I have had a Rossi Interarms 38 special stainless steel 5 shot revolver for close to 30 years. It was stolen. Unfortunately some of the photos I had showing the serial number were destroyed. However I do have one photograph that I am trying to decipher the serial number and I need some help determining what the serial number could start with. I know that the m88 was introduced in 1983 and then discontinued and then reintroduced in 1993. Attached is a copy of the original advertisement in gun digest dated 1983 .
Rossi Interarms Serial Number Lookup
So what I need to know is the serial number ranges from 1983 to 1986 for this model. If possible break it down by year. What letter did they start with..? It looks like mine may start with a W. I have already tried the Rossi website and spoken with people there. No help at all. The serial # is on the butt.
I presume you want to know this so that you can make a police report of the theft. A word of caution here. If you report the incorrect serial number to them you could **potentially** be charged with making a false report. Since you do not know the exact serial number, I would strongly suggest not guessing at it.
I would NEVER report a serial number until I had it verified by law enforcement or ask them to contact ATF to verify, that, in fact, I am the registered owner. There would be absolutely no point in reporting a weapon stolen and guessing on the identifying serial number. I want thug nephew arrested and iI want my gun.
With a serial number in hand BATFE agents contact the manufacturer, and either under subpeona or as a mere request, ask for who the wholesaler was that the gun was shipped to. Once they know the wholesaler they contact them and ask for the retailer, this process continues all the way down to when the initial sales BATFE form 4473 was completed at time of initial sale.
If your gun is in fact somehow registered to you - and if I may ask, how do you know it is ? Did you complete a form 4473 at time of purchase ? If you purchased from a dealer / FFL then you would have no matter where in the USA. Then why not just contact that dealer for your serial number. They will have a record of it on the 4473 which is required under law and can easily give it to you.
To complicate matters even more, this spans three counties. The theft occurred in Xcounty and that is who I am required to report it to. (After reading your post, I went ahead and on Sept 10 2013, I reported it w/o the serial number) I know who has my gun. My husband's adult nephew stole my gun and he lives in Ycounty where he is facing intoxication manslaughter charge. I live in Zcounty. My fear is that, without a serial number, the theft will just be blown off...stuffed into file 13 and forgotten by Xcounty SD .Without the serial number it's just an "information report" and I really don't see the Xcounty SD spending much time on it. If I had most of the serial number they may be more interested in putting a little time into it. UPDATE: On September 10, 2013 reported the theft of my gun to the XCounty sheriffs department and a detective finally got back with me a week later. When he called me he asked me if I had the phone number of the parent of the thief. I gave it to him and he called and asked them if they would return the gun to me. The stepfather said that he would return the gun to me. They never returned my gun so I called the detective back to see if he would be so kind as to get the serial number. Hoping he would be slick about it but I think he already let it slip that I did not have the serial number, if so they don't have any worries. He acted like I was inconveniencing him.
The cylinder release button on my gun is the same as the advertisement and article. This button is not as common as the other buttons I've seen. Most other Rossi 38s have different buttons.I think that the button style will help determine a closer range for serial number. Also the ejector rod is not shrouded.At this point the above information will be useful only if the gun is actually recovered.
For example a Rossi Model 85 revolver with serial number "N6523" identifies that exact (specific) gun. There will not be another Rossi Model 85 revolver out there with that serial number - unless someone made a BIG mistake, which is nearly unheard of.
Having said that, the reason you need the serial number is to ID *your*, or an exact gun, if for no other reason than to recover it. I think with all your gun's information that is known, in context, IDing your exact gun is not going to be a problem.
First off the barrel has been cut in a specific place as can be seen in the pictures (VERY FEW similar models will be cut in the exact same place). Then you have at least a partial serial number - that combined with the cut barrel and metal finish should be enough to convince any law enforcement officer that once the gun has been recovered, it is *your* gun.
So make the report with the partial serial number, submit the pictures as well showing and explaining the cut barrel. And I think that if the gun is recovered it will in totality be enough proof to show you are the rightful owner.
So to sum things up. Your sworn statement to the LE officer, along with the partial serial number, along with the pictures of the cut barrel and finish on the gun, should be enough to 1. show you are the rightful owner and 2. be enough to show theft, once the gun is recovered in your husband's nephew's possession. 2ff7e9595c