What this check is — and what it isn't
Be clear-eyed about how firearm records work in the United States. The stolen firearm reports from all 50 states stolen-gun file is accessible to law enforcement, not the public. What SafeOrStolen checks is community-reported stolen firearm records, including the stolen firearm reports from all 50 states — including reports filed by theft victims themselves.
That means:
- A flagged result is a serious red flag: someone has publicly reported this exact serial number stolen. Do not complete the sale.
- A clean result means no community report exists — it does not access law-enforcement databases. For maximum certainty, you can also ask your local police department or a licensed dealer (FFL) to run the serial, which many will do for a transfer fee.
We tell you this plainly because a verification service you can't trust to be honest about its limits isn't a verification service.
Private-sale safety checklist
- Get the serial number before meeting; run the check
- Ask for a bill of sale with both parties' names, the serial, date, and price
- Know your state's private-transfer laws — many states require the sale to go through an FFL
- If the price is far below market and the seller wants cash today, walk away
If your firearm was stolen
Report it to police immediately (you'll need the serial number), then add it to public registries so any buyer who checks will find it. Report a stolen firearm →