POLICE OFFICER’S GUIDE to Recovered Firearms

Revised December 2009 1

U.S. Department of Justice

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

2 ATF Publication 3312.12

ATF MISSION

FIREARMS SAFETY

• Treat every firearm as if it is loaded (even if you think 

it is not).

• Keep fingers off trigger.

• Always keep firearms pointed in a safe direction.

• No evidence is worth losing a life over.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is a principal law enforcement agency 

within the United States Department of Justice dedicated to preventing terrorism, reducing violent crime, 

and protecting our Nation. The men and women of ATF 

perform the dual responsibilities of enforcing Federal 

criminal laws and regulating the firearms and explosives industries. We are committed to working directly, 

and through partnerships, to investigate and reduce 

crime involving firearms and explosives, acts of arson, 

and illegal trafficking of alcohol and tobacco products.

CONTACT ATF:

For more information or assistance, 

contact your local ATF office or call 

1-800-ATF-GUNS.
POLICE OFFICER’S GUIDE to Recovered Firearms

Revised December 2009 3

REQUIRED MARKINGS

U.S. MANUFACTURED FIREARMS

•	 SERIAL NUMBER (taken from FRAME or

RECEIVER)

•	MANUFACTURER (Name, City and State)

•	 CALIBER (expressed .38, 9mm, 7.62X25, 

12Ga, etc.)

•	 MODEL (if designated, expressed J-25, P86, 

Python, etc.)

IMPORTED (FOREIGN 

MANUFACTURED) FIREARMS

•	 SERIAL NUMBER (taken from FRAME or

RECEIVER)

•	 COUNTRY OF ORIGIN (example: “Made 

in Italy”)

•	IMPORTER (Name, City and State; be aware of 

abbreviations)

•	MANUFACTURER (example: Norinco, 

Bersa, FN, etc.)

•	 CALIBER (expressed .38, 9mm, 7.62X25, 

12Ga, etc.)

•	 MODEL (if designated, expressed J-25, P86, 

Python, etc.)

(See following pages for examples)

NOTE: Older firearms (manufactured or imported before 1968) 

may lack some of these markings including serial numbers.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

4 ATF Publication 3312.12

HOW TO IDENTIFY FIREARMS

FOR QUERIES AND PROPERTY

FIREARM DESCRIPTION

MANUFACTURER

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

TYPE MODEL CALIBER

IMPORTER

OTHER MARKINGS OR INFORMATION

N/A

Smith & Wesson Revolver 10 .38

Special

U.S.A.

Ex., proof marks, obliterated serial number, etc.

REVOLVER

SERIAL

NUMBER

MANUFACTURER

*Open cylinder to look for

 additional markings

CALIBER

COUNTRY

OF ORIGIN
POLICE OFFICER’S GUIDE to Recovered Firearms

Revised December 2009 5

HOW TO IDENTIFY FIREARMS

FOR QUERIES AND PROPERTY

FIREARM DESCRIPTION

MANUFACTURER

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

TYPE MODEL CALIBER

IMPORTER

OTHER MARKINGS OR INFORMATION

SERIAL

NUMBER

MANUFACTURER

MODEL

CALIBER

COUNTRY

OF ORIGIN

IMPORTER

Glock, Inc.

Smyrna, Georgia

Glock Pistol 19 9mm

Austria

Ex., proof marks, obliterated serial number, etc.

PISTOL
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

6 ATF Publication 3312.12

HOW TO IDENTIFY FIREARMS

FOR QUERIES AND PROPERTY

RIFLE

SHOTGUN

FIREARM DESCRIPTION

MANUFACTURER

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

TYPE MODEL CALIBER

IMPORTER

OTHER MARKINGS OR INFORMATION

N/A

Marlin Firearms Co. Rifle 10 .22

U.S.A.

Ex., proof marks, obliterated serial number, etc.

GAUGE
POLICE OFFICER’S GUIDE to Recovered Firearms

Revised December 2009 7

Markings such as MANUFACTURER, MODEL (if 

designated), and CALIBER typically appear along 

the barrel.

SERIAL NUMBER

MANUFACTURER

FIREARM DESCRIPTION

MANUFACTURER

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN

TYPE MODEL CALIBER

IMPORTER

OTHER MARKINGS OR INFORMATION

N/A

Remington Arms Co.Shotgun Wingmaster

870 12 Gauge

U.S.A.

Ex., proof marks, obliterated serial number, etc.

MODEL

SERIAL NUMBER
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

8 ATF Publication 3312.12

TIPS FOR FIREARMS QUERIES

USING MOBILE NCIC 

TERMINALS

• Query firearm serial number in NCIC.

• Use caution in identifying letters and 

numbers. For example, be careful 

distinguishing between “5” and “S,” “Z” and 

“2,” etc.

• Following a “hit,” be sure to compare serial 

number, model, caliber, and miscellaneous 

field.

• The “Make” (MAK) field may contain Make, 

Brand, Model, or Trademark.

• Be aware, the serial number match is 

important. Discrepancies with MAK and/

or MOD do not rule out a match if the serial 

numbers are the same.

MKE/STOLEN GUN

ORI/DC0100100 SER/L2714S MAK/C0L CAL/357 MOD/PYTHON

TYP/PR DOT/20000819

MIS/BLK GRIPS WITH INITIALS BRH UNDERNEATH

NIC/G123456789 DTE/20000820 2108 EDT

ORI IS THE NEXT COUNTY PD 123 456-7890

IMMED CONFIRM RECORD WITH ORI
POLICE OFFICER’S GUIDE to Recovered Firearms

Revised December 2009 9

TRACE ALL RECOVERED 

FIREARMS

HOW TO REQUEST A 

FIREARMS TRACE

A Firearms Trace Report can reveal:

• The original firearm PURCHASER, including 

the address and identification they used at place of 

purchase;

• The original FIREARM RETAILER, including their 

city and state;

• The TIME PERIOD between the original purchase 

and the recovery by law enforcement;

•	PATTERNS in purchase locations, purchasers, 

recovery locations, and other information that may be 

vital to an investigation or prosecution; and,

•	OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES that 

have purchasers, possessors, firearms retailers and/or 

firearm recovery locations in common with yours.

Firearms trace request forms can be obtained at the ATF 

website www.ATF.gov.

You can also request access to ATF’s web-based 

electronic firearms tracing program – eTrace. Through 

eTrace you can electronically submit traces, receive 

results, and analyze your agency’s aggregate 

firearms trace data.
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

10 ATF Publication 3312.12

PERSONS PROHIBITED

BY FEDERAL LAW FROM 

POSSESSING FIREARMS

• Persons convicted of a crime punishable by more than 

one year in prison;

• Fugitives from justice;

• Users of illegal drugs or persons addicted to illegal 

drugs;

• Persons adjudicated mentally ill or incompetent and 

persons committed to a mental institution;

• Persons dishonorably discharged from military;

• Illegal aliens and nonimmigrant aliens;

• Persons who have renounced US citizenship;

• Persons under a qualifying order of protection; and,

• Persons convicted of a misdemeanor crime of 

domestic violence.

NOTE: Persons under indictment for a felony are 

prohibited from receiving firearms and ammunition – 

they can continue to possess firearms and ammunition 

they have when the indictment is issued, but cannot 

receive any more firearms or ammunition.
POLICE OFFICER’S GUIDE to Recovered Firearms

Revised December 2009 11

QUESTIONS TO ASK

UNLAWFUL FIREARMS 

POSSESSORS

Ask:

1. About their specific crime and their role in it.

2. About drug use past and present. 

3. When and where did they get the gun?

4. How much did they pay for the gun?

5. Did they load the gun themselves?

6. Is there more ammunition, not with the gun?

7. Who else knows they have a gun(s)?

8. Do they have other guns?

9. Can they get more guns? From what source?

10. Is that source violent and armed?

11. Who else gets guns from that source?

12. Did they, or does their source try to remove 

markings from guns?

13. Which markings and how?

14. If stolen, when and where was the gun stolen?

15. Have they stolen firearms from other locations?
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

12 ATF Publication 3312.12

REVOLVER PISTOL OTHER

AK TYPE

AR-15 TYPE

DERRINGER

MACHINEGUNS

ATF Publication 3312.12 Revised December 2009

VISUAL GUIDE TO FIREARMS

SHOTGUN (PUMP ACTION)

PISTOL GRIP FIREARM

RIFLE (BOLT ACTION)

RIFLE (LEVER ACTION)

RIFLE (SEMIAUTOMATIC)