Does the government know what guns everyone has?

[CRBMoA]

But if you're not wearing your mask, or you use too many plastic straws.... No mercy!

Well, straws hurt ERRYBODY.

Federal, State and County buildings really only matter to those of us with jobs and cars that don't run on weed and happy thoughts.

 

[GWS]

This is a little off topic - but sort of close - and it's an interesting story.

Anyway, law enforcement may not know what guns you own, but if they find a specific firearm, law enforcement will most likely figure a way to trace it back to you - which may or may not be bad, I suppose.

Case in point: When I was living and working down in Ashland in the 80's and 90's, I sold my S&W 469 (wish I still had it) to a dude in 1990. Back then, you advertised in the Nickel Want Ads, traded gun for money and the deal was done.

A year later an ATF agent came to my place of work and asked the receptionist to get me. I came out of my office. They guy was pleasant, introduced himself, asked if I had ever owned a S&W 469 and showed me a photo of it. I told him I had and that I'd sold it about a year earlier.

He told me it had been recovered with other weapons in a meth-lab raid outside of Grants Pass. I know the serial number had been recorded by the small gun shop I bought if from on the sales receipt. Not sure how the ATF managed to figure out where it was sold. Or, it might have been that I registered the pistol with S&W for warranty, and they contacted S&W and got my name that way. Not sure.

Anyway, the agent asked me I could identify the guy I sold it to. Showed me a photo lineup of 6 guys. I couldn't identify the guy - just didn't remember.

Still, I keep what I have private unless I'm advertising it to sell. But that's just my preference.

They found you by calling Smith & Wesson who looked up the serial number and told them it was shipped to Distributor Y, who shipped it to gun shop X.
When BATFE called Gun shop X, he pulled his folder of 4473's and told them he sold it to Customer W. You were where the chain got broken by dint of your private party sale.