If lost please return to…..

[Goneshoot'n]

Recent thread about losing and finding guns got me thinking… if I ever found a gun and it had some sort of identification from the owner, I would contact them right away. I expect most responsible people would do the same. It would take a lot of the complexity out of getting it back at least. Does anyone have a method to put their contact info on their guns that is plainly visible and doesn’t look bad? Preferably something removable since I know a lot of people including myself have a bit of turnover. Thoughts?

 

[Obturation]

No.
Best to keep your guns with you and don't go dropping them in random places.

 

[JohnKSa]

Most people wouldn't want it plainly visible, I think. Perhaps you could mark the underside of the grips where it will be easily accessible by removing the grips.

 

[Bwana John]

I know who used to own a certain S&W M-10….

cause Grandma’s second husband Herald electropenciled his full name and drivers license on the back strap!

 

[reddog81]

Assuming an auto-loader, I'd just do the magazine. I've used masking tape on magazines for notes on reloads in the magazine.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

The Swiss often put a rifle owners info on a note behind the buttplate.

 

[Goneshoot'n]

No.
Best to keep your guns with you and don't go dropping them in random places.

yeah I have never and don’t plan on losing one, but it happens. I’ve lost lots of other things.

 

[AlexanderA]

It used to be the "thing" to do, to electropencil your SSN on anything of value, such as electronics and guns, so it could be returned to you if stolen and recovered. This makes the items worthless to collectors 30 or 40 years later.

 

[Chevelle SS]

Bought several old shotguns and revolvers at farm auctions or estates over the years that had a SSN and/or last name electropenciled on them. Also found scraps of paper inside the butt with name, address and phone number. Coolest thing I found was a Winchester 1897 manufactured in 1923 with a canvas Michigan hunting license from 1925 inside the buttstock. I did some Facebooking and found the guys grandson and mailed him the license.

 

[jmr40]

If you find a gun call 911 and let the police come and pick it up. Don't even touch it. Odds are good it may have been used in a crime and could be important evidence. Not many people actually lose guns. But stolen guns are often dumped, especially after being used in a crime.

If it is truly lost, and if the legit owner reported it, the SN is already in a database and LE can get in touch with the rightful owner.

 

[troy fairweather]

About 10 years ago I found under the butt plate on a German mauser sporter a hunting license and a $5 bill, Bill was 1940s and can't remember the year I still got it somewhere. There was a piece of paper with a man's name and address, I tried looking him up but had no luck. Now every rifle I get I check the butt and pull the stock.

 

[Howland937]

No, I'm not putting any identifying info on guns. I have recorded SN's. If I lost one, I bet it'll be the only one I ever lose (haven't lost one yet, knock on wood)

I'd be more worried that the info could be used to help my other guns become "lost".

 

[PapaG]

During our 2013 EF5 tornado not only guns were lost but whole homes disappeared. A friend was contacted by a police dept seven miles away that a JM 625 had been found in a field and turned in. He picked it up, I got the needed replacement damaged parts and he got it back in good but scratched condition. Cops-manufacturer-distributor-dealer-buyer chain worked

 

[Mark_Mark]

I freaked out when I miss place a magazine once. Drove 1 hour to the last place I thought it drop out my open car door. Turned out, I left it in the safe.

Losing a Gun… with great power comes great responsibility. Just DON’t Lose your guns! period

 

[DeepSouth]

I have a cousin that bought a custom long range rifle of some sort and it got stolen. About a month later the guy that built the rifle called him to ask if he had sold it because a pawn shop had bought it and found the builders information in the stock.
Apparently the pawn shop owner knew it was a custom rifle and suspected something so he called the builder when he found the info.

Not really the same thing, but similar I suppose.

 

[thump_rrr]

In my early gun purchasing days I was looking for a Browning Auto 5.
I see an ad on a forum from a guy out in farm land.
The price was too good to be true so I call and head out there.
When I get there it’s sitting in the bed of the pickup truck.
He has a clay pigeon thrower and asks me if I want to try it out.
I say sure and he launches 5 pigeons and I hit all 5 of them.
The exterior of the shotgun looks in very good condition.
I pay him his $275 and bring it home.

Only later do I realize that it has has name and social security number engraved on the receiver and the stock.

The gun to this day shoots great but I still look to find another one without the additional engraving.

 

[Speedo66]

I do have an address label under the covers of both my phone and ipad. Since they both require a code to open, figured they'd be useless to anyone and they might return them.

I have a record of my gun serial numbers, if lost or stolen the police would be notified and hopefully the gun might be returned if recovered.

 

[lightman]

If I found a gun I would make every effort to return it but I don't have any ID on any of mine. I do have an engraved name plate on my 2 gun hard case that I take on trips.

 

[KY DAN]

I have a Dillon reloading press from the 70s with a guy's name and phone number and ssn.

I think that stuff is neat, and i don't believe it hurts the value.

I say this because in 2020 I sold the vast majority of firearms I owned through my ffl on gunbroker. Maybe 40 pieces were guns I owned, the rest were family inheritance I didn't want that sported names and ssn.

All brought above blue book new prices, when selling the avenue of sale determines the maximum price.

 

[jmorris]

I mark the mags so I can identify them but I really try and keep track of my firearms.

There are probably legal ramifications if you lost possession and say children find it.

 

[Goneshoot'n]

I like the idea of marking the magazine… invisible most of the time, but someone would likely have it out at some point should they find it. It’s also nice because it doesn’t alter the firearm.

 

[Tilos]

"If lost please return to….."
Should read "If FOUND please return to..."
just sayin'

.

 

[silicosys4]

You could always do something like this fellow did. I still haven't managed to find the original owner though.

"Stolen from B.F. Brackett". Anybody ever heard of the fellow? He might want his S&W perfected back.

 

[DustyGmt]

Well don't we all have access to the gun registry database where all you do is is punch in the serial and get the Name, address, criminal and credit history, etc..... maybe one day........


Jk .

 

[Pat Riot]

If I found a gun I wouldn’t hang onto it. If it were marked in a way that I could contact the owner I would do so.
If there were no markings I would probably turn it into the police.
A lot would depend on the situation.

Through all my research and study of online and televised police procedurals it’s almost guaranteed that any gun found is a gun involved in at least one murder and is more than likely key evidence in an ongoing investigation into a drug cartel or a gang kingpin. If you want to learn more just search for NCIS, CSI, CSI Miami on your cable guide or YouTube.