why obscure serial numbers?

[pitts duncan]

why do people feel the need to post pictures of thier guns but cover up or obscure the complete serial number in the pictures? are they concerned about the dubious origin of the gun or what? it makes no sense to me, but then again a lot of things don't. to me the serial number is an aid to determine year etc, and all numbers matching is tough to see if the numbers are blotted out. i guess i need enlightening. thanks

[Michael Downey]

I have always scratched my head over the practice of substituting a series of XXXs for parts of a serial numbers. It does not extend only to weapons but even to binocular serial numbers.

I assumed that the practice was not simply designed to conceal dubious or uncertain provenance, but could not think of any other reason.

Be interested to hear other members' views.

[bodes]

That's exactly the reason.....Some feel they may be putting themselves into some sort of provenance issues by giving the complete serial number.....Rather silly, unless the guns one owns have been stolen in the past......Bodes

[leondes]

Hi pitts & Michael,

I believe the primary reason for hiding serial numbers is the fear that a gun has been reported stolen with the same number.

Imagine if you didn't know much about guns and had a "Luger" stolen with a number of 5653. There are many combinations of serial numbers and suffixes. I am most familiar with the Third Reich Lugers. The complete serial number & suffix letter only appears on the front of the frame. The serial number on the slide does not have the suffix and that is the number that is easiest to see.

So the police could confiscate a "Luger" (also imagine how many different types of "Lugers" were produced) with a serial number 5653. To them it is just a "Luger" and they know nothing about how many different makers made "Lugers". The suffix may be none, or "a" through "z" but unless the person reporting the number knows that the suffix on the front of the frame is part of the serial number, they may not report it.

Also consider that the Third Reich Mauser Lugers went through the alphabet several times from 1934 until 1942. Even if the person reporting it knows about the suffix letter, unless they report the date of the gun, there could be duplicate guns with the same serial number.

When you get into P.38s, Walther started their serial numbers over from 1 every year so there are a number of possible "P.38"s with the same serial number not even counting the fact that there were 3 different makers. Again, you would have to have the serial number and the slide code to identify a unique gun.

Now, while the chances of this happening are remote, there is the possiblity that it could. 99.999% of the law enforcement personal know nothing about how to correctly identify military weapons so that's part of the problem.

There are many more possible problems, but I hope this helps a bit.

Regards, Leon

[MikeP]

Some folks believe in personal security.

Others have pieces they have owned a long time or from closets that have never been recorded anywhere.

Boils down to personal choice where possible.

We need to do our part to maintain a free society instead of pissing on those who work at it.

[George Cone]

For security.
If you tell the police my gun number 1234 maker mauser date 1939 was stolen and joe blow has it....it could cause problems.

[Jason]

Some of my weapons have such interesting serial numbers thats why I bought them.If I'm going to put my collection out there and share it here with the community, I am already exposing myself.I have nothing to hide.If the police came to me,I have detailed records where everything came from.Here is an example of a serial # that makes the gun.If I Xed it out it would not be special.

[bodes]

Jason, You better take that P38 to a priest and have it excorsiced ......Has the "mark of the beast" on it....... Bodes