Big Red
Shooter
Question from an old nu-be; (Yes I just spent a couple of hours reading every “Sticky” on the forum, very entertaining especially since life has kept me away from shooting & this forum the last couple years.
Upon reading the various “Stickies” on the various rules of the forum, I do have a question.
When buying or selling a firearm in today’s climate (private seller & buyer), how can one check if the gun has been reported stolen or having been used in a crime?
My thought is that if buying, I would like to be sure I wouldn’t be getting a surprise down the road. Likewise if I’m selling a gun I inherited from my great uncle (possibly of sketchy character) that I could show to the prospective buyer that the feds aren’t going to be kicking in his/my doors at 0300.
I know that as a buyer or seller of a handgun I could insist on going through a local FFL, but wonder if there is an easier way with a long gun.
I have heard that one could “Run it through the ATF data base”, but have no idea how to do that. I suppose that one could call the local LEO’s, but not sure they have time or interest in looking it up for me. (And possibly thinking this could be a great excuse to have a “Training Day” & kick my doors in at zero-dark-thirty.
What brings this up is that an old friend in Tucson Arizona just discovered when he took it in for a little work, that an SKS he bought from an ex-co-worker a couple of years ago was not only reported stolen in San Diego, but is suspected as having been used in a “shoot out” in Los Angles.
Thoughts?
Upon reading the various “Stickies” on the various rules of the forum, I do have a question.
When buying or selling a firearm in today’s climate (private seller & buyer), how can one check if the gun has been reported stolen or having been used in a crime?
My thought is that if buying, I would like to be sure I wouldn’t be getting a surprise down the road. Likewise if I’m selling a gun I inherited from my great uncle (possibly of sketchy character) that I could show to the prospective buyer that the feds aren’t going to be kicking in his/my doors at 0300.
I know that as a buyer or seller of a handgun I could insist on going through a local FFL, but wonder if there is an easier way with a long gun.
I have heard that one could “Run it through the ATF data base”, but have no idea how to do that. I suppose that one could call the local LEO’s, but not sure they have time or interest in looking it up for me. (And possibly thinking this could be a great excuse to have a “Training Day” & kick my doors in at zero-dark-thirty.
What brings this up is that an old friend in Tucson Arizona just discovered when he took it in for a little work, that an SKS he bought from an ex-co-worker a couple of years ago was not only reported stolen in San Diego, but is suspected as having been used in a “shoot out” in Los Angles.
Thoughts?
