If it turns out the firearm was stolen or previously used in a crime, you will need to demonstrate to the police when you came into possession of the firearm, and from whom you made the purchase. A bill of sale is the best way to accomplish this. If you choose to purchase a firearm in a private sale, you should protect yourself. The true owner always has the right to have his or her stolen gunreturned.

And be forewarned: if the gun does come back as lost or stolen, the person who brought it to the police will not be getting it back. However, many police departments do not offer this service. Having the local police check the federal database continues to be the most accurate way to look up gun history by serial number to ascertain whether or not a used firearm is lost or stolen. You should verify that a stolen property report is active with your local law enforcement agency or with the reporting agency.” Police Checks of Firearms (Stolen Gun Database)

“FDLE cannot represent that this information is current, active, or complete. For example, the Florida Crime Information Center maintains a website where an individual can search by serial number for many stolen or lost items, including cars, boats, personal property, and of course, firearms. Some states are exploring or attempting to build a state database of lost or stolen firearms that is searchable by the public, online.

While there have been attempts at creating private searchable internet databases where individuals self-report their lost or stolen guns, these usually contain only a fraction of the number of actual stolen guns, and the information is not verifiable. Unfortunately for purchasers in private sales, only law enforcement agencies are allowed to request a gun serial number check or search of the lost and stolen gun database. These reported firearms are entered into a gun database maintained by the FBI’s National Crime Information Center (“NCIC”). In fact, if a gun is lost or stolen from an FFL, the law requires the FFL to report the missing firearm to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (“ATF”). When a firearm is lost or stolen, the owner should immediately report it to the police.

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