Gun Tracing Spurious Claims

[DadSmith]

Age Verification - NRA

www.nraila.org

The ATF claims that the National Tracing Center is only authorized to trace a firearm for a law enforcement agency involved in a bona fide criminal investigation. This sounds very official, but gun owners across the country have heard stories of police running a trace on a firearm during a traffic stop. The ATF provides trace counts by category, which one may consider the reason for the trace.

The most common reasons for tracing a firearm in 2020 were possession of weapon (89,905) and firearm under investigation (74,264). Each of those dwarfs the number associated with aggravated assault (16,142), firing weapon (4,158), homicide (10,299), robbery (4,841), and simple assault (6,312).

 

[1gunaholic]

I recall asking for a trace during a traffic stop and was told I needed a valid reason. Didn't matter that the guy had no ID or permit. Times are changing.

 

[Jeepster48439]

Just like any other system. People will figure out how to use it for "unauthorized" purposes if it suits their world view.

 

[jsharmon7]

A “trace” or just checking to see if it’s been reported stolen? Those are different things.

 

[Hawkeye]

Age Verification - NRA

www.nraila.org

The ATF claims that the National Tracing Center is only authorized to trace a firearm for a law enforcement agency involved in a bona fide criminal investigation. This sounds very official, but gun owners across the country have heard stories of police running a trace on a firearm during a traffic stop. The ATF provides trace counts by category, which one may consider the reason for the trace.

The most common reasons for tracing a firearm in 2020 were possession of weapon (89,905) and firearm under investigation (74,264). Each of those dwarfs the number associated with aggravated assault (16,142), firing weapon (4,158), homicide (10,299), robbery (4,841), and simple assault (6,312).

what is the definition of a "trace"?

 

[DadSmith]

what is the definition of a "trace"?

How a Gun Trace Works

Tracking a firearm's chain of custody is standard operating procedure for law enforcement — but the agency responsible for handling requests frequently can't answer essential questions.

www.thetrace.org

I found this article this might answer your question.

 

[Hawkeye]

How a Gun Trace Works

Tracking a firearm's chain of custody is standard operating procedure for law enforcement — but the agency responsible for handling requests frequently can't answer essential questions.

www.thetrace.org

I found this article this might answer your question.

So by "trace" they mean an attempt, likely doomed to failure, to track the ownership of a firearm?

 

[DadSmith]

So by "trace" they mean an attempt, likely doomed to failure, to track the ownership of a firearm?

That's how I take it. I don't think they can delay you very long in Indiana on traffic stops so this would probably eat up those few minutes quickly.

 

[indyartisan]

Once by upon a time a law enforcement officer ran the numbers on my J frame.
He told me to be very cautious as the number was 2 digits off of a gun used in a homicide.
I kept my thoughts to myself about him being 2 digits off on his academy training test.
He had run the assembly numbers on the frame/crane area as opposed to the serial number covered by the extended grips on the butt.

 

[Hawkeye]

Once by upon a time a law enforcement officer ran the numbers on my J frame.
He told me to be very cautious as the number was 2 digits off of a gun used in a homicide.
I kept my thoughts to myself about him being 2 digits off on his academy training test.
He had run the assembly numbers on the frame/crane area as opposed to the serial number covered by the extended grips on the butt.

Probably would not have been a good idea to point that out to him. He might have wanted to disassemble the gun and rerun the serial #.