A gun store in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been raided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for selling forced reset triggers (FRTs) and pistols equipped with stabilizing devices.
The store, Shooters Den, was at the center of controversy last month for confiscating a gun owner’s privately manufactured firearms (PMF) for not having a serial number.
The owner, Anthony Stephen, called the ATF on the young gun owners. The ATF now has the firearm as “evidence,” but the ATF and police state that the young man broke no laws. It seems he is not the one at the center of the federal investigation.
The store informed the young man they would serialize the gun without his permission. That action would make it impossible for the man to regain his gun since he is under 21. A pistol can be owned by someone under 21 as long as they are over 18, but someone under 21 cannot complete a National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check for a handgun. All serialized handgun transfers from an FFL must go through NICS.
In March, the ATF started looking into the gun store that has been open since 1986.
The ATF allegedly found a rifle with “illegal” devices attached. The Bureau seized that firearm from the shop and issued a warning to the owner. Mr. Stephen seems not to have heeded the ATF’s warning and continued to sell items that the ATF has deemed disallowed.
The ATF claims that the gun store sold AR-patterned firearms equipped with pistol stabilizing devices. The ATF issued a rule early this year that reclassified most pistols with braces as short-barreled rifles (SBRs). Although several organizations such as Gun Owners of America (GOA), Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), and Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) have injunctions against the ATF’s rule, it isn’t known if the gun store or the store’s owners are a member of any of the organizations.
The gun store was also selling FRTs. The ATF considers this device as a machine gun conversion device. Currently, Rare Breed Triggers has an injunction against the ATF from taking enforcement action against Rare Breed Triggers FRT-15 owners and sellers. The report did not specify what brand of FRTs the store was selling.
In addition to the braced pistols and FRTs, the ATF claims that the store was building firearms without the proper license. There are different types of federal firearms licenses (FFL). To make firearms, a store needs a Type 07 FFL. The store only had a Type 01 FFL, which only allowed the store to sell firearms.
The ATF also claims that Shooters Den was not completing background checks. Not conducting background checks could lead to an FFL being revoked, especially under President Biden’s zero-tolerance policy. The policy has seen a record number of FFLs revoked. This violation is one of the most severe offenses an FFL can make.
The FFL is also accused of not collecting taxes and not reporting taxes. According to the search warrant, the ATF made three controlled buys at the gun store. The government claims that the store sold something illegal to the undercover agents. Because of these buys, the ATF seized all the store’s guns, accessories, and records. According to the Google listing, the store is now permanently closed.
It isn’t clear what charges Mr. Stephen faces.
About John Crump
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