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Stolen Guns?

rscoleman88rscoleman88 Member Posts: 4,250
edited July 2002 in Ask the Experts
Is there any way to "run the numbers" on a gun before purchase to see if that gun is stolen? I know, stupid question, but just wondering

Respect those who protect us now just as you would those who died for us in the past.
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    rscoleman88rscoleman88 Member Posts: 4,250
    edited November -1
    Please,
    Is there any simple way to do a check by serial # to determine if a gun is stolen before I buy it?
    Thanks for any help..

    Stacy
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    BOWWMANBOWWMAN Member Posts: 58 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I took mine to the local police department and they did it. But if it is they keep it. So be sure the seller agree's.

    BOWWMANhold hard and shoot strait!
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    TheguncounterkidTheguncounterkid Member Posts: 224 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I run all mine locally through the PD detective div. They will ask you where the gun is ect.. or in Oregon, we can run through the state NICS and LEDS systems. Or you can always ask you favorite gun dealer to run them, i do it for my regulars all the time.
    -Kid
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    NighthawkNighthawk Member Posts: 12,022 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    No question is a stupid question,only if you fail to ask it.I will run my own checks one of the advantages of being LEO.If you have a friend thats LE he can do it for you or your local PD can do it as well.If I am buying a used firearm,if the person does not know me I will inform them I will be running a background check on the firearm. I always think of that as a deterent.And it usually works.

    Good luck.

    Rugster
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    mballaimballai Member Posts: 1,280 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Is this SOP with FFL firearms dealers? I know they all have so much paperwork to do to be compliant.

    Three Precious Metals: Gold, silver and lead
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    Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    mballai-All firearms sold by dealers must, by law, be "called in" to the F.B.I.-operated "instant check" system at the time of sale by the dealer to a customer. The make, model, and serial number are "run" at that time through the NICS system which gives a nationwide stolen check. In my State, Oregon, we utilize the State Police rather than the F.B.I., as when the requirement for a call-in was originally introduced the State Police were already doing the checks on handguns and the F.B.I. did them on long guns. Now the State Police do all checks. You will find variations on this theme in different states, but the requirement is now there for all dealer sales to be called in.
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    Ronald J. SnowRonald J. Snow Member Posts: 1,346 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The NICS system only checks the purchasers of firearms and the only firearm related question asked is what is the firearm; handgun, long gun or both. The FBI does not check further. The make, model and serial number are not asked for by the FBI; perhaps by some state or local requirement in your area.
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    nunnnunn Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 36,004 ******
    edited November -1
    I am a dealer and a LEO. I do not run my guns routinely. It is an abuse of the system. Non-LEO dealers have no access to NCIC, so for me to do it is taking advantage of my position.

    My defense against getting stuck with a stolen gun is that, as a dealer, I am required to keep accurate records of where each gun comes from and where it goes. So, if I end up with a stolen gun, I know who to tell the police to go and ask about it.

    Beyond that, there is no point worrying about it. Handle enough guns and sooner or later you will get a stolen one.

    I do offer a money back guarantee to any of my retail customers if they end up losing a gun bought from me because it was later found to be stolen.

    SIG pistol armorer/FFL Dealer/Full time Peace Officer, Moderator of General Discussion Board on Gunbroker. Visit www.gunbroker.com, the best gun auction site on the Net! Email davidnunn@texoma.net
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    Der GebirgsjagerDer Gebirgsjager Member Posts: 1,673 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ooops! My error! We've been away from the NICS system for a couple of years now, and I guess I forgot that the F.B.I. is registering owners, whereas my State is registering guns. Anyway, in our State we also have a form to fill out when, as a dealer, buying or acquiring a used gun in trade, a copy of which is sent to the local Chief Law Enforcement Officer. They run the acquisition and if it's stolen will be around to see you. When we sell a gun and call it into the State Police they require all of the information found on the Federal Form 4473 concerning the purchaser I.D. and gun info, so if it comes back stolen at that time, and is a used gun, the dealer has some embarassing quesitons to answer as obviously he didn't submit the aforementioned form.
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    11echo11echo Member Posts: 1,007 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I had some guns stolen in Calif. I had the I.D. # on them. So 8 yr.s later I was wondering if the police still had them listed, so i called in and told them I was buying some used guns and wanted to see if the were stolen. The officer I was talking to, came back and say that they were all on the "hot sheet"! BUT they didn't ask me who I was or where I had seen these weapons. I recovered one out of four about 9 months later, some clown had taken it to a pawn shop, where they run all gun with the police. The police didn't get him either.

    "FEAR the Goverment, that fears your ARMS"
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    JustCJustC Member Posts: 16,056 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    although the server is being upgraded right now, you can use this site in the future

    www.isthisgunstolen.com


    A great rifle with a junk scope,....is junk.
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    austin247austin247 Member Posts: 375 ✭
    edited November -1
    I've seen many, many times - and I'm sure nunn could attest to this as well - that many times, guns are stolen in burglaries and the owner has no idea of the serial number, only the make, model, and caliber, and sometimes not even these. Sometimes this can be tracked down, but all too often, the gun was bought from a friend who bought it from a friend, etc. A weapon can only be entered as stolen if the serial number is known. I'm sure there are quite a few stolen guns out there that were never entered as stolen because of this.
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