I think I’ve mentioned my dyed-in-the-wool gun-nut friend, whose name is also Ben. NRA life membership notwithstanding, he was 100% in favor of the extension of background checks. “The best and fastest way to shut off sales to criminals and kooks,” he says.
He says the claim of very few such sales at gun shows is total horse manure. I went with him recently to a gun show. He pointed out a table with perhaps 20 assorted handguns for sale. There was a sign: “Individual seller. There is no paper on these guns.” Ben says he has seen the same un-licensed seller at many other gun shows. We don’t know where the ATF is in all this.