If your weapons are ever lost or stolen, do you have your missing gun information ready to report to local authorities and insurance companies?
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) recently updated their Personal Firearms Record form. The form can now be downloaded, filled out on the computer, and printed so that information is legible and private. Although these documents are not mandatory or collected by the government, responsible gun owners should print and complete these forms and update them regularly.
Guns are typically stored in a secure place, like a gun safe. A gun owner’s Personal Firearms Record should also be kept in a safe place—just not the same location where the guns are stored. In addition to filing a hard copy of the record in an alternate location, like a safe deposit box, maintain a digital copy as well. Store the file on your computer and email a copy to yourself for easy access should your firearms be stolen or lost when you are away from home. A photographic inventory of a firearms collection in addition to a written record can also be helpful for both identification and determining value and condition.