Background checks on guns

[UncleJak]

So, lets say I has someone wanting to sell me a pistol for a ridiculously low price. This price is so low I have to think it is stolen. The guy assures me it is not. Now, I don't want to cause myself or the seller any troubles, but I don't want to buy a stolen gun. I have heard that you can ask your local police department to run a check on the gun for you. I have also heard that if it is in fact stolen, they will take it away. I haven't bought anything like this, but have had a few offers thrown at me (not on here). I turned them down for fear they were stolen. I always heard if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Anyone have experience in this??

[Glock30]

Take it to a dealer and ask for them to do a transfer to you on a form 4473. If the gun's serial number checks out, then you're good to go. If the price is THAT low, you have at least $35 in savings to spend.

Don't pay the seller until the weapon passes muster. If he is not open to all of this, the probability of the weapon checking out is not worth your time or money.

EDIT: What is he selling and how much? There's a line between someone in hard times and someone flipping hot merchandise.

Edited December 5, 2011 by Glock30

[willis68]

Take it to a dealer and ask for them to do a transfer to you on a form 4473. If the gun's serial number checks out, then you're good to go. If the price is THAT low, you have at least $35 in savings to spend.

Don't pay the seller until the weapon passes muster. If he is not open to all of this, the probability of the weapon checking out is not worth your time or money.

EDIT: What is he selling and how much? There's a line between someone in hard times and someone flipping hot merchandise.

Very good advice

[ls3_kid]

If it's cheaper than $25 go ahead and buy it then take it to Kroger. They are accepting all handguns NO QUESTIONS ASKED in return for a $25 Gift card. In all seriousness just get it checked out. You did answer your own question with this though...

I always heard if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

[TMF]

Ask for the serial number prior to meet up for purchase. If it's hot that should end the transaction from his end right there.

[Jonnin]

IIRC the dealer is also required to 1) keep the gun if it comes back dirty and 2) call the police as well. The dealer will charge you $$ for the service. The police may do it for free. If the guy is legit, take it to the police & run a check might be the better option.

[UncleJak]

This is kinda what I had thought. The last gun I turned down was a s&w 38 special for $75. I think next time I will ask them to go to the police station with me to verify the numbers.

[jimic]

S&W for $75.00, think about it ? The guy selling this price range gun..........may be selling yours(stolen) some day.

I supose selling the gun at full pice does not say it's not stolen. hate to do busness with a thief.

[Guest dubaholic2]

maybe you could get one of your friendly neighborhood officers on here to run the numbers for you.

[Guest pfries]

You Pay Taxes every week?...lol

[Electric B]

If you think is smells bad go thru an FFL. Then you will not have to worry about it.

[Patton]

When it comes to stolen firearms it is to my understanding that the information needs to continuesly be reentered into NCIC every year. So the longer it has been stolen the less likely it would be to show up. So I would say the chances of it showing up stolen if it really was is less than 50% because most people don't know there serials anyway. If they bought the gun new the BATF can retreive the serial numbers if the reporting agency knows or cares to call.

Stolen guns are weird, it's almost always a a saturday night special $100 gun especially HiPoints. If it is a quality gun it's almost always a SIG or a Smith.

Oh and everyway there is to "run" serial numbers will require you to relinquish the firearm if it is hot.

[UncleJak]

OK, same scenario, except the guy says "it's not stolen, here is the serial #" Can I get that checked out without having the firearm? And if it is stolen, since I don't have possession, how does the confiscation occur?

[Mike.357]

One thing i have learned in life is that when something seems to good to be true it probably is.

[Defender]

Running a check is a good thing, but it still isn't conclusive...I heard of a gun shop that bought some used guns one time, running the state check prior to buying them...came back clean...then a few days later when selling one of the guns, 2nd check came back as stolen!

[Glock30]

OK, same scenario, except the guy says "it's not stolen, here is the serial #" Can I get that checked out without having the firearm? And if it is stolen, since I don't have possession, how does the confiscation occur?

If it came back hot, the officer or FFL who ran it for you will want to know where the number came from. That's just a whole 'nother can of worms you don't want to open up. If your seller isn't ok with the idea of coming along, pass on it. It's your expense, not his - what's he got to lose (except hot merchandise)?

The bottom line here is that the process may not be perfect, with the stolen gun database perhaps not always being up to snuff, but you'll have a government-approved clean bill of health AND peace of mind.

[Mike.357]

Will the law even check a serial number without the gun being in hand?

[Oh Shoot]

OK, same scenario, except the guy says "it's not stolen, here is the serial #" Can I get that checked out without having the firearm? And if it is stolen, since I don't have possession, how does the confiscation occur?

Will the law even check a serial number without the gun being in hand?

Most folks have reported no luck with that, unless they got a LEO friend with some pull to do it.

- OS

[Guest JMB]

Will the law even check a serial number without the gun being in hand?

Probably depends on the location, Mike.

My local Sheriff will check a number without the gun, but if one ever comes back dirty I know he'll want to know where it came from. I wouldn't have a problem telling him though if some SOB was trying to sell me a stolen gun.

[UncleJak]

I would gladly tell all the info I have if one ever came back stolen. I just wish there was an easier way to tell if someone is needing money or if they are a thief. Following my gut usually works, but sometimes I'd rather have a little more proof than a gut feeling. It would be cool if there was a searchable database, but then it would be harder for LEOs to actually get their hands on the guns. Of course in a perfect world this wouldn't be an issue because no one would steal.

[Louisb]

Seems to cheap to be true, but I have seen dumba$$ rednecks buy things and then a year later sell them for bargain basement price because they need/want to buy something or they have a bill to pay.

Too bad there is not a site on the net where anyone can run for stolen.

Would help law enforcement and insurance companies and only query an existing database

[Patton]

If there was a database then guns would never get recovered. Stolen ones that were reported would get hid in a sock drawer for 25yrs.

[tnhawk]

If there was a database then guns would never get recovered. Stolen ones that were reported would get hid in a sock drawer for 25yrs.

The inability to sell a stolen gun easily, would also reduce the number stolen.

[Will H]

^^^ Yeah, but that is usable effective legislation that does not restrict the rights of you or me to lawfully own firearms. It would never pass.

[UncleJak]

It seems a database could work both ways. I agree with Will, it wouldn't pass. It could help or it could hurt. I'll just continue to do business with people who are willing to share id's and and sell reasonably priced firearms.