the serial number of record at the time of shipping is the only way to know for certain,,,yes if its in a box, with the proper end label and the box is numbered to the gun, thats proof enough for MOST of us, and even better yet if the
"package" has the outside shipper ( cardboard ) and it too is stamped, marked with the serial number,,,,ta daa ....home run :wink:
a gun by itself, and NO box does NOT tell the whole story..........looking the gun will tell the "above"average collector just what they are looking at BUT even then there are GOOD 'smiths out there that can make the gun into ANY configuration that the owner may want it to be,,,,,,caveat emptor baby.....any doubt, skip it 8) :roll: