WaPo: Senior ATF official proposes loosening gun regulations

[aikoaiko]

Looks like Ronad B Turk, the author of the white paper, might be vying for the top slot.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/senior-atf-official-proposes-loosening-gun-regulations/2017/02/06/beeb1120-ec7c-11e6-9662-6eedf1627882_story.html?utm_term=.d3b0ccb7f9cb

The second-highest-ranking official at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has written a proposal to reduce gun regulations, including examining a possible end to the ban on importing assault weapons into the United States.

The “white paper” by Ronald B. Turk, associate deputy director and chief operating officer of the ATF, calls for removing restrictions on the sale of gun silencers; allowing gun dealers to have more guns used in crimes traced to their stores before the federal government requires additional information from the dealer; and initiating a study on lifting the ban on imported assault weapons.

“Restriction on imports serves questionable public safety interests, as these rifles are already generally legally available for manufacture and ownership in the United States,” Turk wrote of the ban on imported AR-15s and AK-style weapons.

The 11-page white paper, obtained by The Washington Post, is titled “Options to Reduce or Modify Firearms Regulations.” The proposal opens with the wording of the Second Amendment and is dated Jan. 20.

Here is a link to the actual white paper:http://apps.washingtonpost.com/g/documents/national/read-the-white-paper-on-firearms-regulations/2325/

Here is my attempt to trim the list of suggestions into one sentence lines and my view:
1. New Federal Firearms License specifically for online and gun show sales.
Good:This may help increase NICS checks at gun shows which is something we all want.

2. Redefinition of “armor Piercing Ammunition.”
Good:This has long been overdue. Most deer hunting cartridges are 'armor piercing' by current definition.

3. Lifting the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, and M1911 Army Surplus Importation Ban.
Good:This was the strangest prohibition that merely added fuel to the gun culture war -- these firearms are not fully automatic and very interesting to collectors.

4. Eliminating Law Letter Requirements.
Good:This only affects a small number of transfer of post 1986 machine guns from FFLs to FFLs and government agencies.

5. Reversing the decision on shouldering a pistol brace enabling the mass shouldering of pistol arm braces.
Good:This made no sense to consider the misuse of something as a "redesign" of that thing.

6. Redefine “Sporting Purposes.”
Good:Its clear that because of tactical sport shooting the definition of sporting purposes needs to be expanded.

7. Make agency rulings searchable.
Good:Knowledge is power.

8. Remove silencers from the NFA.
Good: I welcome this because silencers do not make firearms silent (just quieter) and this really will protect hearing and reduce problems with ranges near other properties.

9. Allow interstate firearms sales at gun shows.
Good: This makes sense.

10. Reclassify “destructive devices” so that only the launcher, not the munition, is considered the registered “destructive device.”
Good, but I can see why some people might be worried about how this might increase the lawful purchases of multiple munition DDs. I'll definitely pick up a launcher for one of my ARs.

11. Raise the threshold for “grey market” records reporting.
Ok: Neutral change.

12. Eliminate “multiple gun reporting” for border states.
OK: The FFL rules should be consistent across all states.

13. Reduce record retention requirements.
Ok:but we really should go digital.

14. Allow NICS checks for non-gun purchases like running a NICS check on prospective gun store employees.
Good: Makes a lot of sense.

[jmg257]

1. Sounds OK to me...

There are many regulatory changes or modifications that can be made by or through ATF that
would have an immediate, positive impact on commerce and industry without significantly
hindering ATFs mission or adversely affecting public safety. There are also areas where
adjustments to policy or processes could improve ATF operations. Alleviating some of these
concerns would continue to support ATF’s relationships across the firearms and sporting
industry, and allow ATF to further focus precious personnel and resources on the mission to
combat gun violence.

In addition to these points of discussion, it is vital for ATF to find resources to refresh aging
technology and systems that support law enforcement and the firearms industry. Functionality
at ATF’s Martinsburg facility and other areas has been severely hampered by outdated
technology and systems that negatively impact ATF’s ability to provide services and
information.

[Break time]

2. Silencers

They have always been misnamed, they are mufflers not "silencers" Originally meant to help protect your hearing, they no way make a gunshot "silent"

[Calculating]

10. Yes

They're a legitimate health and safety item which people are only afraid of due to Hollywood movies. They don't completely silence a gun, they merely bring the DB level down to a more manageable amount which won't cause immediately hearing damage to everyone nearby. Very useful for hunting, home defense and rage use. Suppressors are even considered a courtesy item/required in a number of European countries.

Banning suppressors is as silly as banning car mufflers because 'loud pipes save lives!"

[Hoyt]

3. Well the majority of white wing gun fanciers voted for Trump, why not pay them back.

[aikoaiko]

4. The things is the Obama admin could have done this stuff and undercut the NRA.

Oh well.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

5. Government thrives on war...

...even if it's only culture war.

[Hoyt]

7. So do white wing racist gun nuts, the majority of fanatic gun owners.

[Hoyt]

6. Maybe Obama admin saw problem we are creating with white wing racist gun nuts.

[aikoaiko]

8. Hoyt, read the white paper. These rule changes wouldn't make violence more likely to happen

Its not like there is some RW racist who decided not to go on a shooting rampage because he could not get a Garand rifle reimported from Korea.

or because he couldn't get a sound suppressor without paying a tax stamp

or because he didn't like the idea of records being stored infinitely

etc.

SMDH

[Hoyt]

9. More gunz, normalization of guns, armor, suppressors, etc., are all part of white wing efforts.

[aikoaiko]

11. and lions, tigers, and bears, oh my.

[IMG][/IMG]

Hoyt, Democrats on the left will benefit from these changes too. I will likely pick up some suppressors and 8-round Garand rifle from Korea and they won't be involved with any right wing evil plan.

It always astonishes me how far you will go to spread partisan-based fear instead of addressing actual gun violence issues.

[Hoyt]

18. Gunners will benefit, not society. Enjoy your new toys.

[Break time]

20. I knew it

There is a use for the ignore button afterall....

[Calculating]

12. That attitude is unproductive towards winning elections

Americans love their guns. Most of the young people I know tend to like 'assault weapons' due to games like COD/Movies/Zombie stuff etc. If you go to a gun show lately it's mostly 'black rifles' now. Like it or not, rifles like the AR15 have become some of the most popular guns in America.

[Hoyt]

17. Confederate flags are popular among racists/militia types too, but we don't have to condone them.

Since you apparently go to gun shows, tell us about the diversity you saw.

[rockfordfile]

21. true

[jmg257]

13. "More gunz, normalization of guns?" Too late - wiith 400 million in the country -

and record numbers sold every year, they are fairly normal already.

Might find it interesting how much the white paper refers to the gun industry.

These general thoughts provide potential ways to reduce or modify regulations, or
suggest changes that promote commerce and defend the Second Amendment without
significant negative impact on ATF’s mission to fight violent firearms crime and regulate the
firearms industry.

[HAB911]

15. funny how many side with the rethugs isn't it?...n/t

[Hoyt]

16. It definitely is. Should have seen them when George Zimmerman's trial was going on.

[HAB911]

19. I noticed

that you are banned on the RKBA board, some of my posts there have been under severe scrutiny, shall we say. It seems pro-sports and guns bring out some of the most passion here, lol.

[HAB911]

14. yep.........n/t