By Dean Weingarten
Arizona – -(Ammoland.com)-A “white paper“, written by the second highest ranking official of the ATF, has been obtained by the Washington Post. The date, official, and reforms mentioned, are all significant. The paper was dated January 20th, 2017, inauguration day.
Ronald B. Turk is the author. The paper expresses “the ideas and opinions” of Mr. Turk. From the washingtonpost.com:
The second-highest-ranking official at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has written a proposal to reduce gun regulations, including examining a possible end to the ban on importing assault weapons into the United States.
The “white paper” by Ronald B. Turk, associate deputy director and chief operating officer of the ATF, calls for removing restrictions on the sale of gun silencers; allowing gun dealers to have more guns used in crimes traced to their stores before the federal government requires additional information from the dealer; and initiating a study on lifting the ban on imported assault weapons.
A number of common sense reforms are discussed in the paper. People in the gun culture will recognize many of them as obvious reforms that would have happened long ago, if there were a sympathetic ear in the White House.
Here are short descriptions of the reforms. The long versions are available in the paper itself.
1. FFL license issued for sales at gun shows only, no sales required at physical address. (This removes much of local “veto power” of FFl license issue)
2. Rational review of “armor piercing” ammo for rifles.
3. Re-importation of Certain DOD Surplus Firearms from Foreign Countries. (Garands and MI Carbines, anyone?)
4. Variances on “transfers” of Machine guns for people in DOD industry and Theater industry.
5. Finding the “use” of a firearms arm “Brace” for non-design purposes does put the firearm in the category of SBS or SBR.
6. New Study on Sporting Purposes because of increased sporting use of AK and AR style rifles.
7. Creation of a database of Agency rulings (mostly open to the public).
8. Moving of Silencers from the NFA to the GCA. (Essentially the Hearing Protection Act.)
9. FFLs to be able to sell interstate at gun shows.
10. Destructive device reform for the industry to benefit the DOD.
11. Change in the number of “crime guns” used in Demand Letter (2) from the BATFE.
12. Eliminate Demand Letter (3) (Southwest Assault Rifle Multiple sales).
13. Reconsider pending request to change from 20 year retention of records to indefinite.
14. Expanding NICS check availability for background checks by FFLs for Employees.
15. Need for an ATF Confirmed Director.
16. A list of old regulations to be considered for removal or amendment. (some significant)
As a long term bureaucrat, this white paper reads as an application for the ATF director spot. It is not likely that the current director will stay at the head of the ATF. He has been tied to the white wash of the Fast and Furious fiasco. The paper fairly screams: I am willing to work with you, and I know how to take direction.
I found it fascinating that the comments at the Washington Post, a left wing, establishment paper, were generally favorable.
The gun culture should consider these suggestions as the opening of a round of negotiations on national gun law and regulatory reform.
All of the listed reforms should be considered the minimum that will be acceptable.
With the ATF on board to testify for these reforms, in front of Congressional hearings, how do the Democrats stop them?
President Trump, master negotiator that he is, will have a list of what he “wants” to get done. Those proposals should go far beyond these. As the Donald has written, in The Art of the Deal
“My style of deal-making is quite simple and straightforward,” he writes. “I aim very high, and then I just keep pushing and pushing to get what I’m after. Sometimes I settle for less than I sought, but in most cases I still end up with what I want.”
If this white paper can be considered as the “low end” of what will happen, the gun culture will be very happy with what President Trump delivers.
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included
About Dean Weingarten;
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of constitutional carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and recently retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
wild bill:
What I take to be your latest says that an act of congress is required to rid us of the ATF, aka BATFE. Assuming that to be correct, what is congress waiting for, perhaps The Next Coming??
They want to do all these changes, non-legislativly so they can change the laws and rulings at will. Especially with a Congress appointed head of the ATF. We should ignore the letter and push through HPA and other pro gun bills.
Where are all the regulations on the evil rocks that have the potential to kill … MURDER IS ILLEGAL AND IF A BAD GUY WANTS TO MURDER HE WILL DO SO REGARDLESS OF ANY LAWS … just repeal the nfa PERIOD cuz I’m not going to murder anybody whether i have a short barrel silenced machine gun or a 22 revolver – maybe we need 10 year olds to start advising all the big shot politicians … jeeeeezzze does anybody have an ounce of common sense
The criminal leadership, re firearms matters of the ATF aka BATFE, should long since been brought to task before the criminal bar. The fact that they haven’t been and are unlikely ever to be, speaks rather poorly for both this nation, and it’s so called judicial system, or system of justice. At this point, the interested party might politely inquire as to what else is new. Unfortunately, not a whole lot. By the way, the afore mention being noted, this citizen cuts The Congress (House and Senate) nomslack at all, for they had and still have the power to bring… Read more »
SIMPLE–Abolish the ATF.
Please note that any regulation that carves out special permissions or rights for a certain classification (i.e.: DoD or LEO personnel) over the rights of everyone else in our society is a clear violation of the equal protection clause in Part One of the 14th Amendment of our constitution. This is ignored when your local LEO can own banned firearms upon retirement in jurisdictions with AWB laws – while their “civilian” neighbors cannot. In my book, any person not serving active duty in the Armed Services are “civilians” – even LEOs – but this is largely ignored. The justification is… Read more »
Mr. Turk, a high level ATF bureaucrat “reformed”, pardon me for sounding cynical, but I have zero faith in these people, the leaders of the ATF, they have lived the lie for to many years, by the way, others have died for and over their lies. Might it be that this fellow who has lately come to reason is concerned as to how much longer his bread will be buttered? I wonder. In my perhaps jaundiced view, they have made to many messes in the middle of the living room carpet for forgiving and forgetting. That having been said, how… Read more »
BATF should not even exist per the Constitution. Make it so again. WHERE in that document are FedGof granted any authority to regulate, control, license, restrict the one piece of tangible personal property specifically named in that Document which mandates government at all levels DO NOT INFRINGE upon our right to own, possess, use, transport, carry aobut with us or have at home? Garangs? The EO prohibiting repatriation of the ones in So Korea is an illegal order, They were made in the USA and are legal to own in every state. Bringing them back should not be an issue.… Read more »
BATFE is a – ” Constructive Fraud ” , from it’s beginning. Sure we need to modernize gun laws , but first we MUST have a Lawfully , properly constructed agency , which the former Federal Alcohol Administration >> Then Bureau of Internal Revenue >> now IRS / BATFE …. is NOT. – It was NEVER created by Congress ! – It Can’t ” Make or write Laws ! ” BATFE is trying to save it’s hide. Even if we ignore the Waco / Ruby Ridge / Fast & Furious MURDERS …… ATF has a long history of LYING under… Read more »
In Washington, DC one well thoughtout hand written letter equals ten thousand e-mails.