Lost Handgun...

[NAK]

I have not posted here in a long time, but i figured it was the best place for a good answer.

While fishing in the Trinity River, one of the kids fell out of the boat. She was wearing a life jacket AND knows how to swim, but here was yelling and screaming (mostly from momma), so I hopped in and helped her back into the boat. WELL, by the time everyone is back in the boat, my IWB holster is no longer IWB...

Only about 10 - 12 feet of water, but probably 6 feet of silt on the bottom. After almost three hours diving in the gunk and dragging with a magnet, there was no joy.

Now down to the question: Do I need to report the lost firearm and how do I go about it. Maybe my search mojo is no good, but I could find nothing about this on the DPS web site. ATF website seems to address only lost/stolen weapons from FFL holders. I called the local Sheriff's office and they just sounded confused.

Seem like having the S# logged somewhere as lost would be a smart thing to do.

Can anyone steer me down the correct path?

Thanks in advance

[NAK]

Can I do this at a DPS office? The local SO has already pretty much said they will not even take down the info.

[dicion]

Can I do this at a DPS office? The local SO has already pretty much said they will not even take down the info.

Possibly, you can call them, but if you cannot get ANYONE to take the info, then do the following:

Record the date and time and place of the loss. Record the phone number, date and time, Name, and Department of the people you contacted to TRY and report it missing. Put this info into a safe place and keep it there for at least 10 years.

That way if it ever somehow comes back to you, you can say "I lost it on so and so date and time, at so and so location. I called So and So PD at this number, Talked to Sargent So and So to report it missing, and he informed me that they do not take these reports. Check the phone and duty records if you don't believe me."

Heck, you can even record the phone call and store the recording in the safe XD

[rdcrags]

Do I need to report the lost firearm and how do I go about it.

In a word, no. Not required. Guns are not even registered in Texas. Even a dealer where you may have purchased the gun is allowed to purged their files after awhile. Some of our posters have worked at gun shops. Please correct me if I am wrong.

TX CHL 1997
CO CHP 2005

[srothstein]

I am surprised that the sheriff's office refused to take the report. I have always believed in full service police departments. You could also report the pistol lost to the municipal police where you live or to Parks and Wildlife (they have jurisdiction on the water).

I recommend reporting lost pistols to get hem entered into NCIC so they can be returned if they are ever found. In a case like this, if you are sur eit went in the water and wasn't dropped someplace else, this is not nearly as important. If you could not find it in the muck, it is highly unlikely to ever be found by someone who does not know it was dropped there.

[Oldgringo]

On a brighter side, your lost item may be covered under your boat/homeowner's insurance less any deductible.

[fannypacker]

If you bought the gun from an FFL dealer you completed a so called "Yellow Sheet". He is required to keep it on file until he retires and then all sheets must be sent to ATF. If you bought from a private seller no one knows you have it. 50 years from now that rusty gun may show up in the gulf. Don't worry about and sorry about your bad luck.

[austin-tatious]

several years ago, NCIC finally decided that there was enough reports of lost guns to make a NCIC file for them.

The law enforcement agency that controls the area where you lost the weapon "should" make a lost report.

basically it's a CYA report that allows you to report the weapon as lost, and the model, description and serial number will be entered into the NCIC computer (nation wide) ..

be sure to list a valid phone number and address, and to update it if you change phones or move. The entry will have to be validated once a year...

Good advice, IMHO. A few times in my life I've failed to CYA and it's come back to bite me in the ...

[Kythas]

Heck, you can even record the phone call and store the recording in the safe XD

Not so sure I'd do that with all the people recording police stops being threatened with jail. They say the audio portion of the recordings violates federal wiretap law.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article ... 66,00.html

[Sidro]

Write down all your info on the firearm pertaining to who you contacted, serial number and date lost. Send yourself a letter via USPS with this info and put the unopened letter with your other documents. If it ever shows up again you have date stamped unopened letter as to evidence of what happened with the firearm.

[MoJo]

sidro beat me to it! This also works as a "poor man's" patent or copyright it's been held up in court.

[PvilleStang]

If you need help recovering, PM me if you are in Hou or central TX. Have diving equipment, will get wet for food.

AND for future occurances (any of you), if you drop anything in the water, immediately take note of two or three markers on the shore so you should be able to triangulate your position for retrieval purposes (in the case of Lake Travis and several others, if you remember you were 20' from the shore, well that distance can change easily over several hours considering flooding and droughts).

[InfoTechCHL2007]

If you need help recovering, PM me if you are in Hou or central TX. Have diving equipment, will get wet for food.

AND for future occurances (any of you), if you drop anything in the water, immediately take note of two or three markers on the shore so you should be able to triangulate your position for retrieval purposes (in the case of Lake Travis and several others, if you remember you were 20' from the shore, well that distance can change easily over several hours considering flooding and droughts).

Good to know. Thanks!

[i8godzilla]

Heck, you can even record the phone call and store the recording in the safe XD

Not so sure I'd do that with all the people recording police stops being threatened with jail. They say the audio portion of the recordings violates federal wiretap law.

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article ... 66,00.html

These prosecutions (witch hunts IMHO) are based on stale laws. Texas is a single party consent state. That means that only one party must give permission to record a telephone call. If you are a participant in the phone call you can record it.

And of naturally, for the record, INAL.............