DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
		BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND FIREARMS
			WASHINGTON, D.C.  20226

				August 19, 1998

Honorable Phil Gramm
United States Senator
2323 Bryan Street, #2150
Dallas, Texas  75201

Dear Senator Gramm:

This is in response to your inquiry of June 23, 1998, on behalf of your 
constituent, Mr. Eric M. Larson, who is concerned with the firearm 
registration practices of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms 
(ATF).

Mr. Larson has communicated with ATF a number of times on these issues.  
In a recent letter, Mr. Larson noted that the Office of Inspector 
General, Department of the Treasury, is conducting an audit of our 
firearm registration practices.  We advised Mr. Larson that our comment 
would be inappropriate since the audit is ongoing.  We have enclosed a 
copy of our letter for your information.

The audit has not yet been completed.  Thus, we believe that any comment, 
at this time, about the information provided to you by Mr. Larson would 
also be inappropriate.

We hope this information proves helpful in responding to your 
constituent.  Please let me know if we can be of further assistance.


				Sincerely yours,

				(signed)

				John W. Magaw
				Director