All entries must include make, caliber, and serial number. Initiated in 1967, the NCIC stolen gun file retains all entries indefinitely unless a recovery is reported. As of March 1995, the NCIC stolen gun file contained reports on about 7,700 machine guns and submachine guns. The requesting agency may use this information to assist in identifying suspects, providing evidence for subsequent prosecution, establishing stolen status, and proving ownership. The number of requests for firearms traces increased from 37,181 in 1990 to 85,132 in 1994.
Trace requests represent an unknown portion of all the guns used in crimes.
ATF is not able to trace guns manufactured before 1968, most surplus military weapons, imported guns without the importer's name, stolen guns, and guns missing a legible serial number. Police agencies do not request traces on all firearms used in crimes. Over half of the guns that police agencies asked ATF to trace were pistols and another quarter were revolvers. While trace requests for all types of guns increased in recent years, the number of pistols traced increased the most, doubling from 1990 to 1994. Traced guns come from many countries across the globe.