Here's a story, and I suspect the bottom line is the reporter didn't understand what they were writing about.
Oh come on, Mr. Hardy--the person is a trained, professional "authorized journalist." Who ever heard of them getting anything wrong when it comes to reporting on guns?
My editor at GUNS Magazine sent me a link to this story yesterday. My hip-shot reply:
Not sure how ATF can legally do that since they're specifically withheld funds for the purpose of establishing a database--NICS records aren't supposed to be kept, and it requires a specific trip to a gun store to check form 4473s--unless the store has gone out of business, in which case the records go to ATF (and that may help explain why they're shutting down so many dealers).
It may be a database only of guns reported stolen--just don't know yet. Lemme check around.
So I admit I don't know what's going on. Anyone who does, please feel free to enter a "comment" below and educate us all.