questionable gun background
- Thread starter ultradoc
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lemaymiami
Member
Inspect the weapon, record the serial number (along with make and model, etc.), go to your nearest police station and ask them to run the serial for you and be upfront that it's a gun you're considering purchasing. If, when you're inspecting the item you find anything amiss, serial number not legible, seller not wanting you to record the number, etc. Walk away quickly....
You'll never have any way of knowing whether a weapon was used in a crime. Your defense will be a clear purchase from an identified individual so that if there's ever a problem you can point the law in their direction.... And that is the same exact reason you'll always want a clear sale to an identified individual when you're the one selling a firearm.
You'll never have any way of knowing whether a weapon was used in a crime. Your defense will be a clear purchase from an identified individual so that if there's ever a problem you can point the law in their direction.... And that is the same exact reason you'll always want a clear sale to an identified individual when you're the one selling a firearm.
ATBackPackin
Member
^^^^^^
Most likely? You're screwed and will be the one taking the loss.
Most likely? You're screwed and will be the one taking the loss.
lemaymiami
Member
If some so and so has the audacity to sell me a stolen weapon..... they shouldn't be surprised when I take it to the local authorities, then stand up in public and be a really good witness against them. As much as I dislike courtrooms (and took a vow to stay out of them if at all possible when I retired from police work) some jobs just need doing (consider it a form of pest control)....
There is no way I know for a civilian to check on a gun. If you buy a hot gun and the police become aware of it (like you sell it through an FFL and all serials get checked by the local cops) then they come and take away your Winchester Model 88... er, or whatever gun you bought in good faith... and return it to the owner. That's a good thing. The bad thing is that you are out the money you spent for the gun.
That's the way of the world. No guarantees.
That's the way of the world. No guarantees.
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au01st
Member
Whenever I've bought or sold guns from people I met online, I've always insisted on a bill of sale and review of a gov't issued ID. Most of the people I've dealt with have been fine with that, but there was one guy this year selling me a shotgun; he didn't want to sign a bill of sale or show me any ID so I didn't buy the gun.
Carl N. Brown
Member
Pawn shops locally are required to send serial numbers to the police to check against stolen gun reports. I have also been in the local shop when the FFL called in the serial number on a used gun to see if it was hot. The centralized property records are the federal NCIC (National Crime Information Center) and includes firearms reported stolen, lost or missing (as wells boats, cars, stocks, bonds, etc.) They have been computerized since the 1960s days of punched card and magnetic tape records and most states have similar systems. Personal records on NCIC are pretty much official need-to-know. As far as I know, a check on whether property (like a gun) had been reported lost, missing or stolen would have to be run through a police department or a Federal Firearm Licensed gun dealer.
DoubleTapDrew
Member
I have heard that most police stations require the gun to be present to run the check (probably so they can confiscate it if it's hot). Is that true?
Just get an ID and bill of sale. The only folks that can run the guns for a hot sheet hit is Law Enforcement, and many departments will not do that unless the gun is in their presence .
FFL dealers do not have access to the hot sheet.
We took in a gun not long ago for disposale from the local LE . We sold it on GB and it came back as stolen from the receiving FFL - we still don't know how or why he had it ran. Turns out it wasn't caught by the local LE who ran it under the wrong discription.
It can happen to anyone no matter what.
FFL dealers do not have access to the hot sheet.
We took in a gun not long ago for disposale from the local LE . We sold it on GB and it came back as stolen from the receiving FFL - we still don't know how or why he had it ran. Turns out it wasn't caught by the local LE who ran it under the wrong discription.
It can happen to anyone no matter what.
go to your nearest police station and ask them to run the serial for you
As far as I know, a check on whether property (like a gun) had been reported lost, missing or stolen would have to be run through a police department or a Federal Firearm Licensed gun dealer.
the only way to absolutely sure the gun has not been reported stolen is a NCIc check. However, NCIC is for official LE use only and there are heavy fines and jail time for using it any other way. Pawn shops or other FFLs do not have access to NCIC. I know someone will say that their friend Cop Charlie runs guns for them all the time. If this is happening Charlie and you are both breaking the law.
The bestway you can CYA is to get the seller to sign a bill of sale (with other identifying data like driver's license number) describing the gun and the serial number. If it does turn up at some point stolen this will show where you got it from and you can take civil action to recover your money.
I have heard that most police stations require the gun to be present to run the check (probably so they can confiscate it if it's hot). Is that true?
This would still be illegal.
As far as I know, a check on whether property (like a gun) had been reported lost, missing or stolen would have to be run through a police department or a Federal Firearm Licensed gun dealer.
the only way to absolutely sure the gun has not been reported stolen is a NCIc check. However, NCIC is for official LE use only and there are heavy fines and jail time for using it any other way. Pawn shops or other FFLs do not have access to NCIC. I know someone will say that their friend Cop Charlie runs guns for them all the time. If this is happening Charlie and you are both breaking the law.
The bestway you can CYA is to get the seller to sign a bill of sale (with other identifying data like driver's license number) describing the gun and the serial number. If it does turn up at some point stolen this will show where you got it from and you can take civil action to recover your money.
I have heard that most police stations require the gun to be present to run the check (probably so they can confiscate it if it's hot). Is that true?
This would still be illegal.
tyeo098
Member
DoubleTapDrew
Member
Yes. My stolen handgun did not show up when I ran the SN (and yes, it was reported the to PD).
Ala Dan
Member in memoriam
Common Sense
In my old department, anytime a weapons S/N was ran, it was considered
as opening up a criminal investigation involving said weapon. Suppose the
weapon comes back "clean"; then you [and whoever ran the S/N] has just
broken the law. If the weapon check comes back "HOT" be ready to turn
the weapon in to the proper authorities~!
In my old department, anytime a weapons S/N was ran, it was considered
as opening up a criminal investigation involving said weapon. Suppose the
weapon comes back "clean"; then you [and whoever ran the S/N] has just
broken the law. If the weapon check comes back "HOT" be ready to turn
the weapon in to the proper authorities~!
I for one would not even want a stolen gun. Theres no fun in having something that belongs to someone else. Years ago, I purchased a Remington pump .22 that I later heard had been stolen. I contacted the owner and when he described the gun to my satisfaction, I returned it. I just marked it up to experience.
burrhead
Member
Been buying and selling and trading guns for nearly forty years. I’ve only bought two new guns in my life and everything else has been private sales, ie, no paperwork. I just don’t worry about the provenance of guns. If you buy a used car from an individual do you check if it was used in an armed robbery? Ever bought an antique and researched if it’s on a hot sheet? How about power tools? A TV at a garage sale? The whole stolen gun concern is really much ado about not much.
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MarkDozier
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my 2 cents. if i had gun stolen from me. and i got it back from a guy who bought it in good faith i would either give him the gun back or at least give some cash back. It would only seem fair to me that he does not totally screwed.
What law? If it's clean, how are they in violation? Seems like they are making good faith. "I came to you with this weapon because I have suspicion that it might be stolen, can you check on it for me?" It comes back clean, they have a bill of sale and the weapon is in no other way illegal.. what did that person do to break the law?
I have several friends who work in LE. I've never tried to have one of them run the SN before purchase, but I have called them and given them the info and had them run it for me after the purchase a couple of times.
Laws/regulations may vary, but my friend told me that technically he was supposed to have the gun in hand when he ran the SN because if it did come back stolen he would have a hard time explaining to his superiors why he did not turn it in.
Just because it comes back clean, does not mean it may not be reported as stolen at a later time.
Laws/regulations may vary, but my friend told me that technically he was supposed to have the gun in hand when he ran the SN because if it did come back stolen he would have a hard time explaining to his superiors why he did not turn it in.
Just because it comes back clean, does not mean it may not be reported as stolen at a later time.
shooter429
Member
Use common sense and CYA
1. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Take a witness.
3. Check I.D., seller's reputation and make bill of sale.
Also, understand that the first time a seller burns someone, they are going to be reported online and will likely never get business again.
Most buyers and sellers are legit, so don't go off the deep end.
Shooter429
1. If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Take a witness.
3. Check I.D., seller's reputation and make bill of sale.
Also, understand that the first time a seller burns someone, they are going to be reported online and will likely never get business again.
Most buyers and sellers are legit, so don't go off the deep end.
Shooter429
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