Serial Number Check - Used Guns

Camelot43

This is my question...

Okay I found 2 pistols in the local classifieds... Why do "they" make it so difficult to run a check on them to see if they are stolen or not?

A. I don't want to buy a stolen pistol

B. I haven't bought them yet and want to make sure they aren't stolen for my own personal reasons.

C. It's a 5 minute phone call

D. I can buy them, take them to the sheriff and have him check them and if there is a hit on them, they confiscate them...

Why would I do that? Then I'm just out the money that I paid for them... Why not let me check them first? The guy who has them publishes his phone number in the paper... Duh...

E. apparently there are "secret" reasons I don't know about...

Your thoughts?

martinicadet

Have him show you his drivers lic, take down the info and he's on the hook if they are stolen

TooBig

http://www.hotgunz.com/

He Dog

quote:Why would I do that?

Yeah, and why would he want you to check a gun he might be out the money on?

nmyers

I share your concern. However, I doubt that .0001 % of gun purchases are verified against the Treasury Dept stolen gun data base. Most urban LEA's are either too busy, or too apathetic, to run a trace for citizens. Some agencies prohibit running any kind of trace if you don't have an open case.

What the government SHOULD do is permit all of us to submit queries using an Intenet site; it would be easy & cheap. But, don't look for your local legislator to introduce a bill anytime soon.

The fact is, most of us just take our chances. Once you have bought the gun, how likely is it that anyone will check it? If you try to sell a stolen gun on an auction, there's a remote chance that the previous owner will spot it & report it to your local police, but that rarely happens.

Neal

iwannausername

There is a site for Florida, but not sure about other states... last time this came up I suggested a sticky here in ATE to keep a list of URLs for checks like this....

http://pas.fdle.state.fl.us/pas/item/displayGunSearch.a


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bustinstainless

when i buy used i take down their info name,dl# and phone number
and give them my info
best way to protect yourself

slumlord44

If a seller will not give me a picture Id that I can get the info from, I walk away from the deal. Bought a S&W Model 10 many years ago from a guy that would not show me an ID. Went ahead and bought it planing to sell it later to a friend. Still have it and am afraid to run the #. Will not do it today. I see a potential problem with having a law enforcement person run a serial # check on a potential pruchase. If it comes back as stolen, would law enforcement person not have a legal requirement to go after the stolen firearm?

airmung

I would not want to buy a stolen gun. However, I have walked away from private sales where sellers wanted to copy my driver's license and I wouldn't dream of providing my ID to a buyer. This information is absolutely none of anyone's business! Until private sales are made illegal, they should be exactly that--private. I will never take the chance of a gun purchase or sale ending up on a registration list somewhere. The risk simply is not worth it. My conscience will not allow it. Will yours?

rhmc24

I'm skeptial of uncontrolled use of personal ID info and gun S/Ns. With the anti-gunners and scum bags in general I can envision the personal havoc that could be created by mis-use of this info.

If you exchange drivers license info with the seller of a stolen gun, buy it and later the gun or other misdeeds are traced to him, he has your info to use however he wishes.

In particular I would not allow free entry of serial numbers as stolen. Anti-gunners could falsely enter a number that would cloud ownership for the future. I do think one could query a specific number and learn if it has a record.

I guess I'm into Murphy's Law to the max.

Floyd58523

My recommendation to all the people worried about the purchase of a stolen firearm.
This is America, we have a free market enterprise system of commerce. This is not a NANNY STATE, if you want to have your hand held and make sure that it is not stolen DO NOT BUY ANY GUNS FROM PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS. Nobody is forcing you to make the purchase. Plenty of guns available from Licensed dealers. You just do not want to pay retail prices. I am not a dealer. I have purchased many guns from private individuals and from dealers. If I am uncomfortable with the deal I will pass. If you end up with a stolen gun you are out the money. Welcome to the adult world. Enjoy the field of collecting and accumulating firearms and quit worrying about small percentage of possible stolen firearms out there.