Pistol confiscated

[harryspocket80]

I completely disagree with this.

 

[gmerkt]

One case was a Ruger Super Blackhawk stolen in Tacoma. The make and serial number was listed but NOT the caliber! As important as make and serial are, NCIC demands a caliber. Thus it was never entered. It had been seized from career burglars who had taken a shot at a witness as they fled. As their trial approached, I called Tacoma/LESA and made sure that they knew that SBHs were only in .44 Mag. Once the missing info was accounted for, an additional charged was filed and the perps rolled.

Good one. Since it involved an active criminal case, the effort was made. However, similar errors will likely go uncorrected without connection to an active case. And therefore may defy return efforts when recovered.

The NCIC Stolen Gun File went active in 1967. The GCA of 1968 established a federal system for serial numbers to be used by manufacturers. Which typically became more model specific. Prior to 1968, duplication of serial numbers from one maker to another and within same maker model lines wasn't unusual.

 

[gmerkt]

OR from random individuals ANYWHERE like MANY of us used to do pre SB 941.

Like I said I gave this some thought at the time and once had a 'passing thought' of having guns I bought or traded for checked for validity BUT I always based my 'trust' on the people I CHOSE to do biz with, and denied a couple sales to people I did NOT trust.

Obviously this wasn't a 'sure thing' as a person I got a gun from COULD have been a stolen gun and the CURRENT owner NOT knowing it was.

Quite so. But some people are good actors and gut feelings are fallible. In such situations, I rarely asked for a receipt of purchase and must admit I wasn't too free with handing them out when the gun was sold. At some point, I wouldn't buy privately without getting a receipt, then when I saw what was coming, I wouldn't buy anything that didn't go through an FFL dealer.

But this entire subject is about risk. Which back in pre-BGC days we were willing to accept. Consequences were minimal because nobody was checking on these things. The entire scene has changed. Including the part having to do with civil liability. Any of us who've ever sold a gun might be subject to a civil lawsuit stemming from a sale.

Aside from the fact a gun COULD be stolen if the assumption of it being used criminally is not 'assumed' in a way it's no different than ANY stolen item. Sure, it's unfortunate for the legal owner who HAD it stolen and I would certainly like to see as many as possible returned TO their legal owners but the numbers of stolen guns 'out there' are probably staggering and many probably long term.

Yabbut. Nobody wants to be the last guy holding the bag.

 

[RVTECH]

Yabbut. Nobody wants to be the last guy holding the bag.

Oh, I agree completely and I am sure most would as well.

But this entire subject is about risk. Which back in pre-BGC days we were willing to accept.

I'll take a guess and say PROBABLY the risk (and chance of) getting a stolen gun back Pre SB 941 were probably pretty low if one was careful and dealt with mainstream, 'above board' people who weren't shifty or shady (like SOME I have read/heard about).

Only once did I REFUSE a sale to a guy as he appeared to be 'shady' and I told him I wanted to go to a LGS to make the transfer and I would pay the $10 BGC fee but he refused so I said 'See ya'.

 

[po18guy]

Good one. Since it involved an active criminal case, the effort was made. However, similar errors will likely go uncorrected without connection to an active case. And therefore may defy return efforts when recovered.

The NCIC Stolen Gun File went active in 1967. The GCA of 1968 established a federal system for serial numbers to be used by manufacturers. Which typically became more model specific. Prior to 1968, duplication of serial numbers from one maker to another and within same maker model lines wasn't unusual.

Check Colt's historical serial number lookup. They will list 20-30 or more with the same serial number, but different models - even in the same caliber, so it takes some intelligence to sort it out.