Got my first AR complete lower back in early May, and didn't get a chance to shoot it this summer.

Was a 6.5 Grendel build. I had bought the lower receiver and got all the parts to build a complete lower, did that in early may. On a quick turnaround shipped out to have the barrel build w/ a matched bolt. Mid July I get my barrel back and put it all together. <br><br>When I got home from the range today my wife took a look at my face and asked "What happened?"<br><br>So I tell her the story, and she asks "What are you gonna do?"<br><br>I drive down to the local gun store and put an order in for another lower and a stripped upper (for my Christmas present to benefit the economy). If I'm not gonna be able to shoot it, I'm sure as hell gonna spend money on guns. <br><br>I'm not a security expert, but I'm fairly certain that our problem isn't the quality of our guns or the quality of our military; it's the quality of our government. <br><br>Edit: This is part of a larger story, but I'm a little embarrassed to share it since I feel responsible and foolish, and my wife is the one most hurt by this. I will be the first to admit that we can always be more prudent and safe and take precautions to prevent things like this. <br><br>I got back in the car on my way home from the range, and my wife asked me what happened. I tell her the story but she's a bit busy and distracted with the kids. She asks if I need anything, and I thought not right now so I dropped it and we went home.<br><br>It was later that night when I lay in bed next to her that I realized that I will not be able to get back on my property, so I asked her about plans to retrieve the bolt and rifle. She tells me that I need to call the police and let them know. I'm hoping that one of the guys who witnessed it picked it up, but I want to make sure I'm following procedure. It's now a little after 9PM when I make the call, and I talk to the police on the phone and describe the situation and the rifle. I get a very sympathetic and understanding cop on the phone who is familiar with firearms and tells me that under normal circumstances he would tell me to make an incident report, but unless someone calls in with it he's not sure they'll ever find it. He does let me know that it's illegal to possess a firearm that doesn't belong to you, so if anyone does pick it up they need to turn it in. I tell him I can give him the vin and the make, and he lets me know that isn't needed. He does give me a case number to use if I do need to make an incident report. <br><br>Gives me the following advice: <br>1. If you're going to report it lost or stolen, I need to make that report in the town where you live. You can do that over the phone. <br>2. If you're going to report it lost or stolen, if it's recovered by someone who wants to remain anonymous and you have an incident report you can't take your recovered firearm back. You'll need to wait until the system clears it to get it back, and they won't be able to verify that you're the owner if they don't have any record of you owning it. <br>3. If you want to report it stolen or lost, do it in the town where you live. If it's recovered by the police somewhere else they'll contact the town where you made the report and they'll contact you. <br>4. If you don't report it stolen or lost and you are caught with it in the future and don't have the documentation to prove it's yours, you'll be arrested, charged, and potentially convicted. <br>5. If you don't report it stolen or lost and the person who recovered it tries to bring it in under an incident report, and there isn't an earlier report of it being stolen or lost, then you are guilty of a crime. <br><br>I get home and call my own town police department. I explain the situation to the lady on the phone, and she lets me know that I can't make an incident report over the phone. I'm welcome to come in and make the report, or I can go online. I thank her and hang up the phone. <br><br>I go online and fill out as much as I can of the incident report. It's missing some critical information and I don't know it all so I put in what I do know. I submit it and print it out. <br><br>I drive to the police station (I can walk, but I'm a bit paranoid about leaving my car unlocked down the street) and give them the papers. The desk clerk takes the report and asks me if I need a copy. I tell her I printed one out, but if she could print me one and stamp it that would be great. I also let her know that I was advised by the cop I talked to earlier to let them know that I don't want to press charges. I just want to document that it's mine and if it's recovered I can pick it up without a problem. She lets me know that won't be a problem and hands me the papers back.<br><br>I then call the first police department back and give them the report number from my town and let them know I made an incident report. I give them the VIN and the make and model of the rifle. The cop lets me know that he'll let the guys who recovered the rifle know, and that I did the right thing. <br><br>Easiest way I can put it is that it's a bad situation and I'm probably not gonna get my rifle back. The best case scenario is that someone found it and I'll get it back someday. The more likely scenario is it's in a ditch somewhere and I'm out a rifle. <br><br>Edit part 2: I am absolutely blown away by all your support. I'm laughing and grinning like a moron looking at all the upvotes and comments. For the first time today I'm not down in the dumps and I'm able to think clearly. <br><br>I know there's a lot of comments about body armor, et cetera. I'm thinking clearly now and I'm going to do the right thing. I'm not going to let this incident cloud my judgement or make a rash decision. I'm a gun owner, and I'm a responsible one. I'm not looking for advice beyond what I've asked for, and I'm not looking for anyone to make any decisions for me. Thank you all for your kindness and support. <br><br>I'm the guy who lost my AR, not the guy who stole it. I'm not guilty of a damn thing here and I won't act like I am. <br><br>I'm a dad with 2 little kids at home. I need to think about their future. <br><br>I think the best evidence of that was the comments about the new rules for bump stocks. I say all the time that Trump is not my president. I'd always thought he was an irresponsible and ignorant asshole, but when he signed the bump stock ban I knew that he was not the friend of gun owners that people made him out to be. <br><br>Guns are very important to me. I will not stand idly by while our government slowly takes away our rights as citizens. <br><br>So thank you all, and I wish you all a happy new year!