In 1934 the United States Government managed to circumvent the Second Amendment of the Constitution, utilizing a tool that was becoming ever more popular at the time. These are harsh sounding words, but they are factual, and lead us to the root source of the so-called “National Firearms Act” weapons of today; the taxed and registered machine guns, silencers, short barreled weapons and Any Other Weapons. Congress had been advised that there were many things that they could not do- one of these things was to ban any class of firearms. Yet, they found themselves needing a path to “Righteousness”- a good dose of early days “Symbolism over substance”.

Brother Clinton would have been proud. Congress wanted to ban certain military type firearms from civilian hands, to make a stand against “gangsters”. The courts had found that the Federal government could do almost anything it wanted, if it could find a “Nexus” to either “interstate commerce”, or tax collection. In the case of the firearms that they wished to ban, taxation was the tool that was chosen. It worked on many other subjects that the Federal government was told they had no authority over- marijuana, child labor, etc. Whether we agree that these things need regulation or not is not the issue, it is whether the federal government has jurisdiction over
them. The use of the taxing authority became a way to gain control over an issue.

The National Firearms Act of 1934 imposed a tax on the transfer of ownership or manufacture of certain firearms. In the course of collecting this tax, it was determined that a “Registry” would be needed to record the tax information. This Registry is commonly referred to as the NFA Registry, although the more correct initials are NFRTR.

An almost punitive tax of $200 (Think about $200 in 1934!) was imposed on all transactions, and all transactions and ownership information were required to be sent in to the Registry. The history of the changes that the Registry has gone through is quite amazing, and will be dealt with at other times in SAR. For our purposes here, it is sufficient to mention only these several things:

1- Very few people took the registration laws seriously, and the government’s own estimate of the unregistered to registered machine guns ratio was ten unregistered to every one registered. Most war veterans were especially cool to the idea of registering firearms- they had seen the results of an unarmed populace in the wars they came home from, and there were countless thousands of MP-40’s, Greaseguns, Maxims and Brownings up above the floorboards in attics around America.

2- Due to the above situation, and riding on a wave of hysteria fostered by a combination of rising crime, anti-Vietnam War riots, race riots and the assassinations in the United States during the mid 1960’s, it was decided that the NFA weapons must be accounted for and an Amnesty was included in the Gun Control Act of 1968. All firearms that would have fallen under the definitions in the NFA-34, and the new category of “Destructive Devices”, had an amnesty period of an effective 30 days for the owners to register them. The stated purpose of the GCA 68 was to help the states to control their crime problems, but the actual outcome of this law was the creation of a massive bureaucracy that regulated the interstate commerce in firearms.

It would be an error, and an affront to a lot of good public servants for this author to leave that statement to stand alone. Many criminals have been caught, prosecuted, and the ensuing crimes they would have committed have been eradicated before happening. These people should have our undying thanks, and this author will not denigrate their sacrifices.

Here’s the “But”. But, there have been a lot of innocent people whose lives have been turned upside down, their families terrorized, financially ruined, all because of a violation of a tax statute, or even worse, because of inaccurate record keeping. The recent public airing of a private video tape address by the “Former” head of the National Firearms Act Branch, BATF, a Mr. Thomas Busey, has wreaked havoc on the legitimacy of the records in the Registry. That will be covered in later issues of SAR, by other Reasonably Knowledgeable Individuals who have been involved with the legal investigations of errors in the Registry. The accuracy of this Registry is a matter of great public interest.

This author has worked for many years to bring the Statistics of the National Firearms Act Activity to the public. These are public documents, but are not readily available. Each year since the late 1980’s, I have tried to get these published (usually with success) and the main vehicle was Machine Gun News.

The Small Arms Review will now pick up that torch.

These 5 charts are very intense. There is a lot of information in them. Most of it can be understood by comparing the activity from year to year- this means going and finding your old back issues of MGN.

Each chart requires individual study. If you take the time to look them over, you will be able to see what the course of transfers has been like over time, and what is going on in your state. Shifts in large inventories show up each year- the sale of collections, etc. One note is that the Destructive Device numbers are inflated by the requirement that all “Distraction Devices” or what is more commonly referred to as “Stun Grenades” must be in the Registry as well. The recent proliferation of these devices in law enforcement inventories, and the fact that many agencies do not bother reporting the destruction of these devices, leaves the accuracy of the Destructive Device part of the Registry in tatters. Many have suggested a separate Registry for these devices as a method of cleaning up a part of the problem.

We welcome your comments and observations regarding these charts.

Legend

MG: Machine Gun
SI: Silencer
SR: Short Barreled Rifle
SS: Short Barreled Shotgun
DD: Destructive Device
AW: Any Other Weapon
UNC: Unclassified
F1: Form 1, manufactured by an individual
F2: Manufactured by a licensed manufacturer
F3: Form 3 Transferred between Special Occupational Taxpayers
F4: Form 4 Transferred to or from an individual, tax paid
F5: Form 5 Transferred to or from a government agency, to a lawful heir, for repair, or “Other” reasons
F6: Form 6 imported
F9: Form 9 exported
F10: Form 10 into or registered by a government affiliated organization such as a police department or museum- these can not be transferred to other than government related operations
LTR: Letter, some transfers and registrations have been allowed on letters
4467: Form 4467, registered during the 1968 Amnesty- this is the original form used in the Amnesty.

The second denial of a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives motion for summary judgment in a suit brought against it by a licensee, underscores some of the reasons why three U.S. senators (two from Idaho and another from Louisiana), have placed a hold on the confirmation of Michael J. Sullivan as director of the industry’s regulator.

The suit, Jim’s Pawn Shop, Inc. d/b/a/ Jim’s Gun Jobbery v. Carton Bowers, Director of Industry Operations, Charlotte Field Division, Bureau of ATF, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina, stems from the June 2005 revocation of the shop’s FFL for allegedly “willfully violating the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA).”

The suit could be important for all licensees as its outcome hinges on the definition of actions constituting a “willful” violation of the regulations. The suit also seemingly confirms (though ATF has long-denied it) that the agency may indeed have a “zero tolerance” policy for record-keeping errors on the part of licensees. An affidavit filed in the case quotes an ATF inspector as saying licensees cannot make mistakes. This standard is higher than the standard ATF itself is able to achieve.

The retailer does not dispute the various violations found by ATF, but contends that the violations were not willful, as is required for revocation of a license.

In the latest hearing on ATF’s motion for summary judgment (a motion made to have the case dismissed), the agency argued that “a willful violation of the administrative provisions of the GCA occurs when a federal firearms licensee displays a “purposeful disregard or plain indifference to a known legal obligation” and cited another firearms case from 2006, RSM, Inc. v. Herbert, which ATF claimed supported its “willful” definition.

The court, however, disagreed, stating that “while willfulness may be inferred from an individual’s plain indifference to a legal requirement, a licensee’s repeated violations of the GCA do not necessarily compel a finding of willfulness as a matter of law.

The court distinguished between the present case and that of RSM, which involved a dealer who had been cited for over 900 violations after having been twice counseled for previous violations. The violations for which Jim’s Pawn Shop was cited did not rise to the level of those involved in RSM, the court found.

During the hearing, evidence was presented countering the willfulness claims, such as the licensee’s attempts to be helpful in addressing issues raised during ATF’s inspections. A report was also cited by an ATF hearing officer who said the retailer “went to great lengths” to determine the disposition of all firearms acquired but not found on the premises.

Particularly important was an affidavit filed by the retailer whose daughter had asked an ATF inspector how she could correct a mistake that she might make…and his response was that she “could not make a mistake,” giving credence to the view that the agency has a zero tolerance policy for errors on the part of licensees.

The court further noted that Jim’s Pawn sold about 4,000 firearms annually. While 1,600 violations were found during ATF’s 1996 inspection, the number “dropped considerably” in subsequent inspections. The court noted that this was evidence that Jim’s was not indifferent to the requirements of the GCA.

In conclusion, the court found ATF had failed to meet its burden to show evidence of genuine issue of material fact as to the willfulness of the licensee’s actions. A bench trial of the matter is scheduled.

U.S. Firearm Production Gained in 2006

Firearm production during the year 2006 increased in all categories according to the latest available statistics compiled by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives.

• Pistol production increased to 1,021,260 during 2006, compared to a total of 803,425 during 2005.
  
• Revolver manufacture totaled 382,069 in 2006, versus 274,205 the year before.
• Rifle production witnessed a more modest gain to 1,496,505 as opposed to 1,431,372 in 2005.
• Shotgun manufacturers produced 714,618 in 2006 as compared to 709,313 in 2005.
• Miscellaneous firearms produced in 2006 totaled 35,872 compared to 23,179 the year before.
• Firearm exports from the U.S. saw very significant gains. Some 144,779 pistols were exported from the U.S. in 2006 versus 19,196 in 2005.
  
• Revolver exports dipped slightly to 28,120 in 2006 from 29,271 in 2005.
• Rifle exports jumped to a total of 102,829 in 2006 versus 92,098 in 2005
• Shotgun exports were 57,771, a significant increase over the 46,129 exported during 2005.
• Miscellaneous firearm exports came to 34,022 in 2006 compared to 7,988 in 2005.

Sanetti Chosen to Lead NSSF

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has announced that its President, Stephen L. Sanetti, has left the company to accept the position of President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the trade association for the firearms industry.

Sanetti was hired by Bill Ruger in 1980 to be Ruger’s first general counsel and rose up through the executive ranks to become, in 2003, president and chief operating officer and vice chairman of the Board of Directors. A founding member of the industry’s Firearms Litigation Support Committee, Sanetti helped direct the successful coordinated response to municipal lawsuits that threatened the firearms industry in the late 1990s.

The connection between the NSSF and Ruger has always been strong. Bill Ruger was a founding member of its Board of Governors in 1961. It is the trade association for the shooting, hunting, and firearms industry, with a membership of over 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, retailers, sportsmen’s organizations, and publishers.

“I am delighted that the NSSF Board has chosen Steve Sanetti to be its next CEO,” said Ruger CEO Michael Fifer. “His knowledge of the industry and the issues confronting it, together with his vast product acumen make him a natural for this important and publicly visible position. I look forward to continued close ties between Ruger and the NSSF with Steve Sanetti as its CEO, as we all strive to preserve our heritage of hunting, shooting, and responsible firearms use. While Steve’s vast industry experience and passion for firearms will be missed by Ruger, we will share in the industry’s good fortune of having Steve lead the NSSF,” Fifer concluded.

“It was no easy decision to depart Sturm, Ruger, since I’ve devoted my life to it since I left the Army 30 years ago,” said Sanetti. “But I feel an even higher calling where I can, I hope, be of assistance to the entire firearms industry.”

There was widespread praise within the industry for the choice of Sanetti to replace semi-retiring Doug Painter at the NSSF helm. Trade sources within the industry indicate that Sanetti’s decision to leave Sturm, Ruger after so many years was reportedly due to conflicts in management style between Sanetti and Ruger’s board, which has taken a more active role in managing the company as of late.

AR-15 Rifles Strong Sellers

AR-15 style rifles are said to be selling strongly – particularly in the southwest. One retailer, who had frequently exhibited at gun shows to obtain much needed revenue to keep his business going, has since discontinued attendance at the shows as his shop has become so busy selling the black rifles.

Micro-Stamping Bill Stalls in Connecticut

The General Assembly has set aside a proposal requiring any newly made semiautomatic pistols sold in Connecticut after Jan. 1, 2010, to employ a fledgling technology that would brand an alphanumeric code on bullet cartridges when fired. The industry made a unified stand against the bill with companies such as Colt’s, Marlin, O.F. Mossberg, Sturm, Ruger, Remington, Smith & Wesson, ATK-Federal Cartridge, and Winchester Ammunition taking part.

Prominent Anti-Industry Lawyer Sentenced

William S. Lerach, a former partner of the law firm Milberg Weiss, responsible for representing numerous cities in litigation against the firearms industry, has been sentenced to two years in federal prison and ordered to forfeit $7.75 million for concealing illegal payments to a plaintiff, following his guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice.

The frivolous lawsuits against the industry filed by Milberg Weiss led to the passage of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

Lerach, of La Jolla, California, admitted to an arrangement in which his law firm made payments to people to be on call as plaintiffs in class-action lawsuits that were filed against publicly-traded companies when their stock prices dropped.

Prosecutors for the U.S. Attorney’s office of the Central District of California, who worked on the case for seven years, say that Lerach and others lined up the plaintiffs ahead of time to gain an illegal advantage over other law firms engaged in the same suits. By being designated the lead plaintiff, the law firms stood to reap a larger share of any eventual lawyers’ fees awarded.

Prosecutors say that in more than 150 of the firm’s class-action cases from the 1970s to 2005, the law firm earned more than $216 million in attorneys’ fees, and paid out $11 million to the on-call plaintiffs.

Lerach will serve his time in a minimum-security federal prison in California.

Background Checks Rise

Data released by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) shows 942,556 checks were reported in January, a 5.3% increase from the 894,608 reported in January 2007.

Adjusted state figures show background checks up by 3.4% year-over-year. In 2007, NICS reported a total of 11,177,335 background checks, an increase of 4.1% compared to 2006.

The increase in background checks coincides with an increase in excise tax collections from firearms and ammunition manufacturers, another key economic indicator for the firearms industry.

The author publishes two of the small arms industry’s most widely read trade newsletters. The International Firearms Trade covers the world firearms scene, and The New Firearms Business covers the domestic market. Visit www.FirearmsGroup.com. He may be reached at: FirearmsB@aol.com.

BATF Reports Pistol Production Declined By Nearly 1 Million Units In ‘95

Reflecting the downturn in consumer demand for handguns occurring in the second quarter of 1995, this was following the legislatively induced gun buying panic of 1994. American pistol production in 1995 declined by nearly one million units from the 1994 total. Specifically, 1,195,266 pistols were produced in 1995, as compared to 2,014,336 in 1994, according to the latest available figures from the Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Exportation Report issued by the industry’s regulator, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (BATF).

By caliber, pistol production broke down as follows: only 260,059 units in .22 caliber were produced in 1995 as compared to 456,490 in 1994; particularly hard hit by the Brady Law’s attendant five working day waiting period and illegal background check fees imposed by chief law enforcement officers in some localities were smaller self-defense pistol production such as those in .25 caliber which declined by over 50% in 1995 to 51,025 versus 110,732 produced the year before. Similarly, .32 caliber manufacture dropped to 19,220 in 1995, as opposed to 29,818 in 1994. Pistols chambered in .380 totaled just 182,802 in 1995 while reaching a high of 313,915 in the prior year. 9mm products declined to 398,467 in 1995 compared to 752,801 in 1994. Pistols chambered for up to .50 caliber cartridges (including .45 ACP) dropped in production to 283,693 in 1995 versus 350,580 in 1994.

The top three pistol producers during 1995 were Smith & Wesson with a total of 241,906 units in all calibers (versus 269,549 in 1994). Sturm, Ruger & Co. finished in second place during 1995 with a total of 197,489 pistols (compared to 299,647 the year before). Beretta USA Corp. finished in third place in 1995 having made 158,858 pistols (in comparison to 201,517 in 1994).

The disastrous effects of the implementation of the “Brady Law” on manufacturers of popularly priced small caliber pistols often used for self-defense is dramatically illustrated by an examination of some of their production figures.

For example, Bryco Arms made 227,924 pistols in 1994 and only 56,727 in 1995. Davis Industries manufactured 85,124 pistols in 1994 and just 45,171 in 1995. Lorcin Engineering Co., Inc. produced 151,208 pistols in 1994 and saw its production drop to 83,463 in 1995.

Revolvers

Revolver production, on the other hand, declined much less dramatically to a total of 527,664 in 1995 from 586,450 in 1994. Since the 1994 Crime Law imposed magazine capacity restriction of 10-rounds effectively eliminated the market for double-column magazine high-capacity pistols; consumers opted to purchase handguns, which offered the most punch-instead of the greatest number of rounds.

As a result, production of .357 Magnum revolvers increased to 210,379 in 1995 from 170,856 in 1994. Also, .44 Magnum revolver manufacture increased to 90,144 in 1995 from 89,713 in 1994 (Part of the increase in .44 Magnum revolver production is attributed by industry analysts to the increased interest in big bore handgun hunting). Production of revolvers up to .50 caliber, however, declined to 30,269 in 1995 from 36,101 the year before. Manufacture of .38 caliber revolvers declined to 92,913 units in 1995 from 146,630 in 1994. Wheelguns in .32 caliber dramatically dropped in production from 9,160 in 1994, to 4,381 in 1995. And .22 caliber revolvers declined to 99,578 manufactured in 1995 versus 133,990 in 1994.

The top three revolver manufacturers during 1995 were Smith & Wesson in first place with a total of 258,223 (compared to 255,216 in 1994). Sturm, Ruger finished second with 148,439 wheelguns in 1995 (versus 136,394 in 1994). Colt’s Manufacturing Co. finished in third place in 1995 having made 40,085 revolvers (in comparison to 52,672 in 1994).

Rifles/Shotguns

As did revolver production, rifle manufacture pretty much held its own in 1995 as total production came to 1,331,780, a modest decline from the 1,349,116 rifles produced during 1994. Shotgun manufacturing also declined slightly from the 1,254,926 made during 1994 to the 1,173,645 produced during 1995.

The top three rifle manufacturers in 1995 were Sturm, Ruger with 407,785 rifles (compared to 354,355 the year before). The Marlin Firearms Co. finished second in 1995 with 396,215 units (versus 358,372 in 1994). Remington Arms Co. finished in third place with 242,706 rifles in 1995 (as opposed to 204,496 in 1994).

Remington Arms Co. led the top three shotgun manufacturers in 1995 with 426,442 units (versus 403,012 in 1994). O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc. placed second in 1995 with 339,881 scatterguns (compared to 373,512 in 1994). And, finishing third in 1995 was H&R 1871, Inc. with 165,813 of their nifty single barrel guns (as opposed to 216,360 the year before).

NFA Firearms

Manufacture of machine guns dipped slightly during 1995 to 9,185 units from 10,248 during 1994. On the other hand, manufacturing of Any Other Weapons (such as short barrel rifles and shotguns, pen guns, smooth bore revolvers, etc.) declined significantly during 1995 to only 110 examples from 572 in 1994. No breakdown by manufacturer or caliber is provided for machine guns or Any Other Weapons in the BATF report.

There were also 8,607 miscellaneous firearms manufactured during 1995, versus 10,918 in 1994. Overall, American firearm manufacturers produced 4,246,257 firearms of all types during 1995 as opposed to a total of 5,226,566 in 1994.

Exportation

The total number of firearms exported increased during 1995 to 441,331 from 422,728 in 1994. Export of pistols, revolvers, rifles and machine guns also saw increases, while exports of shotguns, Any Other Weapons and miscellaneous firearms showed declines.

Leading the gainers were revolvers with 131,634 exported in 1995 (versus 78,935 in 1994). The top three revolver exporters during 1995 were: Smith & Wesson with 113,899 units (versus 56,980 in 1994); Sturm, Ruger sending abroad 8,636 revolvers (compared to 9,383 in 1994); and, Colt’s Manufacturing Co. with export of 5,388 (in comparison to 5,105 in 1994).

The exportation of pistols reached 97,969 in 1995, up from 95,036 in 1994. The top three pistol exporters during 1995 were Smith & Wesson with 66,689 (versus 57,442 in 1994); Colt’s Manufacturing’s 10,351 pistols (compared to 12,890 the year before); and, Sturm, Ruger’s total of 6,399 pistols going abroad in 1995 (in comparison to 5,185 in 1994).
Machine gun exports climbed to 19,259 in 1995 from 16,729 in 1994. Any Other Weapon exports declined to just 27 in 1995, from 56 the year before. No breakdown by manufacturer was provided in either of these two product categories.

Rifle exports climbed to 89,053 in total in 1995, posting a solid gain over the total of 82,226 in 1994. The top three rifle exporters were Remington with 32,315 units sent abroad (versus 26,973 in 1994); Marlin Firearms shipping out 22,951 guns (compared to 14,174 in 1994); and, Sturm Ruger with 22,503 rifle exports (as opposed to 18,764 in the previous year).

American shotgun exports did not fare as well as most of the other firearm categories as total exports dropped in 1995 to 100,894 from 146,524 in 1994. The top three shotgun exporters, by rank, were: O.F. Mossberg with 24,653 units (compared to 46,459 in 1994); Remington sent abroad 19,764 shotguns (compared to 27,835 the year before); and, Winchester Licensee U.S. Repeating Arms Co. exported 18,454 units (as opposed to 27,922 in 1994).

MG Shoot Cancelled

In other news, the annual “North Country Summer Machinegun Shoot” hosted by the Minuteman Shooting Club of New Boston, New Hampshire has been postponed until further notice. The landowner of the Stratford Hollow site has decided to utilize the property for business purposes, thus rendering the range area unsuitable for machine gun shooting. The event had been taking place at the site for the past seven years.

The club is searching for a new range location and may purchase a site to be used exclusively for machinegunners. There are no plans to disband the club or cease operations. For further information, the club may be contacted at 603-537-1009.

Night Vision

Nightline, Inc. (PO Box 16-0819, Miami, FL 33116) has developed some interesting new infrared lighting options of interest to the professional. The MAXA BEAM searchlight is designed for military search and rescue missions. Within its 3.2-pound package is a short-arc, Xenon lamp producing a compact white light source with a 1 1/2 mile range in the spot mode. Crime suspects are easily disoriented with the pulse strobe. Marine patrols can observe suspicious boat maneuverings over a mile away without being detected. Covert IR filters and wired remote controls are available.

Nightline’s Phoenix Transmitter is said to be the first pocket-sized user-programmable infrared (IR) beacon designed for individual combat identification (CID). It is invisible to the naked eye, but has been seen from as far away as 20 miles with night vision systems. Its primary advantage is it’s instant no-tool field encoding capability, which allows any user to easily enter and change its flashing code, thus allowing units to be distinguished from one another.

The Firefly is Nightline’s miniature source of covert infrared light that can be used for an infinite number of applications (e.g. tracking a vehicle, creating a covert launching pad, or marking a rendezvous point). Each of the unit’s LEDs will emit covert light in a 360-degree hemispherical pattern. This 1-inch high strobe light, which can be viewed up to 3 miles away and is powered by a 9-volt battery, will penetrate most types of clothing, foliage, as well as cardboard. It can be placed under water to a moderate depth.

IR filters are now available from Nightline for the popular flashlights sold under the Mag-Lite, Sure Fire and Mini-Mag brands. The filters are manufactured of Polysulfone and block 99-100% of visible light.

The all new AN/PAQ-4C infrared aiming light from Nightline is eyesafe at 1,800 meters and is billed as the world’s smallest and lightest weight military standard aiming light. A combination of preset zero and accurate adjustors enables precise zeroing to be established by firing only a single 3-round shot group. Once boresighted to an arm, the operator simply puts the steady (non-pulsing) laser beam on target and fires.

Using ‘AA’ batteries, activation is by means of an integral switch with momentary and full on positions, or by a remote push button switch. Mounts are available separately. Since the device utilizes a steady, non-pulsing laser, domestic sales are limited to U.S. federal government agencies.

Nightline’s IR Target Pointer/Illuminator/Aiming Laser is the result of extensive field evaluation. Used hand-held or arm mounted, a seven position mode selector enables operation of the aiming light and pointer/illuminator individually or in combination, as well as providing high and low aiming light power.

The differences between infrared light sources and night vision gear is explained in Nightline’s literature. Infrared is part of the spectrum of light: a wavelength too long for the unaided eye to detect. This “invisible” light can be viewed through the use of night vision equipment. Such night vision devices are classified as passive as they do not emit any light, while infrared light sources are active as they do emit a beam of light which can be detected with infrared devices or other night vision equipment.

For the night vision user, light sources that have the capability of transmitting in the infrared spectrum can be very helpful and even critical in applications of extreme darkness.

For example, in an unlit building without windows, such as a warehouse, night vision devices alone would not have sufficient ambient light to operate adequately. Instead of the bright green image expected under optimal conditions, the user would view a black image with what would appear to be “static.” The same effect would occur when operating in rural areas far from city lights, in heavily wooded sites, and during nights with little or no starlight or moonlight. In the cases, the use of an IR light source will provide the additional light that the night vision device might need for successful results. Night vision devices do not normally require IR light sources to operate successfully; it is only in environments of extreme darkness that IR light sources may improve visibility.

Illuminating a warehouse from inside or lighting up the inside of a car or room from a distance of several hundred yards without being detected requires the use of a powerful searchlight with an IR filter. In operations using undercover agents, flashing IR lights may be placed in the pants pocket of each member for quick identification and safe maneuvering of the team.