Will friendly LEO run serial # through Stolen Firearms DB on request?

[phoenix_iii]

I am looking to buy several rifles over the next few weeks.

After having firearms stolen from me, I am now a bit paranoid about doing face to face cash deals, even though legally on the up and up (I have no reason to believe anything I am buying is stolen, and I have full faith that both parties are eligible to own and sell at will).

Can I just call a local PD and ask them to check the serials? I know there is no gun-registry (yes I know about the access to the sales DB from gunstores...), but the police can and do maintain a Stolen Firearms Database.

So... what do I do/say? Do we have any members that are also LEOs or have access to said DB? Is it public, perhaps?

Thank you,

p3

[electronics]

If I had any reasonable belief the gun was stolen I wouldn't buy it. If the owner didn't know anything about the rifle and didn't have a good reason why, for instance, that'd be a big red flag.

I'd suggest having them sign a bill of sale; there are ready made forms on PAFOA which just need blanks filled in.

I don't know about having police run it voluntarily. I assume they would. They'd probably want you and the gun in their presence when they run it if they do, so if one turns out to be stolen they can seize the gun and question you. Also an assumption.



I have bought rifles from one person in a private transaction where he didn't know about them. He ran a junk yard for years and would take rifles in trade and ended up with a small fortune in secondhand rifles. I have known him for years, work with him, and know he is a stand up person who wouldn't steal a gun. If it was anyone else, I'd have had reservations.

[redeye202]

Call your local PD and ask is they would do it for you,there is nothing wrong with being carefull when buying long guns FTF.

[tlgpa]

I am looking to buy several rifles over the next few weeks.

After having firearms stolen from me, I am now a bit paranoid about doing face to face cash deals, even though legally on the up and up (I have no reason to believe anything I am buying is stolen, and I have full faith that both parties are eligible to own and sell at will).

Can I just call a local PD and ask them to check the serials? I know there is no gun-registry (yes I know about the access to the sales DB from gunstores...), but the police can and do maintain a Stolen Firearms Database.

What are you looking to achieve? Do you want to run guns you own through the DB, or guns you plan to buy?

If you bought the guns on the up and up to the best of your knowledge, it would be silly to run them through the DB. They'll be confiscated if they're stolen and you could be in trouble.

If it's a gun you plan to buy, I doubt the seller would be ok with this. If he knows they're stolen, he won't agree to it. If he believes they're legit, he's still not going to want them searched because errors happen or they could be stolen and he doesn't know it. In which case his guns will be confiscated and he could be in trouble.

If you're really concerned, use a Bill of Sale for your purchases.
http://forum.pafoa.org/firearms-6/32...-free-use.html
If something ever were to happen and your guns get ran through the DB (highly unlikely for rifles) you can show that to the best of your knowledge they weren't stolen. And that's all that really matters.

[phoenix_iii]

Thank you for the replies so far.

I only want to run the firearms I am interested in purchasing. If some one will not give me the serial # in advance, that's a red flag. I don't want to buy anything stolen, so I don't have a problem running the serial.

If the seller is selling something stolen, they should surrender it (so it can go to the original owner, *cough (because I wouldn't mind getting my firearms back)*, and the seller should be questioned, which may lead to a straw purchaser, etc.



The only concern I have is, yes, there can be typoes/mistakes, and I would really dislike to bring down any kind of process on some one due to that. Hmmm...

[billamj]

Thank you for the replies so far.

I only want to run the firearms I am interested in purchasing. If some one will not give me the serial # in advance, that's a red flag. I don't want to buy anything stolen, so I don't have a problem running the serial.

If the seller is selling something stolen, they should surrender it (so it can go to the original owner, *cough (because I wouldn't mind getting my firearms back)*, and the seller should be questioned, which may lead to a straw purchaser, etc.



The only concern I have is, yes, there can be typoes/mistakes, and I would really dislike to bring down any kind of process on some one due to that. Hmmm...

I guess that you and I will never do business then because there is no way in hell that I am giving ANYONE the serial number of one of my firearms BEFORE we are in the FFLs for transfer. There are too many people who would attempt to use that and say that I got their weapon somehow illegally or some such crap for me to trust someone I don't know with that kind of information.

[cigarmanpa]

Thank you for the replies so far.

I only want to run the firearms I am interested in purchasing. If some one will not give me the serial # in advance, that's a red flag. I don't want to buy anything stolen, so I don't have a problem running the serial.

If the seller is selling something stolen, they should surrender it (so it can go to the original owner, *cough (because I wouldn't mind getting my firearms back)*, and the seller should be questioned, which may lead to a straw purchaser, etc.



The only concern I have is, yes, there can be typoes/mistakes, and I would really dislike to bring down any kind of process on some one due to that. Hmmm...

perhaps you're better off only buying new guns. there is no way that asking for the SN of something you don't own yet is acceptable. If you think that the guns are stolen, buy something else. Why would any citizen who has legally acquired goods let said goods be run through a data base?

[tlgpa]

If some one will not give me the serial # in advance, that's a red flag.

No it's not. I would never give a serial number to someone ahead of time. My guns are all clean to the best of my knowledge. But I wouldn't give out the serial number.

Don't put so much faith in the DB. It's not that accurate and up to date. Even if the gun runs clean, that doesn't mean it's not stolen. It could've been stolen just days ago and not noticed yet or not added to the DB.

[phoenix_iii]

No it's not. I would never give a serial number to someone ahead of time. My guns are all clean to the best of my knowledge. But I wouldn't give out the serial number.

Don't put so much faith in the DB. It's not that accurate and up to date. Even if the gun runs clean, that doesn't mean it's not stolen. It could've been stolen just days ago and not noticed yet or not added to the DB.

I think I came off sounding like I was on the wrong foot here...

1) I would never willy-nilly ask or expect any one to throw out some serial #s my way.
2) I'm talking about non-FFL involved transfers. If you do a long-gun at an FFL, the serial gets run through the database. LEO I spoke with (for what it's worth) stated they get the serial #s from the shops at a 'few months' delay, but they do get checked against known stolen firearms.
3) I've had guns stolen from me (burglary). Who knows where they ended up. If I am buying, or selling, and we are at the point where cash is ready to exchange hands (already worked out the particulars), I do not mind if the buyer wants to protect himself and make sure he isn't buying stolen property. I am doing the same. I don't have to wonder if something is stolen or not, or hope nothing is ever run. I am asking about how to legitimately check and protect myself.

I wouldn't purposefully meet face to face with a suspected stolen arms seller anyway. I have no reason to suspect any foul play. But heck, even if I buy handguns, they go through an FFL, then 2 months later I get a visit requesting the firearms, as they turn out to be stolen... great, I'm out $$$ because I 'trusted' a stranger. To be fair, I have almost as little trust in 'the system', or the DB being accurate, but it is easier to correct an inaccuracy then try and fight for stolen property.

[tlgpa]

I think I came off sounding like I was on the wrong foot here...

1) I would never willy-nilly ask or expect any one to throw out some serial #s my way.

You said. "If some one will not give me the serial # in advance, that's a red flag." That is willy-nilly asking for the serial.

2) I'm talking about non-FFL involved transfers.

So is everyone else here.

If you do a long-gun at an FFL, the serial gets run through the database. LEO I spoke with (for what it's worth) stated they get the serial #s from the shops at a 'few months' delay, but they do get checked against known stolen firearms.

Bingo. A few months delay makes it virtually useless.

I am asking about how to legitimately check and protect myself.

And you were told. Get a Bill of Sale. You're protected just as much as a DB search. It's actually probably safer than dealing with the DB.