Friday, December 27, 2013

More on Why We Need Background Checks on Private Sales

The Washington Times

Hundreds of high-volume private gun dealers are transferring tens of thousands of firearms every year over the Internet without conducting background checks, according to a report from the gun control advocacy group Mayors Against Illegal Guns based on an investigation conducted from August to October.

The investigation looked at listings on ArmsList.com, a firearms clearinghouse akin to Craigslist, where prospective buyers can check out supplies posted by individual sellers.

The investigation found that “high-volume sellers” — those who listed five or more guns — posted 29 percent of the private seller gun ads on ArmsList.com during the period, a rate at which the sellers would transfer 243,800 guns each year.

Beyond posting ads for multiple firearms, 58 percent of the high-volume sellers contacted by the investigators offered at least one additional indicator that they were “engaging in the business,” including selling guns new or in the original packaging, selling guns for profit and buying and reselling guns within a short period.

15 comments:

  1. Yet another case of MAG conducting a sting operation revealing illegal activity as a call for more laws. If they are engaged in the business of selling guns, then the law already requires/allows them to request a background check.

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    1. You're getting looser and looser with the truth. Isn't it clear that many people who call themselves private sellers are really in the business of selling guns? And isn't that exactly why we need to require background checks on ALL gun transactions? Yes.

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    2. Your claim is that the law is already aimed at them, and they are breaking the law, so therefore we must make a new law aimed at other people. You might think that's the solution, but why do you say I am "getting looser with the truth". Everything I just said is true.

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    3. No to your second assertion, Mikeb.

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    4. The problem is twofold. Many gun sellers don't get the FFL and call themselves private sellers and many gun owners buy guns from these guys to avoid the necessity of a background check. Requiring background checks on all sales solves both problems. But you don't want that. You want criminals and mental cases to have access to guns as long as you're not inconvenienced.

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    5. Revealing new illegal activity, is always the basis for new laws against that activity.

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    6. Anonymous, something can't be illegal before there's a law against it.

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    7. DUH, it's already illegal, we have found out about a new way criminals are skirting the law, thus new laws to plug that hole.

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  2. You see a need, Mikeb, while I see the necessary exercise of our rights. The more guns that are sold without checks, the more hopeless gun control becomes.

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    1. Rights without responsibilities, the site liars dream world. A true hillbilly.

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    2. I'm a proud hillbilly, but in nothing here have I argued against responsibility.

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    3. You refuse any rational rules on gun rights, that's refusing to take rational responsibility for your right, that causes 33,000 gun deaths a year.

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    4. Yes, you are a hillbilly. A lying, stupid hillbilly, who does not care about life, or accepting responsibility for the negative effects of your guns.

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    5. I say hold murderers, thieves, and other criminals responsible. You want to hold good people responsible for the acts of evil people.

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    6. "Good people" understand their rights come with responsibilities. Something you do not comprehend.

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