Did anyone see the CNN show on 50 BMG ?

[warpspeed]

I was watching CNN and on comes Paula Zahn doing a show about how some US Rep wants to ban civilian ownership of 50 BMG rifles.

Anywaythe guy doing the story, Drew Griffin, flies to Texas, aranges to buy one private party ( non-FFL to non-FFL) with cash and get's back on an airplane and flies home with the gun. I'm not sure where home was for him but CNN says he's based in Georgia.

My Q is, did he break the law? I was not aware that you could go to TX or any other state for that matter, and buy a shotgun or rifle from a non-FFL and take it back home.

[SRT Driver]

Just went through a similar situation. Buyer was two states away so I delivered the rifle to his FFL.

Interstate purchase has to go through an FFL in the buyers home state unless the state is contiguous and state law allows such a transaction.

This is according to the GCA. Someone whom is more in the know might want to chime in.

[chuckbradley]

It gets into a gray area when it is Nonffl to nonffl. Depends on state law. Maybe somebody else can be more precise.

[Kory]

The folks over at Biggerhammer.net sure think he did.

I missed it, I don't have cable anymore.

[pisgahrifle]

He absolutely did. The 1968 GCA specifically forbade interstate commerce in arms between individuals. If this actually occurred, This Drew Griffin character, the rifles seller, and I'd say CNN are all resposible- I say CNN because they facillitated the transaction. I reeeeaally hope someone from BATFE picked up on that program.

[Patrick Sweeney]

The most we can hope for from the ATFE is a stern lecture. What bureaucrat wants to be seen as punishing an innocent member of the press, who was simply tryng to warn us of the eeevils of guns? More likely, they know CNN would go to the mat legally, and exhaust the ATFE budget for the case, fighting any punishments. All the while milking it for all the publicity it was worth.

[Chriss Grube]

Gee it just goes to prove Barrett's comment about controling criminals not guns. They should prosecute the clown but no they'll just pass another stupid law.

[Patrick Sweeney]

<sigh>

If it really rankles you, write a leter to your paper, CNN, whoever might pay attention. But we're veering close to the line on politics here, so take care.

[NSiess]

the real question here is... why were you watching the Communist News Network?

[rhino]

The most we can hope for from the ATFE is a stern lecture. What bureaucrat wants to be seen as punishing an innocent member of the press, who was simply tryng to warn us of the eeevils of guns? More likely, they know CNN would go to the mat legally, and exhaust the ATFE budget for the case, fighting any punishments. All the while milking it for all the publicity it was worth.

Yet, if Joe Bagodonuts did the exact same thing, methinks his life would be getting much more difficult in the near future.

[warpspeed]

the real question here is... why were you watching the Communist News Network?

Channel surfin' and saw a preveiw for the 50 BMG story.

[Chriss Grube]

Because they had 50 bmg's and Paula aint real hard to look at either.

[Too_Slow]

I caught this one tonight while I was at work. They said specifically that it was an inside the state sale. While they did not say where he flew to they did say state resident to state resident. That would make it a legal sale.

[Patrick Sweeney]

Not if the State resident who bought it then handed it to a non-resident CNN employee for transport out of state. That is the working definition of a straw man sale.