So I got to thinking recently, I know, dangerous huh?  Well anywho I realized I've purchased a few guns over the years from private sellers and I've never checked the serial numbers.  I've always made sure the person I was buying from seemed legit but that's hardly an accurate way to know the status of a used gun.  Years ago when I was a LEO or even after when I knew other LEO's I'd have them run the numbers of any gun I was buying.  I don't have that access anymore.  I obviously don't want to have a stolen gun because of the legal consequences but also because I had a gun stolen many years ago and it still pisses me off.  It had very little monetary value but a whole lot of sentimental value and it sucks.  I suspect anyone who's had a gun stolen, or anything stolen for that matter, is pretty upset about it and I'd be pretty upset that I had someones property that was stolen from them.  I also really hate thieves, like really really hate them.

After thinking about it I was wondering if OKCPD will run serial numbers for you if you have bought a used gun or are considering it?  I know that possession of stolen property is a crime and the "knowingly" part is often not considered by police officers when they do run a hot gun.  If you bought a gun not knowing it was stolen and have an officer run the serial number for you to be sure it's pretty likely they are going to hook you up if it comes back stolen.  Then you get charged with a crime, end up in jail, have to hire a lawyer (or god forbid be dependent on the public attorney), go before a judge and very possibly end up doing more time plus paying fines and court costs.  Then there's the ancillary costs of lost wages and legal fees as well the time you have to invest in defending yourself and ending up with a felony for trying to ensure you're legal.

So, let's say you gather up the serial numbers of used guns you've purchased over the years from private sellers and go to your local PD to ensure you aren't possessing stolen property without knowing it.  One or more of them come back as stolen.  You're trying to do the right thing but let's face it, the law doesn't care about the circumstances, just the crime and PRESTO! you're charged with a crime and get handcuffed on the spot.  It's sort of set up to make people too afraid of doing the right thing.  If you stop a local PD as they are cruising by your house or something and ask them to run a serial number/s just to be sure you're all legal it's likely not going to go well for you.  I suspect even if you are calling on the phone from home and a serial number popped they would soon be visiting to arrest you.  Just because you were voluntarily having your guns checked to do the right thing doesn't mean they are going to care.  It's always the classic "we just enforce the laws, you will get your day in court" schpeel as they double lock the handcuffs.

I've seen folks online selling guns and demanding a bill of sale and a copy of your ID before they'll sell to you.  I've always thought that was ridiculous and unnecessary but is it? I don't know.  I know that there's no way in hell I'd give some stranger my personal information even if it's just a copy of my drivers license.  I had my information stolen once before and they spent a quite a bit of my money before the bank tagged it as suspicious.  I was eventually reimbursed the money that was stolen but the whole ordeal was a big pain in the butt.  I'm way more careful these days about personal info.

Some questions for ya'll:

1.  Do you or have you bought a gun/s from a stranger without a bill of sale and swap of personal information?

2.  When purchasing a used firearm from a private seller do you have the serial number checked beforehand?

3.  If not beforehand do you get the serial numbers checked afterwards?

4.  Have you ever purchased a gun in a private sale only to find out later it was stolen?  If so, what happened?

5.  Given the high possibility of being arrested and charged with a crime for possession of a stolen firearm if you have a gun checked and it comes back stolen would you be more likely to never get it checked and hope for the best or roll the dice and risk being arrested/charged?

6.  Does anyone know if OKCPD will run serial numbers for you over the phone (non-emergency of course)?

7.  If you live in another jurisdiction does your local PD offer that service over the phone or in person?

If your worried that much have a lawyer run the numbers, They very seldom prosecute pawn brokers.

I was under the impression that no PD would run the serial numbers on a firearm for an individual. If they run a number and it cones back stolen they would have to have it to turn in. Can't really do thst if you are phoning in a number.

Edited to add:

Just found this on a old thread over at OSA from a Tulsa PD officer:

Don't put your LE friends in jeopardy by asking them to do this for you.

It is against NCIC regs and will likely get them fired (and possibly prosecuted) if your suspicion is confirmed, the gun is stolen and a gun doesn't get turned in.

The reason that NCIC requires an officer to have a weapon in hand before running it is to prevent just such situations.

Thus if someone asks an officer to run a weapon over the phone or just gives them a serial number, it places the officer in a compromised position.

The way it was explained to me (could be wrong) is you call the PD and ask for a Officer to come see you.
He fills out a report with all your info, the guns info, and runs the numbers.
If it comes back clean that's it, the report is closed and filed.
If it's stolen he takes it away with him, and that's it, case closed.
Theoretically Detectives can follow up and try to backtrack, but it's not priority.(unless it is for some reason, i.e. it was part of a bigger crime)
They can't check numbers without a case or file number.

Interesting, very different from my personal experience but that was years ago.

If I sell one, I ask to see the buyers ID to ensure they have an ID from the state of Oklahoma if its a handgun.

I don't want to be on the wrong end of a "sting operation" if the PD ever wants to crack down on Armslist sales for some reason,

--- but aside from verifying that, I just do the transaction and move in

How can you be on the wrong end of a sting operation if verifying someone's residence isn't required?  You aren't doing anything remotely shady by selling your gun to someone else in a private noncommercial sale.

It's on the buyer to know if what they are doing is legal or not.

Let's say they are from out of state and buying the gun from you in another state.  An ATF agent jumps out from a steaming cowpie where he was hiding and yells "GOTCHA!".  He gets to slap the cuffs on Mr. Out Of Town Knowingly Buying A Gun Out Of State In A Private Sale.  You, as Mr. Obeying The Law And Has No Idea Of Bad Guys Criminal Intent, haven't violated anything and walks away.  Walking away quickly because agent cowpie is really staring to reek in the midday sun.

That's the way I understand it at least.

Way too much "inviting the man into your life" in this thread.  I buy guns all the time from complete strangers, I don't want to know their name and I don't give them my name.  Cash and carry is king!

I guess I sort of answered my own question.  Why worry about it when you are doing something perfectly legal?  I would never knowingly break the law so, no worries.  Unless that law was clearly unconstitutional of course....I'm looking at you democrats!

The last thing I'd do is give some stranger my personal information.  Or even a peek at it.