Got a letter today.....

[chances R]

from the an out of state police dept./detective.  Said they had an open investigation regarding one of my handguns.  Gave purchase date and serial number obtained from ATF database.  Long story short, call and answer a few questions and they would possibly make arrangements to return said gun.   Two comments : 1)  said gun has never been out of my possession and still is in my safe.   2)  I wasn't aware that the ATF keeps a database on all gun purchases.

followup call simply says must have been a mistake in the relay of the serial number  

 

[Ski]

Do they get a list of all guns sold by manufacturers (presumably to distributors) or imported?  I hope someone comes along soon with an explanation, because they shouldn't have a database of retail purchasers--at least as I understand it.

 

I wonder what they do with the paperwork they get from FFL holders that relinquish their license.  If they bother to enter that into a database, that might explain it.  I'm not sure that sounds good, either.

Edited July 12, 2017 by Ski
Added second parahraph

[Ronald_55]

What do they do with the info given on the background check sheet?

Did the person you talked to seem to jive like it was he real detective?

[hipower]

You are all mistaken. There is no lasting or permanent record of all our purchases. Anywhere.

Don't you believe that? I do...really. I do.

[Ugly]

Does anyone actually think the gov isn't building as many databases that they can? Buwahahahaha

think we still have privacy? Even more laughing!!!!!

It's not funny at all but we aren't spending our hard earned tax money to build the largest day storage facility in the planet for nothing. (Or built by now)

OP, glad it wasn't your actual firearm involved in the issue but if I were a betting man, it would be that our gov has as many records of firearms that there are in existence at their fingertips. 

[Ronald_55]

Hasn't anyone ever watched Red Dawn? 

[DaveTN]

https://www.thetrace.org/2016/08/atf-ridiculous-non-searchable-databases-explained/

 

[Sam1]

A record of purchases?  wha??? lol

[MasterG_SP01]

Did you independently verify that this guy is actual LEO? Sounds flaky to me.

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk

[peejman]

1. They have a manufacturer and serial number.

2. They contact said manufacturer and ask which distributor received it.

3. They contact the distributor and find out which retailer received it.

4. They contact the retailer and find out who bought it.  

Detective work 101.  There's  nothing new about that process. 

So they have an incorrect model, incorrect serial number,  or duplicate serial number. 

[chances R]

FYI, called the main PD phone number, not the one provided in letter.  Confirmed detective's name and was transferred to that unit.  Another person runs that detective down and speak directly to him.  He explained there could be a number mix-up, sorry to bother me.  Retailer is out of business.  All 4473 are stored at ATF.  I assume they do leg work of looking up "wrong" number.  All sounds reasonable to me.  Like most I still remain skeptical that there is not a somewhat real database somewhere.  Anyway, not my gun and not my problem; just thought it was interesting and threw it out to TGO.

[peejman]

When an FFL holder surrenders their license, all their records go to the ATF.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/10/27/firearms-national-tracing-center-atf/74401060/

 

[Steelharp]

56 minutes ago, chances R said:

FYI, called the main PD phone number, not the one provided in letter.  Confirmed detective's name and was transferred to that unit.  Another person runs that detective down and speak directly to him.  He explained there could be a number mix-up, sorry to bother me.  Retailer is out of business.  All 4473 are stored at ATF.  I assume they do leg work of looking up "wrong" number.  All sounds reasonable to me.  Like most I still remain skeptical that there is not a somewhat real database somewhere.  Anyway, not my gun and not my problem; just thought it was interesting and threw it out to TGO.

There's your explanation. Retailer closed up shop, so ATF has the records. Pretty simple.

[DWARREN123]

I believe the government has records that they should not and that firearms purchases are just one example.

[bersaguy]

1 hour ago, DWARREN123 said:

I believe the government has records that they should not and that firearms purchases are just one example.

You have got to be kidding if you don't think they know more about you than your wife does!! Think about it. Your assigned a social Security number 3 days after your born and they can track you from that day on! I can honestly say I really don't care what they know about me because (1) There is nothing I can do about it and (2) I don't plan on doing anythng that would make them have reason to take a close look at me beyond what they do on an everyday basis! The only one I know for sure they don't really know the truth about is Obama because according to his records he was born in Hawaii and had a Connecticut Social Security number and never did provide a true birth certificate but you can bet they know about you and I.................JMHO

[Garufa]

9 minutes ago, bersaguy said:

You have got to be kidding if you don't think they know more about you than your wife does!! Think about it. Your assigned a social Security number 3 days after your born and they can track you from that day on! I can honestly say I really don't care what they know about me because (1) There is nothing I can do about it and (2) I don't plan on doing anythng that would make them have reason to take a close look at me beyond what they do on an everyday basis! The only one I know for sure they don't really know the truth about is Obama because according to his records he was born in Hawaii and had a Connecticut Social Security number and never did provide a true birth certificate but you can bet they know about you and I.................JMHO

If people weren't so willing to give up that SSN to any private business that asks for it The Man might have a harder time keeping tabs.

[Randall53]

5 hours ago, peejman said:

When an FFL holder surrenders their license, all their records go to the ATF.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/10/27/firearms-national-tracing-center-atf/74401060/

 

And how, my friends, is that not a database of firearm sales?