BLANKED OUT SERIAL NUMBERS

[5of7]

There are risks and then there are risks that are so minor as to be considered inconsequential.

This is one of the latter. 8)

 

[chet15]

Another reason for not giving the full serial number is it can create a lot of unnecessary bad feelings!
I called on Lightweight Single-Six one time that was advertised with the serial number 2xx007. After asking him on the phone three times he finally said the first three digits were 200. Yes, of course I'll take it!! When it got here it was 204007. So here I was with a lot of anticipation and it ended up costing me postage on the return trip. 'Course, I'm sure the owner was none too pleased it was coming back either, and I told him exactly why.
Chet15

 

[mohavesam]

Some people believe that the serial number would be used by a dishonest person claiming that it is their firearm and it is stolen. It would be up to the real owner to prove it wasn't.

This makes abut as much sense as covering your license plate to avoid someone claiming it as their car and reporting it stolen.

A false report of a firearm theft is a felony criminal act, so if the true owner has any legitimate record at all (even a dated-prior photograph) of ownership, she/he should not have any legitimate fear at all.

 

[gc70]

The practice of obscuring or changing serial numbers in photos is so common that when I posted a photo of a revolver with the serial number 98765 I had people ask me about the "real" serial number.

 

[RugerForMe]

About 10 years ago or so, I bought a revolver that the sellers picture clearly showed the SN.

That picture showed up on different web sites for years.

Some of the guys even claiming it to be "there" revolver. When I would run across it I would just send them an Email or PM asking them to take down the picture of "MY" revolver. Only had one guy give me flak and refuse to do it, the admin of the web site was more than willing to do it for him. Always bothered me.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I have bought quite a few guns off the net. Never had anyone NOT give me the S/N when I asked for it.
Saying that it was your gun and stolen just doesn't fly. Possession is still 9/10 of the law and making a false report gets you time in the cross bar hotel

 

[Walter Rego]

Possession is not "9/10ths of the law" as anyone using that as a defense of being in possession of stolen property finds out.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Possession is not "9/10ths of the law" as anyone using that as a defense of being in possession of stolen property finds out.

OH Really,
Case in point CAS Pard had a bunch of guns stolen from his house. About a week later guy tries to sell them at a small gun show. Well they pop as stolen. Cop comes and talks to guy who said he bought them from a guy on the street. Guy is turned loose. Can't prove he stole them.
Did he? You can bet your sweet arsh he did. Pard gets back 2 guns out of 10
You still have to prove it is your gun to get it which was done in this case.

 

[mohavesam]

I dunno any LEO who would turn over reported stolen property if the rightful owner had reported the serial numbers; OR turn a guy loose who possessed the reported property!
Possession of reported stolen property is the crime, proof "that he stole them'" is not a requirement for arrest, that's for the prosecutor to show and the court to decide.

Proof that the rightful owner owned the guns is EASY if the guy had any type of record or even bought the guns at an FFL!

 

[Wyandot Jim]

I dunno any LEO who would turn over reported stolen property if the rightful owner had reported the serial numbers; OR turn a guy loose who possessed the reported property!
Possession of reported stolen property is the crime, proof "that he stole them'" is not a requirement for arrest, that's for the prosecutor to show and the court to decide.

Proof that the rightful owner owned the guns is EASY if the guy had any type of record or even bought the guns at an FFL!

Sorry but that isn't the way it works. Yes he had proof that is how he got them back