Most reported stolen gun brands in Oregon
From Oregon police reports that list the manufacturer.
Buying a used gun privately in Oregon
Oregon requires a background check on private-party gun sales (all firearms; immediate-family transfers exempt). Check the serial number before you meet anyway: a background check screens the buyer, not the gun.
Before you pay: ask for a photo of the serial number before you meet, check it here, then make sure the serial on the frame or receiver matches and hasn't been scratched, ground or altered. Possessing a gun with an obliterated serial number is a federal crime, whoever removed it.
If the serial number comes back as stolen, don't buy the gun and don't confront the seller. Leave, and give the serial number and the seller's details to local police on their non-emergency line.
About the Oregon records
These are reports of stolen and lost guns filed with police in Oregon, dated 2010–2017. They are historical and not complete: many stolen guns are never reported, and not every agency's records are included. Of the 739 reports, 65 are marked recovered. A check shows a gun as outstanding only when its latest report is still stolen or lost. SafeOrStolen never publishes serial numbers; the only way to look one up is to check it. See the national stolen gun statistics.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if a gun is stolen in Oregon?
Enter the gun's serial number at SafeOrStolen (safeorstolen.com/gun-serial-number-lookup/oregon). SafeOrStolen searches 739 police reports of stolen and lost guns from Oregon, dated 2010–2017, 242,100 reports from 33 other jurisdictions, live Ohio law-enforcement records and SafeOrStolen's own theft reports. You get a result in a few seconds, and the first 2 checks are free.
How many stolen gun reports does SafeOrStolen have for Oregon?
739 police reports, dated 2010–2017: 674 reported stolen, 0 reported lost and 65 marked recovered. That is 0.3% of the 242,839 reports SafeOrStolen holds, and ranks Oregon 18 of the 34 jurisdictions covered.
What guns are reported stolen most in Oregon?
In Oregon's reports, the most reported brand is Ruger (95 reports).
Do I need a background check to buy a gun privately in Oregon?
Oregon requires a background check on private-party gun sales (all firearms; immediate-family transfers exempt). Check the serial number before you meet anyway: a background check screens the buyer, not the gun.
Is a gun that isn't in these records definitely not stolen?
No. Many stolen guns are never reported, and these are historical police records. A no-match result on SafeOrStolen means nothing was found in the records searched. Ask for the receipt or transfer paperwork, and use a licensed dealer for the transfer when you can.