Help! i have a gun Mystery

[tmanbuddyy]

I have an H&R model 622 in .22cal . I realize this gun has very low value but it still works good, other than some surface rust. Witch brings me to my mystery. Since spring still has not come I figured I would do some gun cleaning today cleaned a few guns, and thought I should clean up that old h&r. I actually found this gun in my basement when I moved into my house. That’s been 10 yrs ago. I pulled the grips off and was kind of checking the gun out when I noticed some engravings in the steal under the grip. Ok I know people etch their initials names into guns all the time. But this seams to be more than initials. Heck maybe someone will tell me this is done at the factory. Although this is done with some sort of electric etcher. So I doubt its factory. Here is what I found

-J-62612 …. my thoughts no clue, but it is not associated with model or serial number in any way.

-DWA ….. I would assume initials

-1/15/77 ….. Ya no brainer a date

But this the 1 that’s got me thinking

-KCPD

My first thoughts were Kendaville police department mind you I don’t live fare from their. But that would have to be Kendaville city police department. But I have never heard that town referred to as kendaville city.

But what this does stand for is
Kansas City Police department??

Any thoughts or conspiracies please post. Or maybe some idiot just etched random stuff in a gun

 

[GMtoblat]

is there a serial number?

 

[92ThoStro]

Kansas City Police Department... sounds good to me.

 

[cook5oh]

I have an H&R model 622 in .22cal . I realize this gun has very low value but it still works good, other than some surface rust. Witch brings me to my mystery. Since spring still has not come I figured I would do some gun cleaning today cleaned a few guns, and thought I should clean up that old h&r. I actually found this gun in my basement when I moved into my house. That’s been 10 yrs ago. I pulled the grips off and was kind of checking the gun out when I noticed some engravings in the steal under the grip. Ok I know people etch their initials names into guns all the time. But this seams to be more than initials. Heck maybe someone will tell me this is done at the factory. Although this is done with some sort of electric etcher. So I doubt its factory. Here is what I found

-J-62612 …. my thoughts no clue, but it is not associated with model or serial number in any way.

-DWA ….. I would assume initials

-1/15/77 ….. Ya no brainer a date

But this the 1 that’s got me thinking

-KCPD

My first thoughts were Kendaville police department mind you I don’t live fare from their. But that would have to be Kendaville city police department. But I have never heard that town referred to as kendaville city.

But what this does stand for is
Kansas City Police department??

Any thoughts or conspiracies please post. Or maybe some idiot just etched random stuff in a gun

Used to be very common practice for police dept.'s to etch information onto weapons that were evidence in a criminal case. Heck, I remember in college they taught us how to do it correctly. Also teaching us where is the best place as to put the information so as not to make it noticeable. Most dept's these days just tag them. It's quicker and doesnt deface the weapon once its returned.


The first set of letters and numbers certainly looks like cause number.

 

[tmanbuddyy]

is there a serial number?

Yes it has a stamped serial number at the under side of the grip

Ok more info.i talked with the prior owner of the house who said the gun was in his sons possession in the mid 80's. He said that's were it remained in the basement until i found it. They actually lost it/forgot about it. His son is a law obeying person who can't remember were he got it. Though he knows he didn't have it on the date listed on the gun or etch it

 

[92ThoStro]

If not a case number, could be an officer's badge number? You could call KCPD and see if they will tell you if they have an officer with that badge number?

DWA is Deadly Weapons Act is all I can find if not initials. But a 5 digit number is kind of big, I don't know how many officers KCPD has, or how their numbering system works.

 

[CitiusFortius]

You could call KCPD and see if they will tell you if they have an officer with that badge number?

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They'll probably say "yeah, it's ours, and it's stolen. Give it back or you'll be prosecuted for possession of stolen merchandise"

 

[Light]

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They'll probably say "yeah, it's ours, and it's stolen. Give it back or you'll be prosecuted for possession of stolen merchandise"

As he said, you could have an officer run the number for you, but if it's a stolen gun from forever ago, they will want you to hand it over.

IMO you found the gun, and it would be the honest thing to do if so.

If not then maybe they can tell you what it's from.

 

[scottka]

Tagged for interest. I love guns with stories behind them.

 

[Farmritch]

My cousin bought a rifle at the south bend police auction ( yes they used to do this) lol
They used to clean out thier storage lockers every year.
That had similar engravings on it.
Later he researched The date on the rifle and found it was a murder weapon and the guy shot himself with it.

 

[SIGnature45]

If you don't think it's worth much and it's just a .22lr then do the research. It will bug you forever if you don't. If it does belong to someone or is stolen, it's the right thing to do by returning it, plus it isn't much of a loss. If it's yours to keep, then you not only have a new legal gun but a story to go with it =)

 

[jgreiner]

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They'll probably say "yeah, it's ours, and it's stolen. Give it back or you'll be prosecuted for possession of stolen merchandise"

Call from a pay phone.

 

[chris46131]

Subscribed for the follow up.

 

[Yukon1]

From the time period in 1977 it would not be unusual for a police officer to mark the weapon in that fashion indicating it is part of a crime of some sort. He could then testify in court as to the association of this weapon to the crime by his markings if need be...

 

[bloodandgutsmurphy]

I wouldn't call them. I find it cool that the gun has a mystery to it. I have a nice collection of military surplus weapons. The mystery of not knowing who, when, or where it was used has always been cool to me