I purchased a 6906 police trade-in from AIM surplus recently and found these markings on it. Anyone have any idea what these indicate? Internal police stock numbers? Precinct designation within a department?

I have a big fascination with firearm markings and would like understand what I've got here.

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Look like seized property evidence/case# markings from a crime scene.

DING DING DING, GIVE THAT MAN A CIGAR.

I see, very interesting. I had that suspicion, but found it strange an LEO issued trade in weapon would be marked for that reason (even if used in an officer involved incident). As opposed to a civilian weapon pulled from a crime scene.

Yes, those look like property room identification numbers, so that was a seized weapon. Some jurisdictions will sell seized weapons after sentencing of the suspect. Yours might have been sold to a dealer along with a whole bunch of firearms.

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Yep , evidence marks, I have owned a few firearms with them

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I know that removing serial numbers and reimport marks would both be frowned upon by the alphabet agencies, but what about evidence marks like those in the OP? It seems like they could be buff out then the surface re- blasted to match original if the new owner objected to their presence (as I would.). Wouldn’t that be a legal modification?

Froggie

I would definitely remove evidence marks. Do you really know if the case is cleared and you won't get jammed up if the cops get hold of the gun?

Now the mystery is; what was the crime, how to back trace to the case.

That's my question as well. Would it even be possible to trace without knowing the department/jurisdiction?

Can't say I'm thrilled I got this one out of the lot. All the other 6906 trade in pictures I've seen don't have this.

It could be an evidence/property mark. Since you bought it from a reputable commercial dealer, you're chances of having acquired a gun involved in an active investigation are slim to none. Since these recent surplused guns are mostly coming from places like Israel, it's just as likely to be some kind of inventory control number. Unless the sight of it offends you, there's really nothing to see here.

That seems plausible as well. I could never imagine AIM selling a batch containing handguns of questionable legality.
A shame there is no good way to dig into the background of what the markings are actually referencing. But that's just more my excessive curiosity talking.

Just because a gun has a property number engraved on it doesn't mean it's of questionable legality. It happens to many guns every year and many of those get returned to their owners. I've seen plenty at gunshows and in the used gun cases in shops.

If the police mark a gun for evidence of any other reason those markings do not fall under the Federal statutes and ATF regulations. SNs and re-import markings are different than property room miscellany. Regulated "numbers" require a certain depth and a certain clarity. Miscellaneous scratchings on a gun are just that, unimportant miscellany for ATF purposes.

Those markings are in English, or at least a Romance language, so I'd rule out Israel as a source but they speak English there sufficiently that one never knows.

ATF Guidebook - (c) BATFE

https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/...onpdf/download

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Come and take it!!

It is perfectly safe and legal to remove any marking except for the serial number. The only issue the OP will have is that the receiver is aluminum alloy. The markings can be removed, but in order to have a uniform finish, the receiver will need to be re-anodized or plated with something like NP3. Once you do that, the inexpensive surplus pistol will end up costing the same as buying a 6906 that is already in excellent condition.

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Feels better to know removal of those marking is presumably ok. If I ever end up going that route is another story given the cost issues.

Still would really like to know what that case was.

My 4586 had some oddball markings on the frame, but they didn't bother me, that gun had some severe cosmetic issues anyway. Several of my used guns have had Social Security numbers on the frames under the grips, and one had some guy's SS# and initials on the sideplate, just barely covered by the grips it had on it.

I was able to find the officer who had my 5906 just from his name on the box and the dept. Looked him up on google and found an email address. My gun was used only for dressup occasions and was only shot about half a box worth of ammo. It only came out of the box a half dozen times before it was traded in, along with the 5906 he actually carried.