TV Journalists Try Buying AK-47 On Dark Web, Fail (deepdotweb.com) 88
An anonymous reader writes: "It was supposed to be a great story about terrorism, uncertainty and the evils of the DarkNet," writes Deep Dot Web, describing an investigative report titled "Fear of Terror -- How Endangered is Germany?" After interviewing security experts, federal investigators, and a survivor of the Paris terrorist attack, a TV news crew in Germany attempted to buy an AK-47 on the dark web -- only to be scammed out of $800. "If he had done a little research he could have known that most weapon dealers on the DarkNet are actually scams," the article points out, adding that German customs officers say they would have intercepted any AK-47 had a delivery been attempted.
Motherboard reported in November that the high number of scams -- some of which are undercover agents -- prompted several dark web markets to stop offering guns altogether, though they suggest the German news crew was trying to recreate the purchases of "disabled" weapons which were then converted back into their original form.
Motherboard reported in November that the high number of scams -- some of which are undercover agents -- prompted several dark web markets to stop offering guns altogether, though they suggest the German news crew was trying to recreate the purchases of "disabled" weapons which were then converted back into their original form.
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If they had done a money transfer would it have been any more secure?
The fraud happens, it doesn't matter what currency is used.
TV "journalists" watch a movie (Score:1)
They think it's real and try the same thing. What fucking kind of dumbasses are pretending to be "journalists" these days? The white house guy is right, they don't know anything. They're like puppies...
Re:TV "journalists" watch a movie (Score:5, Insightful)
Well, you don't really want the gov't, or really anyone else, to be setting some kind of bar to indicate who can be part of the 'press', because then it becomes very open to abuse. And that's generally worse than bad reporting by your grandma.
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Even in the US a gun registration can make a gun unsuitable or unattainable many crimes. I bet the tradition black markets are safer.
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Most states don't 'register' guns, and the feds are barred from doing so (other than NFA items).
Worst case, you make the mistake of buying something new from an FFL, use it in a crime & leave it behind. The PD/BATFE will contact the manufacturer to learn which distributor, then which FFL sold it, and a 'quick' search through mounds of paperwork will turn up who it was sold it and you are going to have a bad day.
A used
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i sure can.
https://www.google.com/search?... [google.com]
The Local cabelas have several AK-47's that are modified to be semi-auto on the shelf, and they even have an AR-50 sniper rifle as well as Gen 3 night vision scopes.
I even recently bought a Siaga 12, a semi auto modified version of a full auto 12GA shotgun. Perfect for home defense or even sandblasting when loaded with bird shot and a 30 round drum.
Re: Stupid (Score:4, Informative)
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The difference is a single hold not drilled into the receiver and a couple of parts. You are making it sound like it's a completely different animal. it's not, it is 100% identical with one hole missing and a few parts not installed. Anyone with 10 minutes and a hand drill can make a "replica" into a real thing, because they are the real thing, just not finished.
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Anyone with 10 minutes and a hand drill can make a "replica" into a real thing, because they are the real thing, just not finished.
Fascinating, but totally irrelevant. This is a far cry from 'just going down to a gun store and buying an AK-47'.
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A proper Russian made or officially licensed AK-47 which supports fully automatic firing? True... it'd take 9-12 months for your NFA paperwork to clear before you could take possession of the rifle.
You can however walk into oodles of gun stores and buy a knock off (AK-47 is probably the most patent infringed firearm in history) or maybe licensed version for a few hundred dollars.
A quick search turns up plenty, take this one which is only a 30 min drive from where I am sitting [gunsamerica.com] and the shop looks to close at
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Media, meet reality (Score:4, Insightful)
A similar meme here in the US: "you can buy a gun on the web without a background check! The horror. Must close that loophole."
Any journalists trying to do this for a story would quickly realize that only is possible if buyer and seller are able/willing to meet physically, otherwise the act of shipping the firearm, which must go through a licensed dealer, gets backgrounds checked. And a physical meetup between individuals is pretty hard to regulate with or without an internet.
Re: Media, meet reality (Score:2)
There is no background check involved for one individual selling to another in most states. If you're purchasing a firearm (rifle or not) from a gun store, pawn shop, dealer at a gun show etc, anyone who sells guns with an FFL, then there is a background check.
Yard sales also (Score:2)
There is no background check involved for one individual selling to another in most states. If you're purchasing a firearm (rifle or not) from a gun store, pawn shop, dealer at a gun show etc, anyone who sells guns with an FFL, then there is a background check.
I can corroborate this. I've seen pistols and rifles at yard sales in NH. Pistols are less common than rifles, but you can find them.
This is fine in NH, we don't have a lot of gun violence. If your state is concerned about citizen death, consider disarming the law-abiding ones.
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The warzone that is Chicago agrees... shame the rest of us won't get onboard with restricting rights in other states so that illegal guns quit killing people on the south-side on their own.
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And yet these other states with the more lax gun laws don't seem to have the same problem as Chicago.
Maybe the problem _is_ the restriction of rights. Perhaps not the right to own a gun by itself but I'm thinking it plays along in there too.
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Fuck your logic.
Maybe the goddam problem is the one variable that keeps appearing in the analysis: MAYBE IT'S CHICAGO !
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Background checks only stop criminals with a history of getting caught.
Another interesting case to compare against would be Anders Breivik. He wanted to purchase guns and was willing to meet in person.
He failed to acquire a gun through illegal means even if he was willing to cross several nation borders to do so.
Criminals aren't willing to sell firearms to sketchy random dudes they know nothing about. The risk of it backfiring is too high.
Breivik could still get hold of firearms legally since he had no prev
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or Oklahoma.
Fun fact In oklahoma you are required to do a background check to pick up your own gun from a pawnshop but you are not however required to do a background check if picking up your own gun from a gunsmith that you've had repaired.
Gun altered? no check. Gun not altered? Check!
Nice consistent laws we have here.
Although I don't like the idea of a business being responsible for taking guns away from people that already own them.
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Ah so the sign that says guns left over 30 days will be sold is just for show?
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Nope, but you have to go through a separate legal process to obtain ownership of the gun rather than the transfer at time of the pawn.
This is just like taking your car to the repair shop. Once they tell you it is fixed, if you do not pick it up after a certain time, they can go through a legal process to transfer ownership and resell the car for the bill owed. Same with towing a vehicle in most places, it is still yours until you default and the legal process is started.
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Thats the key part of what I was missing as a pawn the transfer is done before hand and as a repair the transfer is done after the fact I think?
A car has a title that must be signed over so its understandable that there would be extra paperwork to sell it if they don't come back for a repair.
Guns (at least in oklahoma) have no registion and as far as I know a gunsmith would not need to do any extra paperwork except mark it down as abandoned in their book.
So its still something I plan to look into a bit more
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Pawn shops that take firearms should be federally license dealers under federal law. I'm not sure that the same requirement is true for gunsmiths.
https://www.atf.gov/firearms/d... [atf.gov]
I scanned through this (PDF warning) but didn't spend much time on it. It appears that in some instances, a gun smith is a dealer and in others they are not.
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Or Washington thanks to I-594 and it's requirement for background checks for every 'transfer'... which is poorly defined.
Re:Media, meet reality (Score:4, Insightful)
And if they would stop and THINK for a moment they'd understand WHY.
The person willing to sell the weapon IN VIOLATION OF MANY FEDERAL LAWS (in the USofA) understands that he will ... probably ... be selling to someone LESS inclined to break those laws.
So WHY would the seller be inclined to take that risk for $800? Does he plan to make enough profit in volume? Repeat customers? Or does he just like the idea of spending time in prison?
This reads like "journalists" who spend too much time watching TV and movies.
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And a physical meetup between individuals is pretty hard to regulate with or without an internet.
And even harder to regulate when one of those people has a gun
Seems likely a risky move to take some cash to a meet up with a stranger who you know will be bringing a gun.
Ripoff (Score:1)
First off, what kind of moron would pay $800 for an AK? You can get a MUCH nicer rifle for $800.
Re:Ripoff (Score:5, Funny)
See this handy chart:
http://i.imgur.com/ueu7x5T.jpg
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AK-47: https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker... [kinja-img.com]
What kind of moron, you ask? (Score:2)
The kind of moron who feels the need to purchase an untraceable weapon will pay a premium for some POS that can't be tied to him. Serial number ground away? Good - rifling half shot out? Not a problem. The fancy woodwork needs to go - and I prefer blued steel to any shiny shit. Black anodizing is alright - specially if it's aged. The weapon isn't for show, it's for a mission.
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Buy an 80% complete AR lower. ZERO serial numbers. easy to get all the rest of the parts and brain dead easy make it into a full auto M16.
Luckily those that want to break the law are usually way too stupid to understand basic machining and tool use and will not be able to complete a functional M16 from parts.
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Someone who is unable to pass the required checks to purchase one legally?
There is a reason straw purchases exist.
Also, throw down guns. If you are a cop who has just shot someone who turns out to be unarmed, you may find it useful (though very illegal as well) to have a gun which has no paperwork connection to you that you can throw next to the body and claim the prep was going f
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Serial number ground away? Good.
If you're buying a gun in an illegal handshake deal, why would you want one with a ground off serial number? It's not traceable to you even with the serial number, and getting caught with a gun with a ground off serial number is a federal offence in and of itself. It seems to me a criminal wouldn't want the serial number ground off unless it had previously been legally purchased by them through a traceable deal and they're also planning to dump the gun.
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The question that I responded to asked "what kind of moron" - remember?
A smarter individual might go out and purchase a weapon openly and legally, knowing that he is going to dispose of the weapon anyway. Or - he may not.
Not every mercenary or assassin is really stupid, nor are all of them really bright. And, there remains an underground market for weapons in various states of legality, modification, and repair.
Now, if I desperately needed an untraceable weapon, I believe that I would consider burglarizin
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But an AK is scary. It is the evil gun in movies, the evil gun portrayed by gun control advocates everywhere. And everyone knows there is only one reason to own an AK. That reason is to open beer bottles and beer is bad.
Seriously. It was for the shock factor of the story. Probably no other considerations went into making the choice.
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...And everyone knows there is only one reason to own an AK. That reason is to open beer bottles and beer is bad.
No, not quite just for opening beer bottles, Giving them to chimps can be 'rewarding' [youtube.com] as well....
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Sorry, but wrong. Makarov pistol is made for opening beer bottles [instructables.com], not AK. In fact I own a Makarov and opening beer bottles was the only use of it for the last 8 years.
Journalists? (Score:1)
That seems more like a blog story than investigative journalism. "Oh, I tried buying a really bad gun, ubiquitously portrayed in movies as the 'bad guy gun' in private and got scammed, must mean it's impossible to buy guns illegally".
Do you really think German criminals don't have guns? Do you really think German border checks open every single container, crate or box?
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Wow, imagine that, one person agrees to exchange private property with another person for some money. Is that not how a free society, a free economy, works?
Oh, but it was a *GUN* they traded? I'm reminded of a cartoon of three frames. First frame, man with a bat and a bloodied dead person at his feet, an observer to this shouts, "Someone needs to stop this madman!" Second frame, man with a knife and a bloodied dead person at his feet, an observer shouts, "Someone needs to stop this madman!" Third frame
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Your comment leads me to believe that you support gun control, if you don't then I'll assume you are playing devil's advocate and I will respond as if you are supporting gun control.
Why do you hate women? Why do you hate the poor? If you support gun control then you must believe these people deserve to be at the mercy of those stronger than them.
Let's set one thing clear, I have little reason to fear being a victim. I am a 6 foot 5 inch tall male in reasonably good physical condition, and thanks to some
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Sure, why not? According to the Supreme Court, the public should be allowed to buy any firearm that the military uses.
http://www.constitution.org/2l... [constitution.org]
Dumb Journalists (Score:2)
Young dumb journalists. A little research would have clued them in to what goes on in legitimate and illegitimate buying of guns.
steep price (Score:2)
Remember it's illegal (Score:2)
Of course if it were a legal purchase, then paying less would be more likely. Of course the fact that it wasn't so much is a hint that it's a scam. OTOH we may speculate that this was a set up by the media to try to discourage people from buying these things on the net.
Isn't conspiracy hunting fun ;)
Not a problem in the USA (Score:1)
When producers were making the movie Lord of War, they had a scene in warehouse full of AKs. They had actual arms dealers as consultants for the movie (the story is the biography of a real life arms dealer) and they found out it would be cheaper to buy a warehouse full of real AKs than a warehouse full of replicas.
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Dunno about warehouse, but it seems they did purchase 3000 of them: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/n... [nzherald.co.nz]
Also seems the tanks they used were on loan until the end of the year when there were to be sold to Libya..
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They're doing it wrong, mostly. Just go to the "go to place" that exists in every halfway large town and if you have the money, they have the goods.
With 2 weeks advance notice I wouldn't deem it impossible for some of these goons to deliver a strategic bomber, if you told them where to put it...
Hah, fail (Score:2)
TV Journalists Try Buying AK-47 On Dark Web, Fail
Yeah, they are teh suxx0rs alright.
Why all the cloak and dagger stuff? (Score:2)
Come to one of the gun shows here in Arizona you can walk in and buy one quite legally.
That's a relief! (Score:1)
SO I guess we can just close the book completely on the notion of there being a gun-related problem in the United States. Hooray! The system works! /sarcasm
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There's a problem all right, but it's not a gun problem. It's a failure to address the real problems (poverty, education, etc), coupled with a 'whitewashing' of the predominate demographic/cultural characteristics of the perpetrators. This is a problem with idiotic Democrats, who seem to think that removing weapons will solve the problem, and this is a problem with Republicans (and Libertarians) that worship rampant capitalism without any checks and balances of social welfare
The general myth that more guns
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SO I guess we can just close the book completely on the notion of there being a gun-related problem in the United States. Hooray! The system works! /sarcasm
The article is from Germany, you fucking twit.
Yep! And as we all know, Germany has their own private Internet, not accessible from the United States! So you're 100% correct. /sarcasm
You know the old saying (Score:2)
Fools, money and the separation of the two...
Try finding love on Craigslist now (Score:2)
Now they can try finding love on Craigslist: