Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Open forum for handguns.
Post Reply
DaveInGA
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 279
Joined: 18 Nov 2015 08:59
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Jefferson, GA
Has thanked: 91 times
Been thanked: 85 times

Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Post by DaveInGA »

Many years ago, a gang broke into our rental home at the time and stole a Browning Buckmark .22 pistol my wife and I took often to the range. So often, in fact, one of us had gotten distracted and instead of putting it in the gunsafe, left it in the range bag where it got gone. The thug that stole the gun used it in a crime and basically bludgeoned another man to death with it. It now resides with the Gainesville, GA Police Dept. The thug, got out of the US and they've been unsuccessful in getting him back and have never returned that gun. With it's last use, I'm not sure I even want it back, as it is very likely damaged beyond use and rusted/pitted from dried blood.

So after years now of trying to get my Browning Buckmark .22 pistol back from the Gainesville Police Department, I finally get tired of it and give up on ever getting it back as long as they haven't been to trial with the thug who got away to Mexico.

All that time, in the top of the closet was a green canvas bag with pouches I'd used as the pistol range bag. It held magazines for my Browning Buckmark and my CZ bolt action rifles. For some reason, the mags were not taken and were all still there. Sitting right there in that closet. Recently, as in less than two weeks ago, I showed the bag to my wife Donna and said we have to decide soon what to do with these Browning magazines.

Two nights ago, I'm looking around the Bass Pro website. Low and behold, I find a stainless steel version of the exact some gun I have and my original pistol both. (They were the new "standard" type with the slab barrel and the URX grippy rubber grips.)

Here's the one I used to own that was stolen:
http://www.basspro.com/Browning-Buck-Ma ... /10218122/

When I bought the above version, I could not afford the extra cash for the stainless version, nor could I find the new fiber optic front sight any where or even who made it.

Here's the stainless version I found on the Bass Pro website:
http://www.basspro.com/Browning-Buck-Ma ... /10218123/

After reading several of their descriptions, they revealed on the Bass Pro website who made the fiber optic front sights for Browning: TruGlo. So I went online and sure enough, you could buy a Truglo in a nice green for $25.00 delivered to your door from Amazon.

So I showed the stainless version to Donna and told her we either had to sell those magazines for a loss or make a decision if we wanted to buy a new .22 pistol. Donna loved shooting that pistol, as did I and all she didn't like was it didn't have the fiber optic front sight she had seen on another of the models back when and wanted. I showed her we could buy the site on amazon and that was it, she said "let's go get another one." I was quiet outside, elated inside.

So we headed down to Bass Pro (a 45 minute drive if Atlanta traffic was good, it wasn't) to look at this new stainless .22 Buckmark and see if it was "worthy of Donna." A couple minutes handling and yes, Donna wanted it, as she remembered what it pointed like.

So we buy it and bring it home. And of course, it only came with a single magazine. No problem, I have a green canvas range bag whose pouches are full of Buckmark magazines. I go to look in the closet where it's sat since we moved into this house we live in now and it's vanished into the homeowner's black hole. Can't find it in the house after looking through three rooms. It's like the old cow mags know there's a new bull cow pistol and don't want anything to do with it, so they've bailed out of the pasture into the woods and disappeared.

Ain't it always the way?
User avatar
Ranch Dog
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 6456
Joined: 22 Jun 2013 17:16
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Inez, TX
Has thanked: 1616 times
Been thanked: 2850 times

Re: Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Post by Ranch Dog »

Nice that you finally replaced the pistol. Once they hear it is back, the magazines will come out of hiding!

Keep repeating to yourself that there is not a border problem. If you say it enough, you will come to believe it!
Michael
Image
User avatar
RBHarter
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 2040
Joined: 13 Mar 2014 19:45
My Press Choice: Single Stage
Location: The green hell 90 miles north of Texarka
Has thanked: 76 times
Been thanked: 670 times

Re: Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Post by RBHarter »

Glad you found the replacement for your long lost friend.

I have read about several guns returned from evidence holding that were ........in rough shape. S&W was 1 but another was I think a Ruger while they were good to top shelf guns new I don't remember but I do remember that they were sent back with a letter describing what had happened and they were made right and whole again at little to no cost to the owners and at least as good as new.
Just a Red neck,White boy, Blue blood American.....
62chevy
Founding Member
Founding Member
Posts: 1617
Joined: 17 Oct 2013 18:09
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: West Virginia
Has thanked: 1017 times
Been thanked: 323 times

Re: Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Post by 62chevy »

Lost mags ain't a good thing but a new gun needing breaking in is.
Je suis Charlie
DaveInGA
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 279
Joined: 18 Nov 2015 08:59
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Jefferson, GA
Has thanked: 91 times
Been thanked: 85 times

Re: Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Post by DaveInGA »

Ranch Dog wrote:Nice that you finally replaced the pistol. Once they hear it is back, the magazines will come out of hiding!

Keep repeating to yourself that there is not a border problem. If you say it enough, you will come to believe it!
My wife found the lost magazines! Not only that, but she found the magazine for our Armscor M20P semi auto .22 rifle in the same bag! So now two .22 firearms are up and running! Ordered a couple spares for the Armscor while I was thinking about it yesterday, so I'm now set. If only bricks of .22 Hi Vel were the price they once were. Has anyone used any of that Armscor .22 ammo they sell at a reasonable price online? We're not talking competition grade here, just minute of critter and fun light weight target practice instead of wasting center fire ammo.

Yeah, I know about the border problem, for sure. My thoughts are we should issue work visas for those that want to work that track the person we issue them to. Those that don't work and appear to be becoming criminal scum, revoke visa and bye bye. We need a barrier and we need strict policies without keeping out those that genuinely want to work. After a good bit of soul searching, I can't reject those that want to work and better themselves wanting to come here. That doesn't include the criminal scum. Their sorry rear ends can go home.
DaveInGA
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 279
Joined: 18 Nov 2015 08:59
My Press Choice: Progressive
Location: Jefferson, GA
Has thanked: 91 times
Been thanked: 85 times

Re: Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Post by DaveInGA »

RBHarter wrote:Glad you found the replacement for your long lost friend.

I have read about several guns returned from evidence holding that were ........in rough shape. S&W was 1 but another was I think a Ruger while they were good to top shelf guns new I don't remember but I do remember that they were sent back with a letter describing what had happened and they were made right and whole again at little to no cost to the owners and at least as good as new.
The problem I'm having is this particular police department shows an extremely reluctance to return my phone calls and let me know where/how/what is up with my pistol. I don't want to prevent them from persecuting a man that has murdered, but I'd like something from them. After several calls, I've reached a point I've replaced the gun. Now my next step is to show up on their doorstep and demand they provide me a receipt and a known date/time they'll return my firearm. I just don't like to get that ugly, but it looks like I'm going to have to, it's a 400 dollar plus gun now.
User avatar
Poppop
250 Shots
250 Shots
Posts: 262
Joined: 02 Mar 2014 16:15
My Press Choice: Turret
Location: Easton, PA
Has thanked: 82 times
Been thanked: 53 times

Re: Replaced a stolen .22 pistol yesterday

Post by Poppop »

I'll bet if it were a camera or cell phone or computer you would get answers
If all else fails--look for the obvious
MAGA
Post Reply

Return to “Handgun Discussions”