Serial # posts
Why is it when someone asks a question about a s/r # in realation to when it was made or etc...do others insist on stating that posting your firearms s/r # can cuase you all kinds of trouble[?][?][?]
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please wait for Bert, He does a great job with this question.
I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.0 -
Is it the one about "someone can report the gun stolen (from themselves) if they know the serial number?" Never made much sense to me unless they would have access more direct than cyberspace. But what do I know? I ain't Bert.[:(]
Besides, some of you people could live in my neighborhood...although there are some I hope and pray DO NOT!0 -
I,m a wait'n BERT. I realy want to hear this. 0 -
Well I think that whole thing is stupid. How is the serial number going to be of any use to any body else? There are normally paper trails on leagle firearms. The only people I would think would be worried about giving that information out is people doing illegal things? I could be wrong and if I am please point it out! 0 -
As with most things there are differeing points of view, so there will be on going debate on the s/n issue.
There are many folks that think if the full serial number of a gun is given that someone may try and claim that it is their long stolen gun. Of course one would need something to back that up to actually claim the gun ... but grief is grief. Then there are tose that feel that the "shadow forces" that lurk about will use full serial number info for more sinister purposes ...
Also the gun mags., most likely at the direction of their legal departments, only print partial s/n's and that probably only further fuels the fires of partial serial numbers.
Then there are folks that are not fussed about serial numbers at all, and view the concerns of the partial serial number group as humorous.
At the end of the day it's your plain and simple choice. However when asking for date info., etc., you will need to give enough s/n info. to be useful. Generally speaking if you do not give the last 2 digits or characters of the serial number your fine.
I think "Bert" would probably do a better job than this, but, he may be taking a break so I thought I'd try and at least partially fill the void.
If you only have time to do two things so-so, or one thing well ... do the one thing!0 -
Hello all: I think it boils down to personal preference. When it comes to long guns, I usually only give enough of a serial nuber so the person knows the year of manufacture, meaning I use the XX or XXX of the last 2 or 3 serial numbers. If an individual wants the whole number, I ask them if they are looking for a specific number, and will tell them if this is the gun they are looking for.
This is for " after you" there is no "paper trail" on a 40, 50 plus year old gun! If a firearm, (Long gun) has been recently sold through a dealer maybe, you can get something. If you asked Remington, who they shipped Md xx S/N xxxxx to 30 years ago they may be able to answer that. But if the dealer who first sold that gun is out of business, your trail ends. Not all states require the "transfer" of long guns to go through a dealer.
Regards Dave0 -
Well, not necessarily.
Dealers that go out of business are required to surrender their "bound books" to BATFE. Unless the dealership burned to the ground, or the dealer died & the family discarded his records, most guns sold in the last 60-70 years can be traced.
The only legitimate reason I can see for obscuring the serial # is the possibility that it has been stolen. If it is on the NICS data base, & there is documentation that proves legal ownership by someone else, that gun can be seized without compensation. A gun stolen 20-30 years ago may have passed through the hands of many law abiding owners & dealers, but there is no way to be sure without a NICS check that it is not "hot".
If I were attempting to buy a gun that I couldn't physically examine, I would expect the seller to give me a detailed description, including the complete serial #. If he withheld that, I would not be comfortable with the transaction.
Neal0 -
Good morning nmyers: I would imagine there are quite a few gun owners out there like myself who have guns that have been "in the family" for years! My state didn't require that you "transfer ownership" of firearm through a licensed dealer until Jan. 1991.
Like I said earlier, people had the right to buy and sell fiearms (long guns)at will. If you have a gun that was manufactured in 1938 as an example, if ATF has the manufactures firearm log book for that year, they can tell you who they shipped it too. If they have that dealers "log book" they can find out who first bought the firearm. After that that gun could have changed hands a dozen times, in my state up until, Jan. 1991, and there is now way you can find out who "owned" the firearm inbetween.
I'd be really surprized if ATF had the "log books" of Parker, L.C. Smith, Iver Johnson, etc mostly because the firearms they built, weren't, (aren't) weapons of choice by todays criminals.
Does that mean the Md 70 Winchester I bought 30 plus years ago is illegal, no. It just means there is no record of who owned it after it was first sold through a dealer.
Again, I feel it boils down to personal choice, if a person wants to give the entire serial number when they list a gun here at GB. Since the seller has to ship it to a licensed dealer, the serial number will eventually go back down into someone "log book" again.
I don't know if there is an ATF "employee" here that would share what they do with the "Log Books". such as how long they keep them, do they keep them, etc etc. Unless there is some kind of "National" registration of firearms, there are millions of long guns out there, that simply have no "paper trail" after it was first sold, either from the manufacturer, or dealer. Again, that doesn't mean they are illegal.
Regards Dave0 -
quote:Originally posted by duckhunter
please wait for Bert, He does a great job with this question.
I WOULD RATHER BE DUCK HUNTING.
[:D][:D][:D]
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=77481
http://forums.gunbroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=79170
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0 -
Hello all... I am not really taking a break, but have been just too damn busy trying to get my new work office set-up. I just recently moved from Anaheim, CA back to my home in Washington state, and I have been busier than a one legged man in an a.s.s. kicking contest trying to get everything in place, and hire four new electronic technicians before the 1st of December... it sometimes sucks to be the HMFIC[:D]
Bert H.
Real Men use a SINGLE-SHOT!0 -
Thanks BERT.
I read the part where NJRETCOP wrote that someone could obtain all of your info if they had the s/n. HOW[?] Look it up on the internet[?]DUH[}:)] The only persone that could gain access to that info is a gun dealer that you purchase from.
YOU FIREARM's s/n is NOT you SOCIAL SECURITY #.[;)]0
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