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Please write down all the serial numbers

bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
edited January 2012 in General Discussion
Of your guns.

My FELON step-sister stole three guns out of mom's house. My mom saw her take one of them, the other two vanished when I was home between trips here. The problem is, mom wrote all the model numbers down like "Marlin 22 S-L-LR" but did not get the serial numbers. It was on my list of "thing to do to help mom" but it never got done. Now, the guns are gone, we can't really pursue it with the law with out the serial numbers so we are screwed.

If you don't have records of EVERY gun you have please take the time to follow through and write them down. Take pictures, upload the pics to Photobucket and KEEP the SD card with the pictures in a safe place. I would hate to see you go through the BS we are because it was not done.
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Comments

  • scottm21166scottm21166 Member Posts: 20,723
    edited November -1
    thats good advise. My buddy had over 40 shotguns in his collection and his estranged wife is claiming their are only 29. we know she sold some of them but can't prove it because all the receipts, serial numbers and pictures were in their home which he has not been allowed in since early May.
    Cops say there is nothing he can do about anything sold before they became legally seperated (community property) but after the court order commanding her to keep and protect all possesions her violation would be a crime. She admitted there were over 40 guns when she filed for a protection order in september and used the potential of him shooting her as justification. Cops say they want the serial numbers but she claims she cannot find them except for the guns she had appraised...29 of them.
    So you should keep the numbers and pictures somewhere outside the home where you can always recover it.
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  • TrinityScrimshawTrinityScrimshaw Member Posts: 9,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    My home owners insurance has them all, they required it before I could get coverage.[|)]

    Trinity +++
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  • A J ChristA J Christ Member Posts: 7,534 ✭
    edited November -1
    Good advice.

    Thanks.
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  • LesWVaLesWVa Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    That ten cents worth of extra work could save you a lot of headaches I agree. I have all of my serial numbers written down along with photos, Rifles branded and insurance information (for everything I have insured) all stuffed into a safe deposit box at my local bank. The box just cost me twenty five dollars a years. So even if the house burnt to the ground that information will be safe.

    Someone in the family stole the 73 Winchester of my Grandfather's that his Father bought new. He had promised it to me if anything happened to him and it got stolen within a week of his death before I could pick it up. I have been looking for years to find that rifle.
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  • pirate2501pirate2501 Member Posts: 1,851 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Make, Model, Caliber, and Serial #'s of every one of my firearms. Three copies - one in safe, one in file cabinet and third copy given to my shootin buddy who lives down the street. [;)]
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  • bigboy12bigboy12 Member Posts: 1,767 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I keep two copies of all my serial #'s. One is in my wallet at all times, and the other is in a fireproof hidden safe.
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  • wpagewpage Member Posts: 10,201 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The old chiefs of police program had a program for this years ago...

    It was cool except they recommended in their kit your ss # + CP for thier policy...

    Prior to the days of identity theft.
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  • ljwrenchljwrench Member Posts: 5,053
    edited November -1
    I put everything on an Excel spreadsheet and have it saved to three USB sticks along with digital pics. Keep one in a safety deposit box at the bank.
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  • shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    One good way to store information these days in online with free services such as dropbox or similar online storage sites.
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  • Marc1301Marc1301 Member Posts: 31,895 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Already do it, but good advice nonetheless.
    "Beam me up Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here." - William Shatner
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  • MrGunz22MrGunz22 Member Posts: 2,086 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have been meaning to do this. Thanks for the reminder.
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  • countryfarmercountryfarmer Member Posts: 4,552
    edited November -1
    Another thing to do instead of engraving your name on it is, take the butt pad off and either write the info on the wood under there and/or if there is a hole for the stock bolt, insert a peice of paper in ther with your name and info on it.
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  • 1911a1-fan1911a1-fan Member Posts: 51,193 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i put mine on disc, with detailed description, and value, gave a copy to my father inlaw to put in his safety deposit box, in addition i have every receipt since 1989


    need to redo it with photos, i have both just not together
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  • GONESHOOTINGGONESHOOTING Member Posts: 2,450 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Have all serial numbers, pictures are a good Idea.
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  • Colonel PlinkColonel Plink Member Posts: 16,460
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by MrGunz22
    I have been meaning to do this. Thanks for the reminder.


    Me too. My list is horribly out of date. It includes a dozen guns I don't own any more.
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  • danielgagedanielgage Member Posts: 10,583 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shoff14
    One good way to store information these days in online with free services such as dropbox or similar online storage sites.


    yea or a web-based e-mail site will work too
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  • bhale187bhale187 Member Posts: 7,798
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by danielgage
    quote:Originally posted by shoff14
    One good way to store information these days in online with free services such as dropbox or similar online storage sites.


    yea or a web-based e-mail site will work too

    +1
    I have mine recorded on paper in a lock box at home, and saved on 2 email accounts
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  • shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by danielgage
    quote:Originally posted by shoff14
    One good way to store information these days in online with free services such as dropbox or similar online storage sites.


    yea or a web-based e-mail site will work too


    Depends on the website, last time I checked yahoo didn't keep attachments too long before they were purged. May want to check.
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  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    i have a list of make model serial number place of purchase and price paid.

    I also have pictures of me with each gun as well and HD video of the gun and zoom in to serial number.

    you just cant be over prepared
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  • Old-ColtsOld-Colts Member Posts: 22,697 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Excellent advice; I've done that for many years, except uploading to Photobucket, I don't think there is a need in my case!

    I've also kept the serial numbers of all the guns I've owned in the past; just in case I run into them again and find myself in a sentimental moment! [:)]

    If you can't feel the music; it's only pink noise!

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  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by shoff14
    One good way to store information these days in online with free services such as dropbox or similar online storage sites.


    gmail is the absolute best! they dont purge active acct and you currently get 7GB of free space. I use it for email and I have 10 misc accts just for photo video storage.
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  • jonkjonk Member Posts: 10,121
    edited November -1
    When I was burgled a few years ago and 3 revolvers were stolen, the cops were surprised and pleased that I had serials, descriptions, receipts if from a store, and pics of all the guns.

    Police found two of them; neither of those had much sentimental value so I just kept the insurance settlement as I would have to repay the insurance company if I were to take them back.

    I would repay to get the third one back though if they ever find it.
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  • montanajoemontanajoe Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 60,221 ******
    edited November -1
    Sure hate hearing stories like this. Sorry you had to experience it. Your advise is right on and very important. We (my family), have make,model,serial number and description of all our guns,scopes,bino,spotting scope,everything. We also have photos. We also have copies of this info with other family members and we have their info as well. Odds of both locations being burglarized or burning down at same time is pretty slim. (I pray). [;)][:)]
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  • Turbo72Turbo72 Member Posts: 432 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    This site has a nice little book to record your guns in. http://www.pfrb.biz/firearmsrecordbooks.html Its the tan colored book that has the revolver on it and says personal firearm record book. Costs $3.25 each. This is what i use to record my guns.
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  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yep. Write them all down and along with photos, you can make up something like a PowerPoint file of everything. Each picture can be annotated with all of the identifying details and the final product saved as a PowerPoint file. It is nice to burn it to a CD and save it somewhere, like your safe, but what if that gets stolen or burned up? The best storage is invisible. Create a Hotmail, Gmail, or Yahoo email account and just email a copy to yourself. As long as you log in every couple of months, so that the server knows it isn't a dormant account, those accounts will live on, even if you croak. You can even put a mention of the account and the password in your will and leave it with your attorney. That way if your house burns down or your PC gets stolen by a burlar (or your EX), you can get access to that file from any computer in the world. [:D]
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  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,051 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Photos are nice when there is an issue where the cops come and take your guns in to "custody". So you have proof your minty collectable never turned Colt 1873 owned by Teddy Roosevelt comes back to you in the same condition.
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