts kits do not contain all the parts needed to produce a funtional firearm. They do not contain finished receivers. If it has a finished receiver, it is legally a firearm. If it doesn't, it is NOT a firearm, and firearm background checks don't apply to things that are not firearms.

Much is made of the fact that they don't have serial numbers, so the police cannot trace them. This is another partial truth. They don't have serial numbers when made, and this is legal, so long as they remain in the possession of the maker. If they are sold, they must meet all the legal requirements or a crime is being committed. Making them for yourself is legal, making them for sale is NOT. knowingly or suspectedly selling a gun to convicted felons is also not legal. So, there's a few already existing Federal laws being broken when the cops find one of these guns at a crime scene, in addition to what ever crime was committed at that scene.

"No serial# means cops can't trace them"... no, not exactly. It means cops can't trace them via sitting at a computer or making some phone calls. It means it takes more work, and takes actual investigation on the street instead of looking it up online...more difficult, but NOT impossible. Cops trace dope that way, and none of it has serial numbers.

A person making ghost guns and selling them (without a Federal Manufacture's license) is breaking the law as it exists today, and as it existed 50 years ago. Someone doing that and selling to prohibited persons (felons) is breaking multiple Federal laws. New rules won't change that.

When any of the regulatory agencies wants to change regulations, they cannot just write a new one tonight and start enforcing it tomorrow. There is a process that must be followed, and that includes putting out the proposed changes for public review and comment prior to their adoption. This is the point where the public, (and that includes CONGRESS) can make their wishes known, and the agencies are required to consider them.

Consider this, also, no matter what new rules they propose, or even get adopted, if the govt doesn't prosecute people for breaking the laws, what difference can they make?

When Biden was VP, he got asked, point blank, why the govt prosecuted so few people for illegally trying to buy a gun (by lying on the forms).

His response was a dismissive hand wave and saying "We don't have time for that". I saw him do it.

With that kind of attitude at the top, what do you think rolls downhill??

[Aguila Blanca]

The new rules have already been announced, and we have been discussing them here.