Consider the very premise you are working from. In order for it to result in "penalties to the registered gun owner," you have to first have gun ownership registration, which completely undermines the very intent and purpose of the Second Amendment and which is also specifically prohibited, by law, at the federal level (not the state level).Amongst the proposals opposed by the NRA is one that would require stolen guns to be reported. Guns used in a crime that weren't reported stolen would result in penalties to the registered gun owner. It won't keep people from steeling guns, but it would work against those who buy guns and voluntarily supply them to criminals.
All I'm being convinced of is the NRA isn't concerned about safety where guns are concerned. But I knew that already.
What you are referring to is a "straw purchase" which is already illegal but is almost never prosecuted. The NRA firmly supports agressive prosecution of straw purchasers. But until we actually start doing it, what good would it do to be able to identify that many more people that are commiting a crime that we continue to demonstrate we have no real intention of punishing?