How do I search for a stolen firearm?

Enter the serial number of the firearm in question on the home page without spaces, dashes, or other special characters.

I added my firearm but it is not showing up when I search the serial number.

Once you submit your firearm an automated confirmation email is sent to the email address you entered. You must click the link in the email to confirm your email address and enter the firearm in the database. This is neccesary to prevent false entries and ensure that you can be contacted with information regarding your stolen firearm.

Why isn't there a place for me to describe the special features of my gun?

The stolen firearms database search is an exact match of the serial number only for privacy reasons. It is not searchable by keywords, so if someone searches the database for your serial number it is going to come up with your gun regardless of it having a Leupold scope, stainless barrel, etc. The status of accessories can be determined once someone has contacted you with information regarding the stolen firearm.

Can I change the email address that I registered my stolen firearm with?

Yes, click the Update Email link at the top of the page. Enter the email address you originally reported the firearm with under Old Email Address and your current email address under New Email Address.

Why should I register my stolen firearm on this site?

A thief cannot easily sell a stolen firearm if everyone knows it is stolen. As a responsible gun owner it is your duty to do everything in your power to get your firearm off the streets. In most cases this would include reporting the theft to the police, informing your friends, family, and neighbors of the theft, and posting your firearm on the internet. There are many places online that allow you to post your stolen firearm, but none are quite as simple, anonymous or effective as HotGunz.com. A few reasons a person who has come into possession of your stolen gun may not report the firearm to the police or check other stolen firearm sites or forums are fear of getting in trouble, unwillingness to search through hundreds of post looking for a match, or unwillingness to create an account or give up personal information just to perform a search. Our site provides a simple, fast, and worry-free serial number check. They will be checking our site... will your firearm be on here when they do?

Is this some sort of gun registry?

Not at all. The information we collect would be useless to form any type of "gun registry." The beauty of our system is the ability to remain anonymous, whether checking or reporting a firearm. The only potentially sensitive information we require is the email address necessary to report a stolen firearm. We require this to enable a person with information about your firearm to contact you (without revealing your email address). If this is a concern, we recommend that you create an anonymous email account using one of the myriad of free email accounts available, and check it frequently for information about your firearm.

Are you associated with law enforcement or anti-gun groups?

No, we are not associated with any law enforcement agency or any groups interested in restricting or denying the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.

Can you help with my gun related legal problem or tell me the status of my stolen gun?

No, we are not lawyers nor are we associated with any law enforcement agency.

Why can't I find out who owns this site or your address/telephone number?

We do not post our personal information on the internet because we simply want to provide a much needed free public service. We operate this site as a side project out of pocket in our free time and do not make any money from it. We are not trying to gain any sort of fame or recognition and we value our privacy as much as we value yours. We are not a large corporation, just regular guys who don't want our families addresses posted online for everyone to see.

Do you log my search results or report to the owner if I search their serial number?

No, we do not log or report anything. If you come across one of the firearms in our database you can contact the owner on your own terms. We do not want people to avoid using this site out of fear that they will be reported. Just remember to put yourself in the owners position and do what you would want done if it were your firearm.

Can anyone see my email address when they search?

No, the email address you registered your firearm with is never revealed unless you reply back to the person contacting you.

Can I search through the list of serial numbers?

No you cannot. The serial number search is an exact match only. This means that if you have a serial number of 123ABC and search anything other than 123ABC or 123abc then no results will be listed. This is to protect the privacy of the gun owner.

Is this website linked to NCIC?

No, our database only contains firearms that have been reported to us as being stolen using the Report Stolen Firearm link at the top of the page. Just because a serial number is not in our database does not necessarily guarantee that the firearm is not stolen; it simply means that no one has reported this serial number to us. The only way to be 100% sure is to contact your local police department and request that they run the serial number in question through NCIC.

Why are there advertisements on this site?

The advertisements on our site help offset the cost of providing this free service. If you appreciate the service we provide, please feel free to check out any ads you may be interested in.

How can I advertise on HotGunz.com?

Click HERE to find out more information about advertising on our site. If you still have questions go to the Contact Us link at the top of the page and select “Advertising” as the subject to request more information.