Lost Gun
 

I don't know what exactly to say or how to say it so here it goes. I lost a gun! (this is my primary carry pistol too) I don't know where or how it got lost. I feel like a went to bed at home and woke up the next morning in another country.

It started Saturday. I opened my safe to retrieve my Kahr PM9 before leaving on a short weekend trip. The gun wasn't there. No biggie, I sometimes keep it in the other safe. Open the other safe, it's not there either. My stomach knotted up tight. There's no other place it could be. Ever since the kids came along, I always make sure to keep any firearm locked up. I can't even think of an instance in the last few weeks where I could have misplaced it. I have a spreadsheet of all guns (make/model/serial #/other details) so I was thinking about reporting it missing. I don't know what the best next step to take would be.

Re: Lost Gun
 

Reporting it missing? Sounds as if that means involving the police....

Re: Lost Gun
 

On one hand, the gun is legal and it's mine. On the other hand, I don't know what kind of trouble I can get into or whatnot. I feel sick right now.

Re: Lost Gun
 

Think of the last place you KNOW you had it and retrace every thing you did....and I mean you may have to physically retrace your steps....

This happened to me a few months ago.....I forgot that I put it under my floor mat of my car when I was helping a friend lift some heavy stuff where i would be supporting some of the weight on my thighs....did not want the gun to be in the way.....

It took me all day to remember that.

Don't freak out...you will find it.

Do not report it missing to the law....

How old are your kids.....perhaps time to brief the wife and kids on "Daddy has a problem....if you see this gun do not touch it....get daddy or mommy ...."

Re: Lost Gun
 

Last time I remember having it was over 2 weeks ago. After that my mind is completely BLANK.

My wife already knows about the problem. We'll be having a talk about it with the kids tomorrow.

Re: Lost Gun
 

And I thought I have a problem - finding guns I forgot I had !:wink:

Re: Lost Gun
 

This is a sick, scary feeling, I know. I thought I had lost a handgun during a move, several years ago. I thought I had double checked all firearms before the move, but had packed one pistol separately from the rest. Took me a week, but found it where I didn't expect it. Stupid, stupid, stupid! :banghead:

Re: Lost Gun
 

I keep holding out hope that I just misplaced it. If that's the case, it really scares me because I know it wouldn't be in a very secure place.

I stayed at a family members house last week. I gave it a quick once over. I will be there tomorrow night so I will do a more thorough search then. If it's not there, I'm screwed :banghead:

Re: Lost Gun
 

I am going to keep my fingers crossed for you that it turns up. I would give it a reasonable amount of time. If it doesn't turn up after a week or two (or whatever time you are comfortable with), I think that I would report it. Not that I would really want the police involved, but it is legal and yours. The only reason that I would do this is just in case someone dishonest were to find it. You would want it on record that it was missing/stolen/whatever if it is used in a crime and then found. I certainly hope that it doesn't come to that. Good luck.

Going to go now... hard to type with my fingers crossed.:wink:

Re: Lost Gun
 

Thank you mmfarmer, I have my fingers crossed also!

I agree with your above statement, I'm just curious how the police react if you report a gun missing.

Re: Lost Gun
 

I'm pertty sure it will turn up soon.

Don't report it to the police......

If it turns up a bad guy ends up with it....act surprised....tell the cops you keep it in your garage on a shelf...go take a look...if it is gone...it must have been stolen.....

Keep thinking of another story and stick to it.....

If it turns up with a bad guy.....the cops will be paying you a visit.

I do not like the story of I lost it....that could lead to issues.

Re: Lost Gun
 

I had to do this a coupla months ago... lost mine in the field though due to a retention strap failure. When I initially discovered it missing- I thought I had made the bonehead mistake of not retaining it properly. I had lost it while on a belly crawl... I covered quite a bit of ground before finding it gone. Through a pasture then skirting a woodline and into the woods. 200 yards of belly crawl and about 1/2 mile of walking after that. I had to retrace and started backwards from where I was... searched for an hour and 15 mins from dusk into the darkness. I found it about 50yrds from where I started crawling... Shining the light on that gun was like finding GOLD!
I don't use that holster anymore.

Re: Lost Gun
 

Talk with the kids.........

That is the only the reasonable option that is left.


T

Re: Lost Gun
 

I would talk with the kids right away. Kids are very interestd in firearms and sometimes they want to emulate their parents. This could mean they want to show their freinds their new toy. This is not a judgement on your parenting skills. I just know what I was thinking when I was a kid. I couldn't wait to have my own personal firearm. Lastly do not beat yourself up about this make a mental note and don't let it happen again. You may laugh at this but meditation helps with your ability to focus. I used to have monkey mind all of the time until I started meditating. Good luck and remember we all make mistakes. If we were able to not make mistakes we would not be human.

Re: Lost Gun
 

I'd report it lost to increase the chances of getting it back if the police comes across it (and potentially to avoid running afoul of any local laws requiring lost/stolen reporting).

Re: Lost Gun
 

"Kids, if you know where Dad's gun is, tell me, and I'll give the finder $100 to spend at the store of their choice."

Re: Lost Gun
 

My biggest worry was my oldest boy finding it. He just turned 7 and I can see him taking it to school to show his friends. I have taken him shooting before and I'm trying to teach him to respect guns, but he is a little too curious for his own good sometimes.

Anyway, I am happy to say that as of 2 minutes ago I HAVE FOUND IT!!! The part that pisses me off is I found it in a place I had already looked. :banghead: I am very relieved and I appreciate everyone's support through this. I think I'll treat myself to a strong drink now as my nerves are shot.

Re: Lost Gun
 

Usually the "little people" only have a lifting capability of only 4 ounces or so, when they move then replace objects to vex us. Perhaps you had a visit from a squad of them or the pistol was a ultralite model.:D

Re: Lost Gun
 

As you get older and more forgetful, you'll need to start writing things down.
Hope this helps!

http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/BCO1609.jpg

Re: Lost Gun
 

look in the car...

don't look at me, i don't have it...

and if i did, i was framed..i'm innocent..

Re: Lost Gun
 

**phew**

*wipes sweat from brow*:applause_

Re: Lost Gun
 

Glad you found it - I had faith you would.

I remember when I was a kid, probably 7 or 8, as soon as everyone left me at home alone, I would pull dads ol Jap rifle out of the closet or if at my grandfathers, climb a chair in his bedroom closet and reach way back to get that 32 revolver I found one day nibbing about. It was exciting and also strange to work the controls to see how it operated. Good thing no accidents happened.

This example might also highlight one value in buying from a private sale at a gunshow - no worry about reporting if it really did get lost/stolen. Just hafta be particular who you buy from.

Re: Lost Gun
 

Glad to hear that it is secure and everyone is safe.

I've got boys 7 & 9 years old and as much as I try to teach them about gun safety, their brains are not yet developed enough to understand the danger a firearm presents. My worst fear would be if they got hurt f*-ing around with one of my weapons.

Re: Lost Gun
 

It's a very sick and empty feeling.

Re: Lost Gun
 

I couldn't agree with you more. You want them to learn so they'll be safe, but the danger isn't fully understood to them. I would never be able to recover if any kid got hurt because of me screwing up.

Re: Lost Gun
 

That story reminds me of when I was about 10 or 11. I was in my grandfather's bedroom and I found a semi auto pistol in his nightstand. Now, I was raised around guns and I've always been a very careful person, but I still couldn't resist racking the slide. As soon as I did it, the fear overcame me. I needed to decock the hammer or else he'd know I was messing with his gun. It took a few minutes, but I did it. I never handled a pistol like that before, so I wasn't quite sure what would happen. I figured if I knew better, yet still did something that stupid, I can't cut my kids ANY slack.

Re: Lost Gun
 

good news. Glad it turned up and everyone is safe and well. Not a nice situation to go through.

Re: Lost Gun
 

interesting where this thread has gone.... I was 'given' my first pistol at age 8 or 9. with the caveat that I was not allowed to handle it without supervision, though I could request the gun and supervision at any time. it was a 22 cal ruger single six and every time I handled it, I was corrected on safety (check the weapon, treat it as loaded, always point in a safe direction, etc.) well, I'm still here, and I don't recall any near misses. I really wonder if a child's is quelled by availability.

Re: Lost Gun
 

I'm so happy that you found it!

(Oh, and thanks for finding it... it is much easier to type without my fingers crossed!:wink:)

Re: Lost Gun
 

I was raised around guns.....had a pellet rifle at 8 and hunted with it pretty much every day....dad gave me a list of pests I could kill....full open season.....

By the time I was 11 or 12 I moved up to a 22 cal single shot rifle.....man, it was like a deer rifle in my mind as compared to the pellet rifle. I also got a single shot 20 ga for my 11th Christmas.

All that said......my dad had a pistol - a semi-auto S&W in 9mm.....he kept it in the night stand....but seperated the magazine from the gun every morning before he left for work...and hid the magazine.....I knew the pistol was no touch...but by the time I was 10 or 11....i just had to see it and mess with it....everyone was gone and I went and got it....I did not know how it worked ....but because i was trained in gun safety....I went to the back door of the house (no neighbors...lived out away from town).....opened the door.....pointed it down range and started to play with it...figured out what all the buttons and releases did ....figured that the safety dropped the hammer ....that scared the piss out of me the first time....wiped it off and put it back away.....never told dad until I was much older.

The point being.....no matter what you tell kids...they will be curious...so you better train them to be safe with guns.....what if it is not your gun but one they find down at the neighbors house??

Dad was smart when it came to keeping the magazine away from the gun. He slept with that gun every night and still does to this day....just pushes in the magazine.....and does not rack the gun....trouble comes up it is easy to rack the slide......not trouble ....just drop the mag in the morning. Also the first round is a hollow point just for visual reference of a full mag stack..... the gun with no ammo is just a club.....he never had any other ammo to be found in the house.

By the time I was 12.....they would leave me to watch my little brother at nights for a little while......I'd have that youth model 20 ga under the bed...and a single shell in my pocket. That is the advantage of growing up around guns...they are just a mechanical tool. The kids in my current neighborhood know nothing of guns...that is sad and also a safety problem....all kids should know about guns because there are hundreds of millions of them in circulation. I've started to teach my kids ....my boy is only 5 yo....start early....

PS-even adults that are not familiar with guns do dumb things.....pistols are short...easy to point in the wrong direction....be very careful around inexperiences folks...and careful around everyone.

Re: Lost Gun
 

I agree............ that was too close for my tastes as well.

Close you have imagine the fiasco the LEO's would have done??