serial number security ?

[Conqueror]

I even post serial numbers of my NFA weapons. If the .gov wanted to compile a list of gun owners, there are FAR better ways than cruising the high road and tracking down everyone's ISP.

 

[FCFC]

Try to take it by claiming it as stolen if you please. Here's what will happen. First, you go to jail.

Reasonable. Predictable.

Second, I sue you and take whatever isn't nailed down.

Reasonable. Justifiable.

Third, I kick your ass so badly you'll curse your parents for giving you life.

Unintelligent. Wacko.



Nice lookin' gun. Looks like it gets shot some.

 

[Mr White]

70G30498. Try to take it by claiming it as stolen if you please. Here's what will happen. First, you go to jail. Second, I sue you and take whatever isn't nailed down. Third, I kick your ass so badly you'll curse your parents for giving you life.

Then I sue you for battery and get back everything that isn't nailed down, plus some of the stuff that is. I think I'd stop after #2.

 

[jr_roosa]

70G30498

You guys should stop fighting over my gun. Thank goodness you found it, SaxonPig! I thought I'd never get it back after it was stolen! I'll come by and pick it up next time I'm in town.



-J.

 

[230RN]

Yeah, I may be "tilting at windmills," or being overly paranoid. Maybe it doesn't happen ... maybe it's another internet myth.

I can attest that it's not merely an internet myth. Elimination of the last few digits has been going on in gun magazines for as long as I can remember, quite a long time, even loooong before Mr. Gore invented the internet.

As stated, it's on a need to know basis and sort of comes under the heading of "good general practice."

Probably the same "good general practice" that makes TV stations obscure things like license plates and such in their broadcasts.

I vaguely recall an item in The American Rifleman fairly recently where the answer to a member's question contained a remark about how the answerer to the question had deleted the last numbers of the questioner's serial number "for security reasons" without stating what those security reasons were.

I figure if the NRA does it, their lawyers are more highly paid than mine, so I might as well do it, too.

 

[Conqueror]

I can attest that it's not merely an internet myth. Elimination of the last few digits has been going on in gun magazines for as long as I can remember, quite a long time

Then it's a print myth too. Until someone can show me a documented case of this happening I will be happy to go on record that deletion of the serial number is laughable paranoia.

 

[FCFC]

I vaguely recall an item in The American Rifleman fairly recently where the answer to a member's question contained a remark about how the answerer to the question had deleted the last numbers of the questioner's serial number "for security reasons" without stating what those security reasons were.

I'm thinking about going one step further, for "better security" reasons.

If I'm gonna sell one of my revolvers, I'll eliminate the last two digits of the model number. Say, a S&W 6xx....or a S&W 6xx....or a Ruger GP-1xx...

This, theoretically, will make it extra hard for the Internet sharpies to claim they own my gun. Let's face it, if they don't know what model it is, how could they truly own it?

I haven't figured out what to do with the two digit model number guns. I mean, how can one leave off some numbers on a S&W model 27?

Hmm, maybe if I left off the W and the 7??

 

[jrfoxx]

The way I see it, eliminating a few digits of the serial number takes all of 5 seconds, and will hurt absolutely nothing. While it may have never happened, anything is possible, so not doing it could have a downside, even if the odds of it even being attempted are 1 billion to 1. Why even risk it over 5 seconds worth of your time to edit, or not types the full s/n?

Some criminals are very good at what they do, and can be pretty ingenious, so its possible one could figure out a way to use the s/n to get your gun. even if they failed in the attempt, and went to prison, your gun will probly still get tied up for a while as the cops sort it out, then as evidence for the persons trila for the attempt. Either way, you lose your gun for a bit, and I would rather that not happen, personally.

Also, as said, a vindictive person could use it just to get your gun tied up with the cops while it gets sorted out. Will they get busted for doing it? VERY,VERY likely, but some people are dumb enough not to realize that, and some just may not care, and 1 might just get lucky and get away with it.

Too many starnge, and seemingly impossible things happen all the time to say it's impossible, and minimizing the risk ven more takes a few seconds, so....

That said, I dont block out s/n's in my pics, but only because I have never had one be even remotely visible in a pic I took, so it wsnt nessecary. Just dont take a close up of the area whee the s/n is, and you dont have to do anything, and still get the benifit of not displaying it.

 

[230RN]

Conquerer, when I said

I can attest that it's not merely an internet myth. Elimination of the last few digits has been going on in gun magazines for as long as I can remember, quite a long time.

I was responding to a remark by someone else which implied that it originated on the internet. What I meant was that it had been around for lots longer than the internet has been around.

I'm not sure it's a valid precaution, but valid or not, I figure it's like chicken soup for a cold:

"Can't do any harm, might do some good."

 

[Geronimo45]

Can you cite an example where this worked successfully or even where someone claims they posted a serial number and someone else later reported the gun stolen?

"Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

 

[Rugerlvr]

I have documentation for almost all my firearms. I generally don't worry about it.