This website called "hotgunz.com" is a place to supposedly check a used gun's serial number before purchasing to see if it's ever been reported stolen. I typed in a gun I bought new knowing it wasn't stolen just to see what happens and it came up "that serial # NOT reported stolen". I was curious why they don't ask a gun's make or model, just serial number. So I guess if you type in "#12345" it'll just see if ANY gun with that number pops up and get's specific later. Has anyone ever tried this before, and if so, do you consider it trustworthy and reliable?

The only national data base that has even partial information recorded of stolen firearms is the NCIC maintained and managed by the FBI. The use of that data base is VERY closely guarded and controlled. It would be a very bad misuse of NCIC privileges by a LEO or Agency clerk to be researching for those serial numbers and to not have agency PC to be doing so. Get caught doing that and it would be an automatic dismal plus possible legal action. Now, many local agencies band together to put their mutual info into an area wide data base which is slightly less odious to research. I have no idea what the mentioned web site is doing on this so-called search, but I seriously doubt that a quality search for possible stolen guns is being affected. ...................

Wyatt, did I understand you to say you put a SN from a brand new gun and it said it was stolen? If I understood that correctly, then that tells you pretty much all you need to know about the quality of the info available from "hotgunz".

Just for grins I typed in the SN of every gun I own. One came up stolen. Trouble is that the gun is a French MAB semi-auto 22 pistol, and the 'stolen report' for that SN describes it as a Savage bolt action.

Like I said before - that tells me all I need to know about the quality of the information at "hotgunz"

I'll go clarify that. The gun was NOT stolen.

I understood that - you said it was new.
But did the "hotgunz" website say it was stolen? That was what I thought your original post said...

You must remember before 1968 and still afterward there were no model specific serial numbers.

The older ones with just numbers could come back as a "hit" (stolen) on the number but describing a different gun, thus the one you have is not stolen (or at least not stolen on that database).

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has a similar webpage to check for stolen guns but that database is Florida only.

One of the members of this blog (a LEO) mentions above about the NCIC which is the only Nationwide data base check for stolen property including automobiles. Numbers cannot be run casually, not even by a LEO because if the number is a "hit" it will require more information.

Another example is if you use the Serial Number Lookup at the Colt website. Many times I have entered a serial number that will return with several choices of what it could be (within the Colt product line) and what year it was shipped. The websites / web pages are:

FDLE (to check if a gun has been reported stolen in Florida: FDLE Public Access System | Stolen Guns Search

Colt (to search, as a test, a common number like 12345, shows 43 different models it could be JUST within the Colt manufacture serial numbers:

Colt Firearm Serial Number Lookup - Year of Manufacture

Just for jollies I ran 12345 at the FDLE that comes back as a Roth Sauer .22 rifle stolen 6/3/1994.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

I understand leadsonline.com is reputable but I have never used it.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

I'd never heard of the site and doesn't sound it's much worth bothering with.
In 1977 when I came back to Michigan from Oklahoma the handguns I brought back had to be registered here. I went to the local PD to do so and my S&W model 19 came back as stolen from a California Highway patrolman. Everything matched except his was a model 28. Officer running the check said he was getting a little concerned about me as the teletype machine was printing that out.

And now Hotgunz has all your serial numbers

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Forum consigliere

No...but I do have a hotpocket once in a while.

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Thirty characters. Exactly...

And now they (Louie and Joey) somewhere in a basement sitting by a computer can report those as stolen and give you a whole world of do do.

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James Redfield
LM #497

I remember there was once a website where you could report guns stolen from you, and anyone could search it. It may not still exist. Of course, that's very limited in its usefulness

If this site is any good, the info you got back might be saying YOUR gun is OK but there is another brand of gun with that number stolen. If your's WAS stolen, maybe both guns would have shown up. I won't get into the details here, but I put in the serial number of a gun reported stolen then returned to the original owner. Yet it DID NOT come up stolen. Was the record now clean on that gun, or did they miss it in their search? I don't know.

Why is the Federal NCIC not available to citizens?

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

So? There is no specific info on the gun or identifying info about me, nor is there any proof I wasn't just typing random numbers. Besides they aren't the ATF - they're just a website where people can voluntarily report stolen gun serial numbers and/or check them against reported numbers.

That's exactly what the 'hotgunz' website is. It may even be the one you're thinking of.

Not without specifics of what gun each serial number corresponds to they can't.

"Hello officer, I'd like to report my gun, SN #1234567 as stolen."
"Ok, please describe the gun - brand, type, caliber, model number"
"Uhhhhh, well, uhhh, I'm not sure..."
"What is your name sir? Are you aware that it is a serious crime to file a false police report?"
CLICK... <dialtone>....

not sure I'd trust it.
the whois information indicates that it is registered through a proxy.
in contrast, the whois information of this forum indicates that it is registered to Lee (aka Handejector)

Go ahead, plug in SN's while you have someone hiding behind a proxy.

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it just needs more voltage

LOL, my work computer shows me as "hiding behind a proxy" too - but that is a security measure, not an indication of anything nefarious going on. My domain is registered to a corporation - not an individual.

Our agency offers a safe place to conduct online sales (ie Craigslist, etc) face to face transactions.

We also will run any serial numbers for.you (from anything that has a serial number) through NCIC before you finish your transaction.

Several agencies in our area offer the same service.

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Un-Reconstructed Southerner

I'd expect a company site, such as smith and wesson to be registered to said company.

In this case we have ...
why would you hide in this way if your intentions were noble?
It may mean nothing, it may mean everything. it does raise my eyebrow though.

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it just needs more voltage

If so, the number was run without the letter prefix. K for mid frame and S or N depending on when the Model 28 was made.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

Again
Why isn't NCIC available to private citizens?

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Buy American
Vote Responsibly

Same here in Florida. Many agencies allow and most recommend that if you are to meet someone from Craigslist (not specifically designating to purchase a firearm) to arrange to meet them in the lobby of a designated Police Station. Although you cannot bring a gun into the lobby, there is usually an outdoor area to sit and talk. If the seller is a total stranger, and objects to meeting at the Police Station, you should give serious consideration of whether you should meet with that person at all.

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ANTIQUESMITHS
LM1300 SWHF425

I don’t think that a serial number by itself is definitive. I suppose someone with a deep knowledge could make a stab at the maker by looking at some serials, but mostly they are not unique to a maker or model.

For example; I had a Custom 1911 made; when it was finished the maker asked me what serial number I wanted. As long as it was not a duplicate of any he had, my number was good.
I used my Army serial number, when I was in the Army, serial numbers were unique and not your SS#.

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Ipsis Rebus Dictantitbus

Oh, I don't know. Why would you use software ore browser settings to hide your identity when you're on the internet? Privacy? Not wanting to be a target of the anti-gun bunch? There are other less nefarious reasons than what you imply.

Like I and others have said, without any other identifying information the serial numbers mean nothing - the vast majority of them might as well be just a random string of numbers. There's really nothing the site owners can do with them.

The movies portray it as anyone who wants to can find out anything they want to about anyone they want to on the internet. Despite what they show in the Bourne series of films, and the last installment of the Die Hard franchise, the sea of data that is on the 'net makes it difficult to pull off the kind of data mining feats that they portray.

Can the government do it? Maybe - some of it. Do they have the resources - both hardware and personnel, to devote to tracking down all the details about the activity of average schmoes like you and me? Hardly. If they feel that you are worthy of that kind of attention, they have a lot easier ways to gather info and make a case against you than trying to data mine your activities on the 'net.

Been to more than a few incidents where a person bought a gun from a pvt. party only to discover its stolen. WHRUUH WRHOO.

Several honest folks have walked into our PDHQ & asked we check NCIC for their used pvt. party purchased firearm. They didn't feel right about and sure enough, it's hot & they're out $$$. However they are all more than willing to provide any and all info about the seller.......now they're pissed!

I don't buy guns from private parties except close friends & co-workers....generally I know the history of said firearm anyway. No surprises.

Because it's a felony to misuse NCIC and the FBI/DOJ will NEVER allow that. We as LE wil get in a lot of trouble and or indicted for misuse of CJIS system on any level, state or federal. It's happened; a former detective from my PD was charged & convicted US Dist. Court for misuse of ACJIS & NCIC for repo men. Well, he deserved it! It's not like he DIDN'T know it was illegal..

Buying pvt party is a roll of the dice, unless you know them very well. Better safe than sorry vs. having to explain to the fuzz that you didn't steal the gun.

I've dealt with many folks who got screwed by dirty gun sales. They're the honest ones & are bummed that they're out the cash, but at least they're not in handcuffs.

If it's too good to be true, it is.