Help Locating a Firearm

[BowhunterNJ]

So this is a rather unique situation, and I'm not too confident it will have a solution, but here's the gist of it all...

 

The first gun I ever shot a deer with was a T/C .50 caliber Hawken muzzleloader.

My dad and his now deceased friend had acquired these kit guns many years ago (1980s).

In speaking with my Dad he said he bought one of the kits off his friend, and he isn't sure where he got them.

 

When I was 14 I believe, the first year I could hunt with an M/L, his friend let me borrow his gun and I shot my first deer with it.

Now, 20+ years later, I'm trying to track it down in hopes of buying it.

 

I called my Dad's friend's brother, who said my Dad's friend had sold it before he died. He has no idea who he sold it to, only that it was someone local in the Wall Township area of New Jersey.

 

So that is literally all I have to go on.

In fact, I have no guaranteed way to even identify it if I saw it.

Now that makes this a likely impossibility to track down and identify it, but I thought I'd throw it out there anyway in case anyone had any ideas.

 

The only thing I can think of is that MAYBE the two kit guns have sequential serial numbers, and that could give me an idea of narrowing down the gun to two serial numbers, but I would doubt that is the case. Even if I had it, I'd have no idea how to even track it down on a private sale (that may or may not have even been documented).

 

Pretty much SOL here or is there any way I can track down the firearm?

[Matty]

Wow...would be cool if you can track it down.

 

Best of luck. I think if you keep after it, I imagine you have at least a slim chance of tracking it down. The person might know the name of the guy who sold it to them (*your dads friend)....which would be a surefire indication that it was the gun you borrowed.

 

How about posters in sports shops in the area with a picture of one....and the backstory along with the year (or approximate year) that your dads friend sold it.

[Axiom]

 

Pretty much SOL here or is there any way I can track down the firearm?         

 

 

 I wouldnt say you're SOL.. Remember or look up the  "six degrees of seperation"  theory...

[BowhunterNJ]

I wouldnt say you're SOL.. Remember or look up the  "six degrees of seperation"  theory...

So you're saying Kevin Bacon has my gun?

[Axiom]

Maybe..  

[BowhunterNJ]

Matty, that's a good idea too...I thought about trying to get word around that area and see what comes of it.

I know it's a slim to none situation, but hey, it's worth a try. I'd love to have that gun, great memory of it!

[Palawman30]

Did Jersey have long arms registries back then? Start with who bought the gun and where they bought it and get a serial # if possible... its also entirely possible the gun may not even have a serial #... if it was made before 1968 it may be just a company internal serial#. Need to know who bought it and where first....

[Palawman30]

 If you find it you still may not be able to buy it, someone else may have created even more memories with it.

Worst case scenario is some PD has it recovered from a burglary and then no ones getting it...

[thefirstndsecond]

No long arms before 1984.

 

There is no registration.

 

Only people who would have it would be ffl.

 

And muzzle loaders may not have been during that time been considered firearms.

 

Good luck.

[Bucksnbows]

Unfortunately, you're likely in for a rough time locating it for the reasons the others mentioned.  My buddy found the 1956 Ford T-Bird his parents were forced to sell when his mom got pregnant with him that he was able to locate via motor vehicles some 28 years later.  He had that car restored and gave it to his father on his father's 60th birthday which was pretty cool.  But that's because all cars are registered somewhere whereas guns are not always, even many legal guns.  I wish you all the best in locating it!  

[deerslayer01]

I had two of them acouple of months ago for sale

[Haskell_Hunter]

You should probably start posting this story in other NJ firearms forums and putting the word out to outiftters and gunsmiths that you're interested in buying this gun.  Word might spread to the right set of ears and you'd be in luck.  Money motivates, so make sure you tell folks you're ready to buy.

[rossbowhunter]

I have that exact model, I can sell it to you and you can pretend it's that special one your looking for...

Edited February 19, 2014 by rossbowhunter

[BowhunterNJ]

Haha, I can pretend with my Dad's Hawken...in fact I've killed a number of deer with that Hawken!

 

HH, I agree, I think if there's any chance, word of mouth is the most likely.