We sometimes hear about law enforcement agencies tracing a crime scene gun back to the purchaser. We have also heard about ex-NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg's anti gun taskforce using firearms trace data to prove that guns which were sold in other states sometimes ended up in NYC.
How would either of the above circumstances even be possible if serial number data from form 4473's stayed with the FFL who sold the gun, unless that FFL has since went out of business and the records were returned to ATF?
As I understand the process: A weapon that was used in a crime comes into the possession of police. The police are able to go to the manufacturer and find out where the gun was shipped when it was new, say a wholesaler. They go to that wholesaler and get the name of the retailer that he shipped it to. They then go to that retailer and find out who he sold it to.
So I suppose Nanny Bloomberg could have those guns that were in NYC illegally traced back to the retailer.
It may be that state and city law enforcement officials have to through the feds to do a weapons trace. I don't know.
Used guns would be different. If LEOs were able to trace a used gun back to the retailer it would not be possible using the process I outlined.
