Lack of import marks on firearms manufactured after 1968.

ol' scratch · Apr 15, 2015

The import marks thread got me thinking. I currently own an FN Browning Hi Power. It is numbers matching and manufactured in 1986. The odd thing is that I have completely stripped the firearm including grips and have failed to locate any import marks. How is this possible?

Snyper · Apr 15, 2015

It is numbers matching and manufactured in 1986. The odd thing is that I have completely stripped the firearm including grips and have failed to locate any import marks.

Those are the "import marks"

DMF · Apr 15, 2015

http://www.atf.gov/files/firearms/guides/marking-variances.html

Al Thompson · Apr 16, 2015

Guns coming into the US from military folks stationed abroad don't have import marks. I have two shotguns in the safe that I brought back from Germany in the late '80's with no import marks.

Bigdog57 · Apr 16, 2015

Serial numbers and import marks are totally different things, and they became required at different times.

Snyper · Apr 16, 2015

Serial numbers and import marks are totally different things, and they became required at different times.

According to this, serial numbers and other information such as manufacturer and chambering are what comprise "import marks"

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-id...477b7e8541f1&node=27:3.0.1.2.3.6.1.2&rgn=div8

§478.92 How must licensed manufacturers and licensed importers identify firearms, armor piercing ammunition, and large capacity ammunition feeding devices?

(a)(1) Firearms. You, as a licensed manufacturer or licensed importer of firearms, must legibly identify each firearm manufactured or imported as follows:

(i) By engraving, casting, stamping (impressing), or otherwise conspicuously placing or causing to be engraved, cast, stamped (impressed) or placed on the frame or receiver thereof an individual serial number.

The serial number must be placed in a manner not susceptible of being readily obliterated, altered, or removed, and must not duplicate any serial number placed by you on any other firearm.

For firearms manufactured or imported on and after January 30, 2002, the engraving, casting, or stamping (impressing) of the serial number must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size no smaller than 1⁄16 inch; and

lysanderxiii · Apr 16, 2015

Importers are required to ensure that all imported firearms have serial numbers, so technically, yes, serial numbers are part of the required marking for import.

However, almost all firearms already have a serial number, some form of model designation and caliber information already on them, importers only have to add their name, their city and state and the country of origin.

rule303 · Apr 16, 2015

You are thinking of military guns, which are usually crudely stamped with the country of origin, caliber, and importer after they are imported by the importer. Your Browning was manufactured with the required information at the factory in Belgium. A separate import stamp is only needed if any of the required info is not provided by the manufacturer, or the original serial# doesn't meet ATF requirements.

Bigdog57 · Apr 17, 2015

This......

"importers only have to add their name, their city and state and the country of origin. "

Yes. Serial numbers are a different consideration. ALL guns after the 1968GCA have them. Import or not. All else is details. A serial number alone does not tell me the gun is imported.

Snyper · Apr 17, 2015

A serial number alone does not tell me the gun is imported.

No one said a serial number "alone" was all that is needed, but serial numbers are a part of the required import markings.

The OP's gun had all the required information if the manufacturer is also a licensed importer.

On many guns, no "extra" importer information is required

Most often it's seen on old military surplus where the importer had nothing to do with actually making the guns

MedWheeler · Apr 17, 2015

Funny thing about serial numbers, though, is that any serial number cannot contain any characters of any alphabet other than the Roman alphabet (no Cyrillic letters, for example.) If the maker affixed a serial number with such characters, then the importer is supposed to create a new number and affix it.

But, my Bulgarian Makarov has only the maker's serial number, matched on both the slide and frame, and containing Cyrillic characters. The importer's ID info appears as well. The gun appears to have been made in 1979.

Archie · Apr 18, 2015

Import markings

Since 1930, all items manufactured outside the United States and then commercially imported into the United States have to have country of origin markings.

If the arm was not commercially imported, i.e., by a private party for personal use, it would not require country of origin marking.

Having said that, I have two "High Power" pistols. One is a Browning, the other a FN (Fabrique Nationale). The Browning marked pistol has a stamp on the left side of the slide reading "Browning Arms Company, Morgan Utah and Montreal, P. Q. - made in Belgium". The FN is marked (same place on slide) "Fabrique Nationale Herstal Belgique". The country of origin is clearly marked.

Is it possible the marking is there and just doesn't look like what you're expecting?

Lack of import marks on firearms manufactured after 1968.

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