by Robert Chafin
RTChafin@KeepandBearArms.com

August 11, 2001

The BATF has announced it is amending federal law to add minimum height and depth requirements for new and imported firearms identifying markings. Unsurprisingly, they screwed up their own announcement.

If you go to the BATF press release at: http://www.atf.treas.gov/press/fy01press/080301serialno.htm you'll read these words:

"Specifically, ATF is requiring a minimum height of 1/16 inch and a minimum depth of .003 inch for serial numbers and a minimum depth of .003 inch for all other required markings."

On the other hand, if you go directly to the Federal Register: http://www.atf.treas.gov/regulations/td461.pdf (Page 40596, Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 150 / Friday, August 3, 2001 / Rules and Regulations - 27 CFR Parts 178 and 179), you'll find THIS wording:

"Specifically, we are requiring a minimum height of 1 1/16 inch and a minimum depth of .003 inch for serial numbers and a minimum depth of .003 inch for all other required markings."

There's a small discrepancy of a 1" difference in marking height. But nobody ever accused these guys of being mental giants. My only question is, Should we call and let them know?

KeepAndBearArms.com Note:  Considering the BATF's $760 Million budget for this fiscal year -- their highest ever -- one would think they could hire a proof reader. Guess they are too busy stealing gun collections from private dealers, entrapping legitimate gun dealers on asinine technicalities in order to violate constitutional rights where no true crime has occurred, and practicing being effective gun nazis by using fully automatic machine guns against people who exercise "the right of the people to keep and bear arms."

If you'd like to invest your time notifying the BATF about their failure to successfully and accurately report the facts regarding their unconstitutional "regulations," you can email them here: fea@atfhq.atf.treas.gov. Other contact points are available on their website here: http://www.atf.treas.gov/contact/index.htm. For a good (but sickening) laugh, visit that page and find a link called ATF Customer Service Feedback which takes you to their "Customer Service" page, where you'll find this text:

Feedback

All of us at ATF want to provide our customers with the best possible service. If you do business with us, you can help by giving us your honest feedback. If we've not performed up to your expectations, we'd like you to tell us what went wrong so we can do better next time.

On the other hand, if we've done something you thought was great, we'd like to hear about that too. After all, we want to be sure to keep doing the things you think are worthwhile.

And, we welcome your suggestions. You know best what we might be doing to improve service to you.

Please send comments to atfmail@atfhq.atf.treas.gov. In your message, please include the following information:

* Type of comment - compliment, complaint or suggestion

* ATF service provider to which your comments refer: General/Bureau-wide; Firearms, Alcohol, Tobacco, Arson and Explosives Division; National Revenue Center, etc.

* If you would like us to get back in touch with you, please include name and phone number or FAX.