no serial number?

[PT1911]

so I was in the shop today chatting with a friend that runs the place. A local game warden purchased a mossberg 500c in 20ga and had it shipped to his FFL... upone receiving the gun, it was noticed to not have a serial number... he was surprised, as was the warden when he arrived to pick the gun up.... later... come to find out, it was clarified that until (1968?) shotguns were not required to be serialized?

anyone encountered this?

 

[gunut]

yes.....

 

[jhco]

I have a couple that do not have serial numbers not sure of the years but a lafever and a ranger? Didn't know that the year was 1968 but I was aware that they didn't have to be numbered in the old days

 

[Badger Arms]

Was sold an Ithaca 37 not too long ago and was told it had no serial number. Of course, it's on the front of the receiver but who would think to look there!

 

[Runningman]

Serial numbers were not required by law until the Gun Control Act of 1968. Before that it was up to the gun manufactures if they had a serial number or not.

 

[Badger Arms]

Interestingly, if your gun was made pre-68 and it had a serial number to begin with, owning it without a serial number now is a no-no. BATFE does not distinguish between removing a required serial number and removing an optional serial number. If your gun does not currently have a serial number, I'd make darned sure that it never had one. Club Fed awaits.

 

[PT1911]

this particular gun never had one...seemingly...

 

[MMCSRET]

Interesting; I have a 500 from 1964/5 that has a serial #

 

[Badger Arms]

The VAST majority of firearms made after the turn of the century, and most before that, will have a serial number.

 

[22lr]

Ive got two old Mossberg bolt action shotguns, neither have serial numbers.

 

[Aka Zero]

Got a mossberg bolt 12 gauge, no serial.

C-lect choke on it, uses 2 shot mags, paid $85 for it.

 

[RetiredLawman]

I have some High Standard firearms that I bought during the 1950s that don't have S/Ns. Many of the Sears, JC Higgins firearms had no S/N until after 1968. I have my guns logged with the insurance company and several of them don't have S/Ns.

I agree that it was optional before 1968.

 

[Runningman]

Interestingly, if your gun was made pre-68 and it had a serial number to begin with, owning it without a serial number now is a no-no. BATFE does not distinguish between removing a required serial number and removing an optional serial number. If your gun does not currently have a serial number, I'd make darned sure that it never had one. Club Fed awaits.

None of this is true and it is total nonsense.

The Gun Control Act of 1968 only required serial numbers on firearms manufactured AFTER the law went into effect.

 

[Badger Arms]

None of this is true and it is total nonsense.

The Gun Control Act of 1968 only required serial numbers on firearms manufactured AFTER the law went into effect.

While I agree that it is nonsense, it is sadly true. Please don't tell me that you've acted on that belief. Please don't tell me you've been filing the serial numbers off all your pre-GCA guns!

(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.

Look in the law yourself: http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/922.html. If you can find an excemption that says that it matters if your gun was made prior to this act (grandfather clause), tell me. Not saying it's not there, only that I ain't seen it.

 

[Pete409]

I've got 3 shotguns made before 1968 and NONE of them have a serial number on them. About a year ago, I sold a shotgun made before 1968 and it didn't have a serial number on it either.

Therefore, I'm very skeptical about the claim that "The VAST majority of firearms made after the turn of the century, and most before that, will have a serial number" unless you are referring to the turn of the 21st century.

 

[RoostRider]

I have a couple old guns with no numbers....

 

[rcmodel]

Therefore, I'm very skeptical about the claim that "The VAST majority of firearms made after the turn of the century, and most before that, will have a serial number"

Me too!
Very skeptical!

It's been my observation that higher quality arms by S&W, Colt, Winchester, Marlin, etc., always had serial numbers, and you never see them without one no matter how old they are.

Cheaper guns like the old single-shot Savage & Stevens .22's & bolt-action shotguns, even cheap Winchester .22 single shots, very likely do not have serial numbers.

I even just ran into a very late production Winchester Model 77 semi-auto last week with no serial number, while it was a fact every one made had a serial number.

Turns out about 900 parts guns assembled after they were discontinued in 1963-64 do not.

The 1968 GCA changed all that, and since then, every firearm made must have a serial number regardless of the price or quality.

rc

 

[Badger Arms]

It's been my observation that higher quality arms by S&W, Colt, Winchester, Marlin, etc., always had serial numbers, and you never see them without one no matter how old they are.

GCA of 1968 was not the first "serial number" law. In 1954, Internal Revenue Law stated that guns other than .22's and shotguns must be marked with a serial number, but not necessarilly where on the firearm.

GCA of 1968 added that serial numbers had to be on receiver and could not be duplicated. Also that name of manufacturer, city & state of manufacture, and caliber/gauge had to be marked on the barrel, receiver, or slide. Importers also required a country of import and the above info required for the importer.

Scary reading: http://disarmament.un.org/CAB/Markingandtracing/ITIpresent13_etrace_Nairobi07.pdf