He: “I can’t believe it! Some guy I’ve never met asked what guns we own. Answer that and you’ll be targeted during the Great Round Up.”

Him: “But isn’t the fact that you’re a member of a gun forum indicate you might own guns—especially if your forum name seems to refer to something about guns?”

He: “Nah. They’re not smart enough to make that connection unless you actually say you own a gun. But if they do show up at my door, I’ll just say I like to publicly bitch about some politician or celebrity, or lecture other people about what they spend their money on and what TV shows they watch, or post a twelve-paragraph rant because the stores start playing the Let It Snow! song the day before Thanksgiving. But own a gun? Nope, not me.”

Him: “Well, now that you mention it, it does seem that a large number of the people who post about other things all the time never have anything to say about guns or shooting. So, I guess you’re right; that will send them away for sure. I’ll be okay, too, because when they come to my door I’ll just say that all the guns I posted pictures of or discussed didn’t actually belong to me, or maybe that they all fell into an alpine crevasse. Good thinking; we can’t be too safe.”

In general, no need to grandstand. Look at the ‘true crime’ stories, a fair number started with the victim giving help to another.

We have the facebook events, flaunting then targeted.

I’m certainly not paranoid, low crime area, retirees around much of the time. If you drive down my driveway then ‘ask for directions’, don’t be minding if I’m suspicious and get your plate.

quote:

Originally posted by sourdough44:
If you drive down my driveway then ‘ask for directions’, don’t be minding if I’m suspicious and get your plate.

Yeah, that's totally the same thing as throwing a blanket party for a forum member who's been here for four years and doesn't post much when he tries to start a discussion about people's favorite guns on a gun forum. Nailed it.

I was initially admittedly amused by said "blanket party", and even posted my own form of mild participation. Overall, in hindsight, I agree with Para, sigfreund, and Smudge. The initial reactions to that member's OP were not warranted.

I think another contributing factor to the adverse reaction was the fact that members here are more accustomed to more targeted, specific discussion, as opposed to the wider net of a prompt to create lists.

I've done more fingerprint cards than I can remember. I'm documented on probably well over 100 4473s, have a C&R, an NFA item, a CHL, hold a state law enforcement firearms instructor certification, and there's a marked squad car parked in front of my house every night. My gun ownership is thoroughly documented at the federal, state, and local levels of government...and also probably pretty clear to anyone who drives down my street. The "flying under the radar" ship sailed a LONG time ago.

I'm not scared of posting a limited "list" like that on the internet, however in my experience those threads don't tend to generate much discussion. Sometimes there's some good eye candy, but I typically enjoy threads with more depth and detail in the commentary.

As long as you blur the serial number your safe and nothing bad will ever happen.
It even prevents negligent discharge.

lol, yall shoulda met my Dad.

“Why do I have to give them my social?”

“For confirmation”

“I don’t want it stole”

“Dad, the already have it, that’s the confirmation part!”

He bought all his ammo with cash. But also drove drunk hundreds of times. It’s funny what people put their paranoia into.

I too thought the reaction was a little over the top. Presumed it was the number of questions. As singular questions of a similar nature are asked all the time here and there elsewhere.

People are just very aware of the collection of data and the value of data in our modern world.

And if one doesn’t want the data that one is a gun owner collected, one shouldn’t be so much as a member of a firearms-related Internet forum—and that’s just for starters. If the data available here leads to one’s being targeted during the Great Round Up, one shouldn’t be a member at all even if one doesn’t own any guns and the only reason for being here is to demonstrate how closely one follows the antics of the celebrity of the moment or to publicly bitch about inappropriate Christmas decorations. If you’re here, they will come looking for you when the time comes.

I’m kinda getting the vibes that any ‘great roundup’ is now pushed down the road a fair number of years. The grim reaper may come calling before that time.

Yeah, could be lower level silliness.

I'm just sayin'-if there's a Great Roundup, background check done over the last decade would be enabling. Of course, they're not supposed to keep the data, then then again, there's not supposed to be a Great Roundup.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
As long as you blur the serial number..

Refresh my memory. That is so a prospective thief can't copy the SN, then file a police report that the gun is his but was stolen?

Has that ever happened? Cause, gunbroker has a ton of ads where the SN is clearly visible.

quote:

Originally posted by Biker_dude:
Refresh my memory.

I am curious as well, but my initial reaction to the statement was that it was satire.

But if not, what legitimate reason could there be? That has never been clear to me. Making a false complaint to the police about a gun whose actual owner could conclusively prove it belonged to him would be risky, and for what purpose?

I’m gonna start a thread and request everyone list out what property they own, their vehicles, etc. I think it will go over really well and be a smashing success

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
... Making a false complaint to the police about a gun whose actual owner could conclusively prove it belonged to him would be risky, and for what purpose?

To attempt to obtain property by filing and hoping to "claim" said property, or to cause the one that is in possession of property to be wrongfully charged with theft.

Both of those are almost always going to carry felony charges for the one filing the claim.

In other words- "a fools errand".

(and yes, my post on blurring SN is satire)

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:

I’m gonna start a thread and request everyone list out what property they own, their vehicles, etc. I think it will go over really well and be a smashing success

OK. You first.

quote:

Originally posted by KSGM:
I was initially admittedly amused by said "blanket party", and even posted my own form of mild participation. Overall, in hindsight, I agree with Para, sigfreund, and Smudge. The initial reactions to that member's OP were not warranted.

Agreed, which is why I edited my post of the sinking boat. I wasn't really rescued by a pod of dolphins.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

quote:

Originally posted by sigfreund:
... Making a false complaint to the police about a gun whose actual owner could conclusively prove it belonged to him would be risky, and for what purpose?

To attempt to obtain property by filing and hoping to "claim" said property, or to cause the one that is in possession of property to be wrongfully charged with theft.

Both of those are almost always going to carry felony charges for the one filing the claim.

In other words- "a fools errand".

(and yes, my post on blurring SN is satire)

To that end, I’ve encountered this phenomenon taken to a comical new level: guys blurring out the serial numbers on pictures of suppressors. Yeah, an NFA item that gets government approval and paper work done when it goes from the manufacturer to the dealer, again from the dealer to the buyer, and every time after that. Exactly who is going to file a fraudulent police report saying someone stole a suppressor they’ve never owned, when the federal government can instantly check that?

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
lol, yall shoulda met my Dad.

“Why do I have to give them my social?”

“For confirmation”

“I don’t want it stole”

“Dad, the already have it, that’s the confirmation part!”

My father in law is always late in paying bills (and receiving late charges) because he goes to the places (if they're brick and mortar) or mails checks. My wife asked him why he doesn't set up auto pay. He said, "because I don't want them to have my information." What the fuck do you think they have when you write them a check???