Anywhere I can have a serial number checked?

M

Maddnotez

New member
Found a steal of a price on a rifle. I know the guy from work but I still prefer to be safe.

Trying to run the serial #. I called the local sheriff and they stated I have to bring the gun in person? Seems like a lot of BS but it's not something I can even do anyway since I didn't buy it yet.

Is there anywhere else I can go when the police refuse to help me? I see online sites like "gunzhot" and the rifle comes up clean but I don't trust that. How do I know their database is legit?

I don't want to take any chances but I really want to buy this rifle. Anyone know another way to achieve a serial check on a firearm?
 
Last edited:
The SO didn't refuse to help you. They just refused to help you in the manner you desired. Why don't you and the seller just go down to the SO?

Since you called the SO, tried the police.
 
I have never heard of a police department that will check over the phone. I can certainly understand why. If the gun has indeed been stolen then the police have a primary responsibility to recover that weapon immediately - both to preserve evidence and for its eventual return to the rightful owner. Stating over the phone that it has been stolen is going to result in way too many stolen guns simply "disappearing" as the anonymous caller is not going to want to hang onto it. There are too many less-than-honest individuals who would simply dump the gun in the river rather than turn it in.
 
The NCIC (National Crime Information Center) restricts access to law enforcement inquiries on official business only.

Typically a request to run a serial number by a PD or sheriff will get a polite "no" (they have no official reason to run that serial number).

Unauthorized or unofficial searches on NCIC can cost an officer his job.
 
madnotez said:
Trying to run the serial #. I called the local sheriff and they stated I have to bring the gun in person? Seems like a lot of BS
Click to expand...

A law enforcement officer that runs an NCIC (this is NOT the same as NICS) check on a stolen gun then can't produce the stolen gun will quickly be a FORMER law enforcement officer.
 
I called my local PD once and they took the serial number and put me on hold. A minute or two later got back on the phone and said it was fine. I mentioned it to an officer later who said they don't do that as policy. He said the dispatched just didnt want to explain it to me and never really ran it.

My understanding is many police departments don't enter serial numbers into any sort of database from their reports. I don't think an insurance company will if it somehow doesn't go into a police report. How many people would not even have the serial numbers on their guns? I bet a lot of people don't have a list, even if most of us on the forum do.
 
Just remember...

When (or if) you decide to take it down to run the serial number, call ahead. Randomly walking into the Sheriff's office with a rifle isn't likely to go over well.
And... they may have some special instructions for you, such as: "Knock on the north door. If there's no answer, call 555-0111 and ask for Detective Peabody." Or, there could be some conflicts with local and/or state law.

When I called my local Police Department a few years ago (actually a detachment of the Sheriff's office), I made sure to ask how they wanted me to handle the situation, since the building housed two court rooms and city offices, and the public parking area was 40 feet from the back entrance of the high school. They had completely forgotten about those factors, since they could come and go with firearms whenever they wanted. Eventually, we decided that I should leave the firearm in the vehicle until an officer was available to meet me and carry it inside.
 
What state are you in? The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has a stolen firearms database that you can check your serial number against from their website. Very easy. You might have a similar option
 
A question from the law enforcement members of the board:
How many agencies actually regularly report information to the NCIC system? Do you use it to check firearms? WHat if a gun is reported stolen then returned to the owner when recovered OR sold by the police agency?
 
Thanks for the info.

I am in Missouri. I saw that site for FL but I wish there was a national site.

I'll ask the seller but I can't exactly bring it in person since it is not mine. I see the points of why they won't over the phone but on the other hand people could just buy stolen guns anyway without checking. I'm trying to do the right thing.
 
I'm trying to do the right thing.
Click to expand...

If you are that worried, then it would seem you have a reason to distrust the seller, and I would just walk...

No one will 'run a serial number' for a civy around here, and as mentioned, it is an actionable offence for a LEO to do so...
 
Unless you are a close personal friend of someone in LE you won't get anyone to run the numbers unless the gun is in hand. If it comes up stolen, they are accountable for the gun. I've had a LE friend do this for me a couple of times even though it is against dept. policy. Both times he made it clear that if it came up stolen he would be at my door within 15 minutes to get the gun or he would be in a lot of trouble.
 
They need to be able to take possession of the gun if the number turns up on the stolen list, seems pretty fair to me, otherwise the sheriff would have to trace your phone number and send a car for the gun.
 
My late uncle was on the Ft Worth Tx PD and then an investigator in the DAs office. I used to get to run gun numbers for me before I bought a gun. Then one day he told me he couldn't do it anymore without having the gun in hand. That was so if the gun was listed as stolen he had possession of it.

So if in doubt walk away from the deal or ask the seller to go with you to the police station to have it checked. That should clear up any chances of the gun being stolen if the sellers chooses not to do so.
 
22-Rimfire said:
Best approach is if you know a cop who can check on your behalf.
Click to expand...
Several people have already posted that police can't use the stolen guns database without an official reason. If you know a police officer who will do this for you, I hope he's a good friend, because your request could cost him his job.
 
Last edited:
johnwilliamson062 said:
A question from the law enforcement members of the board:
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that you meant "a question FOR", not "a question FROM"? I was a deputy sheriff for 8 years, maybe I can answer a few.

johnwilliamson062 said:
How many agencies actually regularly report information to the NCIC system?
Click to expand...

All of them as far as I know.

johnwilliamson062 said:
Do you use it to check firearms?
Click to expand...

Yes, and about everything else with a serial number. For example, pawn shops are required to report descriptions and serial numbers of all items taken in on a daily basis. We had officers who did nothing but work NCIC.

WHat if a gun is reported stolen then returned to the owner when recovered OR sold by the police agency?
Click to expand...

The gun is flagged as "recovered" but still remains in the NCIC system for 2 years.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top