GAO attempts to buy guns illegally online

[Bailey Guns]

Clearly this isn't true because I've been told by dozens of Europeans I've argued with that in America, school children can buy machine guns at Walmart without any ID ... cash and carry.

It's true. That's how I got my full-auto, porcelain Glock 7 when I was only 14.

[clodhopper]

full-auto, porcelain Glock 7

Those are the best.

[Skip]

Those are the best.

Yup. You can walk right through airport security with them.

Serious... How is the GAO now have a interest in gun control? Other than accidentally shattering gun grabber myths, which I appreciate, is this justified to determine how effective the ATF is?

Those of us who enjoy having forums (like this) don't need another rogue agency testing us. Would "surface web" sellers/forums who didn't reject a bad transaction be referred for prosecution?

Accordingly, to demonstrate how the Internet may
facilitate illegal firearm transactions, we decided our agents would
complete the firearm purchases.

To make sure a crime was committed? I guess that's better than walking them into Mexico.

The scenarios based on the GCA covered the following:
• a felon avoiding a background check,
• an individual with a domestic-violence background or a restraining
order against him or her,
• an individual who unlawfully uses controlled substances (or is an
addict),
• an individual who was dishonorably discharged from the military, and
• an individual who has renounced his or her citizenship or is otherwise
an unlawful alien.

Hey seller, yes I'd like to buy your AR-15 but first let me tell you about the coke I use...

[ben4372]

I like that the GAO is unbiased and outside the machine that grinds us so well. I think this really proves that people know that anything on the internet, even in the "dark" web is completely at risk of being monitored. Now I'm going to have to find a "Super Darker" web.

[Honey Badger282.8]

The GAO is interested in anything and everything government agencies do. The GAOs interest is from an accountability standpoint, they’re not concerned with the subject of the program, just the efficacy of it.

[Skip]

"Hey man, I have my MMJ card, will that work to prove my age to you in a F2F?"

How many of you guys would fall for that...

If it were subtle and someone didn't understand it, or too busy to read the full email, I could see it happening. How many casual sellers know the 14 boxes/questions?

If I owned a shop I'd be really concerned with straw buyers in spite of the 4473. Two guys come in to buy and a .gov agency can construe as a straw purchase.

[Aloha_Shooter]

Serious... How is the GAO now have a interest in gun control? Other than accidentally shattering gun grabber myths, which I appreciate, is this justified to determine how effective the ATF is?

Those of us who enjoy having forums (like this) don't need another rogue agency testing us. Would "surface web" sellers/forums who didn't reject a bad transaction be referred for prosecution?

I was initially concerned about that as well but when I opened the report, the first page clearly says the GAO was requested by Congress to assess the effectiveness of BATFE operations, including testing just how many guns were being sold illegally on the Internet. If I understand the situation right, this was actually a response to Congressional concerns about the rogue anti-gun BATFE and DOJ operations under Holder/Obama so this report is a good thing -- it punctures the myths that Holder and anti-gun bureaucrats were using as a rationale for their anti-gun policies and supposed sting operations.

[Martinjmpr]

Back about 15 years ago when Gunbroker was still a relatively new thing I had someone try to do what I assume was a "sting" operation. I had a S&W 4516 for sale and he bid on it and won. As I did with other GB sales I asked him to mail me a copy of a signed FFL so I could ship the gun to that address. He replied that he didn't have an FFL and that I should just put the gun in the mail and send it to him.

He insisted over and over again that it was OK to do this and he also insisted that I send it via US Mail, which makes me think he was likely a postal inspector.

I reported him to GB and re-listed the gun. Kind of wish I'd saved those emails though.

[Skip]

I was initially concerned about that as well but when I opened the report, the first page clearly says the GAO was requested by Congress to assess the effectiveness of BATFE operations, including testing just how many guns were being sold illegally on the Internet. If I understand the situation right, this was actually a response to Congressional concerns about the rogue anti-gun BATFE and DOJ operations under Holder/Obama so this report is a good thing -- it punctures the myths that Holder and anti-gun bureaucrats were using as a rationale for their anti-gun policies and supposed sting operations.

It does puncture those myths, good point! But at a lot of risk.

GAO should be looking at financials... How much does the ATF spend and how much "gun crime" do they reduce.

[Skip]

Looks like this wasn't Trump/GOP...

https://www.judicialwatch.org/blog/2...s-comes-empty/

An investigation requested by two fierce anti-gun members of Congress to determine if firearms are purchased illegally from internet dealers has come up empty. Maryland Congressman Elijah Cummings and Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren demanded the probe in the aftermath of mass shootings and the investigative arm of Congress, the Government Accountability Office (GAO), conducted a lengthy covert operation to try to purchase firearms illegally from internet dealers.

[snip]

As I feared... Another FedGov agency weaponized against the People.

List of FedGov gun control interested agencies...

BATFE
FBI
DEA
DHS
HHS
GOA

List of gun rights interested agencies...