Buying a Pistol with Serial # Filed Off - Page 2

busted1200 · January 1, 2010, 04:57 PM

Here's how the Indiana law reads. Have no idea at the end where it says "except as provided by applicable United States statute" what that means. Doubt if any local police would know either. You'll end up spending the night in jail and having to spend a ton of money to prove what you have is legal under the United States statute.

IC 35-47-2-18
Obliterating identification marks on handgun or possession of such handguns prohibited
Sec. 18. No person shall:
(1) change, alter, remove, or obliterate the name of the maker, model, manufacturer's serial number, or other mark of identification on any handgun; or
(2) possess any handgun on which the name of the maker, model, manufacturer's serial number, or other mark of identification has been changed, altered, removed, or obliterated;
except as provided by applicable United States statute.
As added by P.L.311-1983, SEC.32.

johnwilliamson062 · January 1, 2010, 09:22 PM

THere was a time when removing the serial number was legal just as removing it from your TV would be legal today. If it was done at that point I can not believe any .gov would prosecute you for the offense unless you were otherwise legally entangled. I would bet such a firearm is legal. The burden of proof would lie on the .gov as far as proving when/who ground it off. Good luck.

I think...
The acid only works if you barely file the numbers off. If you take a bit of extra material off the acid isn't going to do crap. or if you re-etch the area and regrind. Not something I have looked into. Easier to just change barrels anyways...

**Frank Ettin** · January 1, 2010, 10:10 PM

"It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to transport, ship, or receive, interstate or foreign commerce, any firearm which has had the importer's or manufacturer's serial number removed, obliterated or altered or to possess or receive any firearm which has had the importer's or manufacturer's serial number removed, obliterated or altered, and has at any time, been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce." (18 USC 922(k), emphasis added)

Seems pretty clear and all encompassing to me.

January 1, 2010, 04:57 PM	#26
busted1200 Member Join Date: December 18, 2001 Location: Evansville IN. Posts: 27	Here's how the Indiana law reads. Have no idea at the end where it says "except as provided by applicable United States statute" what that means. Doubt if any local police would know either. You'll end up spending the night in jail and having to spend a ton of money to prove what you have is legal under the United States statute. IC 35-47-2-18 Obliterating identification marks on handgun or possession of such handguns prohibited Sec. 18. No person shall: (1) change, alter, remove, or obliterate the name of the maker, model, manufacturer's serial number, or other mark of identification on any handgun; or (2) possess any handgun on which the name of the maker, model, manufacturer's serial number, or other mark of identification has been changed, altered, removed, or obliterated; except as provided by applicable United States statute. As added by P.L.311-1983, SEC.32.

January 1, 2010, 09:22 PM	#27
johnwilliamson062 Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2008 Posts: 9,995	THere was a time when removing the serial number was legal just as removing it from your TV would be legal today. If it was done at that point I can not believe any .gov would prosecute you for the offense unless you were otherwise legally entangled. I would bet such a firearm is legal. The burden of proof would lie on the .gov as far as proving when/who ground it off. Good luck. I think... The acid only works if you barely file the numbers off. If you take a bit of extra material off the acid isn't going to do crap. or if you re-etch the area and regrind. Not something I have looked into. Easier to just change barrels anyways...

January 1, 2010, 10:10 PM	#28
Frank Ettin Staff Join Date: November 23, 2005 Location: California - San Francisco Posts: 9,471	"It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to transport, ship, or receive, interstate or foreign commerce, any firearm which has had the importer's or manufacturer's serial number removed, obliterated or altered or to possess or receive any firearm which has had the importer's or manufacturer's serial number removed, obliterated or altered, and has at any time, been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce." (18 USC 922(k), emphasis added) Seems pretty clear and all encompassing to me.