Look at this m1917. How can you be a dealer and blatantly sell this??? He even posts a pic of the removed serial number area
Removed auction link due to forum rules. It's on gunauction and can easily be found.

I think there are quite a few like that one floating around; they come up here on the forum fairly often, at least questions about them if not pictures. May be the first time I've seen one advertised nationally though. Most people, including most LEOs I expect, and perhaps more than a few FFL holders, wouldn't recognize it as a problem.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

While I agree about the one posted a month ago which would appear to be lost from honest wear, that one looks like it was intentionally removed...

Ding!...

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My Daddy was a pistol..

There are lots of careless dealers who will put down any number they can find on a gun as the serial number. Older S&Ws are often misidentified by using the assembly number in the yoke area as the serial number, and some guys must figure "Hey, if it's on the frame it must be the serial." On the auction in question there is even in the description, "Serial #: 16593 (at crane)".There are also plenty who will take the serial from the barrel or cylinder and call that good, even if it's been removed from the butt.

1917s are a particular problem because lots of people in the past figured if it said "U.S. Army" on the butt and "United States Property" on the underside of the barrel that it must be stolen, and they'd take off all numbers. I'd be willing to bet that this gun also has the Property stamp under the barrel removed.

The other problem with 1917s is that on a S&W 1917 the serial is on the butt, and the number in the yoke area is a meaningless assembly number. On a Colt 1917 the official serial number is in the yoke area, and the number on the butt is an Army serial number that only the military used. So a Colt with the number removed from the butt would be perfectly legal but a S&W would not.

What Jeff said.

A couple years ago, I walked into a shop in Dickson, TN that had exactly one older S&W in their handgun case. Turned out to be a poorly refinished Victory that had the S/N removed from the butt. I informed the sales clerk that it was illegal and he had the owner come over to join the conversation. Before I could even speak a word, the owner (who had never set eyes on me) pretty much told me that I was an idiot. When I offered to call ATF (on my nickel) and ask them about the legality, he became downright belligerent.

Didn't really matter to me. I wouldn't have paid his $600 price tag anyway.

Mark

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S&W Forum Member #721

Similar situation with a cane gun.

Got similar response from an auctioneer with an upcoming auction listing a Cane Gun. I asked if it was properly registered.

"It is so old, it is exempt."

Next day it was no long on the property listing.

Bekeart

I have witnessed on more than one occasion an FFL completing a sale and taking a "assembly"# from the yoke thinking all S&W had the s/n there and being too lazy to remove the stocks to find out the real #(and not knowing most of the time it's also on the barrel flat). I try to educate, but often get gruff "MYOB".

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

The seller must know, in his description he says (Serial #: 16593 (at crane) why add at crane unless he knows?

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Thank you
Penmon AKA Jim

This is from an auction carried on Proxibid 5/21:

Manufacturer: Smith & Wesson
Condition: Fair
Model: M-1917
Barrel Length: 5.5 IN
Caliber: 45 ACP
Serial #: 7928
Gray finish, smooth walnut grips. In a nice floral tooled leather holster. (holster is for a single action) Little original finish, and pitting. Good action and bore. Numbers on Butt removed.

I contacted the auction house (Gunslinger) in advance of the auction and advised them of the situation. It sold for $350.

Bob

From the rules-

NOTE the line that says:
There are nine replies to this thread.
Is there some word in that sentence you guys don't understand?

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett