GAO Study: 72 Attempts to Buy Illegal Guns, All Failed

[BehindBlueI's]

For example, in onescenario we stated that we were a convicted felon; in another scenario,we informed the seller that we had a dishonorable discharge from themilitary.

So...if I want to successfully buy a gun illegally I should not lead with "Hey, I'm a felon. Would you sell me a gun, please?"

 

[JettaKnight]

This "study" isn't really relevant, however.

How many real-life felons would tell a seller that they're a felon? Bueller? Bueller?

It's relevant in that it shows that gun owners (sellers) are abiding by the laws. Apart from felons, didn't they try to do interstate sales? That certainly comes up every now and then and we've even see a few people here telling others to "just do it".

There's plenty of reformed felons, even here we see see request to expunge or whatever... It's not inconceivable that a felon may try and buy a gun to protect his family and his nefarious days are long behind him...

 

[JettaKnight]

Thinking back, we had someone here talking about his friend - claimed to be Dishonorably Discharged for selling a little weed, and wanted to get a gun now.

 

[rhino]

Based on disqualifying information disclosed to the potential sellers, it's clear that the real interest was not to determine the ease of acquiring a firearm and prove or disprove the myth, but rather to find people who will commit the crime of knowingly selling to a disqualified person.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Based on disqualifying information disclosed to the potential sellers, it's clear that the real interest was not to determine the ease of acquiring a firearm and prove or disprove the myth, but rather to find people who will commit the crime of knowingly selling to a disqualified person.

Remember the GAO isn't a law enforcement agency, they are an auditing service. The goal was, as they put it:

Congressional requesters asked thatGAO assess the extent to which ATF isenforcing existing laws and investigatewhether online private sellers sellfirearms to people who are not allowedor eligible to possess a firearm.

 

[Bapak2ja]

Oh, how many of these attempts occurred on INGO?

The feds don't know about INGO! It's our little secret!

Shut up, dude! You'll give away the secret and bring feds down on us , forcing us to move to California where the feds have no jurisdiction!

 

[printcraft]

This "study" isn't really relevant, however.

How many real-life felons would tell a seller that they're a felon? Bueller? Bueller?

Well, yeah, but the idea out there that your average gun seller doesn't care who he sells to is wrong.
People in arguably all instances in this study followed the law and didn't sell to someone they knew or suspected of being a felon.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

People in arguably all instances in this study followed the law and didn't sell to someone they knew or suspected of being a felon.

But INGO told me gun control laws never worked.

 

[KellyinAvon]

So...if I want to successfully buy a gun illegally I should not lead with "Hey, I'm a felon. Would you sell me a gun, please?"

HA!!

 

[rhino]

Remember the GAO isn't a law enforcement agency, they are an auditing service. The goal was, as they put it:

I missed that part in my cursory skimming of the document!

Thank you, sir.

 

[Expat]

But INGO told me gun control laws never worked.

I wouldn't sell a gun to someone that stated they were a felon even if there was no law.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

So...if I want to successfully buy a gun illegally I should not lead with "Hey, I'm a felon. Would you sell me a gun, please?"

Ya know, one WOULD think that but . . . I have cases in the Northern and Southern District would show otherwise.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

This "study" isn't really relevant, however.

How many real-life felons would tell a seller that they're a felon? Bueller? Bueller?

Ummm . . . more than several.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

But INGO told me gun control laws never worked.

That's two. One more and he gets a hat trick and a free sandwich . . . from rhino.

 

[HoughMade]

"Dude...I'm so glad you'll sell to me. You have no idea how hard it's been to buy a gun since I got this felony on my record."

Yeah....not far fetched. You guys understand that the average criminal doesn't approach average intelligence, right?

 

[Kirk Freeman]

"Dude...I'm so glad you'll sell to me. You have no idea how hard it's been to buy a gun since I got this felony on my record."

It's like you were on the grand jury.

 

[rhino]

I have no felony convictions.

In this state.

Under this name.

 

[BugI02]

So responsible gun owners have a far better record of sniffing out bad guys than a highly trained TSA agent. More common sense gun laws that already exist are working.

Did you perhaps mean ATF instead of TSA, because Inspector Clouseau has a better record of sniffing out bad guys than TSA. That bar seems a bit low

 

[GIJEW]

But INGO told me gun control laws never worked.

We're just civic minded, responsible, good citizens. Some people don't need to be told not to drink and drive either.

 

[littletommy]

How many real-life felons would tell a seller that they're a felon? Bueller? Bueller?

You would be surprised. It happens often.