Serial Numbers: What's the big secret?

[Watchdog]

If you're like me, and sometimes looking online for guns to buy, you want to know as much about the gun as possible. The first thing I always want to know is when the gun was manufactured, and the easiest way to figure that out is with the serial number.

But lots of times, I can't see or read the serial number. Or the seller has deliberately blurred it or blanked part of it out. And they'll give a partial number like ABC123XXX. So then you have to go through the rigamarole of contacting the seller and asking for the number. Sometimes they'll tell you, sometimes they won't. Sometimes they don't even bother to answer (lost sale right there, btw).

So really...what's the big secret? Why not show or give the serial number?

 

[m1gunner]

Just curious, what is your SSAN?

 

[k22fan]

Once posted the s/n remains available worldwide in perpetuity. The internet is crawling with thieves and miscellaneous white collar criminals. Either they or Michael Bloomberg’s minions would love to find a way to do you harm. The last two or three digits are of no value to you for determining the gun's age.

Incidentally, Washington has a brand new law that requires most private gun transfers be processed by an FFL. While sitting on a branch a little squirrel told me they’ll have trouble enforcing it on guns that haven’t passed through an FFL since the law took effect because they don’t have a record of when the current owner acquired the gun. The squirrels are glad they haven’t been posting their s/n.

 

[Arik]

Even with the S# they,still don't know when you took possession. Only when you posted the picture.

I also don't get the point

 

[M29since14]

...And they'll give a partial number like ABC123XXX. So then you have to go through the rigamarole of contacting the seller and asking for the number.

Not to be argumentative, but why do you need a full serial number? The only reason I can think of would be if you were looking for a stolen gun. If you have a way to ID stolen guns from a s/n, good for you - most of us don't.

If you can fix an approximate date of manufacture with a partial number, that's good enough. Only a historical letter will tell "officially" when an S&W left the factory.

If you want to be sure you are getting the gun you are buying based on photography in an internet ad, or something like that, arrange to buy the gun, then tell the seller you want the serial number and you want to be sure it corresponds with the gun that was photographed (in other words, no "mistakes" ). If he bristles at that, tell him to forget it. You've made your commitment up front to let him know you are honest and serious and that's a reasonable request. Any objections - walk.

 

[m1gunner]

Even with the S# they,still don't know when you took possession. Only when you posted the picture.

I also don't get the point

How about someone with the ability to add stolen serial numbers to the NCIC database deciding that is a good number to add. Not now, but eventually, it could cause a gun owner a lot of grief, and loss of the gun. You can fight it, but YOU will have to hire a lawyer to do it.

I do not put this activity past the gungrabbers at all. To them, the end justifies the means.

 

[Arik]

How about someone with the ability to add stolen serial numbers to the NCIC database deciding that is a good number to add. Not now, but eventually, it could cause a gun owner a lot of grief, and loss of the gun. You can fight it, but YOU will have to hire a lawyer to do it.

I do not put this activity past the gungrabbers at all. To them, the end justifies the means.

With all the info on S# out there no one need to have your specific one. Just buy the S&W book and go to town.

 

[deadin]

How about someone with the ability to add stolen serial numbers to the NCIC database deciding that is a good number to add. Not now, but eventually, it could cause a gun owner a lot of grief, and loss of the gun. You can fight it, but YOU will have to hire a lawyer to do it.

I do not put this activity past the gungrabbers at all. To them, the end justifies the means.

If this is their objective, why not just take a partial serial and add a few numbers to the end ? Sooner or later it may cause grief to somebody. (And also dilute the validity of the NCIC Database.)

 

[DWalt]

Just as a matter of personal policy, when I provide a SN, I always use a couple of x's for the last 2 digits, whether it is my gun or referring to someone else's. No point in Big Brother knowing more than he already knows. And you can be absolutely sure that Big Brother (or maybe several Big Brothers) is watching all of the gun-related websites. What I always get a chuckle out of is that somerimes a poster will give a SN of his gun as "782xxx", then show a picture which shows the entire SN.

 

[m1gunner]

If this is their objective, why not just take a partial serial and add a few numbers to the end ? Sooner or later it may cause grief to somebody. (And also dilute the validity of the NCIC Database.)

Who is to say this isn't already happening?


An old sage once told me there are no original thoughts or ideas, if you can think of something, someone has already tried it. I still have yet to find evidence this is false, and I was told it 40 years ago.

 

[diamonback68]

And, why am I obligated to give out complete serial numbers to just anybody that wants them or MAYBE interested or just MAYBE reading about a gun I have? How about the VIN numbers for my SUV, motorcycle and registered serial numbers of larger diamonds on my wife's rings, should I put them on the internet too because somebody asked for them? To my thinking, my privacy of my possessions is my business. And, as has been said, anything you put on the internet is out there FOREVER for this guy and the next guy and the next................to use it for whatever nefarious purposes they so desire on into the next century. I get it.

 

[old bear]

There have been, unconfirmed, reports of people claiming a firearm was stolen from them when they found one for sale online, with a full serial number posted. Either gun grabbers or thief's at work

I don't see how they could pull this off as they somehow would need to get their hands on a back-dated police report, with the make model and serial number of the firearm in question.

I've sold one revolver on this forum, in my ad I listed the full serial number with the exception of the last digit.

 

[e3mrk]

I dont post serial numbers from anything I sell online,I figure if a Person wants what I'm selling the number wont matter.

 

[Arik]

I dont post serial numbers from anything I sell online,I figure if a Person wants what I'm selling the number wont matter.

He may want it based on the year.

 

[Absalom]

Even though I don't subscribe to any particular fears of getting secretly registered by sinister government agents mining gun forums or auction sites for carelessly posted serial numbers, and am not really worried about any attempt to do me harm by reporting guns I write about as stolen, I only post full serial numbers of guns I own if there is a compelling need.

For me, the question with any information placed in the unrestricted internet sphere is simply never "why not?", but always "why?". The serial numbers of my guns are personal information; for me, they fall into the same category as my SSN, my cell number, my address, my car's license plate etc. It's not highly classified, anyone who really wants to can find it out, and if there's a need to give it out, I'll do so, but it's basic common sense not to unless one needs to. There is no absolute protection in the internet age, but you are always playing the odds. No need to increase your exposure. The production year of a gun can be determined without the last few digits, so XX it is. If the discussion at hand would benefit from the whole serial, I'll provide it. Simple as that.

 

[5Wire]

I really don't see a problem. Any firearm I have sold is one I have purchased from an FFL holder or private individual with serial numbers on receipts and acknowledgements and those serial numbers will lead to me anyway. I have nothing to hide and the FFL or individual selling me the gun, if used, would bear proximal responsibility for selling a stolen firearm if, in fact, it were proved to be stolen.

One of the largest used firearm retailers around here is the Kittery Trading Post and they include full serial numbers in their online descriptions. I also understand that serial numbers are often fully disclosed among collectors.

 

[jackvs1]

People worry too much; I love all the conspiracy theories. OMG.

 

[Johnmuratore]

Mass must not have gotten the memo on the requirement to do all private transfers through an FFL. You can do it online with an instant background check on both parties and it takes no time at all.
I didn't believe it either but have personally done it recently.

 

[5Wire]

Mass must not have gotten the memo on the requirement to do all private transfers through an FFL. You can do it online with an instant background check on both parties and it takes no time at all.
I didn't believe it either but have personally done it recently.

Got a link?

 

[Ματθιας]

I'm a milsurp guy and, I've never needed a complete serial to figure out the date of manufacture. Forgive my ignorance, but are Smith's that nuanced where a complete number is needed?

I don't post full serials when I'm selling - if I lose a sale because of that, oh, well, someone else will buy it. No skin off my nose.