The Paper Trail

[jdp8883]

I have only lived in Texas for 3 years and I realize the state keeps no record of new firearm purchases at dealers and retailers. As far as I know the only relationship between the dealer and government is the quick phone call on the background check. But when that phone call is made to that agency (FBI?) is there any record of that kept? Even if it is just a record of the background check having taken place?

Secondly, my brother talked to a gun dealer in Ft Worth once and asked him about the paper trail. The dealer (don't know if it was the owner or just an employee) told him that the sales receipts stay in his shop, but if he closes down shop then those records go to either the Federal or state government.

If this is the case then how convenient it would be to restrict gun and ammo sales so much that many smaller dealers would be forced to go out of business forcing me to buy my guns at big box stores like Academy that won't even take the damn trigger lock off the gun so I can test the pull of the trigger! But I digress

Just curious and concerned

 

[willygene]

the state gets nothing if they close but the records would have to be sent into the atf as far as the trigger lock goes if you dry fire a gun in most gun stores you might as well buy it i would be mad as hell if someone dry fired mine.

 

[Texas1911]

The call is made to a branch of the FBI, and there is no record kept of the transaction on their end. They have to destroy their records following 24 hours, although they have been caught not doing this once before.

The records go to the ATF following closure, which is simply the 4473 you fill out to purchase the firearm, otherwise the dealer retains the 4473 forms.

If the FBI started denying people through the NICS call there would be alot of lawsuits filed against the Government, and alot of pissed off retailers. It wouldn't exactly be convenient for them. In fact, when the original NFA came out the Government was not issuing tax stamps, and the Supreme Court ruled that it was malpractice.

Dry firing does not hurt modern centerfire guns, and some rimfires can be safely dry fired.

 

[willygene]

you are correct on the atf but dry firing without a snap cap will eventually harm any firing pin on any modern gun if the hammer is making contact with the firing pin.

 

[Texas1911]

you are correct on the atf but dry firing without a snap cap will eventually harm any firing pin on any modern gun if the hammer is making contact with the firing pin.

You'd have to dry fire the thing like 50,000 times to even see any damage.

 

[willygene]

i just replaced i firing pin in a modern firearm because it was dry fired and i replaced one that was bent from dry firing in another that my father has, this is why they make snap caps and if you ask any modern firearm manufacture they will advise against it and not do waranty work for free if the gun was abused in that way. when i was in my twenties i thought that you could just dry fire all you wanted well several replaced firing pins latter i now know better it doesn't take fifty thousand rounds to break one dry firing.

 

[Big country]

If you're dry firing it would hard to get to 50,000 rounds fired. LOL (sorry I couldn't help it) And dry firing a a modern fire arm will not hurt it as bad as one might think. In many modern handguns a dry fire is required to strip the weapon. I have dry fired my model 70, CZ, and XD I don't know how many time practicing trigger pull and I have yet to ever replace a firing pin. I'm not saying that there is no way it can hurt the weapon I'm just saying that it is very unlikely on a stock weapon. Are any of these weapons that were dry fire damaged modified or upgraded in any way? (i.e... heavier recoil spring, lighter firing pi etc..)

 

[willygene]

nope bone stock out of the box, the only weapon i have that i don't worry with a dry fire is my glock . Im not inclined to take the chance as snap caps are cheaper than new part's that way i know when i need my weapon to go bang it will.

 

[Slotback]

Like Texas1911 said, the ATF form 4473 remains with the dealer until the dealer ceases to be in business. Then those files go to BATFE. And periodically the dealers books/files are audited to make sure that they are in compliance. From my understanding it's somewhat a pain in the butt for the dealer but not that big of a deal, as almost all keep their i's dotted at t's crossed. A FFL can give you more information.

 

[texas1willy2]

bookmark

 

[MadMo44Mag]

Dry firing any modern fire arm like a Colt , Rossi and others where the firing pin passes through the frame to make contact with the primer will damage the firing pin. In most of these design the firing pin is pined to the hammer assembly.
The primer acts like a stop and without a snap cap in place the firing pin shoulder becomes the stop.
Repeated use will wear the firing pin shoulder to the point the pin bends, breaks or gets jammed in the frame. It can also over time damage the frame.

 

[WhoDat]

I wouldn't buy a gun, without dry firing it first. And I've unexpectedly bought guns, based upon how well that dry-fire went (my first Sig)...

So, if it hurts the weapons, shops should have snap caps. I just can't fathom the thought of buying a weapon, without feeling the trigger.