Serial Numbers

[Tango Alpha]

I was visiting a friend and he has a couple of old (1940s? maybe) shotguns and .22s and we couldn't find serial numbers on them. They are completely "stock" not one has altered them in the least He says that lots of old guns don't have serial numbers. Is this right or are we just not looking in the right places? When did serial number become required/commonly used?

Information

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[John Kepler]

1968...none were required before then.

[edlmann]

1968...none were required before then.

Think I remember that they were required on pistols, but I'm not sure. Many long arms were optionally numbered pre-GCA 68.

[Tango Alpha]

I have several pre '68 firearms and they all have serial numbers. So, before 1968 it was not required, but some manufacturers used them anyhow?

[kcw]

I have several pre '68 firearms and they all have serial numbers. So, before 1968 it was not required, but some manufacturers used them anyhow?

Correct. Most manufacturers did serial #'s prior to 68', but it wasn't required until the 1968 Gun Control Act.

[Jim K]

Serial numbering was originally instituted by the gun companies, specifically Colt, as a means of tracking production changes and as part of warranty service. It was not until the 20th century that governments hit on the idea of registering guns as a means of controlling political opposition (usually touted as controlling crime, even when the "crime" was voting the wrong way).

Since serial numbering and the associated record keeping cost money, most manufacturere did not number their inexpensive long guns prior to 1968. After the passage of GCA '68 many makers discontinued their cheaper lines of shotguns and .22 rifles since they felt that the additional cost would be more than the traffic would bear. Higher quality guns (like the Winchester 70) were always serial numbered.

IIRC, the original FFA, required serial numbers on handguns, but it might have just been in response to growing state registration laws.

In any case, those guns made before the law required serial numbers were "grandfathered" and are perfectly legal to own, though it is illegal to remove a serial number or to possess a gun from which the serial number has been removed or defaced.

Dealers handling guns that never had serial numbers simply note that fact in their bound book and any other documentation.

Jim

[Dave]

The "first FFA" was 1934 and was in response to the use of "Tommy Guns" by criminals, notably boot leggers, even tho Thompson's had serial numbers at the time. However one of the tommy guns used in the St. Valintines shooting in Chicago had the serail number removed. It is now in the possition of a Sheriffs Dept here in MI.

[Tango Alpha]

About 10-15 years ago I took a rifle to a gunsmith for repair (sight wouldn't adjust). As he was repairing it he thought that the rifle didn't have a serial number. He took it out of the vise and said something like, "This is a felony and I won't work on it. I suggest that you sneak it into a dumpster late at night, 'cause if they catch you with it it'll be 10 years in Leavenworth."

About this time he realized that it actually did have a serial number, it just wasn't real distinct, the rifle was well used and the parkerization had worn off.

I'm not sure how old that rifle was (I no longer have it), but I bought it used in the early 70's, so it very easily could have been pre-68. Any idea why this gunsmith got so excited?

[n64atlas]

If it was a model that was known to have a serial number, then he would have thought it was removed. Thus the notification to you of the consequences if you were caught with a firearm with the serial number removed. If it was a model that never had a serial number, then he was confused by the GCA of 1968 as were many FFL's back then.
BTW: If it was a commercial firearm, it would have been blued or black oxide. If military it could have been parkerized though not all military firearms were parkerized