Well, this is certainly the kind of news that you don’t like reading just before you file your taxes… According to TaxProf Blog, the IRS intends to purchase sixty Remington Model 870 Police RAMAC #24587 12 gauge pump-action shotguns for the Criminal Investigation Division. Along the lines of “more information than you wanted to know”, the shotguns, “with fourteen inch barrel, modified choke, Wilson Combat Ghost Ring rear sight and XS4 Contour Bead front sight, Knoxx Reduced Recoil Adjustable Stock, and Speedfeed ribbed black forend, are designated as the only shotguns authorized for IRS duty based on compatibility with IRS existing shotgun inventory, certified armorer and combat training and protocol, maintenance, and parts.”
To be fair, agents don’t show up at your run of the mill audit with a shotgun in hand. The Criminal Investigation Division is a separate division of the IRS with investigations focusing on: Legal Source Tax Crimes, Illegal Source Financial Crimes, Narcotics-Related Financial Crimes and Counterterrorism Financing. So while they do investigate traditional tax fraud, they also deal with drug dealers, terrorists and the mob. I’m guessing, in those instances, the special agents feel a little more comfortable wielding a Remington than a simple Notice of Deficiency.
I don’t work for IRS-CID, but I do work for a similarly small law enforcement group that is part of a larger civil agency. We, too, carry weapons but like our IRS-CID counterparts, we don’t have them for dealing with the normal person or situation our civil counterparts encounter. It’s nice to see someone making the distinction for a change.
That was a little humorous to say the least. But I can definitely see where the Notice of Deficiency might not be as articulate as a custom 12 gauge.
I know a fair amount about shotguns, including that the basic 870 can be bought most anywhere for less than $300. I hate to guess what this tricked out Dart Vader gun costs but guess well north of $1000 yet don’t shoot one bit better. If the rest of us can cut back to the bone why can’t the gummint, especially since they’re spending OUR money. The price diffence ain’t gonna save a single life in a gunfight.