Thanks Mike, that explanation makes sense. As craig notes, we may already have a backdoor registration of sorts just from routine inspections where the books are photographed, and from the collection of records of retired FFL holders who may not have destroyed records after 20 years. Of course, if some law requiring confiscation or registration or licensing was ever passed, I'd imagine the manufacturers would be compelled to provide data showing where the banned or restricted guns they made were sold to dealers.
Another thread currently running here has a few of our British regulars recalling how the government knew exactly where to go when handguns and certain rifles were banned, because of the mandatory and long standing registration scheme. We have also seen how Quebec has refused to destroy the records from the now unlawful Canadian Long Gun Registry. Of course, they could eventually be forced by the courts to comply, but every gun and gun owner in that Registry could easily fit onto a $50 one terrabyte external hard drive, with room to spare. Anyone who believes that has not already been done is probably also dumb enough to believe that Hillary Clinton had nothing to hide when she erased her personal computers server.
So I guess it falls upon us to be smart enough to understand and realize which politicians and which Party have relentlessly worked to restrict the gun rights of law abiding citizens, and to make sure they don't get elected. Membership in the NRA is also the cheapest insurance we can buy to ensure that our kids and grandkids get to enjoy the same rights and freedoms that we did.
