Pa. Amish farmer's 600 guns were seized by ATF, but it's unclear if he broke the law

[TexasTowelie]

PHILADELPHIA — Hand-painted signs in Amish country often advertise fresh eggs, shoofly pies or handmade quilts, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is trying to determine whether one Lancaster County farmer’s sizable gun collection was also his side hustle.

An ATF spokesman said agents seized evidence during an “enforcement operation” on Jan. 12 at the Cattail Foundry in Leacock Township, Lancaster County, but declined to comment further. Two sources familiar with the investigation said approximately 600 firearms were seized during the operation.

On Wednesday morning, farm owner Reuben King declined to comment on the matter at his home, but he did talk to Lancaster Online several weeks ago. King told the news outlet he was a dairy farmer, first and foremost, but admitted selling “some” firearms from his personal collection to fellow Amish and a few non-Amish too.

Sources said handguns were among the weapons taken by ATF. King told Lancaster Online he mostly sold long guns, for hunting. “I was not dealing in handguns, positively not,” King said last month.

Read more: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/02/pa-amish-farmers-600-guns-were-seized-but-its-unclear-if-he-broke-the-law.html

[Sneederbunk]

1. Were they all flintlock?

[TheBlackAdder]

2. The obligatory Weird Al post. An Amish with an AR-15? You know that's unheard of

.

What Amish Paradise parodies.

.

[CanonRay]

3. I always thought the Amish were opposed to firearms

but of course I never lived near any.

[badhair77]

4. First of all,

I think 600 guns is a ridiculous number for a private collection. And how is it his collection if he’s constantly selling some, sounds like inventory to me. He’s a gun dealer just like someone who consistently “collects” antiques and resells them is an antique dealer. According to the article, others, non-Amish, buy from him also. He uses the excuse of Amish not having a photo ID. Amish don’t like to have their photos taken for religious reasons. However, the article did mention that some have photo IDs to buy firearms. Interesting.

Lancaster County Republicans go after the Amish voter. The Republicans are also pushing voter photo ID. Will the Amish go along with that even though many will not be photographed or will the Repubs go along no photo ID.

Stream of consciousness thinking here. No real conclusions, just more questions.