We were going through security at the airport in Irvine, CA today.. phone rang and I let it go to voicemail. I checked it right before boarding. Turns out it's the ATF calling wanting a copy of a 4473 from 1998 on a previous FFL I held. When an FFL gives up the heir license, the logbook and all paperwork (4473's) go to the ATF. I had nothing to offer them because they *should* already have it. I gave up that FFL in 1998/1999 because we moved to a condo and could not get the landlords permission. Any of you LEO or possible FFL's know why they would want a trace on a handgun unless it was used in a crime?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: dry-fly,

Seems odd that they would have your current cell phone number from an old FFL listing, I am sure it would have changed after all those years.

I've actually had the same cell number since 2004, oddly enough.

That whole thing seems odd. Of course it is a governmental agency so God knows. I have gotten strange calls from various governmental agencies in the past. It always causes some degree of apprehension. I am curious to find out as well.

I don't see a mystery. When an FFL surrenders the records they are not digitized or entered into a database, just maintained on paper. They called you, and now know which ton(s) of paper they need to look thru.

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:
Seems odd that they would have your current cell phone number from an old FFL listing, I am sure it would have changed after all those years.

Probably not hard for the Feds to find anyone's cell phone number

Just hate the thought of something that went through my hands being involved in a crime. Although realistically it could have changed hands a dozen times after I sold it.

quote:

Originally posted by dry-fly:
Just hate the thought of something that went through my hands being involved in a crime.

I would not give it a second thought.

quote:

Although realistically it could have changed hands a dozen times after I sold it.

True. But, even if it had been used in a crime by the very person who received from you legally, what are you going to do? Kick yourself? Feeling guilty? You did everything legally. You can't control what other folks do.

All true I suppose.

one of the few times you can say no and hang up on them

Not necessarily used in a violent crime. Traces are also done on guns recovered from prohibited persons or recovered under unusual circumstances.

In twenty years the gun may have changed hands multiple times.

Traces can also await in identifying stolen guns. I've seen stolen guns 1) not put into NCIC because the owner does not have a record of the serial number; 2) put into NCIC with the wrong number like the SKU number off the box instead of the serial number and 3) put into NCIC but dropped out because the record could not be re-validated when the agency lost contact with the reporting party.

Good info. Thanks!

If they call again just tell them you surrendered your FFL and they should go away... not a whole lot they can do to you since you're just a random civilian now (assuming all your paperwork was correct when you had your FFL) that's their problem now.

Not a big deal. They get thousands of trace requests a day. Your number just came up.

Well I'm still an FFL/SOT. Current one is a different license though. There was about a several year gap between the two.

Lots of different scenarios. My most fun guess is they confiscated it with a bunch of Fast and Furious guns from a Messican drug cartel. They're upset because it was the only one they didn't sell originally. Now the OP here is in big trouble because they know all the ones they let go were done illegally.

quote:

Originally posted by stiab:
I don't see a mystery. When an FFL surrenders the records they are not digitized or entered into a database, just maintained on paper. They called you, and now know which ton(s) of paper they need to look thru.

Uh huh.

I gave up our FFL in 1996 (Brady Regs couldn't comply with zoning) send 4473s to BATF but kept a copy just in case any stupid stuff would come up. I bet the ATF agent doing to look up thought it would be easier to call you to look up then for he/she try to find in their records warehouse. That also shows that BATF may not have converted any paper records to digital form which against the statute for them to keep in any form, as I remember. Chris

Of all the firearms I've bought since 1994, an FFL has never given or offered me a copy of the 4473 I filled out..

They called me a few weeks ago for a copy of the 4473 on a guy that got denied. I don't know what came of it but when I told him he got denied he asked if the order of protection his wife had on him might do it.