Firearm ownership history

[Ten3zero]

[M1NM]

Why? Who cares. Current condition is the key not the number of sweaty hands that have been on it.
If it was a woman I'd understand the question.

[9Cal_OC]

If original owner, maybe ask for DROS sheet or receipt? However some people don’t keep all that.

Even then, go off condition.

[Librarian]

Hello CG FFLs,

Had a question that I couldn’t find via the search function, but is there a way to know the number of owners a firearm has had?

For example: If I’m interested in purchasing a firearm via PPT, how would I know if the firearm has only ever had one owner? Is there a way to trace the number of transfers a firearm has gone through?

Is there a way to tell during the PPT?

Any feedback is much appreciated!

Only for LE who are explicitly investigating something.

CA maintains the AFS, Automated Firearms System, which will have records of all the legal transfers in CA since 1991 for handguns and 2014 for long guns.

Out of state transfers, illegal transfers, transfers before the above dates*** will certainly not be there, and AFS is known to be inaccurate in places.

---

ETA *** Some handgun transfers before 1991 will be in AFS - dealers have been required to report handgun transfers to DOJ since 1924, and those paper reports are slowly being added to AFS, but non-dealer transfers were legal before 1991.

[Ten3zero]

Good points and I appreciate the responses.

[ugimports]

I'm curious as to the why... If the gun checked out your inspection would knowing it had 1 owner vs 100 owners mean you would decline to take it because too many people touched it?