Serial number field in postings / checking stolen firearm SN's

[Mark IV]

If you think the deal's dicey, don't buy it.

Yup, this is my General order #1. If it feels hinky at all, I pull the rip-cord. Ads that are always a red flag for me, and things like a newish Glock that comes with just one magazine, and nothing else, followed by vague, evasive responses. Generally speaking, no one is going to lose, much less throw away, the relatively nice factory case, and the other factory magazine(s). So when these aren't present, especially in a relatively new pistol, it feels to me like something that may have been stolen from a nightstand drawer or car console, and I bail quick.
Like most folks here, I prefer good ol' cash-n-carry, but I won't object to doing BOS's (since that's also kind of a red flag for the other guy), so I've done a few BOS's if the other guy wanted it, but never insisted on one myself. If I got a vibe that made me feel I needed to ask the guy to sign a BOS, then that's enough that I would've backed out already.

 

[Barbwire]

Hotgunz is only as good as the info that is fed into it. It only works if when your gun is stolen you actually report it to them. Most people don't.

I just went to that site and typed in 0000000 and it came up with a stolen gun!!!!

 

[Mark IV]

I've had several firearms stolen over the years (Burglaries). They/serial numbers were reported to the police, but only one actually got found decades later!.

True story: many years ago, a good old buddy of mine in Pine Mountain sold a Colt 1911 to a friend of his (who I've also known casually for many years). The other guy worked at a small local business owned by his family. Late one night he was leaving the store with the pistol and the days receipts in some sort of bag. He locked up, threw the bag on the truck seat, then realized he'd forgotten something, walked a few yards back to the front door, let himself in, grabbed what he needed and walked back to the truck, and just that fast, the bag was gone.
He reported the pistol stolen, where it remained missing for years.
Then, about 10 years later, the guy got a call from the FBI, saying the pistol he reported stolen was used in (IIRC) a bank robbery in Chicago. The trial had completed, and they returned the pistol to him. My buddy said he always liked that pistol, and tried to buy it back again, but guy #2 wouldn't let it go (even though those two have been pretty good buds for decades, it's no surprise he wouldn't let him have it back, even though he surely had no special attachment to it.)

 

[mrauditor]

I just went to that site and typed in 0000000 and it came up with a stolen gun!!!!

Too funny. Thanks.