Stolen Winchester 1892

[Dave Markowitz]

I got a call from the gunsmith to whom I shipped my Winchester 1892 for relining. All he received was an empty box. I'm going to file a police report for a stolen firearm tomorrow but in the meantime I'm posting this here:

Type: Lever action rifle
Make: Winchester
Model: 1892
Serial number: 100156
Barrel length: 24 inches
Caliber: .38 WCF AKA 38-40 Win
Finish: Metal has turned brown. Buttstock and forend are brown walnut wood.

The rifle is an antique manufactured in 1898 per the factory letter that I got from the Buffalo Bill Center of the Wild West.

Pictures of the stolen rifle are attached.

Any help in recovery will be appreciated.

 

[adcoch1]

File the police report quickly, it may already be changing hands.

 

[Hunter86004]

You might want to report it to your local PD and get it entered in the NICS data base.

 

[mustanger98]

Good luck.

Did you mean 1989 or 1898?

 

[ontarget]

Sure hope it turns up. Was it insured?

 

[BigBlue 94]

Good luck.

Did you mean 1989 or 1898?

Original, 1898

What a shame. Best of luck

 

[ontarget]

You might want to report it to your local PD and get it entered in the NICS data base.

I don't think nics has serial numbers.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Good luck.

Did you mean 1989 or 1898?

Thanks. 1898, I corrected my original post. I'm not real optimistic about recovering it. It's insured, but that's besides the point.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

You might want to report it to your local PD and get it entered in the NICS data base.

I am filing a detailed report with my local PD tomorrow morning. NICS tracks people, not guns. It may be possible for the PD to forward the info to ATF, though, which I will ask about.

 

[BigBlue 94]

What carrier shipped it? I would have called them immediately after the police, then the atf and insurance agent

 

[Hunter86004]

I am filing a detailed report with my local PD tomorrow morning. NICS tracks people, not guns. It may be possible for the PD to forward the info to ATF, though, which I will ask about.

My mistake, it's NCIC.
Abbreviations kill me.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

What carrier shipped it? I would have called them immediately after the police, then the atf and insurance agent

It was shipped, insured, via UPS Ground.

I will be filing the police report first thing tomorrow morning. The report will include copies of my receipt from Simpson, Ltd., from whom I bought it, proof of its delivery to me, my UPS receipt, and high quality photos of the rifle. I'm going to ask them to notify the PA State Police and BATF.

Immediately afterwards I'll be lighting up UPS.

 

[BigBore44]

Any distinguishing marks on it? I would also be looking at Armslist for all cities between you and the destination. Where are you and where was the destination? I’ve got a few hours to kill before work. I’ll look on armslist for you. Damn I hate a thief.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Any distinguishing marks on it? I would also be looking at Armslist for all cities between you and the destination. Where are you and where was the destination? I’ve got a few hours to kill before work. I’ll look on armslist for you. Damn I hate a thief.

Aside from the serial number, it also has post-1952 German nitro proof marks on the bolt and barrel, and a German gun store's name stamped on the bottom of the receiver.

 

[Nature Boy]

I know UPS ships a lot of firearms but if we are playing pin the tail on the donkey I’d say they have a thief in there midst.

 

[Legionnaire]

This. Who delivers an empty box? Best of luck to you.

 

[Tilos]

Sorry your gun was stolen.
Bought a muzzle kit and it was shipped UPS from Texas.
When I got it, it was obvious it had been opened and re-taped closed.
Inside the newspaper packing was my local newspaper and I don't live in Texas .
All the parts were there, so I had no reason to file a claim with UPS.
Texas company had some firearm terms in their name on the return label.
A steal me red flag for handlers, who in your case, could have been temp employees for the holidays.
I'd be contacting UPS,
jmo

Edit: if you sent it from a UPS store, that store is considered to be the "shipper"(not you!) and are the only ones that can file a claim .
Don't ask how I learned that, I take stuff to the UPS terminal to ship now.

 

[Sistema1927]

I shipped a Rossi 1892 to Kiowa Nate Jones(Steve's Gunz) for a tune-up a few years ago. I would have been very upset if that repro had been stolen, I can only imagine how heart sick you are.

 

[Milt1]

Send your information about the rifle to every gun dealer in Penn via email.

 

[someguy2800]

This. Who delivers an empty box? Best of luck to you.

Actually I’ve had a couple empty boxes show up at my house. Typically heavy car parts that had fallen through the box

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Send your information about the rifle to every gun dealer in Penn via email.

I'm going to work on it today. I'm also going to try FFLs in the Seattle/Tacoma/Puyallup, WA area, since that's where I shipped it to.

 

[SunnySlopes]

I know UPS ships a lot of firearms but if we are playing pin the tail on the donkey I’d say they have a thief in there midst.

Ya think? UPS requires handguns shipped through them to go overnight, no exceptions. That's because they have so many thieves at their facilities they'll "lose" something as small as a handgun. But long guns are bigger and hard to hide in a lunch box.

Shipping guns isn't like playing pin the tail on the donkey. It's more like shooting craps.

 

[BigBlue 94]

UPS will have exact info as to where all it traveled and who touched it and times it was at each location. If there's something fishy, they'll find it. The employee will be terminated, and face legal charges. Fighting and stealing are zero tolerance policies for both UPS and their Teamsters union.

Time clocks there are computerized, and loaders must scan every package they touch as it gets put on the semi. In a normal ups hub, 4 people will touch it. The unloader, sorter, puller, and loader (some cases these are the sorter too). Each scanner is assigned to a worker and trailer.

Large hubs like KC have security checkpoints to search for stolen items. Small hubs like Topeka don't. Most likely either the loader or unloader stashed it. The sorter is usually out in the open, where it's tough to do something like take a rifle out of a box.

I worked for UPS loading semi trailers. Pay is not great, and most people there are doing it as a second job. You're bound to get a few bad apples with this kind of situation.

 

[Odd Job]

What was the state of the box upon arrival at the gunsmith?
Damaged, retaped, etc?

 

[Dave Markowitz]

What was the state of the box upon arrival at the gunsmith?
Damaged, retaped, etc?

He said that that box was taped back up but upon opening it, he found only bubble wrap inside.

I filed the report with my local PD this morning. The officer was very helpful, especially after he saw all the documentation that I prepared and gave to him (receipts, shipping records, photos of the rifle, etc.). The report will be uploaded to the FBI's NCIC.

I went to the UPS Store from where I shipped the rifle and I'm waiting for a call back from the owner later today. If he doesn't, I am going to raise holy hell.

Aside from that, I have sent emails and Facebook messages to about 25 local FFLs and to 14 FFLs out in WA, the area to which I shipped the rifle. I've gotten a few replies indicating that they'll keep an eye out.

Keeping my fingers crossed but trying not to get my hopes up.