Stolen Gun Checklist

[mikemyers]

I'm not sure where the right place is to ask this, so if this is the wrong place, it can be moved.

Was wondering - is there any kind of national gun register of any and all stolen guns that have been reported, with their serial number? When buying a used gun, this would be a good way to make sure that you want to buy it. It might also help people recover guns that they have lost.

Does such a list exist, and can people access it over the web?

 

[MarkDido]

Nationally, as far as I know, no.

The Feds are pretty touchy about non-law enforcement people accessing their NCIC data.

Your state may have a database however, like Florida does.


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

 

[medalguy]

NCIC is definitely not accessible by private citizens.

One of the problems with any kind of national database is the cost of maintaining it and keeping it current. Let's say you have a gun stolen and report it to the database. Then a year later it turns up somewhere and is returned to you. How do you make sure the gun is removed from the database? It's necessary but very expensive to maintain security of any database to keep bad guys from removing a gun so they can sell it as a clean gun. There's also the problem of human error.

 

[hueytaxi]

I no longer have a link, but I know I have run Sn#'s into a database at no charge a few years ago when some of my purchases were suspect. I'm sure you will receive a proper link. Now my father had 7 weapons stolen from his estate and I recovered 4 of them and know the disposition of the other 3. His best friend (diseased). I spotted one on FGT out of the Keys recently and when confronted the ad was pulled. These forums and the sales sites can be your friend.

 

[LAGS]

It was a few years back, but I was given a gun that had a Questionable background.
The guy who gave it to me said he got it from a guy, who got it from a guy and the guys brother lives in Texas.
So, I just took it to the local police, and they ran the serial number.
They came back with a two page list of guns that were stolen that had the same serial number, but different calibers, Models, Barrel lengths, or manufactures.
But the gun I had was not on their list, so they recorded the search, and gave me back the gun.
Now if it was stolen, then they just take it and you agree to surrender it , and no charges are filed against you for possesion of stolen property.

 

[mgkdrgn]

I'm not sure where the right place is to ask this, so if this is the wrong place, it can be moved.

Was wondering - is there any kind of national gun register of any and all stolen guns that have been reported, with their serial number? When buying a used gun, this would be a good way to make sure that you want to buy it. It might also help people recover guns that they have lost.

Does such a list exist, and can people access it over the web?

Nope. Not even for FFL's.

 

[gennro]

There is this though http://www.hotgunz.com/

 

[bigfatdave]

There's no openly accessible list, and if there WAS such a list it would be easily abused.

This is a downside of not having registration - the upsides outweigh the minor annoyance of not having a database of stolen items of one particular type.

There's also not a database of stolen silverware, post-it notes, or milk crates.
Treating guns as "special" is a large part of how we got into this mess of gun control nonsense - quit it.

 

[wally]

There's also not a database of stolen silverware, post-it notes, or milk crates.

There is a list of stolen cars, but it don't help when they are shipped off to a country that doesn't really care about it (like Nigeria), often before they can even be added to the list.

Wouldn't do anything helpful about stolen guns that are taken back to Mexico along with the drug money.

This is a downside of not having registration - the upsides outweigh the minor annoyance of not having a database of stolen items of one particular type.

Agreed!

 

[jmr40]

Any gun reported to LE is entered into their database. But only LE can access this info. I have had friends in LE check used guns I've purchased. Some will, some won't. Any who do will want to have the gun in hand before doing it. If it comes up stolen, you won't get it back.

I know of no reliable source that non LE can use.

 

[Bruno2]

My state doesn't have anything like that. If you want to know if it is stolen you have to go to the PD. If it's stolen you wont get it back. I got a stolen gun back that way. I feel sorry for the guy that bought it and had it checked, but it was mine.

 

[AirForceShooter]

I have a question
If you are suspicious enough to think a gun you bought was stolen, why buy it in the first place?

AFS

 

[wally]

If you want to know if it is stolen you have to go to the PD. If it's stolen you wont get it back.

Why not go there with the seller, if they balk, walk away.