blocking out serial numbers

Dstyles75

Dstyles75

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Why do some people block out the serial number when they post pictures of their guns? Is there any real danger if you let people see the serial number? What can happen?
 
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There is the remote chance that someone will file a report of a stolen gun at sometime---just as some malicious behavior---I do not know of it ever happening, but I have known people who feared that it might occur and cause problems down the line. I doubt anyone of this forum would be close to some activity---but when you put things on GB etc. who knows who might see it and do so.
 
Pet peeve so standby...

In online Forums like ours here I greatly prefer seeing the complete serial and applaud the guys who are willing to provide that kind of complete data. That free exchange of information helps us all.

As a researcher and author I find complete serial numbers essential. I keep pretty extensive databases of all guns that interest me, primarily U.S. martial handguns. Not only are they useful for publishing articles and books, they also serve to tie down specific details like changes in markings or other features. They have also served to help me or others avoid buying refinished or fake guns. I'll see a gun in 50% condition sell on one of the auction sites and then a few months later it shows up again as a 99% gun. It is not uncommon to find early WWII vintage Colt M1911A1 pistols with the slide and frame mismatched and, believe it or not, I've been able to help collectors get the correct slides back on the right frame. Twice I've put original S&W Registered Magnum revolvers back with their original box and certificate which more than doubled their value. This kind of thing is only possible if I am able to record complete serial numbers.
Could Chuck Clawson, Charlie Pate, Doug Sheldon, Scott Meadows, Roy Jinks, Supica and Nahas or any other serious researcher/author been able to produce such canonical reference books without specific, complete serial numbers? Would you buy a book that had XXX's instead of serial numbers?

Jim Supica is the Director of the NRA's National Firearms Museum. For many years he was a firearms dealer and auctioneer. He has on several occasions made the point that of the thousands of guns he has listed for sale on his website and in auction catalogs he has never once had an issue with displaying complete serial numbers. He also happens to be a lawyer and has said that it stretches credibility to the breaking point to think that anyone could fake a police report and somehow assert claim to good title based on a picture on the internet.

Having said all that, I respect others' rights to X them out. Just know that in most cases you are only saying "look what I bought" and not advancing the knowledge base in any way.

Regards,
Kxxxx Wxxxxxxx
 
Just about any image you post can be pulled up somehow through web searches. If someone sees a gun and serial number, its pretty easy to call law enforcement and report that gun as stolen. After the report is made, they can say they found "their stolen gun" on the internet. The chance of this happening and actually having your gun confiscated would be really low, but it could be a pain in your butt trying to prove its yours if it was a face to face sale with no way to trace it.
Easier just to cover it than take that chance.
 
We are all on endless Lists of Lists.
One way the government knows what kind of weapon you have is the sales record when U buy new.
But selling, trading stops this line.
In case a gun ban is placed they go from home to home in a surge, day and night without any media coverage. Bin there, seen it.
How else you think they will enforce it? Neighbors denunciating neighbors by finger-pointing on each other only to being able to go home. A great scenario in the land of the free.

I am on so many government Lists. I am cataloged, evaluated, profiled, measured, biometric measured, triage and filed on so many places...... I don't need to fill them extra up with extra datas and information and avoid to give information that I don't have too.

Questions?
 
First and foremost, any LE agency taking a report of a stolen firearm will ask for proof of ownership prior to taking the report. Saying "I don't remember where I got it" or "a firend gave it to me" is not enough.I have friends that have had their guns stolen, and every one of them was told they needed "definitive proof" the firearms were theirs before they would even take a report. They all knew where they came from and what the dealers name was, had the persons name etc. (One of the good reasons to use an FFL for any firearms transfers.) For a private sale, it can be harder, but any gun is still traceable as long as the previous owners are alive.

I keep a record of every gun I have ever owned. The brand, model, serial, where it came from (FFL NAME or copy of DL for private sale) and where it went if I don't still have it (FFL or receipt from private sale with copy of DL).
 
Last edited:
That is a really good idea NYresQ---very good idea. Recording that kind of info may come in handy for lots of reasons.
 
Handguns are registered in NY and I do not feel comfortable knowing the NY state police watches these forums. The less they know the better. But just to be clear, all of my handguns are legally owned.

James
 
To avoid the wrong impression. All my guns are legal purchased and registered in Texas.
 
srv1 said:
Handguns are registered in NY and I do not feel comfortable knowing the NY state police watches these forums. The less they know the better. But just to be clear, all of my handguns are legally owned.

James
Click to expand...

Even if a handgun isn't registered with the state, an ATF trace and some leg work will follow it pretty quickly down the line.

The NYSP knows about half of what you think they know... The pistol license division is so understaffed and backlogged, they have thousands of handgun transfer forms from every FFL in NY literally sitting in boxes in the unopened envelopes.

And you think they have the manpower to have people reading gun forums?? Obviously you don't know many Troopers... The ones I work with on the task force can't get more than a single box of practice ammo a month and if they work more than 10 hours of OT per month, they have to write a memo why... A fat budget is not a problem the NYSP has right now... The Troopers have more than enough idiots up on the radar in NY to keep them busy without having to go out and look for problems with law abiding gun owners.

The NYSP is not the problem, the elected cockroaches are... make sure you are registered to vote, and lets make a difference this november!!
 
Many used guns are still sold privately with a visual ID check of permit and/or DL, and a handshake. Many prefer it this way, with no papers please.

This thread has me thinking.
If an original owner sold his gun with a handshake, then new owner traded that gun to a 3rd owner. Now 3rd owner lists gun for sale. What is to stop original owner from claiming that gun (beside having to be a low down dirty crook)?

Hide the serial number to be safe unless you 100% know the history and can document it.
 
At one time it was considered savy to scratch your social security number into anything you owned that had value. I have bought power tools and tractors that had the owners full name and social security number scratched into the metal.

Seems crazy to do that now, but they did not know any better. Who knows if the serial numbers will be the same. Once they are out there you can't get them back.

I have done a google image search and found my pictures of my guns posted. I posted them on this sight. You click on the picture and it will take you right to the thread it was posted in. The really weird part, if I delete the picture from photobucket it disapears from the thread but the google image is still there.
 
eveled said:
The really weird part, if I delete the picture from photobucket it disapears from the thread but the google image is still there.
Click to expand...

You wouldn't believe what you have to go through to get your images deleted from Google. And even then, you can't be sure they're completely gone. Welcome to the Machine.
 
WATCHDOG said:
You wouldn't believe what you have to go through to get your images deleted from Google. And even then, you can't be sure they're completely gone. Welcome to the Machine.
Click to expand...

um, they are never gone...
 
Also as far as safe buying, even if you get a receipt when purchasing a used gun, something may have gone wrong prior to that owner selling it to you. Sure, you won't go to jail, it falls to guy that sold it to you, but still out the gun and fat chance of getting your money back. Easier and safer to simply block out serial numbers anytime you show a gun photo.
 
NYresQ said:
First and foremost, any LE agency taking a report of a stolen firearm will ask for proof of ownership prior to taking the report. Saying "I don't remember where I got it" or "a firend gave it to me" is not enough.I have friends that have had their guns stolen, and every one of them was told they needed "definitive proof" the firearms were theirs before they would even take a report. They all knew where they came from and what the dealers name was, had the persons name etc. (One of the good reasons to use an FFL for any firearms transfers.) For a private sale, it can be harder, but any gun is still traceable as long as the previous owners are alive.

I keep a record of every gun I have ever owned. The brand, model, serial, where it came from (FFL NAME or copy of DL for private sale) and where it went if I don't still have it (FFL or receipt from private sale with copy of DL).
Click to expand...

I have had firearms stolen and law enforcement took the serial numbers I gave them with out "definitive proof." Law enforcement wants in and out of a service call as soon as possible and to get the weapons information broadcasted pronto. Every department has there own protocol.
 
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