gun ?

[goober_hunter]

is there any way to see if a gun is clean with out involving the po-po. not saying its dirty or hot, but maybe stolen. just looking not to get in trouble.
maybe some website to type in serial number,
thanks

 

[oscardeuce]

The right way is to take the firearm to your local gunshop or police. They can run the SN and see if it was reported stolen. Other than that you can pay for the manufacturer to run the SN and give you the first owner, or the owner who may have sent the firearm in to be reworked.
Otherwise there is no "registry"....yet.
If the gun is stolen, you just turn it in. If you get caught with a stolen gun otherwise, it's jail time.
my $0.02.

 

[jackri]

Ditto -- come out with your clear intentions of not wanting to do wrong -- then if it is hot you can't get in trouble.

 

[mantisman51]

Not knowing is not a legitimate defense, if it's stolen. Too many gun laws, IMO, but I still believe firmly in following them (unless they are banned outright). To do otherwise is to our own peril. There are too many inexpensive firearms to risk a hot piece.

 

[socal57che]

I'm not sure why anybody but THE MAN would know if it's either stolen or was used in a crime.
Call your local police, sheriff or ATF office for instructions....or, leave it alone and pass on a "good deal" to stay out of trouble.
If you feel led to ask the question in the manner you did, I'd say leave this one alone.

PM me if you want your local ATF office phone #. They are listed in the front of my Regulations book. (C&R FFL holder)
**EDIT** I just went to the atf website and the field office contacts are listed there, too.
http://www.atf.gov/field/index.htm

 

[scsinet]

I'd say get a receipt with the seller's contact information on it (verify it via ID or otherwise), and tell the seller that you plan to have the weapon's serial number run.
Usually the crimes surrounding stolen property can only be prosecuted if the prosecution can prove that the accused knew it was stolen and had it in his possession anyway.
If the seller doesn't back out and sells you the weapon, when you take it in to have it run, if it comes up as stolen, you can pass the seller's contact info onto the police.
If the seller won't give you his contact info and won't provide an ID for you to verify it, then that's a giant red flag right there. The other posters have a point though... if you have a bad feeling, no good gun deal is worth risking that you'll be caught with a stolen gun. If you do get convicted, you'll be banned for life from owning any guns in most states - not worth it IMO.

 

[goober_hunter]

cool, thanks for the advise.
i passed on the deal.