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5/22/2009 2:25:36 PM EDT
in the gun digest, may 25 2009 issue page no. 19 in the middle of the page , title states MAKESHIFT GUN EQUALS 21 MONTHS IN PRISON. a man from Whitefish, Montana pled guilty to possession of a firearm without a serial number. while searching the man ,police found a six-inch metal pipe with a capped end. a nail-like object,similar to a fireing pin,protrudedfrom the cap and cloth covered the opposite end of the pipe. the cloth was secured by a pair of vice grips and a 30-30 ammunition round was fastened inside the pipe by a rubber grommet. the man pled  guilty to possession of a firearm without a serial number.
my problem with this is i didn't know it was required to have a serial number even on a homade firearm. i have a winchester rifle that came from the factory without a serial no. also how many ARs,AKs,and others are and were built without it being required to have a ser. no.? unless i'm wrong(which i don't think i am on this) you don't need a ser. no. on a home-build from scratch reciever unless you going to sell.
any thoughts on this, did the law change, or is that this guy pled guilty to this to avoid other charges?
5/22/2009 3:05:38 PM EDT
[#1]
Anybody that makes a 30-30 zipgun is a fucking moron and belongs behind bars.

Plenty of guns out there with no serial numbers. Until the '68 GCA there was no legal requirement to serial number.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_Control_Act_of_1968

BSW
5/22/2009 3:08:00 PM EDT
[#2]
Serial numbers were not REQUIRED prior to 1968....
Serial numbers are not required on a firearm manufactured by oneself, for oneself's own personal use.
State/local laws may vary.
5/22/2009 3:55:00 PM EDT
[#3]
Home made firearms are legal as long as they are not zip guns.
The BATFE has a letter out on this and explicitly excludes zip guns from the legal arena.
The def of zip guns includes rubber band powered hammers/strikers.
There is a lot of more detailed info on this on forums such as the weaponeer  and cncguns.

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