missing serial number

[Symbolic]

Is it a problem if someone buys a reblued rifle and there's no serial number on it because it's been blued over?

Edited April 30, 2012 by jwolf4

[gjohnsoniv]

Yes.

[Mike.357]

Rebluing a gun ought to not cause the serial number to be removed or unreadable.

How old is the gun? Might not have had one to begin with.

[Garufa]

I seriously doubt rebluing would completely fill in and cover up a serial number.

Like Mike said, chances are it might have never had one to begin with. Serial numbers are a requirement of the Gun Control Act of 1968, many guns produced before then did not have numbers, but then again, many did.

What is the rifle?

[Steelharp]

Never heard of reblue doing that. Did you have the reblue done? Do you have the serial number from before? Lots of older guns fall into the NSN category. (No Serial Number.)

[I_Like_Pie]

Would help if we actually knew what model of gun it was.

[kckndrgn]

Like the others have said, rebluing shouldn't cause the SN to go away, unless the person doing the blueing removed the SN.

I'm in the process of re-bluing an old rifle and for me to remove the S/N it would take quite a bit of metal removal.

I also have a rifle that has no S/N. It's a Mossberg 320 .22lr bolt action rifle.

[Symbolic]

I saw a 1941 Mauser that was sporterized and reblued. It had/has a serial number and all that can be seen of it now is a vague 12.

Edited April 30, 2012 by jwolf4

[BryanP]

In that specific case, I wouldn't buy any rifle in that condition, and if I owned one I'd either keep my mouth shut or contact the ATF and ask them what I need to do about it.

[I_Like_Pie]

I saw a 1941 Mauser that was sporterized and reblued. It had/has a serial number and all that can be seen of it now is a vague 12. I asked on a Mauser forum and they said that the rebluing covered up the serial.

They were wrong....Rebluing itself never obscures a serial number. The process of preparation for the rebluing is what does it. Generally it is bubba with a polishing wheel or pile of sandpaper.

[Symbolic]

Thanks for the help. I was considering buying this rifle, but not so sure about it now.

[Caster]

I tried to consign a Rasheed in a store once, they wouldn't take it because the serial numbers were in arabic.

No amount of blueing would fill a serial number because blueing is a chemical reaction, a controlled oxidation if you will. I would say it either didn't come with one, if it's old enough,OR the person refinishing got a little overzealous with the buffing wheel.

[hipower]

As has already been asked, what is it? Whether or not you buy or pass it up should depend an a number of things. Among them...make and age, and the vibe you get from the seller. Does it feel or seem like something is wrong?

No serial number in and of itself shouldn't deter you from buying.

[Garufa]

As has already been asked, what is it?

It might have been a Mauser made some time around 1941. But don't quote me on that.