Finally got somebody at the ATF...

[roundball]

Every week I'd find and try another Email address on their website, never got a reply, or would bounce as an Email no longer in service, etc.
Finally I forwarded all the Emails to the "webmaster" last night asking if there was anything that could be done to get me connected with somebody who could answer the question about "selling" black powder to a fellow shooter.
This is the first reply I've received from the ATF...hopefully I'll get another one.
===============================================

"...Thank you for your e-mail inquiry to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). We have sent your e-mail to the appropriate office to respond, The ATF Public Affairs Division..."

 

[RC]

see they even got red tape on emails! don't give up! :thumbsup:

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

May be something positive.... :thumbsup:

 

[Bubba45]

Ya , you'll probably get a responce allright.....3 o'clock in the morning and your door kicked in with a teargas grenade for breakfast.
Some of the foul ups they have done in the past it would not surprize me one bit.

 

[rabjr]

Lol, they are just stalling for time in order to get the shock troops together and headed your way to knock down your door. :shocked2:

 

[roundball]

Ya never know of course, but that might be a wee bit of a stretch for this... :grin:

 

[rabjr]

:haha: Beat me to it Frank.

 

[BrownBear]

"...Thank you for your e-mail inquiry to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). We have sent your e-mail to the appropriate office to respond, The ATF Public Affairs Division..."

Why am I not suprised?

There are ZERO risk takers in the federal government now because they get burned every time they express an opinion not passed through their lawyers. It once took me 17 months to negotiate a memorandum of agreement between the feds and some other entities. Everyone else agreed and signed with a month.

So what are you planning to do for the next 16 months while waiting for an answer, Roundball?

 

[davemcg]

De gub'ment at it's finest.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[renovato]

Ya might outta have used snail mail. I've written to them a few times in the past and always got a written reply in a few weeks. Kinda nice to have it in writing too, not that it'd do any good in court I guess.

 

[jtmattison]

That's a start.

Don't hold your breath waiting for a reply.

HD

 

[MSW]

well, roundball, you're a more patient fellow than i.

thanks for sticking with this project- i would have abandoned it long ago... just out of curiousity, please let us know what their answer comes to.

(by the way- they don't use tear gas, they use flashbangs, and it's usually closer to BMNT, not three a.m.- this gives them time to sneak in that pre- raid cup of coffee)

 

[roundball]

please let us know what their answer comes to.

Definitely will...

 

[pepperonis]

Roundball,

I've had the occassion to talk to ATF before and have had the best luck calling one of their field offices. Try the Resident Agent in Charge office nearest you and ask to speak to an agent about your question. They should help. Here's some numbers for your state, good luck- Mainetracker.
www.atf.gov/field/charlotte/nc.htm

 

[roundball]

Roundball,

I've had the occassion to talk to ATF before and have had the best luck calling one of their field offices. Try the Resident Agent in Charge office nearest you and ask to speak to an agent about your question. They should help. Here's some numbers for your state, good luck- Mainetracker.
www.atf.gov/field/charlotte/nc.htm

Thanks...I noticed all those listings on the ATF sight, but they're all phone numbers, no Email addresses.
The main point of this exercise to try and get something in writing...several faceless strangers might tell me something verbally but when challenged, I'd rather at least have an Email from an ATF domain to refer to...might just go ahead and call anyway, but I won't let up on the ATF Email approach.

 

[rudy parnell]

Hey, what does that mean.... BMNT? :hmm:

 

[Bountyhunter]

You must be chicken.

If youde a sent that email tellin them you had 500# of black and was it ok to just give it away to the neighbors, youde a had phone calls and personal visits.

 

[pepperonis]

Goodluck getting something in writing, they don't like to do such things!

 

[roundball]

You must be chicken.

If youde a sent that email tellin them you had 500# of black and was it ok to just give it away to the neighbors, youde a had phone calls and personal visits.

Nothing holding you back but your own fear...give your scenario a try and let us know how you make out...oh that's right, you'll only get one phone call :grin:

 

[Coot]

If you want a written answer, send the question in writing. Responding to outside emails is a "when time allows" type of thing for most govt. offices. To get a written answer -and one that has been blessed by more than just one local agent - send your request to your US senator or congressman with a polite "can you help me get an answer" cover. The congressman's office will send the question to ATF as their (the congressman's) request for info. Answering congressional mail is a VERY high priority task for all US government offices and the response will be checked & signed by the district manager or higher & as such should be hard to refute later. (They hate being accused of misleading a congressman or senator - could have bad career consequences) The congressman will then put his/her cover letter on the official ATF reply & forward it to you as a 'constituent service'. May take a month but you should get a solid official answer that can be zeroxed & distributed as needed - hard for any individual agent to challenge such a letter. :thumbsup: