If you’re buying a used firearm, there are a couple of things that should cross your mind. You should fully inspect the weapon to make sure it’s in working order, first. However, you should also check to make sure the weapon is legally clean, meaning that it hasn’t been reported stolen.
Not many people think about this, but it could save you some serious legal headache if the gun is actually stolen.
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Find Out if Any Gun is Stolen
There are a few ways that you can check this. Let’s talk about how to do this.
www.HotGunz.com
There are a couple of different ways for you to check online. One tool is www.HotGunz.com. This website allows you to search the serial number of the gun, and if it’s been reported stolen on the website, you’ll be able to tell.
However, this tool isn’t perfect, because it requires the victim of the theft to know the website exists and requires them to input the serial number as stolen. If they don’t know about the website or didn’t input the serial number, the website is useless.
Manufacturer’s Website
The next way to check online is to check the firearm manufacturer’s website. While not all of them have it, some of the websites have a search function, which will allow you to search the serial number. Other manufacturers will lead you to another site to search.
These search functions come with the same limitations as HotGunz, but the firearm manufacturer will have access to more information so that the original owner will not have to report the theft.
Check with the Police
One very simple way is to check with your local police. They have access to more tools and databases than we do and can do a much more thorough check.
Some state police will allow you to search online. Others don’t have this feature, but all of them will be able to search with a simple phone call. This would be my recommended course of action because they have the most access.
Conclusion
There aren’t a ton of ways to check on the status of a firearm, but it is always worth doing. If you inadvertently buy a stolen firearm, you could find yourself in a sticky legal situation.
Taking the few minutes to check if it’s stolen will save you time in the long run.
