removing the importers mark

[a454me]

I recently got a revolver that had been returned to the US after being in another country , it has an importer mark in the frame and looks like it was done with an electric pencil . Is there any reason not to remove the importers mark if I decide to have the gun refinished ?
TIA

 

[Diomed]

I've asked a similar question before (elsewhere), and was unable to come up with any legal reason why not. Import marks are stupid and ugly, so remove away, unless someone can point to a law saying that you can't.

 

[wdlsguy]

18 USC 922. Unlawful acts
...
(k) It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to transport, ship, or receive, in interstate or foreign commerce, any firearm which has had the importer’s or manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, or altered or to possess or receive any firearm which has had the importer’s or manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, or altered and has, at any time, been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.
...

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000922----000-.html

 

[HankB]

IANAL, but by my reading of the law cited above, as long as the serial number is left intact, removing the importer's mark is OK.

 

[bpisler]

Leave the serial number alone and you should
be just fine.

 

[armoredman]

Leave it all alone, best idea, unless you are a legitimate museum...

 

[joab]

any firearm which has had the importer’s or manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, or altered

any firearm which has had the importer’s or manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, or altered

But it says or,repeated twice, wouldn't that imply that removing either is illegal?

I have wondered this also , as I have several guns ruined by an ugly import mark,but never enough to actually persue it.

The above law seems pretty cut and dried to me.

 

[ewb45acp]

But it says or,repeated twice, wouldn't that imply that removing either is illegal?

I believe the meaning is that the importer may have applied their own (2nd) serial number, and removing either number is illegal.

 

[joab]

Good point, it doesn't say importer mark

I would still contact BATF before proceeding

 

[tulsamal]

I believe the meaning is that the importer may have applied their own (2nd) serial number, and removing either number is illegal.

Exactly. Like an early Russian military rifle that has Cyrillic characters for serial numbers. The importer may just punt and do their best to give the English numbers. They engrave those on there somewhere. Or an older firearm being imported that doesn't have a serial number at all. That is the "identifying feature" of that particular gun so you can't remove it. But if it just says "Century Arms" out at the end of the barrel and you want to remove it, grind away!

Next you'll be asking us if it is legal to remove the dealer sticker from that car you just bought! (I'm baffled by all the cars I see with dealer ID's on them. Why do people allow themselves to be 24/7 billboards?)

Gregg

 

[joab]

Next you'll be asking us if it is legal to remove the dealer sticker from that car you just bought! (I'm baffled by all the cars I see with dealer ID's on them

I's just because the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Vehicles is so ambivalent with their rules and regs

 

[eastwood44mag]

When in doubt, get it from the ATF in writing.

 

[SouthpawShootr]

When in doubt, get it from the ATF in writing.

Best advice. Although the sentence structure of the code would seem to support that it's illegal to remove an importer's serial number (not importer information), the ATF has a tendency to breathe new meaning into laws. A good lawyer could get you off, given this particular wording, but why risk it. Find out what the ATF thinks about it.