Why I always double check my shooting area when leaving

[11Charlie]

Quite a few years back, a crotch rocket was weaving through traffic, and someting flew off of him and hit my trucks grill. When I got home, I found a Glock 42 in the bed of my truck, I guess it bounced off the front and landed back there. Anyway, I turned it in the Eugene Police Dept, and they told me that if it was unclaimed in 90 days, it would be mine. I went back after about 4 months to see what happened with it, and surprise, no record of me turning it in. Things that make you go Hmmm.

I remember that story!! Crazy!

 

[RVTECH]

I went back after about 4 months to see what happened with it, and surprise, no record of me turning it in.

You didn't request a receipt or any other document at the time proving you turned it in?

 

[Heyjoe]

This doesn't add up. One of those items, maybe.

Together? I don't know..

Maybe thieves who took the items for a joyride?

Or the owner was murdered.

People don't forget their rifle.

Target, stand, range bag, magazines? Sure.

My opinion only, good on you for not falling to temptation.

 

[RVTECH]

People don't forget their rifle.

Actually they can - I know of one person in my life who has - and I have known two who found rifles leaning against trees.
Based on the 'intellect' of some people I have seen while shooting I am surprised they made it through the day alive let alone forgetting a rifle.

 

[titsonritz]

It never happen...
Seattle police 'embarrassed' by rifle left unattended on cruiser

California Cop Drives Off With Assault Rifle on Squad Car's Trunk, Notices Six Hours Later

https://www.bnd.com/news/nation-world/national/article231987077.html

But that's nothing...
N.J. Police Officer Loses Job After Overdosing on Heroin in Patrol Car

 

[RainMan_PNW]

I'd have crapped my pants if I realized I'd left a rifle out in the woods...and would have probably headed back up there the instant I realized it no matter what time of the day or night it was. Hopefully the rightful owner turns up, but it's too bad there aren't better ways to "advertise" this sort of thing in broader circles. For how great NWFA is, we're really a pretty small audience compared to the number of firearms owners out there.

Given the new "safe storage" laws here in WA, if you turned it into the PD and someone went there looking for it, they'd probably find themselves in more trouble for leaving it laying around.

 

[Geardo]

Good on you. I left my favorite $100 steel target and stand out at larch a few months ago. Major bummer.

 

[808hondacrguy]

You didn't request a receipt or any other document at the time proving you turned it in?

No, I was dumb, learned my lesson

 

[RVTECH]

No, I was dumb, learned my lesson

Understandable!
I once turned in a 'found' gun (an obvious illegal shotgun I found down by the Deschutes river many years ago) - but never expected it back!

 

[KKG]

I'm not just sure what Oregon Laws say but with the current Law here in WA(the way I understand it) the ONLY thing you could have done was call the SO or PD.

 

[RVTECH]

Hopefully the rightful owner turns up,

I am almost of the thought I hope the owner does NOT turn up - to teach this person a lesson.

And FWIW - take it to the SO OR PD immediately, demand a receipt and let it be!

 

[notazombie]

Hey, I heard you found my gun. Its black and fully semiauto. I left it next to my target -- the one with all the bullet marks on it. It was in the outdoors. I think there were some trees nearby. Anyway, I can identify it by the 30 round clip and the barrel shroud. There's also a place for a shoulder thing that goes up but I don't have one installed because I have a sniper scope there instead. PM me and I'll tell you where you can deliver it.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Well we all know it ain't mine...
No place for a ramrod....
Andy

 

[Camelfilter]

Good on ya for making an honest effort to return them to their owner!

Hopefully they do find their way home, if not then I see no moral hold on them becoming yours.

Also see it as an easy possible for folks to leave such behind, particularly if some life distraction occurred while packing up. Who knows.

They were found by a good Guy!

 

[User 1234]

I'm glad you found it. If the wrong person found it it might have been sold on the black market by now.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I like to pack up my display by myself...
When folks "help" often things get out of order or lost...
That could have been the case here...
A group of friends shooting a bunch of guns...a bit of help in packing up...a empty case is loaded in the car / truck...rifle and target left behind....

I do hope the rightful owner comes calling and Thank you to 808hondacrguy...'cause if I left my rifle behind...I'd want someone like you to find it.
Andy

 

[ZigZagZeke]

Quite a few years back, a crotch rocket was weaving through traffic, and someting flew off of him and hit my trucks grill. When I got home, I found a Glock 42 in the bed of my truck, I guess it bounced off the front and landed back there. Anyway, I turned it in the Eugene Police Dept, and they told me that if it was unclaimed in 90 days, it would be mine. I went back after about 4 months to see what happened with it, and surprise, no record of me turning it in. Things that make you go Hmmm.

For this reason I would be hesitant to take it to the police. I'd spend some more time on finding the owner through other channels.

 

[gmerkt]

When I'm out with guns, I always take a headcount in the trunk of my car before I leave. I've never left a gun laying around but have left my spotting scope at ranges three times. Always got it back; now it's got my phone number on it.

I'm for turning subject rifle in to the po-po first thing, let it be on them. Always get a receipt for anything turned in. When a firearm is reported to the law as lost or missing, I believe it goes on the database for "wanted" (along with stolen) guns and they get a cloud over them. In other words, missing guns are like stolen guns; the law can run the serial number and it will pop on their list. But it has to be reported first. Unclaimed property disposition varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but these days as finder I wouldn't put any money on getting an unclaimed firearm. Rifles are only sold on a Form 4473 (semi-autos not in WA after 7-1-2019). Yes, they can be traced but it's more difficult because they can't just go to state records and find one. They have to go back to a manufacturer and trace it down through the distribution system, much more time-consuming. They would do it for a homicide case but likely wouldn't expend the resources for a lost rifle. So likely they wouldn't try to track down the owner of an unreported lost rifle; just hold it to see if it was claimed.

Leaving firearms around unattended in WA since July 1st could be a problem. Because they aren't to be accessible to prohibited persons. And left like the one in the OP, it would be accessible to anyone, included those prohibited. To comply with the law, you would be required to report the loss.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

its a trap from anti gunners.they probably placed it there and were just waiting for someone to call it in and make a news headline "look how irresponsible gun owners are!!"

 

[11Charlie]

its a trap from anti gunners.they probably placed it there and were just waiting for someone to call it in and make a news headline "look how irresponsible gun owners are!!"

Or they followed him home and will arrest him for have a gun registered in someone else's name!