REWARD REWARD REWARD
ZEISS 2.5 X 10 SCOPE ATTACHED TO SERIAL# 07313PY117
BOTH SCOPE AND 7mm BOLT ACTION RIFLE ARE IN A BROWN
PLASTIC HARD CASE
CALL 281-442-9900
REWARD REWARD REWARD
BROWNING 7MM BOLT ACTION RIFLE | Ser# 07313PY117 |
SERIAL NUMBER # 1262276
RG 10 22 CALIBER CHROME STEEL PISTOL WITH MAGNUM
CYLINDER, 6 SHOT AND 6 INCH BARELL.
CALL 281-442-9900
REWARD REWARD REWARD
THESE GUNS PLUS A
2 CAL SEMI AUTOMATIC RIFLE WITH WATER DAMAGE ON STOCK
22 CAL 9 SHOT CHROME PISTOL WITH 9 INCH BARREL, SERIAL
NUMBERS DOTTED OUT.
38 SHORT NOSE 2 1/2″ PISTOL BLUE IN COLOR
WERE ALL STOLEN FROM
UNCLE BOBS STORAGE AT
1701 FM 1960 EAST BYPASS
HUMBLE, TEXAS 77338
IN THE G BUILDING ON DECEMBER 24, 2008.
UNCLE BOB’S STORAGE REFUSES TO HELP FIND THESE GUNS, SO
HOPEFULLY SOMEONE WILL ENTER THE SERIAL NUMBERS ONE
DAY AND FIND THIS WEB SITE.
CALL
JOE AT 281-442-9900
IF YOU KNOW ANYTHING.
THEY HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO
NCIC AND TCIC AS WELL AS ALL POLICE AGENCIES.
MY SON IGNORANTLY PLACED THEM IN HIS STORAGE. HIS
GRANDFATHER GAVE THEM TO HIM AS AN INHERITANCE. IT
WOULD BE SO NICE TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE.
THANKS
Owner Website
Click for Joe Burns website
BROWNING 7MM BOLT ACTION RIFLE | Ser# 07313PY117 |
You just returned home from your holiday break, only to discover that your house was broken into while you were gone. Thankfully, your family is safe, but panic sets in as you go through your belongings. The burglars got away with one of your guns… What happens next?
Part of being a responsible gun owner is keeping good records and documentation of your firearms. In previous segments, we have discussed the recommended documentation and some steps you can take to protect your property. Today, we will talk about how that documentation will help you if your firearms are lost or stolen and what the law requires for reporting these incidents.
In Texas, there is no such thing as a gun registry, so the state will not keep track of your guns for you. That is why it is vital for you to keep records of your firearms. Having a list or spreadsheet of your firearm information is a good idea.
Recording these details should ensure you have everything you need in case of an emergency.
If you buy a firearm from a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer (also known as an FFL), it may be easier to keep track than if you were to purchase one through a private sale. When you purchase a gun from an FFL dealer, there is a record of the transfer on Form 4473.
If you happen to lose the serial number of your firearm, you might be able to request the information from the FFL. But keep in mind, that FFLs are only required to keep these records for a certain period of time before they destroy them.
On the other hand, if you purchase a gun through a private sale, there is no official government record of the transfer. This is why we recommend a Bill of Sale.
A Bill of Sale should contain the identifying information of the firearm as well as the names and contact information of both the buyer and the seller. If you want to go the extra mile, you may request a copy of the purchaser’s driver’s license to ensure they are a Texas resident, and obtain a signed statement that the purchaser is not disqualified to purchase and possess a firearm.
In either scenario, if your firearm is lost or stolen you should report this to the police. Reporting is an easy way to save you trouble down the road.
In Texas, you are not legally required to report a lost or stolen firearm. However, if you don’t report it and that gun is ever used in a crime, the police and the ATF will likely show up at your home with some questions.
Reporting the gun lost or stolen is a good way to avoid the hassles of having to explain to the police, months or even years later, why you no longer have the gun. It is a good idea to keep your firearm documentation separate from the firearm itself in case your home is ever burglarized. A fireproof lockbox for paper copies is a great way to keep firearm records and other personal information safe from both theft and fire. For digital copies, we recommended an encrypted USB drive or cloud-based storage. If your gun is stolen and you can’t provide identifying information to law enforcement, the chances of you recovering your firearm are slim-to-none.
To review, the best way to ensure you recover a stolen firearm and are not associated with any crimes committed with a lost or stolen gun is to have the proper documentation. This foundational step only takes a few minutes but can save you hours, days, and even weeks of headache down the line.
If you have any questions about firearms documentation, call Texas LawShield and asked to speak with your Independent Program Attorney today.
BROWNING 7MM BOLT ACTION RIFLE | Ser# 07313PY117 |
Any Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) who has knowledge of the theft or loss of any firearms from their inventory must report such theft or loss within 48 hours of discovery to ATF and to the local law enforcement agency. (Regulations at 27 CFR § 478.39a and implementing 18 U.S.C. § 923(g)(6) require that the report of theft or loss be made by telephone and in writing to ATF).
Upon discovery of any theft or loss of any of your firearms:
First, call your local law enforcement agency to report the theft or loss. Contacting the local law enforcement authorities is essential to the quick recovery of firearms taken in a crime. If the firearms are unaccounted for during inventory, you should make it clear to the authorities that there is no evidence of a crime and that the disposition of these firearms is unknown and may stem from a record keeping error.
Second, call the ATF’s Stolen Firearms Program Manager toll free at 1-888-930-9275. They can also assist in the preparation of the Theft / Loss Report for submission. ATF will work with the local law enforcement authorities investigating the theft.
Third, complete the report form (ATF Form 3310.11) and attach any continuation sheets necessary (ATF Form 3310.11A) and mail it to ATF’s National Tracing Center. Be sure to submit the original form(s) to ATF and retain copies for your records.
Normal business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Email or fax your 3310.11 (Theft/Loss) or 3310.6 (Interstate):
Email:StolenFirearms@atf.gov(link sends e-mail)
Fax via Avaya Email: (304) 260-3676
Regular Fax: (304) 260-3671
ATF does not take reports of stolen firearms from private citizens:
If you are an individual needing assistance in obtaining a serial number for a firearm, ATF is unable to assist private citizens in locating serial numbers as there is no national registration system. One of the following options may assist you:
Contact the firearms dealer where you purchased the firearm.
If the firearms dealer is out of business and your inquiry is in reference to a stolen firearm, contact your local police department. It is possible they will submit a request to the National Tracing Center for a Records Search Request assuming the circumstances are connected to a bona fide criminal investigation.
Contact your state firearms registration office if your state has one.
If you are a law enforcement agency and require assistance in obtaining a serial number for a firearm reported stolen by an individual, your request must be in writing. A search of the Out of Business Records can be obtained for a bona fide criminal investigation. Send the request on letterhead/fax, with your ORI along with your name and case number. You must also provide the name of the dealer, time frame of purchase, firearm information and all the purchaser information including any identifiers. Your request can be faxed to 800-578-7223, attention Record Search Requests.
Selling, trading, or otherwise disposing of firearms is controlled by federal and state laws. Failure to obey the pertinent laws can result in a felony conviction. This makes it very important to understand all the applicable laws.
For this reason, it is best to consult a federal firearms-licensed dealer in your state before taking any action. His advice may save you from harm down the road.
Ask a gun dealer to take the firearms on consignment. Selling them through the shop is a safe, always legal way to go. The dealer will know the laws concerning which firearms are limited in the state and who may buy them. Oftentimes the dealer can get a better price for the firearm.
Advertise them on various gun broker sites on the Internet. This exposes firearms to thousands of potential buyers. Depending upon the state you live in, you may be able to sell the gun directly to the buyer if he lives in the same state without having to go through a gun dealer. If you sell the gun to a buyer in another state, the gun must be shipped to a local dealer in that state by the seller, and the buyer will pick it up from the dealer after having passed any federal/state requirements.
Take the firearms to a gun show. This allows potential buyers to examine the firearm in person. Some gun shows, depending upon the state laws, will allow an individual to purchase a table to sell multiple guns from a private collection. All applicable federal/state laws must be followed when selling, buying, or trading guns at a gun show.
By Christopher Godwin
Running a gun serial number search is essential if you’re looking to buy a used gun from an individual or a dealer. While it is illegal for dealers to sell guns that have been lost, stolen, or used in a crime and wanted by the police, it can happen. Private-party sales of stolen guns are also uncommon but can occur. Running a gun serial number search before you buy will make sure you get a gun that you can legally own and register in your name.
Locate the serial number for the gun you want to check. If you are purchasing a gun or checking one that is already in your possession, you can check the documentation that came with the gun. In many cases, the serial number will be noted in the owner’s manual. If you don’t have the owner’s manual you will need to locate the serial number on the body of the gun. The serial number is usually located on the handle or inside the gun, but this does vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.
Contact a reputable gun dealer in your area and ask them to run a serial number search for you if you’re looking to buy a gun from a private party. In most cases, the dealer will charge you a small fee for this service. However, this is often the fastest, simplest method. Many gun dealers will be able to give you basic records about where and when the gun was registered.
Check your local department of law enforcement’s website to see if you can run an online gun serial number search. Some states do not maintain a database that individuals can access, so this method may not work in all areas. If you can’t find the database, contact a law enforcement representative and ask if an online gun serial number search can be performed in your state.
Contact your local police department or sheriff’s office to run a gun serial number search if you are looking to purchase a pre-owned gun from a dealer. Police records will indicate whether the gun has been used in a crime or has been reported lost or stolen. Checking the serial number with the police department or sheriff’s office is beneficial if you’re considering buying a gun from a dealer because they can quickly check whether a gun was used for a crime or reported stolen in all states using the national ATF database.
Check the Gun Verify database if you are purchasing a pre-owned firearm from a dealer or individual to make sure that it is not stolen. Gun Verify is a user-based database, meaning gun owners input their own information if their gun is lost or stolen.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 required manufacturers to include a serial number on every weapon’s frame for identification. There are exceptions, for example, imported machine guns made before 2002 may not have a serial number.
A serial number is just one way to identify a gun. It must also have other identifying information engraved on it, including:
All guns made after 2002 have serial numbers. The manufacturer imprints a combination of digits on the body of the weapon. This number is stamped onto the metal portions of the handle, receiver, slide, or trigger guard, making it less likely to wear off over time.
A person who purchased a gun from a licensed firearms dealer can ask them for help in locating the serial number. A gun dealer can run a serial number search but may charge a small fee for doing so.
The documentation that came with the gun will also have this information. In many cases, this will come from the owner’s manual. If the weapon doesn’t have a serial number and isn’t an antique, the owner should take the gun to law enforcement – it may be an illegal weapon connected to a crime.
The average person has a few ways to search for a handgun’s history online, but they may not find much. However, a gun owner can sometimes input the weapon’s serial number into their local law enforcement website to find out some of the gun’s history. Not every local law enforcement agency will have this service, so gun owners should check with their local agencies beforehand.
If there isn’t a gun information search service in their area, third-party databases offer limited information on firearms. One such site, Hot Gunz, gets information through other owners who report to the site when they come across a stolen gun. These databases do not have an affiliation to law enforcement agencies and cannot replace what those offer, but they do sometimes provide used firearm owners with information. Their site operates much in the same way as a law enforcement site does – users plug a serial number into the search and wait to see if their weapon comes up.
Antique guns may not have a serial number because they were manufactured before there was a legal requirement to have identification numbers. Depending on what information gun owners have, they can conduct their own searches on antique guns in various ways. For example, if they have only the manufacturer’s information, they can contact that manufacturer to learn its provenance.
They can also take the gun to an antique and collectible gun dealer. The dealer can research the history of the firearm and provide the make, model, approximate date of manufacture, and other specifications. A gun dealer will likely charge a fee for this research.
When law enforcement finds a firearm at a crime scene, it researches this evidence to develop leads in the investigation by tracing its history. This is a systematic process of tracking the movement of a gun from manufacturing into commerce, then into distribution via wholesalers and retailers; doing this will hopefully lead to the purchaser’s identity, which can help link them or someone they have come into contact with, to the criminal investigation.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) traces thousands of guns annually for domestic and international law enforcement agencies. It also traces U.S. guns recovered in other countries for their law enforcement agencies. Its tracing can detect patterns in in-state, interstate, and international gun trafficking. “Routine” tracing takes about seven to 10 days through the ATF. Databases like eTrace are one of the ways the agency traces guns sourced in the United States.
The National Firearms Act division of the ATF maintains a machine gun database, known as the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record, for the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury. The registry has the following information on registered machine guns:
The Firearm Owners’ Protection Act (FOPA) of 1986 requires manufacturers or anyone importing or transferring a machine gun to register it with the Treasury Department, which maintains a central registry of weapons not in the possession or under the control of the United States. It covers machine guns legally owned by private citizens or by local and state entities.
