Guns International

Lost gun question.

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Texas

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • 1rightguy

    Active Member
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Mar 25, 2009
    510
    1
    I gave my sister a Taurus snub nose .38 and it is missing. She said she kept it under the seat in her car and it's not there anymore. She has had the car serviced, washed, oil changed and etc. and she has two teenage daughters that drive the car from time to time. Other than her lack of prudence and not being responsible with it, no big deal, it was a cheap gun. My question is, do I have her report it as missing with the police? I don't have the seriel number but I'm thinking it might be a good idea to have a police report just in case. Any thoughts?
    Hurley's Gold
     

    ironman45693

    Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 12, 2008
    79
    1
    Austin
    Most definitely! You don't want someone (police) showing up at your door saying they found it laying next to a dead body with a few .38 cal holes in it, and then you tell them it has been lost. I'm sure it would be nothing that a few hours down at the station couldn't clear up, but I say CYA is a good policy.
     

    JKTex

    Well-Known
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 11, 2008
    2,011
    31
    DFW, North Texas
    Most definitely! You don't want someone (police) showing up at your door saying they found it laying next to a dead body with a few .38 cal holes in it, and then you tell them it has been lost. I'm sure it would be nothing that a few hours down at the station couldn't clear up, but I say CYA is a good policy.

    And how are they going to trace it unless it was bought new through a dealer and has had no other owners?

    That said, since you don't have the serial number, I assume you're not the first owner? A police report won't be any good except to have the gun recorded as missing, not confirmed stolen, at some time in the past, near or far. The gun without a serial number that is.

    Pawncop might be able to explain whether it's going to matter if it's reported or not.

    And don't lend her another gun to toss under the seat and leave while others are going through it. Car washes are notorious for theft by the folks vacuuming etc....
     

    ironman45693

    Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 12, 2008
    79
    1
    Austin
    And how are they going to trace it unless it was bought new through a dealer and has had no other owners?

    Was it bought new? I don't know. Do you? Could they find the person who did buy it new if he did not? Would that person lead them in the right direction, as far as who he sold it to?

    All I'm saying is that if one of my guns went missing, I would report it whether I knew the serial# or not. At least there would be a record before something happened--incase something happened.

    Are you saying that you would not file a report if one of your guns went missing?
     

    hk boy

    Active Member
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 4, 2009
    252
    1
    Fort Worth
    IMHO, better CYA 1rightguy

    that gun can be traced back to you

    let's say gun was used to commit a crime
    shooter is caught and gun was recovered
    shooter says he got gun was from his gang banger brother
    gang banger brother says he got gun from his cousin that works at the car wash
    cousin at car wash says he found it in a car that he was vacuuming out
    car wash survillance camera and credit card receipts point to 1rightguy's sister
    sister tells detective gun came from her brother/1rightguy
    1rightguy spends a few hours in police station doing some explaining

    my 2 cents
     

    Texas42

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Nov 21, 2008
    4,752
    66
    Texas
    what is he going to say if he has no SN?

    Sorry officer, my dumb sister lost a gun I bought her. She put it under the seat, and then took it to go get vaccuumed. . . .No, it really wasn't a sale, I promise. Oh, and I don't know the serial number, but you you find my snubbie, let me know.
     

    JKTex

    Well-Known
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 11, 2008
    2,011
    31
    DFW, North Texas
    Can I just laugh hysterically, all in fun, without hurting anyone's feelings?

    These kinds of threads always venture off into all kinds of hypothetical and innuendo.

    From the facts as presented to us:

    1) no serial of the gun - Lesson learned, I'll be that never happens again
    2) let someone borrow it - See #1 :p
    3) report or not to report? It's up to the OP. He needs to find out from his local LEA if they can even do anything with no time, place, date, (maybe not even down t the month?) no serial, just a model. Likely it's not enough to get put into the stolen gun db, whatever it's called.
     

    robocop10mm

    Active Member
    Rating - 100%
    3   0   0
    Jan 9, 2009
    996
    21
    Round Rock
    If the gun was purchased from an FFL dealer, contact the dealer with the name of the purchaser, month and year of purchase and make/model of the gun. Paperwork on file forever. If dealer is out of business, ATF will have the forms in archives. They can and will find the S/N for an agency.

    There is a provision in NCIC to enter a lost firearm. I had one entered recently. Goober took one out jogging and "lost" it.
     

    Texas1911

    TGT Addict
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    May 29, 2017
    10,596
    46
    Austin, TX
    I think it's honest and upright to call it in as stolen. I think the likelihood of it being traced to you is somewhat moderate, and the legal ramifications of not reporting it are non-existent, but there is what is legal, and there is what is right.
     
    Top Bottom