[Tercel89]

Today I was at my favorite gun shop and I saw a S&W 915 . It looks just like the one I had that I bought new when I just turned 21 yrs old . I kept it for a while and sold it a few years later to a guy locally . The 915 I saw today was a local trade-in from another guy ,different name that was local. Is there anyway to find out the original owner of the gun ? I know that tracking the original owner through ATF and NCIC is long and extensive but I want to do it an easier way .
Any Ideas? I would sure like to know if it is my original 915 and if so I would buy it in a heartbeat. The price is $250 . Not bad and there is a few scratchs and wear but still functional .

 

[Joeywhat]

Did you keep any info on the gun when you first bought it? It'd be easy to match serial numbers...

 

[danp]

Maybe contact the dealer you bought it from and see if he still has your paperwork. If he does, then get the SN# and see if they match.

 

[Tercel89]

Maybe contact the dealer you bought it from and see if he still has your paperwork. If he does, then get the SN# and see if they match.

I am going to do that when they open up later on inthe week , but I doubt they still have it . It has been 14 yrs .

 

[Tercel89]

Did you keep any info on the gun when you first bought it? It'd be easy to match serial numbers...

I did until I sold it . Stupid me threw away the serial number and I cant find my bill of sale . I did make one out with all info on it but cant find it for the life of me .

 

[danp]

I know what you are going through. I sold a Ruger Super Single-Six Convertable with a 9 1/2" barrel years ago. Didn't keep the serial number, but I did put my initials on the butt in the finish. Every time I see one for sale, I check to see if it is my old one.

Good luck with your hunt.

 

[03RangerXLT]

I have seen letters from S&W from the history search they do that tells of where a gun was sold and when. Maybe lookinto that on their website?

 

[jmichna]

S&W themselves can provide you with the history of your gun including the first party it was sold to (usually a retailer, but that would give you a location) and whoever first owned the gun assuming they sent in their warranty card. S&W does charge for this service, as they have a company historian check the records (they are not extensively computerized going backwards in time) but if you are only interested in the year (sometimes month & year for more recent guns) a call to their customer service might do the trick for more recent guns.

If you PM me with your exact model and S/N I can also try looking it up in the "Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson"... might get you to a year (or range of years).

 

[vafish]

I am going to do that when they open up later on inthe week , but I doubt they still have it . It has been 14 yrs .

FFL dealers are required to keep a bound book of all their transactions, for ever!.

If the FFL loses their license or goes out of business they have to turn their bound book over to the ATF.

If your FFL dealer is still in business they still have the information. Whether they are willing to dig our their books from 14 years ago or not is another matter.

 

[Tercel89]

FFL dealers are required to keep a bound book of all their transactions, for ever!.

If the FFL loses their license or goes out of business they have to turn their bound book over to the ATF.

If your FFL dealer is still in business they still have the information. Whether they are willing to dig our their books from 14 years ago or not is another matter.

Thanks a bunch . I will try that today :grin: