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The ATF does a decent job of keeping FFLs on their toes when it comes to threats of theft, fraud, and more. For instance, emails go out to all FFLs within a certain radius of an FFL that’s been the victim of a robbery or burglary. If protests or civil unrest are anticipated somewhere, that will trigger proactive emails and sometimes phone calls to alert FFLs in the affected area

The email I got dtoday was a new one for Texas FFLs. In it, ATF describes that “law enforcement” intelligence suggests an apparent, specific push by “criminal networks” to acquire some heavy firepower within the next 60 days. That’s…uh…interesting. I’d love to know more about the source of this information and what they’ve been hearing.

Here’s the full text of the email . . .

(U) Law enforcement is advising Federal Firearms Licensees of expanding interest of criminal networks’ intention to utilize straw purchasers in acquiring large caliber firearms such as .50 caliber and/or belt fed rifles within the next 60 days. This activity is anticipated to occur throughout the entire State of Texas. Please contact your local ATF office if any suspicious, attempted or finalized purchases occur.

That’s it. That’s the entirety of the information we have at this time.

We’re asking around, but let us know in the comments if you have any insight into what the ATF might have going on.

 

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96 COMMENTS

  1. Now that the Biden/communist regime has allowed sufficient “military age, physically fit Chinese and jihadi men” to invade, they’re gonna need weapons to carry out the planned infrastructure attacks, etc.

    • If that’s true (I hope not, but it’s plausible), they’ll get the arms one way or another. The Chinese, Iran, or others can arrange to have them smuggled in. I hope federal law enforcement is on high alert for that too, if the arms are not here already.

      • There were reports 2 or 3 weeks ago commenting on the number of, as I wrote. “physically fit military age” Chinese and Middle Eastern men coming across. The Biden drones are deliberately allowing them through, cutting the razor wire, opening the gates, etc. I have posted myriad times that this is an invasion orchestrated by the Biden/CCP regime to overthrow the country.

        • There are quite a few people that simply cannot grasp the idea that we are at war. Many actually think we aren’t because we haven’t been given an official declaration by Congress.

        • Oh, I have no doubt that we are getting a flood of young men over the border without any vetting, and it would be foolish NOT to assume that at least some of them are willing to act against the USA in the service of our enemies. What I hope is that there are not attacks in the late stages of planning already.

        • Prndll it may never cease to amaze me how few people understand the concept of asymmetric warfare and how it can be/is applied at every level from business to politics to trade to all the various hostile actions just up to declaring war. Similar to how many don’t understand that people fund wars on both sides and make money regardless of who wins.

        • “The Biden drones are deliberately allowing them through, cutting the razor wire, opening the gates, etc.“

          I think many on this list would like to learn more, could you please provide a source or citation?

        • Numerous reports from the Darien Gap support your comments about the border.

          Several people on the ground have noted a surprisingly large number of military age men of Chinese origin who seem to have both a military bearing and skillset, using both to cross the jungle. They also note that these people seemingly are impervious to the threats of roving gangs in the jungle that prey on pretty much everyone else.

          It’s also worth looking at Ed Calderon’s comments on what they’re finding along the West Coast of Mexico since 2020 and how “fragmentation” of cartels historically is not a good sign, actually, regardless of what US and Mexican LE would like us to believe.

        • S9, I don’t doubt there are plenty of destitute immigrants of Chinese origin who would love to come north to the better economic situation in United States. I haven’t seen anything that suggest there is an inordinate amount of military age males surreptitiously Infiltrating America.

          It’s just more poor people, fleeing Donald Trump‘s dictator buddy.

          “A poster advertised an “all-inclusive package for crossing the jungle in Panama, 1,700USD”. Dozens of Chinese people were milling around: young people, old people, families with small children. Some were wearing large backpacks or dragging suitcases. All were on their way to a new life in America.“

          And what would be the point of a covert military Chinese military buildup in Mexico? Do you guys really fantasize it would be cross-border ops by Chinese communist guerrillas?

          “I have posted myriad times that this is an invasion orchestrated by the Biden/CCP regime to overthrow the country.“

          And you are just friggin paranoid, I hope your family stages in intervention soon. Is the FAA aware of your paranoid fantasies?

          https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/08/14/return-to-china-xing-would-rather-die-in-the-jungle

        • Mindless49r continues as the Major/leading idiot on this site. She/he can’t located the MSM “news” coverage of hoards of Venezuelan military age males invading in the last few weeks. Just clueless. Or Soros pays him for stupid.

        • And what would be the point of a covert military Chinese military buildup in Mexico?

          Once again, thing’s I’ve never said for $2000 (and no one else has either), Alex.

          Your constant attempts at this kind of conflationary bullshit trolling tactics so you can create a strawman have been tiresome for years. Paragraph structure, learn about it. It’s like 3rd grade level shit.

          If you try real hard, like really put in the work, maybe you can achieve this lofty level of educational an intellectual prowess at some point.

          I mean, I doubt it, but hey, self-improvement is something I tend to support, even for jerkoffs like you.

          Which, by the by, is why in special cases such as yours I fully support Canada’s MAiD program. Little old you can make the world a better place, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and do the rest of us a favor all at the same time. Just buy a mushroom suit and take a one-way trip to Canada.

      • Phil, do not reley on the government to do anything. The ATF is too busy harassing law abiding FFL’s who make clerical errors on paperwork. But the report is very concerning. Since it will be police responding to incidents, they will be total outgunned.

    • “Now that the Biden/communist regime has allowed sufficient “military age, physically fit Chinese and jihadi men” to invade“

      So just where are all these “military age physically fit Chinese men?

      Ronald Reagan wants to know what you have done with his Republican party:

      https://m.youtube.com/shorts/BL9YpzE0I7Q

      • I was going to post a reasoned reply to this until I saw that it was you. Never mind. You are incapable of reason or logic.

        • “I was going to post a reasoned reply to this until I saw that it was you“

          Of course you were, you have the info right at your fingertips I bet…

          Or it was just more empty speech from delusional conservatives.

          So just where are all these “military age physically fit Chinese men”?

          The burden of proof is upon the one who makes the claim, but I realize that is a lot to expect from you folks.

        • “some dude thats been dead for twenty years“

          If that’s how you think of Reagan who’s only been gone a few short years, I wonder what you think of the founding fathers, who’ve been dead for 200 years. Are you just as dismissive of them?

          I certainly disagreed with many of Reagan’s viewpoints and policies, but I think he was right on the mark about the importance of America’s immigrant history.

          Watch the video, perhaps it may give you a new perspective.

    • Reminder, China has been caught smuggling full auto weapons into the USA!!!

      So I’m betting many of those smuggled guns and other military hardware has successfully been smuggled into the USA, since the 1990’s and have been propositioned!!!

      If drugs can get across the border, military hardware can also get across..

      • I await the fine day when minor and dacian both finally reduce greenhouse emissions. The environment here would be greatly improved.

        • I was just trying to remember the name of the other idiot infesting these pages, dacian. Thanks

  2. If it’s belt fed it’s likely a NFA item this they will get the extra paperwork anyway. If it’s a semi auto belt fed, those go for $3000-12,000 anyway of which someone would do better with an AR and drum mags. “Large Caliber .50” Tons of cartridges put out more energy than the .50 BMG which don’t fit their “large caliber” designation here. .450 cheytac and .416 barret are apparently not an issue!
    Doesn’t pass the common sense test, just another ATF Biden grab.

    • While belt fed AR15 uppers and semi auto M249s have been around for a while pretty much on point. As to the 50 issues the only logical idea I can come up with is cheaper and more generally available armor piercing (even with the standard ball) ammo.

    • The .416 Cheytac will hit a 3’x3′ steel target at over a mile away. More than several years ago I found myself n Arco, ID overnight. Perusing the local telephone directory I saw a gun store in that town and thought I would visit them. Had an interesting visit with the friendly folks there and learned a little about what they were doing. For one thing they were milling solid copper blanks into .416 caliber bullets. They proudly showed me the target which I could barely see on a hillside which they said was a mile away and which their bullets regularly hit out of a gun they were manufacturing but couldn’t show me. Arco has the distinction of being the first city in the U.S. provided by atomic energy. The waste pile was still some miles outside of Arco then. It has been a while since I visited there. Valley of the Moons National Park is outside of that town. Not sure that is the absolutely correct name but the park claims the astronauts trained there prior to their first moon visit.

      • Craters of the Moon National Monument. They have a web site.

        Spent one night there in late 1973. Black lava, overcast, a few drops of rain. Lousy for photography, 35mm color slides. Did take the pressure lantern out to Boy Scout Cave. An ice floor at that time. Interesting.

    • Probably, especially since one of the cartel’s main sources of heavier weaponry is the Mexican military, mostly supplied by the US as aid to fight the War on Drugs.

      You can watch the videos the cartels and their associates post. They’re not getting M2’s, RPGs, RPKs, LAWs, grenades (hand and 40mm) and even the occasional Stinger from straw purchases at US gun stores.

      • Biden’s meddling in the border affairs of China & Russia gives them the right to meddle in our border. Chaos is a’brewing.

  3. Got the same call and email from the ATF yesterday as I am an FFL.

    My gut tells me something (potentially a False Flag) involving a 50 cal Rifle is going to happen in the near future. Congress Critters have always had their panties in a wad that us plebs can own such rifles.

    Makes me want to buy one while I still can…how to spin it to the wife is another story…”Hey Babe, it’s an investment.”

    Stay Frosty.

  4. Seeing as how the ATF is never right, has established their intelligence network doesn’t work and can’t decide if a shoestring is a machinegun or not I see no reason to believe this anymore than that Nigerian prince who wants to pay me to hang onto his fortune.

    Just words. Words from an agency that habitually lies and is never right about anything.

  5. The AFT probably got triggered by Elon’s recent vid of him hip-firing a .50 Barrett while in Texas.

    Coincidence? A koinkidink?

  6. I am sure that the Nazi ATF will be out making straw purchases and sending their purchases to Mexico and then blame others for their illegal activities.

  7. It doesn’t mean anything.

    According to the left, there is no issues at our southern border. Nothing is going on there. The border is secure.

    • “The border is secure AND it’s wonderful that ‘migrants’ are streaming through unchallenged through the secure border.” -completely serious and genuine person (Democrat)

      They have to wait ten years for their court date because we don’t have enough judges. Do you have a problem with that, bigot? 200k plus crossings per month. What’s the population in your city? What could go wrong?

      • IMO – that “completely serious and genuine” commiecrat person seriously and genuinely wants you dead, and your assets distributed amongst its base. Many of which are newly arrived.

        Further, that person is being open about it in every way – barring only direct face to face speech. And is in no danger of being diselected.

      • “They have to wait ten years for their court date because we don’t have enough judges“

        Correct, the asylum legal system has been underfunded for decades.
        That’s the first issue, a rapid decision and send those found ineligible packing. But give them a fair shot at asylum.

        • Yeah, Miner. The real problem is the underfunded judicial system. It’s totally not an open border issue which Trump had under control when he left office.

          P.S. You still owe me for losing that bet. I won’t hold my breath.

  8. Gee whiz…I mean nah … Who would want to ‘straw purchase’ .50’s and ammo….couldn’t be those thousands of military aged males already armed with small arms that were detected but not challenged by Biden’s border-crossing assistants, that vanished into the United States and our ‘government’ (if you want to pretend that’s what Biden’s administration is) has no idea where they are. Or maybe its a run up to another ATF executed Obama’esque supply to Mexico cartels.

  9. “Law enforcement is advising Federal Firearms Licensees of expanding interest of criminal networks’ intention to utilize straw purchasers in acquiring large caliber firearms such as .50 caliber and/or belt fed rifles within the next 60 days. This activity is anticipated to occur throughout the entire State of Texas. Please contact your local ATF office if any suspicious, attempted or finalized purchases occur.”

    Seriously though, these are well organized criminal network gangs. If they want them they will simply raid gun stores and steal them. Organized criminal network gangs don’t ‘straw purchase’ or mess with ‘paperwork’. They either procure on the black market or they simply steal them.

      • Why bother with Mexico? Doesn’t China still have a free port in Kalifornia? Sold to them by Slick Willie himself, or at least his direction.

  10. No particular insight, but I’d make a small bet that this is cartel-related. 50 BMG suggests the goal is either extreme range or extreme penetration, and armor-plated ‘Monsturos’ trucks are the current thing in the Cartel fights.

  11. I’ve seen a Barret or two in LGS’s over the years but that’s an expensive item for stores to just have laying around knowing it might take many years to sell. Most places wouldn’t want their money tied up like that. I have seen more 50cal S&W revolvers and Desert Eagles lately but they are still pretty few and far between. Most of what I see anywhere in that caliber is black powder. If anything. Saw a Ma Deuce once. They just got it and was setting it up for display.

    • About ten years ago, Sportsmans’ Finest (Hunting / Fishing / Gun Store in Bee Cave, Texas (W of Austin) had twin Ma Dueces in an antiaircraft mount. I recall at the time they wanted $40,000 for it (and 10,000 rounds of ammo, in belts).

      Seing what they go for today, that would have been a smart investment.

      • At three bucks a round back then, those ten-thousand rounds of ball .50 BMG would have been about 25 grand by themselves.

        Ma Dueces were selling for 5 grand a pop back then?

        • had a chance to get one for that price awhile back…guy must have been hard up for cash…would have required a CLEO signature and the requisite kickback but I should have tried….big mistake……

  12. There have been zero homicides committed with 50 BMG rifles much less belt fed weapons. My guess is that the Biden regime is intending to create a pretext to outlaw such firearms. The purpose is not to disarm criminals but rather to disarm legal citizens so that they will not be as able to defend themselves when all of Biden’s military age, male, illegal immigrants and African American BLM activists allies with lilly white ANTIFA tranny thugs go on the warpath again. It will be just like the riots, excuse me “mostly peaceful protests,” repeated. Keep your powder dry and go read the book of Esther in the Bible, clear to the end.

  13. Sadly the recent and not so recent negative history of our various three letter agencies cast any announcement with warranted skepticism. At least to those paying attention.

  14. Old news, the cartels have been favoring 50 bmg for a while as nothing beats it for antimaterial use against light vehicles. You can find pics of them proudly posing with barrets.

  15. QOUTE: Miner49er October 3, 2023 At 14:03

    “The Biden drones are deliberately allowing them through, cutting the razor wire, opening the gates, etc.“

    I think many on this list would like to learn more, could you please provide a source or citation?
    END QOUTE

    If you’ll turn the TV on and watch the news you’ll see the “Border Agents” cutting the razor wire to let the illegals in. I saw it.

    I say , I say Damn Chicken Hawk, Are You blind? ROFL

    • The most well-nourished “refugees” in history. Those approaching middle age are actually fat. It’s like a gold rush.

    • You may be thinking of the Fed removal of unlawful razor wire and tanglefoot installed by Governor Abbot.

      And these weren’t “fit, military age Chinese and jihad men”, these were people looking for a better life, willing to be processed through the asylum system:

      “After making it over the border, those who have just crossed can be seen lining up to be processed“

      https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12573411/amp/Shocking-moment-five-Border-Patrol-agents-CUT-razor-wire-Eagle-Pass-allow-migrants-enter-Texas-Governor-Abbott-installed-Rio-Grande.html

      • The facilitation of the invasion of Texas by removal of the barrier is not required by law, but wilful abuse of power. Given that illegal immigration is an organized criminal enterprise, facilitation of the same is corrupt, immoral and treasonous. It is also hateful and destructive to the security of American citizens in their possessions and effects…

      • “You may be thinking of the Fed removal of unlawful razor wire and tanglefoot installed by Governor Abbot.”

        Its wasn’t unlawful, it was on Texas state soil. The governor can put up anything he desires on Texas state soil. The razor wire was to actually help the immigrants by making it more difficult for them to enter at points that were not established entry points so they could receive proper medical care (if needed), water, processing at those authorized entry points LIKE THE FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES – THE FEDERAL LAW BIDEN IGNORED AND ABBOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO OBEY. When Biden had that removed he actually endangered lives. Several of those people who entered in those spots where the wire was removed had small infants with them and some of those infants needed urgent medical care and died because the parents were directed away from the established medical points by the Biden ordered so-called ‘border patrol’.

        Not everyone ‘went and lined up’ to be processed like you so wrongly and falsely implied. In fact, in most cases they were directed to just do as they wanted and most times were even loaded on a bus directly at those points by Bidens border patrol and simply driven to a city and dropped off in the streets with no processing at all.

        The border is not secure – it is a flat out lie that it is secure. Our country is literally being invaded and they know they are invading too. Heck, they even plant foreign flags flags on U.S. (Texas) soil > https://www.foxnews.com/us/video-illegal-migrants-plant-foreign-flag-texas-island-rio-grande-border-crisis-grows.

        The removal of the wire by Bidens orders was a direct violation of federal and Texas state law. Basically, federal law requires the border to be secured and immigration to be controlled and limited, it actually requires border patrol to prevent unauthorized crossing and cutting the wire directly facilitated unauthorized crossing which is a federal crime. The destruction of Texas state property and allowing an unauthorized enter across the country border to facilitate a crime is also a wilful violation of federal and Texas state law.

        • The wire was on Texas state property, not on federally controlled property. The only federally controlled property on the border is at the authorized entry points. The border patrol ‘entered’ Texas state property, willfully destroyed Texas state property, and committed and facilitated a violation of federal and Texas state law.

        • “The governor can put up anything he desires on Texas state soil“

          The Supreme Court would disagree with you, granting authority over the border to the federal government through acts of Congress.

          You may feel otherwise, but the long-standing body of law recognizes that Texas has no authority over the border.

          “Long-standing Supreme Court precedent recognizes Congress as having plenary power over immigration, giving it almost complete authority to decide whether foreign nationals (aliens, under governing statutes and case law) may enter or remain in the United States.1 But while Congress’s power over immigration is well established, defining its constitutional underpinnings is more difficult. The Constitution does not mention immigration, but parts of the Constitution address related subjects. The Supreme Court has sometimes relied upon Congress’s powers over naturalization (the term and conditions in which an alien becomes a U.S. citizen),2 foreign commerce,3 and, to a lesser extent, upon the Executive Branch’s implied Article II foreign affairs power,4 as sources of federal immigration power.5 While these powers continue to be cited as supporting the immigration power, since the late nineteenth century, the Supreme Court has described the power as flowing from the Constitution’s establishment of a federal government.6 The United States government possesses all the powers incident to a sovereign, including unqualified authority over the Nation’s borders and the ability to determine whether foreign nationals may come within its territory.7 The Supreme Court has generally assigned the constitutional power to regulate immigration to Congress, with executive authority mainly derived from congressional delegations of authority.8“

          https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-8-1/ALDE_00001255/

      • “You may be thinking of the Fed removal of [the border barrier] installed by Governor Abbot.”

        And here we have Miner finally admitting that the feds LITERALLY opened the border for illegals. You owe me money, bitch.

        • No, the border patrol was removing an unlawfully erected barrier on the border of the United States. Please peruse my post above wherein I give citations to support the fact that the United States Supreme Court has granted complete authority of the border and right of entry to the federal government under long-standing law.

          No, the borders are not open, those who arrive must seek an asylum hearing or risk apprehension and deportation. Is the system operating perfectly? No, it’s been tremendously underfunded by administration from both parties. But the borders are not “open”.

          https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S8-C18-8-1/ALDE_00001255/

          And your use of profanity does not somehow add credibility to your post.

        • The feds are not required to remove barriers on state or private lands. That they CHOSE to remove this one knowingly and blatantly facilitates a criminal enterprise.

          And the media pretending that there was no choice but to remove turns the “incident” into straight-up pro-cartel propaganda.

        • Miner, what do you call a “man” who proposes a bet, then proceeds to weasel out of his own bet? You’re the very definition of a bitch, Miner. I don’t use that word lightly. I’m not one to curse either. When I do, it means something. Your parents must be so proud of their little boy.

          Why do we have over 200k people streaming across the border every month, Miner? It’s because they were invited by Democrats, you idiot. They opened the border which Trump had under control when he left office. Compare and contrast the different policies as well as the consequences of those policies. And yes, the feds have not just metaphorically opened the border. They have physically opened it in several instances. I previously posted about another time they let illegals stream through a border barrier under the control of the federal government. Just because they’re given free phones, among other benefits that I’m paying for, and they’re being “processed,” does NOT mean the borders are closed, you moron. They are literally and figuratively open by design, just like I said they would be in 2020 (and you bet me that they wouldn’t be, you liar).

        • We have a legal immigration system in this country, Miner. They are intentionally bypassing that legal system because they’ve made the calculation that this will help them gain/retain power. We’ve never had this much blatant trashing of the law in the history of this country.

          No first term president would ever do this because they would know reelection would be impossible. That begs the question. Why is this happening with a first term president? I don’t expect an honest or thoughtful reply from Miner (ever). However, every American citizen should be asking themselves this question.

  16. Miner49er, Here’s just the first of many I pulled up on: “The Biden drones are deliberately allowing them through, cutting the razor wire, opening the gates, etc.“

    I think many on this list would like to learn more, could you please provide a source or citation?
    https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/immigration/video-border-patrol-agents-cut-razor-wire-for-migrants-in-texas/#:~:text=(NewsNation)%20%E2%80%94%20Video%20footage%20captured,migrants%20enter%20the%20United%20States.

    • Thanks for the link, I’m glad someone actually tried to provide the info.

      No mystery here, this is just the feds removing an unlawful barrier put up by Governor Abbott.

      Look above in this thread, you’ll see where I posted more info.

      • The barriers are not unlawful. The Feds have the *option* of removing them to facilitate the racket that is illegal immigration.

      • Just because the border patrol patrols the border and has jurisdiction for that it does not mean all the land and everything on it is actually federal property. Its only federal jurisdiction for patrolling (and actually its a joint jurisdiction thing as Texas also has the right to do that patrolling as well) not for entry – and the only actual federally owned and controlled property is at the authorized border crossing points.

        The wire was on Texas state property, not on federally owned and controlled property. The only federally owned and controlled property on the border is at the authorized entry points. The border patrol ‘entered’ Texas state property, willfully destroyed Texas state property, and willfully committed and facilitated a violation of federal and Texas state law.

  17. “(U) Law enforcement is advising Federal Firearms Licensees of expanding interest of criminal networks’ intention to utilize straw purchasers in acquiring large caliber firearms such as .50 caliber and/or belt fed rifles within the next 60 days. ”

    Notice to TTAG subscribers, and TTAG staff:

    YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED !

    DOJ is officially announcing the launch of ‘Fast and Furious’ 2.0.

    • Mexicans know how to convert these guns…been doing it for years….as for the .50 cals,…they most likely want to use them against each other….

  18. The BATFE doesn’t give a damn about illegal immigrants, drug smuggling, human trafficking or an invading army from China. What they are truly worried about is normally law abiding Americans deciding that they have had enough of the Biden Border BS. A few good old boys with rifles might start using illegal aliens border crossers for target practice. Any ordinary 5.56mm, .308, .306, .270, .243, .30-30 or .45-70 would be effective. However; .50 BMG would be more dramatic. Just a few guys setting up a kilometer away from the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass with scoped rifles could effectively close the border far more effectively than Trump’s wall. This tactic would be all the more effective because the bodies would be left in the river to slowly float down stream as a warning to others.

  19. The irony of the ATF proving the border is insecure, and DHS is also incompetent, is palatable. Tastes like the truth.

  20. As a second amendment supporter, why should I care if anyone, from any country, gets a .50 BMG without government approval? Human rights aren’t subject to government approval.

  21. Biden could easily stop all this craziness with the stroke of a pen and shutdown the border. He will not do it though. Instead of the ATF sending messages to gun stores, they should be sending them to Biden.

  22. First off let’s stop pretending the cartels only operate at the border states then start looking at the real reason the aft wants this

  23. .50 cal? screw that when you have atomic hand grenades!
    Make the illegals glow in the dark! Turn the border in to a glass parking lot!
    Crispy critters on tacos!
    Yum Yum!

    Please – do not reply – the ATF has already shot me dead

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