Gun Control & RKBA
In reply to the discussion: I have a question you guys can answer [View all]petronius
(26,620 posts)One is that it may serve as a deterrent to straw purchases and other transfers to prohibited persons. If each buyer is linked to the gun, s/he may be less willing to pass it on to someone who is not able to pass the background check, and if a gun shows up in the wrong hands without good explanation, the registered owner can be investigated and prosecuted as appropriate. (And a registry would make a universal background check requirement more effective, since it would aid in identifying transfers that avoided the check.)
Second, it allows for removing registered firearms (as California does) from persons who become disqualified after purchase.
Whether these potential benefits outweigh the potential costs and/or misuses of a registry is debatable, of course...