How To Check if a Gun is Stolen (3 Simple Ways)

How to check if a gun is stolen

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.

Related Read: What’s the Best Conceal Carry Gun? Top 10 Revealed

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.

24 thoughts on “How To Check if a Gun is Stolen (3 Simple Ways)”

  1. My mom has a gun that my dad gave her over 25 yrs ago. Knowing my father it may be stolen, since he came home with many things people traded or sold for drugs when I was a kid. Not the best childhood, I know, but it was my life & my family & u love family regardless. However this is my moms only protection in rural Alabama. I’m afraid to search the serial # cuz if it does comes back stolen, I’m concerned the police will come knocking & my mom will be in trouble. Am I being paranoid or is that a real threat?

    1. Buy your mom a new gun…they arent expensive, and I dare say it is worth it to you. Then have the numbers ran and explain the situation.

    2. Write your serial# down! an go too your local police department, an tell them u are thinking about buying this gun, but wanted to check an see if it was stolen first… but most people dont even write there serial# down when they buy a gun,I know I never do..but if she is just using it for home defence then I wouldn’t worry to much about it.Just tell here not to carry it around till u find out if it is stolen.

  2. Use Tor or o obfuscate your search if your worried, you can also try using a VPN if your worried, all of these are ways to anonymise yourself for situations like this

    1. Why don’t you use terminology Words” instead of abbreviations so Others can understand what you are trying to Say !?

      1. It is called TOR. it is called obfuscate. VPN is an acronym. It’s not an abbreviation.

        There are search engines that people with internet access and a computer can access more detailed information on these topics.

        1. No need to be nasty, Kris…wow. If you can’t help them, move on to the next topic.

          Mike, TOR is a browser, similar to Internet Explorer or Firefox, that directs Internet traffic through a free, worldwide, network that conceals a user’s location and usage from anyone conducting network surveillance, monitoring or traffic analysis. It’s free to download at: https://www.torproject.org
          Obfuscate means that your network traffic is disguised to look like normal, unencrypted traffic on the Internet by removing identifying information.
          Finally, VPN is Virtual Private Network – which is a means to hide behind other servers in an effort to hide where your internet connection has originated from. TunnelBear is a very good (and free) option for this.
          If it were me, I’d consider calling the police office from a random number (like a common phone from work lobby or breakroom) and asking the question.
          Good luck.

          1. If I had any doubts at all I would find a river and take it for a swim and buy mom a new gun . Problem solved.

      2. Mike why don’t you go buy a gun an stick it in your mouth maybe you learn every one has there own problems don’t need your Ignorant ass putting in your to since.

    1. Police Officers and Dispatchers usually do not run serial numbers over the phone.

      When law enforcement runs a serial number of a firearm that has reported stolen (or “wanted“ for another reason) , the database all law enforcement use (NCIC) will send an alert to several members of the agency that entered the serial number into the database as stolen, as well as the agency that ran the number.

      Law enforcement has no guarantee that the person who is calling about the firearm will turn it over to them.

  3. Does anybody know how we can make it so that the people can run the same search as law enFORCEment? You know the more thorough search? So that we the People who are supposed to be free, but operate buy consent of the government, can freely buy sell or trade firearms without buying “unclean” ones

    1. As if…. you would be taking a level of control away from the government. And control is exactly what they have obtained through our mindless and ignorant Society. Furthermore the government has no intentions of giving us back ANY of the thing that they wish to have ALL of. CONTROL

  4. Standing as a human being in the US of A you can have any gun that’s yours. Paperwork and everything that comes with it has been manufactured by one man trying to control another man. Then, are you willing to die for what you believe in? Beyond that it’s just bell’s and whistles.

    1. U are funny af lol. But u are very right too. If ur willing to die for what u believe in then its all just bells and whistles

  5. Police Officers and Dispatchers usually do not run serial numbers over the phone.

    When law enforcement runs a serial number of a firearm that has reported stolen (or “wanted“ for another reason) , the database all law enforcement use (NCIC) will send an alert to several members of the agency that entered the serial number into the database as stolen, as well as the agency that ran the number.

    Law enforcement has no guarantee that the person who is calling about the firearm will turn it over to them.

  6. Really its out of hand what our government is doing to our population.
    Its all coming to a head and now when you most need a fire arm there are so many ways it can be takin away.
    Truthfully speaking if you are not guilty of a violent crime you dont belong in

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  8. A friend of mine pass away and the family isn’t letting other family members know about the 30 plus guns my friend has and the one member has been passing these fund out like tomorrow plus he a felon and other one that’s involved was suppose to be this guys best friend unfortunately he wasn’t honest with his friend on why he was serving federal time. These family members are keeping the will from the executor because he stands to inherit a great deal of thing and the son is quite jealous and is making things disappear the wife knows no better and just want to give money to her church. With that being said I had some guns over there they are registered in my name my major concern is I am now a felon but at the time I got the guns I was not so how do I check to see if someone has registered my guns in their name?? Without the help of our finest peace officers?

  9. It’s good to know that I can check the manufactures website to see if the gun I want to purchase has been stolen. There have been a lot of property crimes in my neighborhood lately so I want a way to defend myself. I’ll be sure to take some classes so that I can be safe if I need to use a gun.

  10. God please help !!!

    What do I do if I’m found in possessing a stolen firearm/pistol before I get a opportunity to hand it over to my father that has a WA FFL? the deputy wasn’t even interested in the true criminal or who I got it from or even investigating who the TRUE thief was/is and they don’t seem to care when I call them…. they just say they are not interested in talking to me… WTF?.. I didn’t buy it, it was being transferred to a legal FFL.
    Some one PLEASE help.. I haven’t been in any trouble with the LAW before AT ALL !
    Is my life truly OVER ???

    Considering the legal consequences, embarrassment and shame… Three weeks ago I tried to hang myself. I woke up 40 minuets later and realized I didn’t want my family to find me like this after soiling myself

    FORGIVE ME>>> PLEASE HELP !!!

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