This might be the first thread I’ve started since I joined as a ‘13er.  I’m trying to figure out how I can locate my grandfather’s bring-back firearms. He was Army Air Corps and served in Italy in WWII. My grandmother recently gave me all his military papers, uniforms, medals, photos... EVERYTHING.

I found in his papers some documents indicating his commanding officer signed off on him taking some weapons home: an Enfield, a Carcano Moschetto (carbine?), and a Mauser. The papers have serial numbers for all three but I think the Mauser serial may be a generic version or iteration number. I think the Enfield and Carcano serials might be legit.

I think I might’ve found some info on the Enfield. I think it was sold in a Proxibid auction in 2014 by a gun shop in California.

Has anyone been able to locate specific firearms like this given serials? I thought it’d be a very cool project to work on given everything else I have. To track down his bring backs, and display with his uniform with his service rack, photos, etc. Any pointers?

ETA: My grandmother, dad, and aunt never once recall seeing any rifles in their house. I have my grandfather’s FOID card from 1986 and no one knew he had one.

The best thing is go to firearm specific forums, as an example, such as the Garand Collectors Association. First, if the person that owns a specific firearm is willing to part with it, they may not want to openly mention any specific serial numbers to persons unknown to them. And with the countless numbers of military surplus firearms and wartime bring backs, and the majority of firearms owners don’t belong to forums or collecting associations, it would be a tiny needle in a barn full of hay.

It is easier to backtrack firearm ownership than it is to find out who has it now, unless it is a museum piece for public display.

And if you track it down to an auction it would take a court order from a law enforcement agency to determine the buyer, and that only if there may be some crime connected to the firearm.

I mentioned GCA because there has been a few instances of reuniting vets with their service rifles that was issued during military service.