Mark Malkowski, founder and CEO of Stag Arms. (Photo: WNPR)
Stag Arms is currently working to resolve an issue with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives following the discovery of unserialized lower receivers along with missing paperwork for related gun parts.
During a routine inspection last summer at Stag’s facilities in New Britain, Connecticut, agents for the ATF noticed that 3,000 lower receivers were missing the required serial numbers. Moreover, that manufacturing and disposition records were missing for 136 lower receivers.
Under federal law gun manufacturers are not allowed to possess unmarked receivers for more than seven days. If they do, those firearms are subject to forfeiture. ATF inspectors claim that Stag failed to mark the receivers within that timeframe and subsequently seized some of those parts.
Now, in a civil lawsuit filed in Connecticut federal court on May 6, the ATF is requesting to hold on to them permanently because it alleges that Stag broke the law. Stag accounted for the oversight by telling agents that the individual responsible for stamping on the serial numbers was on vacation.
In a statement released to the Hartford Business Journal, Stag said it is working to resolve the dispute.
“Stag Arms, LLC is working closely with the government regarding this issue. Although the allegations relate primarily to timing and recordkeeping, and Stag believes public safety was never compromised, the company takes its obligation to comply with all laws very seriously.
“Stag has made comprehensive changes to ensure that similar problems cannot happen again and that best compliance practices are maintained in all of its operations,” the company said.
Stag did not disclose how much the forfeiture of the property would cost.
I can’t believe that this was due to “one” individual being on vacation. STAG dropped the ball somewhere if this is what actually happened. However, the ATF has been known for doing weird and vindictive things, so I await to hear the results of this incident. In any case, STAG should 1) make sure more then one one person does serial numbering, and 2) move out of Commie state of Connecticut.
as always, I believe that there is more to the story then we read here. None of it really makes any sense. soon the truth will come out.
The problem here is with both the vindictive enforcement of these laws by this administration, and the laws themselves. All the regulation of firearm manufacturers, dealers, etc., serves no practical purpose other than create a lot of unnecessary expense and hassle, and process crimes that give government the ability to arrest and intimidate people without any real cause.
All this licensing, serializing, record-keeping, etc., is of no real value. Since guns are commonly sold, traded, stolen, etc. (and will continue to be, regardless of the law), the record of who manufactured it, or who bought it from a licensed dealer twenty years ago, means nothing (particularly when they must already have the gun to find out). Manufacturing, or selling guns should not be regulated any more than manufacturing and selling bicycles, or chainsaws (with the exception of selling them to children, mental defectives and criminals, which reputable dealers won’t do anyway, and criminals will find a way around).
Stag Arms either forgot or did not know that the Federal government regards all mistakes involving Federal Regulations as criminal acts or omissions and if they seize property, they do so with no plan to return it. I seriously doubt that the ATF just happen to conduct a routine inspection of Stag Arms when there were receivers in stock without serial numbers. They either waited until that employee went away on vacation or they have an informant on the Stag Arms payroll or both.
Come to Texas – we like your kind here. We also know that guns don’t kill people – liberals do. Mine haven’t killed anyone since I’ve owned them and none have ever tried to get out of their safe to commit any crimes. They actually like where they live in the safe in Texas.
This outrage is exactly why Remington Arms at Ilion, New York is moving its manufacturing to a new facility at Huntville. Alabama. This is a real shame for my State of New York. The good folks down the road from Syracuse have been making firearms for over 200 years in upstate New York.
Our Dear Leader Governor Andrew Cuomo is directly responsible for this action. He pushed through the New York Legislature, the S.A.F.E. gun law. Along with punishing state taxes on corporations, it was the last straw. Some Remington Arms assembly lines have already moved to Huntsville.
Heres the thing. A Remington spokesman has sworn on the “eyes of his children”, ( I made that part up), that Remington would not move all of its assembly lines to Huntsville. The prediction? Within two more years Ilion, New York will be a ghost town.
The Remington Arms workers are among the best factory workers in the world. They can credit Governor Andrew Cuomo with the loss of their livelyhood. And what was Cuomo’s motive in this outrage? He wants to impress the liberals in the Democrat Party that he is a credible Presidential candidate for the upcoming 2016 election cycle. Imagine that, a candidate who would impose the draconian New York State S.A.F.E. act on the whole country!
Hey, if Hildabeast falls on her e-mail server face, it could happen. Liberals love tyrants! I suggest that any who are now, or might in the future, enforce their Second Amendment rights to own firearms, vote in their primaries and the general election of 2016.
When the Obama Administration raids the Mayor of Baltimore’s office for its racist decision to “give the rioters space to destroy” white and other non-African American-owned property, they can be absolved of their own racist agenda. Right now, BATF is carrying out its own part of the Obama Administation’s racist agenda.
It’s time for everyone, all races, to look at this show-boating and the proposed limits on DRMO sales to local police departments for what it is… administrative attacks on law-abiding Americans at a time when the Federal government is purposefully turning a blind eye to racist violence across America, perpetrated by those who are convinced they are entitled to steal from other Americans.
I can’t believe that any firearm, ammo or gun parts and accessories manufacturer would continue to have their facilities located in Connecticut. If they are hoping that they can influence the Democrats in power they are living in lala land. Move to a gun friendly state and one where the cost of doing business will be lower than Connecticut. Sooner or later, I’m outta Connecticut too.
On the serious tip, just look at how vindictive and nasty, this assault was! Next, they could walk into the US Mint, and confiscate any money paper and coin blanks, because they’ve been laying around too long? That’s how ob works. He’s out to get you any way he can! Go south young man, go south!
I’m on my way to saner lands!
So only 1 person knows how to run the serializing machine? Come on Stag, that was an idiot move on your part to just let those parts sit and back up.
Aw come the frack on! Does anyone really think, that a manufacturer like “Stag Arms”, would be in the market to sell “ghost guns” to street thugs? Obozo’s, holder and the atf had mexico all tied up and they don’t want no competition in their new market!
Sorry to do this but I’m getting steamed! It’s a gun manufacturer for Christ’s sake! No one plays this Just In The Nick Of Time bs! They have an inventory, and will have parts waiting around. They don’t just sell whole guns, they also honor their warranty! They also do repairs and replacements! You can’t do that without parts. I guess that the “commies in charge” will now establish manufacturing quotas according to “his” vast knowledge of the science. Of course “they” know what’s best!
Seems like an easy way for the government to get ahold of untraceable guns to sell to further their “War on Americans”. This way they can justify all their anti-gun rhetoric.
Its time to abolish the unconstitutional ATF. This agency does far more harm then good.
Moving out of CT, or most any of the north-eastern states is generally good advice; however, the ATF don’t care if you are in Bridgeport or Birmingham. Either way, the thieving Fed has what it takes to take what you got. We should change that. Easier said than done.
I have read the filing and the problem is that the company is aware of the law and that the ATF is engaging in following the “Letter of the Law”. If you know that then why not hire enough people to process your product. If you were canning tuna and the Health Inspector found the raw tuna sitting on a conveyor belt for 5 minutes without being canned and sealed all the tuna would be destroyed. So can your tuna, add serial numbers to your receivers and keep records of your MFG. and transferring. You know the game, don’t fumble the ball. The loss will be in the $100,000 range so just add $5.00 to each gun you sell this year.
Alabama or any surrounding states would love for this company to announce they were leaving Connecticut
Why would any firearms company manufacture in Connecticut? These anti gun states want the jobs and taxes ,but not the product. Time to move south.
Your damn right. The only reason I moved from my peaceful Willington CT home was entirely due to the Communist State of Connecticuts continued support for bullshit gun laws. If Louisiana ever follows suit I will move again.
They should get out of CT as fast as possible and send money to candidates that will vow to cancel the ATF. They cause nothing but problems and enforce useless laws that only infringe on our rights. While at it, be sure that ALL weapons are included in the 2nd Amendment an not just some firearms. Americans should be free to have ay weapons without restriction.