Best Practices for avoiding buying a stolen weapon

[bmwrdr]

I think like TAM said, a bill of sale, and having the gun checked by the local PD etc. would probably prevent any charges of theft on your part even if the gun were used in self defense.

If and when I go to the local PD and ask to check if a gun it's stolen, can I request a police print out of the results? or is there a document that I can request to prove that I in good faith tried to verify the status of the gun?

I would not think a PD would print a statement about a gun not being stolen but if the gun is stolen it is your loss.
Best is to keep your firearm(s) locked in a safe or on you to ensure you don't contribute to the stolen firearm database.

[Jusme]

I think like TAM said, a bill of sale, and having the gun checked by the local PD etc. would probably prevent any charges of theft on your part even if the gun were used in self defense.

If and when I go to the local PD and ask to check if a gun it's stolen, can I request a police print out of the results? or is there a document that I can request to prove that I in good faith tried to verify the status of the gun?

I don't think they can give you a print out since it is from NICS, but they can verbally tell you that the gun is not showing to be stolen, based on the serial number. We used the same system to run pawn tickets. If something turns out to be stolen, the item is retrieved from the pawn dealer. Then the ID information can be obtained on the person that pawned or sold the item to the pawn shop. That's why I record all of my serial numbers, if anything is ever stolen, and recovered, I could get it back.

[flechero]

Meet them at the PD and ask to run the serial number... doubt they will show if it's not legit. A lot of these areas are popping up at local PD's.... Belton PD even has reserved parking for you out in front of their building!

[LucasMcCain]

Meet them at the PD and ask to run the serial number... doubt they will show if it's not legit. A lot of these areas are popping up at local PD's.... Belton PD even has reserved parking for you out in front of their building!

That's pretty cool. I'll have to look for something like that around the Arlington area. I hope to sell some stuff on craigslist this year, and that would be very useful in doing so.

ETA: Arlington does have one such place at the Ott Cribs location on Division Street, just in case anyone is wondering. That's in a pretty rough neighborhood, but it is in front of a police station, so I guess that cancels it out. I would love to see this expanded to where every police station has a designated area like this.

[TVGuy]

Reading about gun stores being targeted for theft, what is the best way to avoid buying a stolen gun? I bought mine new so never had to worry about it.

Just asking if the seller has an LTC does not guarantee that the weapon is not stolen, if said LTC holder bought it online for a very good price and decided to sell it to make a quick buck, then the buyer if confronted in a situation where he had to use the weapon would be in a place where I'm sure most of us wouldn't want to be in.

I was thinking in asking the seller to meet at a local PD and have the PD run if the weapon is stolen, is that feasible?

Welcome to the forum, superstar!

Please explain this buying guns online thing that is underlined above. I'm unaware of it.

[EdnaBambrick]

About 20 years ago, I decided an HK USP 45 was the thing for me. I went to a gun show in Kansas City and found a dealer (dealer table) with a nice selection of guns including the HK 45. He was willing to do a straight cash, no ID, no paperwork transaction. Ashamed to say, I did the deal. At first, I thought this was great but then after a few days/weeks thinking about it, I realized this gun could have been stolen, used in a crime and maybe traceable because of SN and ballistics testing. Instead of feeling I was getting away with something, I was starting to think I might be the patsy. The gun was no longer enjoyable. I sold it in the same method I bought it so for all practical purposes I never owned the gun. Time and distance is the only thing that lets me tell the story today.

My tips - insist on paperwork, IDs in both directions, detail dates and serial numbers. Get copies of everything and store them in a safe place when buying or selling. At least everyone knows everyone is on the level.

[stroo]

The only gun I ever bought that was stolen was purchased from a police officer. He had bought it from another police officer who bought it from a pawn shop that he moonlighted at as a security guard. Turned out the gun had been stolen a year before by a drugged up son from his father, but his father hadn't discovered the theft until a week or so before I bought it.

Thankfully both police officers and the pawn shop were stand up people. The officer I bought it from returned my money and I returned the gun. I understand he got his money back from the first officer who got his money back from the pawn shop which returned it to the father.

So in the end doing business with good people is the best no matter what!

[superstar]

if said LTC holder bought it online for a very good price and decided to sell it to make a quick buck, then the buyer if confronted in a situation where he had to use the weapon would be in a place where I'm sure most of us wouldn't want to be in.

Welcome to the forum, superstar!

Please explain this buying guns online thing that is underlined above. I'm unaware of it.

Thank you for the warm welcome. Just because someone has an LTC does not guarantee that the pistol they are selling is not stolen. It was just a hypothetical scenario where I imagined myself in if I bought a gun online or from a friend of a friend type of deal. I watched the news about some thefts at gun stores and because Murphy's law seems to be on my side, I want to make sure I don't get caught in that type of scenario.

[kg5ie]

I use the 4473 whether I am buying or selling. If buying, I have the seller fill out the seller/transferor portion. If I am selling, I have the buyer fill it out their portion, I fill out the seller / transferor portion and I keep it for my records.

If a buyer or seller is not willing to fill out the form, I find another buyer or seller.

Yes, the form instructions say it is only "required" if you are a licensed dealer, but does not say you cannot use it.

[ScottDLS]

I bought my .45 in the parking lot of Academy from a guy I met online for cash. I showed him my LTC. Stolen? Don't care. Someone comes and proves it to me, I'll give it back.Too bad for me. Otherwise i'll enjoy it. If i have to shoot someone with it, the least of my worries is going to be the gun's provenance. Generally I don't plan on shooting anyone who doesn't clearly need shooting.

[Skiprr]

if said LTC holder bought it online for a very good price and decided to sell it to make a quick buck, then the buyer if confronted in a situation where he had to use the weapon would be in a place where I'm sure most of us wouldn't want to be in.

Welcome to the forum, superstar!

Please explain this buying guns online thing that is underlined above. I'm unaware of it.

Thank you for the warm welcome. Just because someone has an LTC does not guarantee that the pistol they are selling is not stolen. It was just a hypothetical scenario where I imagined myself in if I bought a gun online or from a friend of a friend type of deal. I watched the news about some thefts at gun stores and because Murphy's law seems to be on my side, I want to make sure I don't get caught in that type of scenario.

I think TVGuy's point is that, despite what the mainstream media and the Bloomberg and Soros cronies would have us believe, there's no such thing as buying a firearm anonymously online. There are numerous online sites selling firearms, but the gun is not shipped directly to the purchaser, and the purchaser cannot take possession without physically going to a Federal Firearms Licensee and completing an ATF Form 4473.

[Lambda Force]

80% build. Making a firearm is the only sure fire way to be sure it's not a stolen firearm, because it wasn't a firearm until I made it so. Even buying "new" from a dealer doesn't guarantee anything other than a paper trail.

[TVGuy]

if said LTC holder bought it online for a very good price and decided to sell it to make a quick buck, then the buyer if confronted in a situation where he had to use the weapon would be in a place where I'm sure most of us wouldn't want to be in.

Welcome to the forum, superstar!

Please explain this buying guns online thing that is underlined above. I'm unaware of it.

Thank you for the warm welcome. Just because someone has an LTC does not guarantee that the pistol they are selling is not stolen. It was just a hypothetical scenario where I imagined myself in if I bought a gun online or from a friend of a friend type of deal. I watched the news about some thefts at gun stores and because Murphy's law seems to be on my side, I want to make sure I don't get caught in that type of scenario.

I think TVGuy's point is that, despite what the mainstream media and the Bloomberg and Soros cronies would have us believe, there's no such thing as buying a firearm anonymously online. There are numerous online sites selling firearms, but the gun is not shipped directly to the purchaser, and the purchaser cannot take possession without physically going to a Federal Firearms Licensee and completing an ATF Form 4473.

Skiprr is correct as to the intent of my question/statement. I don't think it's in any of our interests to have "online gun purchase" in our vocabulary. It's a ruse, or a phantom.

[bmwrdr]

Another stolen firearm in the DFW area. Be aware if you see a CZ Scorpio Evo 3 offered.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime/20 ... oots-rifle