Bound Book Serial Number Issue

[Squaregrouper]

I thought I'd ask here before contacting the vendor and/or BATFE...
One of my CZ82's has an electro-penciled SN on the frame at the front of the grip. This is in addition to the SN from the factory. The vendor used the electro-pencil SN in their documents to me, so I added it to my bound book. I also added the factory SN to my bound book. My other CZ82's do not have the electro-pencil SN.
Has anyone else encountered this?
Did I log it correctly?

 

[Boom Boom]

Very common. One is the importer's serial number. The other is the original. I put both in my bound book and indicate with parentheses as to which is which.

 

[HappyCamper]

If it's the serial number applied by the importer, then that is the one to be used.

Just like if you get a Mosin from Century, you are supposed to used the one that Century put on the gun, not the one original to the gun by the Soviets.

At least that's what an BATFE inspector told me directly. He specifically stated they didn't want to see both of them in the books either - which didn't make a lot of sense, but that's what he said.

 

[kazan182]

I always put both but the one that was used by the FFL you got if from should be the main S/N you use.

I often get Mosin's with new numbers done by the importers. I enter all into my book as:

"Mfg - xxxxx"
"Imp - xxxxx"
The top entry in my book is the one I got in the paperwork for the firearm.
These denote manufacturer and importer. I want these in my book so if I ever have to report them stolen I can ensure both are given to law enforcement. They can enter one as the "main" S/N (i.e., the importer, whatever is noted from the receiving FFL) and the second in the notes area so they are both seen upon getting a hit back from NCIC. You can also have them enter one as a OAN or owner applied number which is also searched.

 

[Alphabrew]

I would think you should use the import serial number (the one that's part of the import mark). On my CZs, the import serial number is the same as that from the factory. On my Mosins, the import serial number is different than the factory one.

 

[Alphabrew]

LOL, everyone answered at once

 

[brewergeek]

Someone who had a similar situation and their thread:
http://thefiringline.com/forums/archive/index.php?t-383116.html

Most of the suggestions are to put both, but if you can, I'd try to include a note as to which number is which.

 

[Boom Boom]

I always put both but the one that was used by the FFL you got if from should be the main S/N you use.

I often get Mosin's with new numbers done by the importers. I enter all into my book as:

"Mfg - xxxxx"
"Imp - xxxxx"
The top entry in my book is the one I got in the paperwork for the firearm.
These denote manufacturer and importer. I want these in my book so if I ever have to report them stolen I can ensure both are given to law enforcement. They can enter one as the "main" S/N (i.e., the importer, whatever is noted from the receiving FFL) and the second in the notes area so they are both seen upon getting a hit back from NCIC. You can also have them enter one as a OAN or owner applied number which is also searched.

Total agreement here as relates to theft concerns. It's usually easy for a thief to scrub the importer's electro-penciled serial number. Scrubbing the original serial numbers, especially if a matching numbers gun, is not easy.

 

[Squaregrouper]

Thanks guys. I'll clarify which number is which.

 

[yellowsled]

I enter the original SN in my bound book. Most C&R's unless they are recent imports do not have a importer SN.

 

[EmptyWallet]

Greetings,

I too put both serial numbers down. I list one as the Importer's and one as the Manufacturer's.

 

[ShafTed]

I make sure the serial number in my bound book matches the paperwork from the vendor. Then I keep all the original paperwork in a separate folder, and if there is another serial number from the manufacturer I have that number in there as well on a sticky note. Like the OP, the only place I've seen that is on the CZ model 82.

 

[EmptyWallet]

My CZ82 is a C.A.I. import. They did not put their own serial number on it.

 

[Ironnewt]

For what it's worth, I list all the marks on a new (to me) C&R in a separate list. It was explained to me that all BATFE approved serial numbers can not have "foreign" (Read Cyrillic as in Russian/Soviet) characters in them. That way if, God forbid, my C&R stuff is stolen, the importer serial scrubbed and later recovered, I still have a shot (slim at best) of identifying my stuff.

 

[Alphabrew]

For what it's worth, I list all the marks on a new (to me) C&R in a separate list. It was explained to me that all BATFE approved serial numbers can not have "foreign" (Read Cyrillic as in Russian/Soviet) characters in them. That way if, God forbid, my C&R stuff is stolen, the importer serial scrubbed and later recovered, I still have a shot (slim at best) of identifying my stuff.

You raise an interesting point. Which serial number would the police put in a searchable database of recovered firearms? Probably not both. And what if they mistake a number 0 for a letter O, etc.

 

[kazan182]

You raise an interesting point. Which serial number would the police put in a searchable database of recovered firearms? Probably not both. And what if they mistake a number 0 for a letter O, etc.

They would put in what you told them was the 'serial number.' So, I would use the number you got as the SN from the seller.

But I would give them everything you had. They can add things easily into the misc. field (just typed entry, no reg on data as far as text, numerics, etc.) and they can add any owner applied number (OAN) which I would tell the officer to enter the 'second' mfg or imp number there. Increases chances of a hit. The text field is not searched, I believe, but the OAN and SN certainly are. Best to give any info you can so if your firearm is run a partial hit will give the officers a list to go through. So entering "WWII Commemorative 1911 Pistol" in the text would certainly help.

If it's entered wrong by the agency then the number would have to be run wrong. (Partial numbers can be searched too) The entry verification is a QC that is done by officer, dispatcher and supervisor to confirm paperwork but does not always work....sometimes errors are not caught.

This is why I keep a photo database of every firearm I can print out and provide to both insurance and law enforcement. I would also consider offering to help create descriptions; not leaving that to officers to decide. Most are not gun people and would appreciate the help.