.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.
Look Up Gun History By Serial Number Generator
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 from a private party.
Date Gun By Serial Number
The safest way to search for the history of a gun is to collect the serial number from the owner's manual or body of the gun and then ask a local official, such as a gun shop or law enforcement department, for its history. Additionally, websites such as hotgunz.com have public databases of stolen registered weapons. If you discover that a firearm has a suspicious history, report it to the police. As a responsible gun owner, you might also add the serial number to the HotGunz database. You should also report any gun that doesn't have a serial number printed on its body. A filed-off or worn serial number is a strong indicator of a stolen gun. Finally, if all else fails, shoot a picture of it and send it in to Guns N' Ammo and ask their gun guru if he knows something about it. He might just publish a small piece giving you and everyone else an idea about its dates of manufacture, possibly narrow it down on serial number, and even tell you what the blue book value is.
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. Warnings. Private websites like Gun Verify can be helpful in finding information about a pre-owned firearm and they’re easy to use. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use other resources to check the serial number if there is no Gun Verify match. Do not buy a pre-owned gun if the serial number appears to be missing or has been filed off.
This is illegal in some states, and in many cases, it means the gun has been stolen or used for a crime. Antique guns may not have serial numbers, but be sure to do your homework to make sure the particular model you’re looking at wasn’t imprinted with a serial number before you buy it.