If it was purchased FTF then I would have a bill of sale - but still, puts me in the position of proving it's mine. I'd rather not go on the defensive unnecessarily - I'd rather avoid the issue.
Same thing as if I'm walking down the street and I see a bad situation approaching [i.e. a situation where I may need to defend my life]... I would do everything within my power to avoid such a situation but that doesn't mean I would hesitate to defend my life if I had to... Avoidance is always best.
Now assuming I did get it at a dealer - that's not a 'registry' either, but it does provide a paper-trail that I'm not responsible for. If I bought it FTF all I would have is my bill of sale and the person I bought it from as my evidence. If I did buy it at an FFL then, as long as they're doing what they're supposed to, then they should have records that I got it from them even if I lost my receipt.
That said - in either situation, it puts me in the position of defending my ownership of said firearm which I would rather not do. Maybe you like going to court - I prefer to avoid it.
It's not any more a registry than my bills of sale - the difference is that the Government keeps tabs on FFLs.
