Buying a gun without the SN?

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  • 68_F100

    Expert
    Rating - 93.9%
    31   2   0
    Nov 8, 2010
    809
    18
    North Salem
    So I go to meet this guy today in hopes of buying his USP 45c. He fails to tell me before we meet that the SN plate is missing. Assuming I can figure out the the SN and have it check out are there any issues buying it? This was NOT a member here.
     

    loki.fish

    Plinker
    Rating - 100%
    5   0   0
    Jul 11, 2010
    102
    16
    SW Indiana
    The SN should be on the slide as well. Atleast on mine there's a SN plate on the bottom of the frame where the rail is and on left side of the slide.
     

    K_W

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    8   0   0
    Aug 14, 2008
    5,385
    63
    Indy / Carmel
    Serial number plates do not just come off on their own. Gun very likely is stolen. If it is not stolen it's against federal law to deface a serial number.
     

    eldirector

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Apr 29, 2009
    14,677
    113
    Brownsburg, IN
    From Indiana code:
    IC 35-47-2-18
    Obliterating identification marks on handgun or possession of such handguns prohibited
    Sec. 18. No person shall:
    (1) change, alter, remove, or obliterate the name of the maker, model, manufacturer's serial number, or other mark of identification on any handgun; or
    (2) possess any handgun on which the name of the maker, model, manufacturer's serial number, or other mark of identification has been changed, altered, removed, or obliterated;
    except as provided by applicable United States statute.
    As added by P.L.311-1983, SEC.32.

    and

    IC 35-47-2-23
    Violations; classes of misdemeanors and felonies
    Sec. 23. (a) A person who violates section 3, 4, 5, 14, 15, or 16 of this chapter commits a Class B misdemeanor.
    (b) A person who violates section 7, 17, or 18 of this chapter commits a Class C felony.

    Walk away. Quickly.
     

    68_F100

    Expert
    Rating - 93.9%
    31   2   0
    Nov 8, 2010
    809
    18
    North Salem
    The story was it was missing when he bought it. It did have a SN on the slide but it was in white where as all the rest of the HK's I have owned have been kind of gold color. I have stripped my USP 40c apart and cant find one on the frame anyplace other than the plate. I would like to make sure the slide matched the frame. There were no signs that someone removed the SN plate. It was a good price but I told him I had to pass until I could find out more about it.
     

    Sylvain

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Nov 30, 2010
    77,313
    113
    Normandy
    Ask him if you can walk in the local police station with him to see if they can help find a serial number on the gun. ;)
     

    Stainer

    Master
    Rating - 97.1%
    33   1   0
    Feb 8, 2009
    1,908
    38
    God's Country
    Ask him if you can walk in the local police station with him to see if they can help find a serial number on the gun. ;)

    You know I bet the guy probably bought it as a "good deal" from someone who probably stole it. Your seller probably didn't steal it, but the guy he bought it from probably did.
     

    Sylvain

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Nov 30, 2010
    77,313
    113
    Normandy
    You know I bet the guy probably bought it as a "good deal" from someone who probably stole it. Your seller probably didn't steal it, but the guy he bought it from probably did.

    Who knows.The guy who bought it before trying to sell it to the OP will also say that he bought it from someone else.
    You will never find that guy that just admits he's the one who stole it.
     

    TopDog

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Nov 23, 2008
    6,906
    48
    Ask him if you can walk in the local police station with him to see if they can help find a serial number on the gun. ;)

    ^^^^^^^^^
    This is the ticket right here. If he says yes then do the police check thing and find out if its a stolen weapon. I'm willing to be the police with confiscate it anyway just for missing the serial number. If he declines the police check they just walk away smiling.
     

    paddling_man

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    35   0   0
    Jul 17, 2008
    4,512
    63
    Fishers
    Who knows.The guy who bought it before trying to sell it to the OP will also say that he bought it from someone else.
    You will never find that guy that just admits he's the one who stole it.

    Mea culpa!!! Stop badgering me! I thought the dang plate clashed with the HK black! Sheesh!!






    Don't do it, man.

    If it is a smoking deal, call HK. If they confirm they can replate it with the appropriate serial *and* a phone call doesn't show the gun as on a stolen register *and* they can help you confirm the slide/frame match, then buy it deducting the cost of shipment/replating from the purchase price.
     

    Aaronhome27

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Nov 18, 2009
    544
    16
    Kendallville
    There will be other deals out there, I would avoid this gun at all cost. Just not worth the kind of trouble you could get into out of it. If your first / gut instinct says something may be fishy, listen to it.
     

    ryang

    Marksman
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    May 27, 2011
    217
    28
    Don't buy it, I have the ser #'s ran by a cop friend before I purchase every gun tho..unless doing that I would not even consider it
     
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