Stolen firearms

[BDM1]

Won't mention the location, but local medium-sized city police department has a policy that if you want to inquire about a private firearm sell, as to whether it was ever reported as stolen, you have to actually bring the firearm to the department to have them run the background on it. That way if it is stolen, they can take it and return it to the rightful owner/whatever. The person bringing it in could be taking a chance on being arrested. Is that a standard policy everywhere?
Lots of people have bought guns that they assumed were honest, but some guns could be bought/sold several times over the years, and a person could inadvertently buy a stolen one. Doe anyone know if a national database exists that the average citizen could access to see if a particular gun had a stolen report in its' background? Thanks in advance to all your opinions. Oh yeah, happy 4th !

 

[hoghunting]

Doe anyone know if a national database exists that the average citizen could access to see if a particular gun had a stolen report in its' background?

Law enforcement has access to that database. Having someone at the PD check the status of a firearm is the only way the average citizen can verify its background.

 

[pioneer461]

An element of the crime of possession of stolen property, is that the person knew, or reasonably should have known that the property is stolen or likely stolen. A typical example is buying an item at a ridiculously low price. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

If purchasing a gun from an unknown private person and your local PD is willing to run it for you, ask the seller meet you at the police station before making the sale. If he refuses, walk away, or better yet let the police know who is trying to sell a possibly hot gun. They can set up a buy and get the stolen gun back in the owner's possession, and another dirt-bag locked up.

Check your local and state laws.

 

[Yeager]

If he refuses, walk away, or better yet let the police know who is trying to sell a possibly hot gun. They can set up a buy and get the stolen gun back in the owner's possession, and another dirt-bag locked up.

I don't trust the police enough to meet up with you just so you can "run" my numbers, and I really don't trust you. Sounds like a set up to me.

That's a good way to get your name known far and wide around here as a persona non gratis that soon will find himself with nobody to buy from at gun shows.

Never, ever, invite the man into your life.

 

[PlateStacker]

I don't trust the police enough to meet up with you just so you can "run" my numbers, and I really don't trust you. Sounds like a set up to me.

That's a good way to get your name known far and wide around here as a persona non gratis that soon will find himself with nobody to buy from at gun shows.

Never, ever, invite the man into your life.

x2!

There are tons of places online you can search SN of firarms to find out of they are hot. Start off by goggling your county, city, or state and firearm lookup...

 

[Joe Vaquero]

I'm in a small town in Tennessee and recently called up the local yokels to inquire about a gun s/n to check if it was stolen. Like your experience I had to bring the gun to the station, but was instructed to leave it in my vehicle. I told them the s/n, they checked it and I went on my merry way. Sounds like bringing it in is SOP everywhere.

 

[talldragon]

anyone know if a national database exists that the average citizen could access to see if a particular gun had a stolen report in its' background? Thanks in advance to all your opinions. Oh yeah, happy 4th !

Though not complete, you can check http://www.hotgunz.com/.
This is not a substitute for an actual LE or national database check.
If you feel doubtful about a transaction; just back out of it.
Or, purchase directly from a licensed FFL dealer.

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

If purchasing a gun from an unknown private person and your local PD is willing to run it for you, ask the seller meet you at the police station before making the sale.

this. problem solved.