by Lee Williams
ATF agents took two inert RPGs they had seized from Patrick “Tate” Adamiak’s home, inserted an RPG training device and a bunch of additional parts, fired a few 7.62x39mm rounds and classified them as Destructive Devices. Were it not for these charges, Adamiak would be a free man.
However, the agents never said in their reports or courtroom testimony that the RPG training device will fire rounds on its own—without an RPG even in the room. Also, agents never mentioned that the ATF itself classifies the RPG training device as a firearm, because it can shoot rifle rounds regardless of whether it’s attached to an RPG.
In a letter sent to someone not involved in Adamiak’s case, The ATF explained the RPG training devices.
“The sub-caliber RPG-7 training devices previously evaluated, like the ones you mention, typically contain a barrel chambered in 7.62x39mm, possess a firing mechanism including a striker, sear, and trigger device. Its intended use is as a subcaliber insert training device for the RPG-7 anti-armor projector. However, the design of the device also allows it to be fired without the use of an RPG-7,” the ATF said in the letter.
The ATF also never mentioned that the entire device—an RPG and the 7.62x39mm training device—were sold to the public on GunBroker.
“This one’s been modified a little to color within the lines of the National Firearms Act of 1934. First, it can’t load or fire a live PG-7V or other rocket-propelled grenade round, only the subcaliber device. Second, ATF interprets a subcaliber device as a ‘firearm,’ not any specific kind of firearm, but installing it in an RPG-7V, even one that’s been modified so that it cannot fire live rounds, creates a ‘short-barreled rifle,’” a Loadout Room story states.
This offer was not an experiment as to whether ATF would approve the sale. The entire device had been approved by ATF’s Firearm Technology Branch, and the seller had the ATF approval letter, which they included in the kit.
The “Rocket launcher training kit” came with the following items:
- Aluminum hard case, with wheels
- RPG-7 Rocket Launcher
- Optical Sight with soft case
- Bipod assembly
- Sling
- PG-7 7.62x39mm Subcaliber Firearm
- 7.62mm BoreSnake bore cleaner
- 15 rounds of 7.62x39mm Spotter/Tracer Ammunition
- 30 rounds of 7.62x39mm Tracer Ammunition
- Letter from the ATF which states the launcher is not a destructive device
This shoots large holes into the ATF’s case against Adamiak.
First, the RPG training device will fire rifle rounds on its own, even without an RPG. Second, the ATF classified the device and an RPG as legal for civilian sales. Third, the kit even came with an ATF letter saying it was legal and “not a destructive device.”
To be clear, Adamiak would be a free man were it not for the Destructive Device charges ATF filed against him for his inert RPGs. They added years to his sentence.
It should be noted that Adamiak purchased his inert RPGs in California, and he flew home to the East Coast with them aboard commercial airlines, which had no problem with the inert RPGs.
Questionable testing
The government’s case against Adamiak was led by two Assistant U.S. Attorneys, but their main witness, ATF Firearm Enforcement Officer Jeffrey R. Bodell, became the real reason why a jury found Adamiak guilty, and a federal judge sentenced him to 20 years in prison.
Bodell works out of a small ATF office in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He is assigned to ATF’s Firearms and Ammunition Technology Division since he was hired in November 2020. Adamiak’s case was the first time Bodell had ever testified in court.
Bodell’s lengthy report details how he took parts off of a live RPG in order to make Adamiak’s inert RPGs, which he labeled as Exhibit 30, fire an AK round.
“To demonstrate the functionality of Exhibit 30, I elected to test fire the Exhibit. I utilized a trigger assembly, firing pin, and firing pin spring from an RPG-7 from the NFC and installed these components in Exhibit 30,” he wrote.
This was necessary because Adamiak’s RPGs were missing firing pins, firing pin springs, main spring, main spring rod and hammer. Additionally, they had a large .39-inch holed bored into the high-pressure chamber area of the exhaust tube, right were the operator’s head would be.
One of the government’s witnesses even said if fired, the hole “would remove your head.”
By using the RPG training device, Bodell wrote in his report, he was able to fire three rifle rounds from each of Adamiak’s RPGs.
“Exhibit 30 is a weapon which may be readily converted to expel a projectile the action of an explosive or other propellant, the barrel of which has a bore of more than one half inch in diameter. Consequently, Exhibit 30 is a ‘destructive device’ as defined,” Bodell wrote in his report.
However, Bodell never mentioned that his RPG training device could fire rifle rounds if he stuck it in a roll of paper towels or a sewer pipe. He also never admitted that the RPG training device could fire live rounds completely on its own.
This was not lost on Adamiak.
“Unfortunately, the ATF decided to take my inert RPGs to their lab, completely rebuild them with components off of their own real RPG, and demonstrate that they would work by shooting a .30 cal. training round in a self-contained firing mechanism. They essentially inserted a bolt action rifle into the tube that looks like a rocket, fired one shot, and then said it’s a Destructive Device,” Adamiak said Monday.
Both RPGs were displayed openly in Adamiak’s home for nearly a decade. He never even considered them to be illegal. His former trial attorneys actually told Adamiak that they were glad he was charged with the RPGs because it was such a ridiculous claim that it would damage the ATF’s credibility and no reasonable jury would convict him for the “toys.”
The public now knows that ATF’s RPG training device can fire live rifle rounds completely on its own, without an RPG, and that the device itself—and an RPG—are legal for civilian sales. The kit even came with an ATF letter stating it was “not a destructive device.”
The question then becomes why Adamiak is still in prison for the next 17 years. In other words, why was Adamiak charged for legal inert devices that are sold for cash with no ID needed at nearly every large gun show?
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How ATF used inert RPGs to imprison American sailor for 20 years
Trump has been in office for almost ten months. Why is he still in Jail?
I’ve written to him at least twice already about this. Have you?
One dude in Florida isn’t enough. Need your help on this, bud.
Because I think chump cares about u assholes🤯🤣🤣🤣🤣
Note: Trump is not an ideolog. He is transactional. If he sees no deal making potential in a situation, he will generally avoid expending poltical or business “capital”. This includes deciding what advances his MAGA movement, at the least cost to his personal vision. Case-in-point, he defends H-1 Visas, because he finds it useful to import special “skills” that Americans do not have, and cannot be trained to have in the short run.
(“Trump says United States doesn’t have people with ‘certain talents’ to fill jobs domestically” https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/11/politics/trump-domestic-talent-jobs-h1b-visas)
Jesse Kelly makes a good point about Trump’s H1B visa talking points with what’s-her-name on Fox News. And the point is this: A completely untrained workforce built ships, tanks, and planes during WWII.
Rosie the Riveter was anything but “untalented”. Sure, she had to be trained how to rivet and weld. But learn she did.
And the American people DON’T want to hear that the domestic workforce doesn’t have the talents to do the work we need done. We’re also DONE with Boeing or Lockheed Martin whining that they need people from India because we Americans can’t learn to program a welding robot.
If I can teach a wet-behind-the-ears 20 year-old how to write assembler code, and how to maintain 50 year old COBOL code, then we STILL have capable people. Yeah, maybe that 20 year old can’t write in cursive, doesn’t appreciate the true value of the apostrophe or the oxford comma, and maybe he or she wasn’t even born when 911 happened.
But last I checked, computer code isn’t written in cursive and doesn’t need a 70 year old geek to do the thing. A stamping or welding robot doesn’t check the programmer’s credentials before agreeing to do the work.
We need to tell the president that he’s wrong about the US not having enough talent. Oh sure, maybe he’s thinking about all the government wonks that were working for USAID, the IRS, or the FBI. I actually think it’s the leaders of these tech companies whining in his ear all the time.
But there are a lot of people here who actually CAN be trained and I think we should do that first, before we start bringing people in from India or other far away places.
So spend a few minutes and fire off an email or regular mail letter. He DOES get the information. Just be polite but firm.
In 1983, i was pursuing a master’s degree that included courses on industiral policy, and capability. The prof was adamant that “off shoring” basic industries would lead the US to find itself at the mercy of nations that held us in low regard. Recognizing the implications, and intending to energize classroom interaction, I asked, “So long as we get what we want at lower prices, what’s the problem?”. The prof was unable to speak for about 15 seconds, then answered, “Yes, that is something to consider.” That was the end of discussing “off shoring”. Maybe Trump is just admitting the obvious result of “off shoring”, and grabbing capability now, rather than waiting for our corrupt education system (and industrial giants) to ramp back up.
The problem is in short-term beancounter perspective, training employees is seen as a COST and not an investment. Better to let “the market provide” the people you want at a cost you are willing to pay.
If the market won’t provide the skills, quantity, and price you want, the solution is to distort the market through skilled immigration. Increase the quantity and lower the price.
Downunder we have the 457 sponsored visa. You can tell a 457 job add by a very high skillset with a much lower salary than someone who has those skills would accept. The sponsor then says to the department of immigration “We need 457 sponsored immigrants because we can’t get any responses to our ads” (because ALL applicants are rejected anyway). Sponsor can import workers at the pay rate they want. Because the 457 visa needs sponsorship, any imported worker who get ideas can be fired and deported.
From being in that position previously it’s even worse than you think. The advertisement for such jobs as are givin to the h1b are typically run for 1 day in a “local paper” that the agency supplying “qualified applicants” (look up how India grades for college then the rate of cheating) monitors and mass applies for. Because it is a print ad few younger workers see it and “no qualified American worker are available “. Thankfully some of the kids got wise to the scam and formed a group to mass apply to any posting they find and force the US companies to either hire American or no one. The bitching from HR ladies online is hilarious and infuriating.
…distort the market through skilled immigration.
I’m not sure I consider “Saar, I will have to call you back when we figure out how to fix it, Saar!” to be “skilled”.
If the whole country wasn’t half retarded, I’d short Amex and most major banks over that shit.
Do not redeem.
And your comment below is unfortunately spot on with what we see even in our distorted state. More “normal” states would probably see even bigger changes.
You’ll find the same root reason for not dealing with the debt and also the *strange* suggestions coming out of the Trump admin about mortgages (50 yr, portable etc).
Can’t offend the Boomers with reality, it’s bad for politics.
The fixes are always 10-20 years out……….granted we are getting to the window where that is numerically accurate.
*gently places tinfoil on head in a most stylish manner*
Or maybe they just don’t care about fixes because they think Ben Davidson is right.
If we are getting anything close to that garden of eden CIA document we are all beyond caring.
*adjusts tinfoil*
It is interesting to note the number of different people who all seem to coalesce around that same basic idea as an explanation for anything from ancient history to the national debt.
There would seem to be some sort of budding agreement along “the alternative fringe” that perhaps a lot of the behavior you see from governments and elites today is that they’re preparing for such a thing because the people in charge know that it’s true.
When Graham Hancock, Ben Davidson and Catherine Austin Fitts are all starting to sing from the same sheet of music… well, it’s entertaining at least.
Whelp good luck up in your mountains, my area is beyond screwed in that scenario. On the other less immediately fatal theories involving a plasma sheath that blocks out the sky ………. Plenty of longpig and more than enough crazy for that to make the first scenario preferable. That the tinfoil was not even bad breath distance from the vax at the time I first noticed it certainly doesn’t help.
To be clear, I’m not backing Davidson or any of the rest of them.
I’m merely noting with some interesting the curious fact that they all seem to be converging on that idea.
Whether it is accurate/believed or not is immaterial, absent earthquakes and volcanic activity Colorado has the better apocalypse survival terrain.
Plus, if it all goes pear-shaped we have plenty of defenseless liberals to eat while we wait for the cows to fatten and the grain to grow.
Lol your long pig is probably a much more viable option as at worst it may need a THC and estrogen detox. Knowing the rates of STI from my DOH counterpart in the liberal hubs (Albany Troy Saratoga etc) I think this 🥷 gonna be eating beans. Thankfully once the bridges are neutralized the risk of hoards drops faster than SAT scores with no child left behind.
🤣
When 85% on the low end of various legal workers from India turn out to be absolute scams for whatever “skilled” work we attempt to recruit for with the civil service exams we use I am far more inclined to say too bad re not having the talent at home and it is time to train and develop your existing workforce and hire US citizens for a change. Either way it’s just a scam to drive down wages.
That whole thing is a scam. That’s why they hide the advertisements for the jobs, so Americans don’t apply and they can hire an H1B when they “can’t find an American”.
Business and government are doing that on a massive scale. There are whole X accounts devoted to exposing it.
The idea that .gov can’t find admins is an obvious fucking lie. Call Robert Half and they’ll have Zoomers and Millennials by the thousand for you to sift through.
[Trigger Warning: Generations will be discussed below.]
The reality of the situation is that H1B’s present a problem that is easy to solve in-and-of-itself and political kryptonite for the GOP.
Let us consider immigration in general, legal and illegal but with a few exception like the O1 visa, which is very rare and not worth discussing.
What do these people do from “our” perspective? In a nutshell: They take American jobs and depress wages while consuming services and taking up housing.
What happens if you suddenly get rid of them? An economic disconnection where wages rise dramatically very fast at the same time the price of housing craters and services like medicine get cheaper as demand drops drastically.
Politically, that’s not something the GOP can handle. Why? Because Boomers, yeah, sorry I’m going there because it’s the case.
Statistically speaking Boomers do not have the money they claim to, they have “net worth” and for most of them it’s tied up in their house, an illiquid asset that they also kinda need to, like, live in.
We know this from SSA documents. 30% of Boomers are nearly entirely reliant on SSA for income, and 80% of them are half or more reliant on it for their lifestyle because this represents liquid cash flow. Simply put, not enough of them have cushy government pensions and most didn’t save/invest the way they thought they did.
Remove all the illegals and H1Bs and the price of the services and products Boomers use skyrocket due to a labor shortage at the same time the value of their (statistically) number 1 asset craters.
That’s the largest cohort, which also happens to be the most likely to vote, very, very mad very, very fast.
So, yeah young people would be happy about a 50% drop in housing prices (or something similar, given that marginal buyers set the price of everything), but they don’t vote at a high enough rate to offset the anger of older people.
Stocks would theoretically go up too as pay skyrocketed and excess capital could be invested.
But that pay is coming from the purchasers of services. If this happened over time, it could be adjusted to and a new equilibrium established. Done fast and it shatters buyer confidence, consumers pull back and now you get higher wages but also higher unemployment in the immediate. Now the young people are doubly mad about something they were already mad about.
[Insert a ton of ripple effects here, too long to discuss even the ones that come readily to mind, never mind the actual list.]
Time to normalization isn’t something I can calculate but it’s definitely out past the midterms.
The cons outweight the pros. Trump has no rational reason to go after H1Bs because it will hurt his reputation (which he values) and hurt the GOP badly.
We’re in a deep hole, similar to this one, on many fronts. That’s why I’m not optimistic about avoiding political violence. It’s just a repetitive theme, the debt’s easy to solve mathematically, for example. Politically, it’s impossible.
That was a rhetorical question.