I got into a debate with a self-styled gun expert who stated that it was illegal to possess a firearm without a serial number. Not true. Until the adoption of the Gun Control Act of 1968 (December 16, 1968), new rifles and shotguns were not required to have serial numbers. Handguns were required for decades to have serial numbers. I pointed out that I just bought a used bolt action shotgun made in the early 1960s without a serial number. The gun shop processed the paperwork and assigned NSN 1179. I asked the significance of that number and was advised that it was the 1179th firearm they had sold without a serial number and the transaction was perfectly legal. Just an FYI. All the best...
Gil

Guess I should run right down to my local gun shop and get my Marlin Mod 81 .22 rifle a serial number. Not...

You are absolutely correct..."self-styled gun expert". You do know what an expert is? Used to be a spert, now he's just a drip.

thats gold Bushy...pure gold.
X is an unknown quantity and a spert is a drip under pressure.....

And if you build a gun yourself, perfectly legal in many states (I think most states), it doesn't have to have a serial number.

I have four rifles from the early to late 1940s without serial numbers. Not at all uncommon, particularly for firearms made under contract to chain stores and/or "vanity" names. Even big-name manufacturers didn't bother on some of their more inexpensive firearms. I have a 1940s Remington 510 without one.

Bushmaster wrote:

Guess I should run right down to my local gun shop and get my Marlin Mod 81 .22 rifle a serial number. Not... You are absolutely correct..."self-styled gun expert". You do know what an expert is? Used to be a spert, now he's just a drip.

I have an 81DL that was my dad's. Great shooting .22!

I have several guns that don't carry serial numbers - and I didn't even make any of them.