Where does the BATFE get "ownership history"?

FreedomSight reports on the BATFE's eTrace program, which can supposedly track the ownership history of guns used in crimes. He wonders where they get their data. Good question. Unfortunately, he probably won't like the answer, even leaving aside the fact that it comes from a Brady Campaign webpage:

Do state police perform a background check in addition to federal NICS check? Yes

Arizona: State law requires gun buyers to go through a state-based criminal background check in addition to the federal NICS check.

A state check can retain the data as long as state law allows. I would not be at all surprised if the BATFE could turn that into a mandate to maintain their own records, maybe by having Arizona provide a copy of the state record after the NICS check. Then it's not a NICS record. It's an "Arizona State record".

UPDATE: Commenters at SaysUncle think it's just an internet portal to the old trace system. They may be right. But I wouldn't be surprised if the BATFE is pulling the trick I described above anyway.

Posted on 2005-11-03 23:25:12.0 by matthew@triggerfinger.org

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