As Bearing Arms notes, almost no criminal is getting their gun via private sellers at gun shows. There really aren’t that many at gun shows (I’ve been to a few at the State Fairgrounds), and many times they are selling older stuff. But, could there be something more nefarious at play?
Biden Administration to close ‘gun show loophole’
The Biden Administration on Thursday announced they are closing what is often known as the “gun show loophole,” by tightening up the definition of what it means to be “engaged in the business” of selling firearms.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) has just implemented a change in the federal register language, which was previously more specific to who was selling guns, and the agency did it in accordance with the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which was passed in 2022.
The administration rolled out the proposed rule in September 2023, taking in over 300,000 comments from the public.
Prior to the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, those “engaged in the business” of firearms dealer were required to register to become a federally licensed firearm dealer, according to the language previously used. The definition that ATF is implementing on Thursday is more specific to better regulate the market in accordance with the new federal law, according to the White House.
The rule now explicitly lists the types of commercial activities that indicate whether a person should become a federally licensed dealer and thus be required to run a background check; prevents people from evading the licensing and background check requirements by claiming that they are just selling a few guns, according to the White House; and prevents people from falsely claiming that guns are part of a personal collection and exempt a seller from running a background check on a buyer.
The thing here is, the rule may well cover a person selling their guns to people they know or others outside of a gun show. The rule covers pretty much an financial transaction if a profit is being made.
“This is going to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers and felons. And my Administration is going to continue to do everything we possibly can to save lives,” he said. “Congress needs to finish the job and pass universal background checks legislation now.”
Look, I’ve never been against requiring a background check for any gun transfer, but, can the Biden Regime provide hard data that guns sold without a check are getting into bad people hands?
There are over 80,000 licensed gun dealers in America. The Department of Justice estimates that there are over 20,000 unlicensed sellers who are selling firearms through online advertisements, gun shows and other means, according to the White House.
Estimates? They’re passing a rule without data? Huh. Over to that Bearing Arms article
Hidden in the text was a bit that basically paved the way for bigger and more intrusive restrictions. In particular, a bit that seemingly set the stage for universal background checks via executive fiat.
How does the DOJ and other federal agencies know about a transfer unless they know who has what guns?
This is about making things more onerous for law-abiding, responsible citizens who want to buy and sell pieces of their collections to other law-abiding, responsible citizens. It’s about making it look risky for us not to go through an FFL, thus creating a paper trail that can, in time, potentially be turned into a gun registry.
That’s the only way. And criminals, thugs, and gang members will still get their guns through means like theft.