Missing fun since the late 90s

[wishlist00]

I purchase in a few guns in 1992. In the mid 90's to mid 2k's I was traveling around the nation with work and left my guns with my parents. When helping my parents move we found out that my S&W was missing. While asking around we found figured out that sometime in the late 90's my brother (who was on drugs and had since cleaned himself up) had sold it. We did ask him who he sold it to and he said it wasn't him. I or my parents haven't really talked to him since the drug days because of other things he did, said and stole and him not admitting to any of it. My brother had been a recent guard for a prison at the time and we suspect he sold it to another guard or his drug dealer who was another guard or pawn shop. who knows I'm hoping it was a regular guard.

I have since settled down and am in a place in my life where I want to start/ have started collecting more firearms. I am sincerely afraid of the S&W biting me in the butt when I try to get my CCW since it was registered when I purchased it in '92. I am getting ready to call many of the people he used to work with since I had went to school with many of them in the past or they know my parents who were also guards and have since retired. My Chances of getting it back are a billion to 1, but it was my favorite of my first guns and I would like to buy it back.
I know I have to report it lost.

My questions are:
If by chance I can find a gun my brother sold to one of them, is there a way to find out from the state what my serial # was to make sure it is the right one? or should I just report it stolen and let it be?

Any other suggestions you might have would be great.

[Bill Carson]

I know I have to report it lost.
Not True

[wishlist00]

you don't?

[Bill Carson]

you don't?

nope

[Norsemen308]

^ it looks really bad if you dont, thats going to be a question. I would just notify it as lost as this sounds like the case, you arent entirely sure what happened to it. But that way atleast if it ever pops up you will know and you have a clear report stating it is missing.

[SanPedroShooter]

I dont think it was "registered" either, not back then. The place you bought it from may the Federal form, but its been almost twenty years. I cant recall when the state started keeing handgun info, but it was around that time.

If something bad happened with it in the last twenty years or so, I think you would have heard about it. Maybe call the cops and tell them your junkie relative stole it a while back, and you want to file a lost gun report (if there is such a thing). If it did turn up, it would be nice to have some proof that it wasnt in your possesion.

[renardsubtil]

I dont think it was "registered" either, not back then. The place you bought it from may the Federal form, but its been almost twenty years. I cant recall when the state started keeing handgun info, but it was around that time.

If something bad happened with it in the last twenty years or so, I think you would have heard about it. Maybe call the cops and tell them your junkie relative stole it a while back, and you want to file a lost gun report (if there is such a thing). If it did turn up, it would be nice to have some proof that it wasnt in your possesion.

This.

I know a guy who (yes, a real person, this isn't FUD) had sold a handgun in the early 90s before CA started keeping handgun information. It was sold as is no record other than a hand written slip of paper stating who that the gun was sold and included the buyer's CA DL.

Fast forward 15 years later and my buddy "John" gets a call from a police detective who says the handgun as used in a homicide (doooohh!), John explains he's no longer the owner and explains the transaction, of course he's got an alibi and not even remotely related to the incident so the policemen is probably just running through the basics - but he does ask John for that handwritten note. Luckily John still had it socked away in a drawer, produces it for the detective and never hears back from the police.

Personally for peace of mind, I'd report that piece lost in your move and not realized until you took everything into account (ie. the truth) and move on.

[Iskra]

Any stolen gun's Serial # goes on a list, regardless of whether it was originally "registered". Then if it turns up (crime, DROS, etc) the SN is matched and (theoretically) the original owner can be contacted. Who knows, you probably have a better chance of getting it back that way than you do calling a bunch of people from 15 years ago.

[dieselpower]

you have no idea what happened to the firearm. You can report a lost firearm...nothing more. You don't know and have no way to find the serial number.

for all you know its in another place...you gave it to someone who forgot to give it back... heck you could have sold it and don't remember doing that... in any event you have no idea if its really lost, stolen or misplaced.

[wishlist00]

thanks everyone for the info.

[Mssr. Eleganté]

I dont think it was "registered" either, not back then. The place you bought it from may the Federal form, but its been almost twenty years. I cant recall when the state started keeing handgun info, but it was around that time.

California has required dealers to report handgun sales since 1924.

[Tenamaxtle]

Are you missing fun or gun?