Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Adding a Serial Number

It appears I need to have a serial number on my firearm to travel to other countries and return to the US. My old custom 98 Mauser has no serial number or cartridge marking. Anyone familiar with this regulation and the proper way to proceed?

contact BATF, they will give you a song and dance

I went to ATF website and they have a button for asking a regulatory question and....it doesn't work. I read through the regulations and it is confusing to the point that I believe I know the answer and sure as hell am not going to start adding numbers and identifiers only to find out my efforts fall short of their thinking.

had a friend that was fluting 700 action and reattaching a serial number without a type 7 FFL, he was showing them at my table at a gun show, told him to take them out to his car before ATF comes by. he didn't even have a FFL

I don't know about a S/N for taking the rifle to another country, but in the U.S., the S/N and manufacturer's markings need to be at least .003" deep,
at least 1/16" tall, and one of the digits must be a numeral. You can't have all letters.

I would suggest putting the manufacturer and location on the receiver and the caliber on the barrel.

Tony

I have a mauser with the serial number on the barrel.
I rebarrelled from 30-06 to 6.5-06.
When I sell it, I will throw in the take off barrel.

You are correct, .003" deep and at least 1/16" tall for the serial number. No mention of chambering but I'll assume it is a good idea to follow the serial number guide line. And of course placing the chambering on the barrel make a lot of sense. They say the number must be unique to the manufacture and don't mention if it needs to be unique to the country. And then there is the question of whether the manufacturing's name must also be included since the number series is unique to the manufacturing. Clear as mud.

Had trouble entering Kyrgyzstan because my 4451 form didn't list my ammunition.

I'm headed to Namibia and really want to bring my old 275 Rigby or 7x57 or whichever I mark the barrel.

Sucks, but I would take a different rifle.

That is likely the direction I'll go and most likely take two rifles.

I sure would not mess up a treasure as you described. Nor would I carry it internationally, where it might get confiscated along the way. Yes, I remember Jon R Sundra's loss of his rifle in 7MM JRS to Russian police.

There are plenty of cheap accurate rifles at the gun counter well suited to your safari. Maybe a Ruger American, a Howa, or even a Howa dressed as a Weatherby.

All my rifles can be replaced. I would hate to loose any but won't leave them in the safe. I got the Rigby off gunbroker, I have no history with it. I am resisting having it marked up though.

Who the fugg wants a serial #

Buy a walmart rifle, bury your unserialed

Sorry. I wasn't offering advice, just letting off steam.

Good luck and good hunting!

Back when I preordered my Montana Rifle Co. LH Short Action you were giving them seed money to start the Co.
One of the things they let you do is choose your SN. It had to contain at least to Numbers.
So mine is stamped with my 3 initials and 03 the year it was made. I don't think you can do that anymore.

My read of the regulation is that would be legal as long as the manufacture hasn't previously used that serial number.