Asking to See Papers

[Aszerigan]

Comments on the "5320 isn't for suppressors" discussion has me wondering.

I'm curious - has anyone ever been asked to see papers from an LE agency? I see how it could happen at a range, especially with an MG, but has an officer / ranger / sheriff / ATF ever asked to see your papers?

Not debating the "they have no right" argument so let's not go there. I'm only interested in personal experiences. If so, how did it go?

 

[Creedmoor]

I was asked by a Maryland State Trooper once, if my paperwork was in order with him having a call to our familys farm. I said yes sir it is, would you like to shoot one or two of them?
He left about 30 min later.

 

[ed1838]

Is it required to have papers/stamp with the firearm if on private property?

 

[Aszerigan]

Is it required to have papers/stamp with the firearm if on private property?

Technically, yes. But a photo of the form on your phone is good enough.

 

[Sigblitz]

 

[Nicu757]

I have never been asked. We had a sheriff come by my friends house with many class three toys out and he didn’t bat an eye. Didn’t ask. He checked out the toys asked some gun guy questions and left. I shot with a state trooper at the range and same thing. Asked about them but didn’t ask to see papers. Of course I had them handy if they would. It is not worth the trouble in my opinion. I get it’s not their business but I don’t need the head ache when I have my affairs in order.

 

[42769vette]

I have. I was pulled over on my way home from Montana. I was driving through Sturgis SD (happened to be bike week) apparently Sturgis is well known for gun running.

LEO pulled me over, could see a couple guns, ask if there were more. I had 4 rifles, 3 pistols, 3 suppressors. I told him what I had, and he wanted to inspect. When he realized it would involve 30 minutes of unloading a packed to the brim mini van to get to, he checked 2 pistols, 1 rifle, and 2 suppressors that were easy easy to get to. He decided if those were all clean no sense in unloading everything.

I actually enjoyed our 20 minutes of talking to him while numbers came in about bike week stories.

 

[BR8818]

I've never been asked to see papers, but I do find it strange how many people ask "is that legal?"

 

[jwamplerusa]

I do find it strange how many people ask "is that legal?"

That is due to 90 years of propaganda, and utter ignorance of ones natural rights as protected by the Constitution.

 

[r3126]

Just put copies of all on my phone. Thanks Azerigan for the suggestion.

 

[WebSnyper]

I have. I was pulled over on my way home from Montana. I was driving through Sturgis SD (happened to be bike week) apparently Sturgis is well known for gun running.

LEO pulled me over, could see a couple guns, ask if there were more. I had 4 rifles, 3 pistols, 3 suppressors. I told him what I had, and he wanted to inspect. When he realized it would involve 30 minutes of unloading a packed to the brim mini van to get to, he checked 2 pistols, 1 rifle, and 2 suppressors that were easy easy to get to. He decided if those were all clean no sense in unloading everything.

I actually enjoyed our 20 minutes of talking to him while numbers came in about bike week stories.

Where exactly did he check the numbers? Just local stolen gun reports? Just curious. Did he ask to see tax stamps on the suppressors?

 

[42769vette]

I'm not sure where he checked them. He punched the serial numbers on guns and cans into his computer. Im not sure if he ask to see stamps, or i volunteered them. They were in the front pounch of the case, so showing them seemed like it would make everyones day easier.

I believe he thought he had caught a big fish with the suppressors.

 

[KJQ6945]

I have never been asked to see a stamp by law enforcement, nor have I had any interactions with any, short of my buddys.

As a former cop, most law enforcement officers wouldn’t have a clue what they were looking at if I showed them a stamp, or a 5320. These are federal forms, that literally mean nothing to most local cops. They will just run the make, model, and SN through IDACS/NCIC through their dispatch to see if it returns a hit as stolen. (IDACS is indianas database, names vary by state)

ATF forms are a federal matter, and generally the local guys could care less.

 

[KJQ6945]

This brings up Shoot Point Blank, demanding to see a stamp from VUPD several years ago. They have no right. A stamp is nothing more than a tax form. Imagine going to the car wash, and they demand to see your vehicle registration, also a tax form, before they’ll wash your truck.

An NFA form must be presented to the ATF upon request, per the form. That makes sense, no big deal. But, often times, NFA items are illegal in states, without approval from the ATF.

Per the form, only the ATF can demand to see the form, but, failure to produce it could get you arrested by the locals, as machine guns (and other NFA items) are only legal with ATF approval, AKA, a stamp.

Show the stamp to anyone with a badge requesting to see it. If a range officer demands it, go somewhere else.

 

[shootersix]

So, our private gun club is very law enforcement friendly, several police, sheriff’s departments, game wardens, even a few federal law enforcement agencies use our range (at a greatly reduced rate!), we let them do things that members can’t (shooting at vehicles, small explosives and such), in fact we’ve only turned down 1 request! (Excise officers wanted to test the affects of alcohol on their officers since they might consume alcohol during an investigation) and our club rules state no alcohol on premises! (Plus…well drinking and shooting is kinda dangerous!)

But one time while epd was training at the range, two “rookies” were walking to the bathroom, and stopped and asked a member to see the tax stamp of a member shooting a suppressor, he obliged, then called the club president, who in turn called the chief of police who then instructed all the firearms instructors to remind the officers that we are doing them a great favor in allowing them to use our range, and they were not to harass the club members!

A few months later, the assistant police chief came to our board with a request for something (training time I think), and since I wasn’t on the board when the above incident happened, I asked a question about the incident, he looked me in the eye and said “if anything like that happens again, you get the officers name, and you call me directly! I’ll handle the situation!”

 

[pitbulld45]

I've never been asked to see papers, but I do find it strange how many people ask "is that legal?"

I have never asked for papers either, I don't really care as long as they aren't pointed at me

 

[BR8818]

....range officers

I've never had a RO ask that. It's always the other people there shooting around me. Next time someone asks "is that legal?" I'm just gonna and say .

 

[STFU]

This brings up Shoot Point Blank, demanding to see a stamp from VUPD several years ago. They have no right. A stamp is nothing more than a tax form. Imagine going to the car wash, and they demand to see your vehicle registration, also a tax form, before they’ll wash your truck.

An NFA form must be presented to the ATF upon request, per the form. That makes sense, no big deal. But, often times, NFA items are illegal in states, without approval from the ATF.

Per the form, only the ATF can demand to see the form, but, failure to produce it could get you arrested by the locals, as machine guns (and other NFA items) are only legal with ATF approval, AKA, a stamp.

Show the stamp to anyone with a badge requesting to see it. If a range officer demands it, go somewhere else.

SPB (or whatever they are calling themselves now) sucks.
The last time I was there (about 5 years ago), I was asked for my tax stamp when I went to the range. That was the beginning of the end. The nail in the coffin was when they started demanding your ID just to buy ammo.
Don't give them a dime.

 

[GunsCarsPlanes]

SPB (or whatever they are calling themselves now) sucks.

That's what happens when you start spending your money at corporate soul sucking stores.... they care way more about their bottom line and any interruption in their revenue stream no matter how that disruption may appear. I bet you anything some pencil neck lawyer in a boardroom from the legal team said they can get insurance .004% cheaper per year if the prove they are auditing tax stamps and making sure they aren't going to pop up in the news for allowing illegal owners of suppressors in their store.

Go small go local

 

[STFU]

That's what happens when you start spending your money at corporate soul sucking stores.... they care way more about their bottom line and any interruption in their revenue stream no matter how that disruption may appear. I bet you anything some pencil neck lawyer in a boardroom from the legal team said they can get insurance .004% cheaper per year if the prove they are auditing tax stamps and making sure they aren't going to pop up in the news for allowing illegal owners of suppressors in their store.

Go small go local

And go outdoors!