Had a carry pistol stolen Thursday.  I can't f-ing believe it. The worst part is that I never wrote down the serial number so the police can't even bust the prick for a stolen gun (if they ever even find anyone). Huge lesson learned. Always write down your serial numbers, especially if you carry.

Sorry to hear about that. Though I have never had one stolen, I know a few people that have. I hope they catch the bastard and get him and that gun off the street before its used in a crime.

Its always good to have pictures of your guns too. I write down the serials and also take pictures of them. I keep that information locked away in my safe with all my other valuables.

It got me thinking. I just took pictures of mine with S/N's.

Quoted: Had a carry pistol stolen Thursday.  I can't f-ing believe it. The worst part is that I never wrote down the serial number so the police can't even bust the prick for a stolen gun (if they ever even find anyone). Huge lesson learned. Always write down your serial numbers, especially if you carry.

A big +1 on the serial number thing, especially to all you newbs.  You should make an Excel spread sheet with the Make, Model, Description, Serial Number, and Date of Purchase. I've never had a firearm stolen, but I'm sure it sux butt. At least it would feel good to find out some fucktard got busted with it later down the road. Only a 50-50 chance, but possible.

Is your firearm registered to you? If it is, there is an automated firearm system, the officer can run your name and the weapon will be in the system (pistols)

This is how it is in Kali at least

Quoted: Is your firearm registered to you? If it is, there is an automated firearm system, the officer can run your name and the weapon will be in the system (pistols) This is how it is in Kali at least

Yeah, Cali started doing fingerprints and everything a few years ago. I sure came to hate buying a hand gun when I lived out there a couple years ago. Safety Exam, fingerprints, 10-day waiting period, drop test lists, next-to-impossible to acquire CCW permit, etc.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhh.........!!!!!

In Pa when I buy a pistol I get a yellow copy that has the common firearm information on it.  Its been a few years since I bought a pistol, cant recall if it is a state or fed  form.

Check with the officer conducting the investigation and see if your state has this AFS, maybe the person you purchased from keeps a record of sale?

There is NO "registration" in Texas. If you buy FTF, no record.....if you buy from a dealer, HE keeps the 4473, so you could conceivably get your 'unknown' serial # if you bought from a dealer.
But a FTF from an unknown person, such as at a gun show, SOL.

Good info guys.

Question about buying guns face to face.  How do you run a serial number on a gun you want to buy without making the seller upset?  By that I mean I want to buy a gun from someone in the classifeds in my newspaper.  I call them up, we agree on a price.

Now I want to make sure that I don't have a stolen gun, what is the best way of doing that without putting the seller on edge, is there a way I can just ask the seller for the serial and then call the police or something and run it?  It would be great if there was a way of doing that online.

I just don't want anger a seller with "pain in the butt" demands of him/her but yet I dont' want to end up with something stolen.

I am an LEO and while I am on duty ( I work Patrol) I keep my gear bag on the front passenger seat.  Earlier in the week I had left one of my off duty guns, a glock 27, at a fellow officers house.  He brought it to work that night to return it to me.  I stuck it in my gear bag.  Later in the shift I contacted a guy who was walking around in front of one of the local crack motels.  I had recieved info that he was selling crack and was currently holding some crack on him. I stopped him and began to talk to him.  I began the pat down and once I felt the bag of crack in his pocket he began to fight.  We fought for a few seconds and he began to run.  I gave chease.  I left my car behind running with the windows down.  A crackhead that was standing nearby saw me give chase to this guy and walked over to my car and took my bag with the glock inside,  When I returned to my car I found my bag missing.  I then realized that my pistol was missing as well.  That was the worst feeling in the world.  A million thoughts went through my head wondering what my pistol was gonna be used for.  Thankfully we managed to investigate and find the pistol and the crackhead thief a few hours later.  I know how you feel it does suck to have a pistol stolen from you.

Especially because I'm not a "weekend wally" gun owner. I know gun safety, I shoot every week, I compete IDPA, I own Class III, I take training classes, my shit is always locked up and I still got my gun stolen by some dip shit. That's what's killing me.

Interesting note: Purchased my gun from Academy in Texas, they said drop by with a drivers license and they can look up the transaction for me and give me the serial number. At least now the good guys can determine if it's a stolen gun when they find some crack head with it.

By the way it was a Bersa .380 Thunder, $219 from Academy. Great little conceal carry piece and not the end of the world (financially) if it gets ripped off like mine did! I'll be heading to Academy now to get my serial number for the stolen gun and a replacement gun. Cash and carry in Texas woot!

The moral of my story above is to never leave a gun in a vehicle even if the vehicle says POLICE on the side.  

sorry about that...hope either you get it back and/or the crooks get whats comming to em

FWIW: i have copies and pics of all my firearms; 2 hardcopies that get reprinted everytime something changes and a backup on my computer and laptop

if you dont mind me asking, how/where was it stolen?

Quoted: There is NO "registration" in Texas. If you buy FTF, no record.....if you buy from a dealer, HE keeps the 4473, so you could conceivably get an 'unknown' serial # if you bought from a dealer. But a FTF from an unknown person, such as at a gun show, SOL.

Did not know you could do FTF on pistols in Texas. Free State

Quoted: sorry about that...hope either you get it back and/or the crooks get what's coming to em FWIW: I have copies and pics of all my firearms; 2 hardcopies that get reprinted everytime something changes and a backup on my computer and laptop if you dont mind me asking, how/where was it stolen?

I am embarrassed to even say. But I was just coming home from the range & tossed it under the seat of my truck. Long drive, things on my mind, when I got home, there were people over (6pm-ish) that I didn't expect. Left the gun under the front seat unintentionally. Left truck unlocked and went in the house. BTW I live in a very upscale, very large, master planned community. Next morning I did an "Aw shit, I left my piece in the truck last night!" Went out in my PJ's to grab and secure it. GONE. Along with a pair of expensive sunglasses. Their is a lot of new construction happening nearby. I'm sure one of the illegals has it now.

Quoted: Quoted: There is NO "registration" in Texas. If you buy FTF, no record.....if you buy from a dealer, HE keeps the 4473, so you could conceivably get an 'unknown' serial # if you bought from a dealer. But a FTF from an unknown person, such as at a gun show, SOL. Did not know you could do FTF on pistols in Texas. Free State

You can do a FTF on handguns in MORE states than you CAN'T.......I talk to people all the time that just "assume" because they live in Commie states, that its like that everywhere.
I refuse to live anywhere that registration is required---based on principle. I have a large collection, and most were bought new, so yes there is a 4473 done...I can live with that papertrail...its been around since 68', and I was born in 64'....so its part of life. Having a CCW eliminates the call in to make it more painless.

BUT, the state telling me i can't just horsetrade handguns without their blessing and knowledge is BULLSHIT!
I would love to move back to where I was born and raised--Michigan...and was even offered FREE land there by a relative to come back...but as long as the laws are like they are, no way. Everyone has their priorities.

And about FTF deals and worry of whether the gun is stolen or not....I have found that someone NOT willing to show ID at thew time of sale is a pretty good indicator of a gun you don't want to buy. WHAT guy is willingly going to show you legal picture ID when selling a hot gun? I know of guys that will only buy from and sell to guys with CCW's---the thought being they've gone thru a pretty good background check. Law states you can't "knowingly" sell to out of state people or felons. You got to do what makes you feel good, nothing like worrying about what you just bought or who you just sold to.

And about "running serial #'s" on a FTF gun transaction.
I suppose you could find a local dept. willing to do that courtesy, but what are you going to do, say to the seller "I'll take it...BUT...I need the serial # first to run it".
What do you think the sellers response will be?
What would YOUR response be as a seller being asked to give the # by some unknown person?
Running the # before spending the money is the only logical reason to run it.
But, as you see, isn't to "feasible".
Now, say you buy it, then run the #, and it comes back stolen...well, it will be confiscated as stolen property. Because you voluntarily brought it in to them, they probably won't get you for receiving stolen property, but you will be out the money for sure.
In my opinion, you just have to deal with people willing to "back up" the sale with proper ID.

Yep, I had a nice blued Ruger Speed-Six stolen along with my car about 15 years ago. They used my gun to shoot out all the windows in my car after they were done with it.

This thread reminded me to complete my spreadsheet listing all the info on my guns. Saved it locally on my computer and stored securely at a data center I have access to.

When I was alot younger I had a Remington 870 20ga Youth model that got stolen and that was the worst feeling in the world I even cried.

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Quoted: And about "running serial #'s" on a FTF gun transaction. I suppose you could find a local dept. willing to do that courtesy, but what are you going to do, say to the seller "I'll take it...BUT...I need the serial # first to run it". What do you think the sellers response will be? What would YOUR response be as a seller being asked to give the # by some unknown person? Running the # before spending the money is the only logical reason to run it. But, as you see, isn't to "feasible". Now, say you buy it, then run the #, and it comes back stolen...well, it will be confiscated as stolen property. Because you voluntarily brought it in to them, they probably won't get you for receiving stolen property, but you will be out the money for sure. In my opinion, you just have to deal with people willing to "back up" the sale with proper ID.

Thats exactly my point, is there a way of running the serial number without actually having the gun?  I just want to go look at a gun and while looking at it, nonchalantly write down the serial number.  I know that just saying "give me the serial number so that I could run the numbers" will alienate a lot of sellers.

Then later that day, find out how to run the serial so that I know to buy the gun or not.  

I really don't feel like shelling out the money for a gun only to find out after the fact that its a stolen gun.  However I also want to get a decent gun for a decent price.

I suppose if you "secretly" get the # while looking at it...then say "I'm going to think about it" so you can go run an investigation....thats an option.

In this neck of the woods, you'd be missing out on any "great deals" because by the time you got your "check" completed, it would be sold.

I do LOTS of FTF transactions....MANY people I know do LOTS of transactions....in this area, we trade guns like baseball cards.
We're ALWAYS within the law, and NO ONE I know has ever been "taken" like that.

IF simply getting adequate, proper ID is not enough for you, then consider finding an FFL that would let you do a transfer at his establishment...you could meet there, it will cost you $, and most private sellers are going to say I'm not jumping thru your hoops....there may also be a waite involved before transfer...but, thats an option.

Do whatever makes you comfortable.


ETA: I don't think I would let some one "nonchalantly" write down MY guns serial # unless they've bought it---then its theres. Unknown people don't need my serial #'s----for the same reason people cover the #'s when posting pics---PRIVACY.
You don't think writing it down, then leaving without purchasing will alienate them? It may do more than that. I don't know about others, but when I sell a gun, it doesn't leave my site until after we part ways.

Quoted: Quoted: sorry about that...hope either you get it back and/or the crooks get what's coming to em FWIW: I have copies and pics of all my firearms; 2 hardcopies that get reprinted everytime something changes and a backup on my computer and laptop if you dont mind me asking, how/where was it stolen? I am embarrassed to even say. But I was just coming home from the range & tossed it under the seat of my truck. Long drive, things on my mind, when I got home, there were people over (6pm-ish) that I didn't expect. Left the gun under the front seat unintentionally. Left truck unlocked and went in the house. BTW I live in a very upscale, very large, master planned community. Next morning I did an "Aw shit, I left my piece in the truck last night!" Went out in my PJ's to grab and secure it. GONE. Along with a pair of expensive sunglasses. Their is a lot of new construction happening nearby. I'm sure one of the illegals has it now.

ah, well it happens

i hope everything works out and nothing goes down badly...from now on, my doors will remained locked (at least it may deter folks from sticking thier   nose where it dont belong)

good luck

Quoted: Had a carry pistol stolen Thursday.  I can't f-ing believe it. The worst part is that I never wrote down the serial number so the police can't even bust the prick for a stolen gun (if they ever even find anyone). Huge lesson learned. Always write down your serial numbers, especially if you carry.

You don't keep your receipts?!