Refinished WWII pistol with illegible frame serial number

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General Geoff

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Is it a violation of 18 U.S.C. 922(k) if the serial number is still fully legible on the slide and barrel but not the frame? Does it matter if the refinish was done before the 1968 GCA was passed? Thanks :)
 
is this damaged by rust/abuse or wilful damage? Not sure it makes a legal difference, but rust can be removed.
 
If, by the "BATF doesn't really care" you are asking if the BATF has people scouring online photographs looking for guns that should have serial numbers that aren't showing up clearly in pictures, then, no, they don't care.

On the other hand, if you mean to say that there's no way to end up in prison for having a gun with an altered/removed serial number, then yes, they care a lot, and so should you. Not because everyone who has a gun with an altered serial number ends up in jail any more than every murderer ends up in jail or every rapist ends up in jail. But because if you do end up coming to the attention of the authorities, your life could take a truly impressive change for the worse.
 
But you can't apply "ANY sort of lighting or magnification." The BATF Lab can.
And if a gun with numbers only in other areas than the receiver turns up, they are going to look closely.

True, they are not going to have the opportunity unless the gun turns up in conjunction with their investigation of charges for mopery and dopey.
A guy here was doing pretty well talking his way out of one accusation but then his contraband gun turned up and that was open and shut.
 
Are there any markings on the frame where a SN could be? These would be shiny spots, stippling, over bluing etc that seem out of place for the rest of the frame. Chemicals (acid mostly) could be used to raise a serial number that has obscured somehow such as through grinding, severe rust and whatnot.

https://lynnpeavey.com/product/firearms-serial-restoration-kit-and-chemicals/

You could also request an ATF assigned serial number, as long as the SN(if it was even on the frame to begin with) was obscured through acts other than a willful violation of the law. Here is a letter explaining more shared by NSSF. It is aimed more at FFLs but does explain some options.

https://www.nssf.org/ffls-hurricanes-and-rusted-firearms-what-you-need-to-know/
 
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