Traded for a murder weapon

[Oldgringo]

Hmmm, it kinda' sounds like our un-registered guns are uh,...er,...registered, or is just me?

[jbarn]

Hmmm, it kinda' sounds like our un-registered guns are uh,...er,...registered, or is just me?

When you buy from a Pawn Shop they keep the 4473 just like a dealer. When they buy guns they also report the serials to the PD. The PD runs the serial numbers and if the gun comes back stolen then the police can obtain the seller's name from the Pawn Shop. They can also trace forward from there just like they could with an FFL.

So gun comes back stolen. PD requests sellers info from Pawn Shop to trace back the stolen gun. PD also, in an attempt to locate stolen gun, obtains buyers info from Pawn Shop. PD contacts buyer. If buyer has info on who he sold it to he can provide to PD. If not, then the trace ends.

Pawn Shops have to keep data. Private buyers and sellers do not. If they do, a de facto registration is created. ;)

[Frankie]

I have a buddy who purchased a .22 rifle from a pawn shop in IL. After the stupid wait time, he went to pick it up and the guy pulled it out of the rack and asked another employee to fetch the case. Guy come back with a ruff looking soft case with red evidence tape all,over the thing. Even has the case numbers and other case info on it.

[Oldgringo]

Hmmm, it kinda' sounds like our un-registered guns are uh,...er,...registered, or is just me?

When you buy from a Pawn Shop they keep the 4473 just like a dealer. When they buy guns they also report the serials to the PD. The PD runs the serial numbers and if the gun comes back stolen then the police can obtain the seller's name from the Pawn Shop. They can also trace forward from there just like they could with an FFL.

So gun comes back stolen. PD requests sellers info from Pawn Shop to trace back the stolen gun. PD also, in an attempt to locate stolen gun, obtains buyers info from Pawn Shop. PD contacts buyer. If buyer has info on who he sold it to he can provide to PD. If not, then the trace ends.

Pawn Shops have to keep data. Private buyers and sellers do not. If they do, a de facto registration is created. ;)

I know all that, how does anyone know which gun killed whom if the gun is not available at the scene for ballistic/fingerprint tests, etc.? Not that I'm planning on killin' anybody...anytime soon.

[WildBill]

Hmmm, it kinda' sounds like our un-registered guns are uh,...er,...registered, or is just me?

When you buy from a Pawn Shop they keep the 4473 just like a dealer. When they buy guns they also report the serials to the PD. The PD runs the serial numbers and if the gun comes back stolen then the police can obtain the seller's name from the Pawn Shop. They can also trace forward from there just like they could with an FFL.

So gun comes back stolen. PD requests sellers info from Pawn Shop to trace back the stolen gun. PD also, in an attempt to locate stolen gun, obtains buyers info from Pawn Shop. PD contacts buyer. If buyer has info on who he sold it to he can provide to PD. If not, then the trace ends.

Pawn Shops have to keep data. Private buyers and sellers do not. If they do, a de facto registration is created. ;)

I know all that, how does anyone know which gun killed whom if the gun is not available at the scene for ballistic/fingerprint tests, etc.? Not that I'm planning on killin' anybody...anytime soon.

From my experience they take you into a small room, put you under hot lights, show you the murder weapon, don't give you a cigarette, and question you for hours and hours until you confess to murder.

[Pawpaw]

From my experience they take you into a small room, put you under hot lights, show you the murder weapon, don't give you a cigarette, and question you for hours and hours until you confess to murder.

You left out the part about the rubber hose.

[wheelgun1958]

(even polished the barrel!)

Unfortunately this may be in the thugs favor.

[WildBill]

From my experience they take you into a small room, put you under hot lights, show you the murder weapon, don't give you a cigarette, and question you for hours and hours until you confess to murder.

You left out the part about the rubber hose.

That is called "Plan B".

[sjfcontrol]

From my experience they take you into a small room, put you under hot lights, show you the murder weapon, don't give you a cigarette, and question you for hours and hours until you confess to murder.

You left out the part about the rubber hose.

That is called "Plan B".

More like plan "RH"

[MasterOfNone]

If the OP had sold the gun already and could not give any information about the buyer (perhaps a gun show sale), does anyone think the police would have tried to get a warrant to search his house using his "refusal to cooperate" as their probable cause?

[jmra]

If the OP had sold the gun already and could not give any information about the buyer (perhaps a gun show sale), does anyone think the police would have tried to get a warrant to search his house using his "refusal to cooperate" as their probable cause?

Unless the police had cause to suspect that he wasn't being forthcoming I don't see how they could obtain a warrant.

[Jumping Frog]

If the OP had sold the gun already and could not give any information about the buyer (perhaps a gun show sale), does anyone think the police would have tried to get a warrant to search his house using his "refusal to cooperate" as their probable cause?

Not what I would expect.

When the topic of selling a firearm comes up and why a receipt is not necessary, I've read of a number of people on firearms forums who received a call from police doing a firearms trace. Their response of "sorry, I sold that gun at a gunshow and do not know who I sold it to" was always the end of discussion. The firearms trace dead ends at that point.

[MasterOfNone]

If the OP had sold the gun already and could not give any information about the buyer (perhaps a gun show sale), does anyone think the police would have tried to get a warrant to search his house using his "refusal to cooperate" as their probable cause?

Not what I would expect.

When the topic of selling a firearm comes up and why a receipt is not necessary, I've read of a number of people on firearms forums who received a call from police doing a firearms trace. Their response of "sorry, I sold that gun at a gunshow and do not know who I sold it to" was always the end of discussion. The firearms trace dead ends at that point.

It's good to see that the incidents of which you've heard ended correctly. I guess I have come to expect a leave-no-stone-unturned mentality if there is any chance of finding evidence.

[Jumping Frog]

Of course, if the firearm was recovered at someone's mother-in-law murder scene, the old "sold it at a gunshow" story might receive a touch of skepticism. . .

[jmra]

Of course, if the firearm was recovered at someone's mother-in-law murder scene, the old "sold it at a gunshow" story might receive a touch of skepticism. . .

That's when you say you sold it to your father-in-law.