grandfathers gun stolen can't find serial number?

[leslieannesustaita]

My deceased Grandfather's Smith & Wesson .38 special was stolen & I don't have the serial number. i live in TX and I'm sure the gun was registered. My Grandfather was an avid hunter etc... Can someone help? The gun was bought in Dallas brand new. I had the box with all the information in it but cannot find it now.

 

[Texan2]

There is no gun registration in Texas. If you know where it was bought new you may be able to go back to the dealer and see if he will share any records with you.

 

[Mikewood]

Have you tried calling the gun registry center in Austin Texas? They can do a search with your grandfathers DOB and social.
Sorry I don't have the number. Maybe DPS can help.

 

[TheDan]

Have you tried calling the gun registry center in Austin Texas?

doubleyou tee eff?

 

[Dawico]

doubleyou tee eff?

That is what I was thinking but wasn't sure enought to be the first to comment on it.

 

[Texan2]

yes...you should go call them.

 

[40Arpent]

Have you tried calling the gun registry center in Austin Texas? They can do a search with your grandfathers DOB and social.

Was this meant to be a joke?

 

[Renegade]

Have you tried calling the gun registry center in Austin Texas? They can do a search with your grandfathers DOB and social.
Sorry I don't have the number. Maybe DPS can help.

At first I thought you were serious....

 

[grasshopperglock]

BATFE records the first time it was sold,
and everytime it had a FFL dealer transaction, after that its up in the air

Ihad 5 long guns stolen. Didint have a single ser number on any of them. The wife went to the Williamson sheriff's department and BATFE was there. They could and did look the records up on the original purchase and get the ser numbs. Three were found in a pawn shop in Waco. Now the damn things are in a ATF locker in Waco to be used in the criminal case.

Being such an old purchase......the first time it was bought records was probably flushed. However, if it had ever been pawned, loaned on, any transaction at all sense then. The feds have the ser numbs.


EDIT: The original buyer or whos name is on the FFL paperwork, in their eyes, is the one that owns the gun in the first place. So if they can get the numbers, get ready to show PROOF you are the new legal owner after grandpaw. Me and my wife devorced. During the marriage she pawned my, private transaction, handgun. POOF, her name on the background paper, her gun according to the BATFE. To prove otherwise is a straight pain.

 

[txinvestigator]

BATFE records the first time it was sold,
and everytime it had a FFL dealer transaction, after that its up in the air

Ihad 5 long guns stolen. Didint have a single ser number on any of them. The wife went to the Williamson sheriff's department and BATFE was there. They could and did look the records up on the original purchase and get the ser numbs.

NOt calling you a liar, but as you describe it that is not possible. No purchase information is transmitted to the BATFE from an FFL. Now, it IS possible that the BATFE took your information contacted the FFL who sold those to you. Then they could get the serial. However, there is no database where that information is kept.

Being such an old purchase......the first time it was bought records was probably flushed. However, if it had ever been pawned, loaned on, any transaction at all sense then. The feds have the ser numbs.

no, they don't.

EDIT: The original buyer or whos name is on the FFL paperwork, in their eyes, is the one that owns the gun in the first place.

In whos eyes?

So if they can get the numbers, get ready to show PROOF you are the new legal owner after grandpaw.

Show proof to whom?

Me and my wife devorced. During the marriage she pawned my, private transaction, handgun. POOF, her name on the background paper, her gun according to the BATFE.

No, it was community property and she can sell them.

 

[Renegade]

BATFE records the first time it was sold,
and everytime it had a FFL dealer transaction, after that its up in the air

No, for non-NFA firearms the BATFE generally knows nothing. They have to do a trace to find out anything. The original MFG keeps records, but does not file them with BATFE as guns are made and sold. At no point is BATFE ever informed of who owns the gun.

 

[Texan2]

BATFE records the first time it was sold,
and everytime it had a FFL dealer transaction, after that its up in the air

Ihad 5 long guns stolen. Didint have a single ser number on any of them. The wife went to the Williamson sheriff's department and BATFE was there. They could and did look the records up on the original purchase and get the ser numbs. Three were found in a pawn shop in Waco. Now the damn things are in a ATF locker in Waco to be used in the criminal case.

Being such an old purchase......the first time it was bought records was probably flushed. However, if it had ever been pawned, loaned on, any transaction at all sense then. The feds have the ser numbs.


EDIT: The original buyer or whos name is on the FFL paperwork, in their eyes, is the one that owns the gun in the first place. So if they can get the numbers, get ready to show PROOF you are the new legal owner after grandpaw. Me and my wife devorced. During the marriage she pawned my, private transaction, handgun. POOF, her name on the background paper, her gun according to the BATFE. To prove otherwise is a straight pain.

This is pretty much all incorrect.

 

[grasshopperglock]

NOt calling you a liar, but as you describe it that is not possible. No purchase information is transmitted to the BATFE from an FFL. Now, it IS possible that the BATFE took your information contacted the FFL who sold those to you. Then they could get the serial. However, there is no database where that information is kept. no, they don't.


In whos eyes? Show proof to whom? No, it was community property and she can sell them.

You bring some good counter points up. Im contacting the agent handling the case at the BATFE field office in Dallas, monday by phone. I guess he's scared of email. I never recorded the numbers. Id like to know where the hell they did get the serial numbers, cuz they damn sure didnt do a trace through whom I purchased the weapons.. They got them from somewhere.

I had the same belief that the ser numbs are kept at the gun shop, not recorded during the background check.

I WILL REPORT BACK WITH HOW THEY DID GET THE NUMBERS.

 

[Texastransplant]

When I had my ffl i the 70's and early 80's we had to keep the 4473 for 10 years, it's 20 years now. After 10 years they were destroyed, when I closed up the others went back to BATF.

 

[medalguy]

And BATF put the records in a biiiiig old warehouse in West Virginia where they sit, in boxes, along with about 30 gazillion other 4473's. There's no index of what is boxed where, let alone a registry of that information. When they need to locate something, they start digging. My records are there too.

 

[Dawico]

The gun manufacturer can track down the buyer through the FFL/ 4473 and verify who bought what serial number ( I am not sure if they would give out the information though). I assume they would need the serial number to narrow it down but I am not sure on that depending on how many of that gun was sold at that store. A .38 Special sold in Dallas doesn't really narrow it down much.

I bought a Remington 887 from Academy shortly after they came out. A couple of weeks later I received a new plug for it directly from Remington as the supplied plug limited the gun to 3+1 not 2+1 as intended. I had never contacted anyone about it because it isn't that hard to make a proper length plug and hunting season was a ways off. I was impressed that they sent it out though.

 

[majormadmax]

This is pretty much all incorrect.

At least he's consistent!

 

[leslieannesustaita]

Ok, so which, is the best answer? Contact the gun registry office in Austin, sheriff's department and BATFE, get BATFE to take information and contact the FFL, have BATFE take the information (which is dob ssn of my Papa's?) or give my your information to the FFL ? Good God almighty.

 

[leslieannesustaita]

It was purchased brand new in Dallas, TX, 1961. My Papa had the box that the gun came in and all the paperwork and I just can't find it. I know who has the gun but the police won't do anything without a serial number. The guys Daddy owns a pawn shop....:1zhelp:

 

[txinvestigator]

There is no gun registry in Texas.

Who knows if the manufacturer has records from 1961.

You are probably SOL.