I've never had a firearm stolen, but I did get a really good deal on a returned firearm.  I bought a Ruger Mark I with a bull barrel for dirt cheap.

Apparently, it had been stolen about 8 years prior from a fifth wheel that some hunters were using.  They went out into the woods early in the morning, and they returned that afternoon to find the fifth wheel ransacked.  Among the missing firearms was the Mark I and several shotguns.  This was in Wisconsin if memory serves.

It turned up in a pawn shop in Florida eight years later, and made its way back to Michigan to it's rightful owner.  The grips were dirty and scratched, and there were a few scratches on the barrel, but it was still in perfect mechanical condition.  I replaced the grips and touched up the barrel with a bluing marker and still use it on a regular basis.

-James

I purchased a Remington mdl 700- 30.06 with a leop 3.5x10x50 vxiii, last Jan from a supposed friend, he said it was his, and had just recently bought it, and his father, who I know well aslo, had given him one just like it for Christmas. Later, the father said the son had stolen the gun from him, I had a bill of sale, with DL#s on it, and witnessed, I told the father I would return the gun, if he paid me what I had paid for it. He said it was stolen, so I don't owe you a thing. I said I had a bill of sale from his son, and if he didn't want to pay me back, he wasn't getting the gun back. He then said he would turn the case over to the sheriff, I said go ahead. The sheriff came out saw the bill of sale, and said that I bought it in good faith, and if the father wanted to push it, I would have to return the gun, but he would have had to prosecute his son. for the record, the son is 38 and the father around 60. I still have the gun, and the case is closed! I later found out, that they both had gotten bad into drugs, and thought this was an easy way to extort money. I always felt I was in the right, and stuck to my guns, and it paid off, by the way, the son is now in prison.

I had a Remington-Rand 1911 stolen along with my Snap-On tool box in 1985, I used to keep it in the top drawer.

In 1992 it was recovered in a raid and I Had to get a Lawyer to get it back

I finally got it back in 1994

I had my gun returned to me after the police took it. I was forced to use it in self defense.

If any of my guns were stolen I wouldn't want them back anyway. I have OCD, I'll get some new ones. I'm a freak.

I agree, most of mine now have been well used, and would't mind new replacements, but I have a belgum light 12 browning, that was my dads, and a few of my grandaddy's guns, that I learned to shoot with, very fond memories in those guns... there is no replacement price on those, and except for the rare occasion, they have been retired to safe life, I hope to give them to my kids when I kick the bucket.

my prized beretta 92SB and a .357 derringer were stolen from me.  

i got the stainless steel derringer back.  i then sold it, it was loose and crappy, the cool holster was gone...

never heard from the beretta again.  

got rid of the G-F whose son stole the shit.  i hear he's on the street.  

best of luck to him.  

she was a shit-head and so was he.  

never let anyone get close to you who you can't trust.  

the beretta was pre-mil acceptance, made in italy.  beautiful deep bluing, hardwood grips, slick trigger.  cost me 630 new in 1980, when that was 1/2 a paycheck and a shitload to spend on a 9mm.  it traveled the US with me, in the glovebox of the pickup or the fairing pocket of the K100.  never had to use it in anger or defense.  in all the thousands of rounds i ran through it, it never once malfunctioned.  ever.  best pistol i don't have any longer.  

i sincerely hope the asshat who has it now blows his foot off with it.  

My buddy had a Colt .380 stolen after his home was burglarized in Buffalo a few years back. About 9 months after the burglary, his gun was recovered from under a porch of a crack house. Gun was rusted bad and the Police engraved a property number on it- with some TLC the gun still functions fine.

Wifes sig 226 got it back 5 years later.

I had the same thing happen to me. I bought a colt 6601 sporter match Hbar(first gun ever!) for 700.00 back in 01....i was young and afraid of all legal ramifications, so I sold the gun back to him for the same amount.... Later, I found out he wanted it back to sell for more money....

ETA: About sta1treeman's post above