by James Glaser
April 24, 2002

When my Father passed away he left me his guns. This is as it should be and I will pass mine on to my son, but unlike my father will give some to his sisters too. I am of that belief that America is much safer when all of its citizens have and know how to use fire arms.

Well two of my fathers weapons required a Federal Class #3 fire arms license. Being a National Rifle Association member in good standing all I could think of was dealing with those "Jack Booted Thugs" that were at Waco and were out to disarm America. My fears were unfounded.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, and Firearms (ATF) is part of the US Department of Treasury and like the rest of the federal government is a tax collecting group. In fact they or I should say, their department is what paid for our Revolutionary War. Seems even back in 1789 we had a war debt that Alexander Hamilton solved by starting to collect tax on any imported "spirits" You could say that our country was paid for with alcohol, at least the tax on it.

The ATF really got its full power in the regulation of arms with the passing of the National Firearms Act of 1934 and were part of the dreaded Internal Revenue Service. (just kidding you guys at the IRS) In 1972 they were separated from the IRS and made the tax collecting arm of the Department of Treasury. So they are one of the oldest units in our government and it is no surprise, that some form of tax collection has been with us from the start.

Back to my dads guns. They were two single shot, short barreled shotguns. These type of guns were made by several different companies, but all are referred by most people as "handy guns" after the Harrington and Richardson Co.. "Handy Gun" that was so popular. These guns have some value only if you have the proper federal paper work and Class # 3 license, which my father had.

I personally don't think that these particular guns are all that dangerous, but they are shotguns that one could conceal, although to put a thirteen inch long pistol that is kind of thick in your pants for concealment is a stretch. There are so many other weapons that I would pick before these it makes me wonder.

If you want to buy a Class #3 weapon there is a two hundred dollar tax on each weapon, but if you inherit it, the cost is five bucks. It can be a hassle though and that is where I came in contact with the ATF.

There is paper work to fill out and there is, like in all government paper work, fine print. I called the ATF and they sent the papers to me, but I didn't have a clue on how to finish them. Well I could see that this would take a face to face meeting and after reading about these people in the NRA magazine, I wasn't looking forward to this. I really envisioned after reading reports by Wayne LaPierre executive Vice President of the NRA that I was going to meet twenty first century Nazis or at least our own brand of the Gestapo.

I called to their ST. Paul Office and they said to come anytime and some one would help me. I prepared though. I wore my VFW jacket and my Marine Corp Veteran ball cap just so they would know that I was OK. Of course having quit shaving after getting out of the Marines in 1969 and the fact that I haven't seen a barber since my daughter graduated about four years ago might have off set the look I was going for.

The men and women of the ATF that I met were nothing but professional. Their appearance and demeanor made me think that they not only knew what their job was, but that they were happy to help me get the paper work correct, so I could legally own my dads guns. We talked guns and at least the officer I spoke to the most really knew his stuff.

Still being the Federal Government, there was lots of paper work. I had to go to my Itasca County Sheriff and get him to write that I was not a threat to society. I had to get finger printed so the FBI could check out if I was a law abiding citizen with no felonies. I had to get two sets of passport photos and yes the Cashiers Check for ten bucks (five for each gun). A certified copy of my dad's death certificate and a signed form from my mother (executor of the estate) that I was the legal Heir.

A few months later I received my license and now I am on some BIG LIST of gun owners which really makes me wonder if I really want these guns.

That Waco thing and the reputation that the ATF officers have to carry, is in my way of thinking a bad rap. Some one really screwed that whole thing up, but hey, I was in the Marines and I know that the troops can get the blame for what their leaders do. It doesn't matter if it is the Marines or the ATF, the men and women in either service are taking orders from their superiors and while in the service one tends to believe that the leaders know what they are doing. It is only after a real foul up that the troops start to second guess orders and ask questions. I am sure that Waco, has made many in the ATF ask questions and check out "facts."

I can not help but believe that Waco has made the ATF a much better organization as far as we citizens are concerned. I am also very sure that the people in charge of the ATF now think about the consequences of their actions and unlike Waco, think of the safety of those men and women that work for them. It is just such a shame that it takes something as horrible as that to tighten up a department.