On the list

I thought trace data was not supposed to be disclosed, but several articles have come out parroting this Washington Post article: Realco guns tied to 2,500 crimes in D.C. and Maryland

Ohio gun store No. 1 for traces; state shop No. 3

Badger Guns Makes Top Ten List For Guns Traced

Police Chief Flynn Upset At Badger Guns

But this article explains it:Badger Guns ranked sixth in national list for bad gun stores

The Brady Center to prevent gun violence listed what they call the top 10 crime gun dealers in America. Badger Guns was number six on that list with what the center called 1,700 guns traced back to crimes.

The source for this list was the Brady Center.

How did they get the data? Or did they just make it up?

As Badger Gun owner Adam Allan remarks:

Badger Gun owner Adam Allan tells TODAYSTMJ4 Reporter Charles Benson, "I dont know where they got those crooked numbers." He declined to go on camera because of pending lawsuits. But he did call back to tell us the number of traces this year was 110 not the hundreds suggested by the Post.

The people suing Badger Guns are coming up with these numbers. Again, the Bradys.

Trace data in and of itself, only means the authorities are trying to find where it came into the market. Having a trace on a gun, does not necessarily mean the firearm was used in a crime.

But several of these articles could lead the reader to equate a gun trace = illegal sale.