ATF visit over multiple purchase.

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Sinatra_Gunz1

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I have a friend who has a friend in AZ who bought two handguns in a period of 5 business days that got a visit from the ATF last month. They questioned said mutual friend about the purchases and mentioned a few other purchases he made in the past. All quality and relatively expensive semi-auto handguns and rifles. Their stated reason for the visit was his relatively younger age (lower-mid 20s) and lack of documented income. This mutual friend works and has most of his other expenses covered by his parents while he goes to school and uses most of his work money to buy guns and ammo and purchased quite a few over the past year. The ATF agents were polite and didn't make any direct accusations but it's clear they were there because they were suspicious that he wasn't buying the guns for himself but rather for the cartel or something. After a bit of talking he let them into his home and they checked out the guns he still had (he sold a few through legal private sales.) The agents asked him a few more questions then left and haven't contacted him again since. He was respectful of the agents throughout the visit despite being nervous. Said mutual friend bought all of the guns at the same FFL, is just a kid who loves guns and never broke the law in any way but the visit still concerns him. Is this kind of visit common in border states? What may be the result of such a visit? Does he have anything else to worry about or can he simply rest easy now that it's been over a month?
 
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I don't know, they seem to be investigating some suspicious purchasing activity. I am not sure I have a problem with this. For example, if a non-FFL purchases 50 Ruger 700 30-06's in 2 weeks, I might want someone to check that out.
 
Could he have just explained without actually letting them in and looking at his guns?
Although they probably wanted to see if the guns he bought were all still in his possession.
Non the less........
If they come back, he might want to do any other conversations through a lawyer.
 
On multiple buys within a week, it's the law that the dealer is to report the sales to the ATF.

A one-time multiple probably wouldn't raise any suspicions, especially if the dealer told them that it's a regular customer and he's into such and such firearm type and design.

The type of firearm also can raise suspicions. Someone buying multiple Glocks and its type, for instance, might get noticed as opposed to someone buying
multiple older Smith & Wesson revolvers, especially nowadays how those Smiths have become big buck items.
 
Bought 2 handguns in 5 days and had a visit from ATF!!??:eek:
I better get ready for my visit, just sayin'!!:D
 
A friend of a friends, 2nd cousins Uncle...:rolleyes:

I have trouble believing this event even occurred. Like Mark above, id need to see some proof it even happened.

Ive heard untold stories about BATF showing up at somebodys house (in the middle of the night, no less) because that lerson had a REGISTERED nfa item and had therefor "given up" their rights and could be searched any time the BATF wanted.

Its just utter hogwash...
 
@MarkCo

No search warrant. He let them in willingly.

Not like he bought 50, he bought like 9 over a period of a year.

Not making any of this up. I don't see why people would think that. There was no search warrant, there was no coercion on the part of the agents. They were polite and simply asked to see the firearms said mutual friend purchased. He let them in and they processed to ask him questions about the purchases and a few other questions.
 
BATF does NOT show up to someones house without a warrant. Did not happen.

I bought 8 CZP09s...on one form. I have picked up multiple guns on numerous occasions...never anything.
 
Sinatra_Gunz1 said:
....Not making any of this up. I don't see why people would think that. ....
Click to expand...

  1. We don't know you. You're new and have no "track record."

  2. There''s no documentation such as a news story.

  3. It's a third hand, friend-of-a-friend story. The more times a story gets stepped on, the more it can change and the less reliable it is.

Don't get me wrong. You might very well be a splendid, stand-up guy. But under the circumstances, you really can't blame folks for being skeptical.
 
It certainly did happen. Merely seeking advice from those who are more experienced with this sort of thing. Nothing crazy happened, just questions and such. They were cool overall. They inspected the weapons he showed them. They wrote stuff down during the conversation. In the end, they shook hands and left. And they haven't been back since.

I understand the skepticism, but I hope you guys can understand this actually did happen. No reason for me to make it up. Just seeking advice.
 
As a lawyer who likes firearms, I've had people contact me twice about situations very similar to what the OP described. In both cases the BATFE didn't obtain a warrant but just asked for cooperation, which you are free to do. In both cases, the people asked for my advice way too late in the process to help themselves if they did need it.

One guy cooperated politely and never heard from ATF again.

The other person cooperated politely until ATF sent her a "Please sign this letter acknowledging you've been advised to stop dealing in firearms without an FFL" letter - at which point she stopped replying to them and also never heard from ATF again.
 
I think (acknowledging that I'm not sure about this) I would tell them the following:

ATF: "We would like your cooperation in verifying that you are not dealing in firearms. May we come inside to see the two firearms you recently purchased?"

Me: "No. Not without a warrant". However, I would be glad to retrieve the firearms, unload them, and place them on the hood of your vehicle in my driveway for inspection; or I would be glad to bring the firearms to your office for your inspection". "First, I need to verify that you are who you say you are...."

Either I get a "yes" and I would carefully comply; or I get more "talk" and then I would ask for my lawyer to be present.
 
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I don't think you are making anything up but your friend or friend of a friend....well, yeh I have to call him on this. Anyway, to play along and just blindly assume this happened, the gun shop could have reported the sales to your friends friend as suspicious, much like the details of this story.
They can come over to my place, I love talking firearms.
 
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