How did the police find the pistol owner info?

[The Unknown 1087]

So I think this goes here. Tonight while having the scanner on for a few mins. A police officer was getting an ID check down for something that was before i turned the scanner on. They (dispatch) said that the guy had a current and valid LTCF. Ok well that's normal. The next thing had me go "WTF?"

Dispatcher" The serial off the gun came back to "so and so" (the guy who they requested the ID check for)

How without a registry were they able to place a name to a gun serial???

[Steve in PA]

Its not a registry because every single firearm (hangun, shotgun, rifle) is not included. It's a "data base". Run the serial number of a handgun and if it was bought or transfered in PA it will show the current owner.

[GunLawyer001]

Its not a registry because every single firearm (hangun, shotgun, rifle) is not included. It's a "data base". Run the serial number of a handgun and if it was bought or transfered in PA it will show the current owner.

True, and to expand on that, it's a "Record of Sale" database, containing reported sales from every FFL in PA. Since it only contains gun shop sales, it doesn't include legal gifts, guns acquired before the laws were effective, guns brought by people who moved to PA from elsewhere, legal home-made guns, and a lot of NFA firearms (which ATF can track, but not release as easily.)

[Wiley-X]

Yeah, it's not a registry but if your gun doesn't turn up as "registered," you're in a land of confusion.

[Pro2A]

Yeah, it's not a registry but if your gun doesn't turn up as "registered," you're in a land of confusion.

But then you can't register (because there is no way to do it) it if you move from out of state or buy it from a family member that does not require an FFL transfer... thus even more confusion.

[GunLawyer001]

But then you can't register (because there is no way to do it) it if you move from out of state or buy it from a family member that does not require an FFL transfer... thus even more confusion.

In previous threads on PAFOA, we've discussed several ways of attaching your name to a particular firearm, if you choose to.

[CHEMICAL]

True, and to expand on that, it's a "Record of Sale" database, containing reported sales from every FFL in PA. Since it only contains gun shop sales, it doesn't include legal gifts, guns acquired before the laws were effective, guns brought by people who moved to PA from elsewhere, legal home-made guns, and a lot of NFA firearms (which ATF can track, but not release as easily.)

yes but isn't each "record" supposed to be destroyed or erased after something like 72 hours, or days or something?

[GunLawyer001]

yes but isn't each "record" supposed to be destroyed or erased after something like 72 hours, or days or something?

The PA Supreme Court gave them their blessing to do what they are doing. I would have ruled differently, but then I'm not a judge.

[HiredGoon]

yes but isn't each "record" supposed to be destroyed or erased after something like 72 hours, or days or something?

18 Pa.C.S. § 6111: Sale or transfer of firearms

<SNIP>

(v) Unless it has been discovered pursuant to a criminal history, juvenile delinquency and mental health records background check that the potential purchaser or transferee is prohibited from possessing a firearm pursuant to section 6105 (relating to persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms), no information on the application/record of sale provided pursuant to this subsection shall be retained as precluded by section 6111.4 (relating to registration of firearms) by the Pennsylvania State Police either through retention of the application/record of sale or by entering the information onto a computer, and, further, an application/record of sale received by the Pennsylvania State Police pursuant to this subsection shall be destroyed within 72 hours of the completion of the criminal history, juvenile delinquency and mental health records background check.

[gnbrotz]

Run the serial number of a handgun and if it was bought or transfered in PA it will show the current owner.

Only if the last sale/transfer went through the system. I'd wager there are lots of firearms out there that have passed through the PA system at some point, but have since been legally transferred outside of PA's system, so the database does not accurately indicate the current legal owner of that firearm.