Good morning,

 

I am looking at an early Mossberg Target 22 rifle from the 50s that was produced with no serial number. Can I register this gun in NJ through an FFL?

 

Thanks

Registration is voluntary in NJ.

 

For the forms, just put NSN or No Serial Number

A completed COE is still required, correct?

A completed COE is still required, correct?

 

Yes, I believe so.

A completed COE is still required, correct?

correct

Thanks~ On its way to my FFL!

why?

why?

 

 

+1

maybe he is buying it from an individual in another state?

Yep,must be. Would be the only reason to involve an FFL at this point.

Why register a gun and without a serial number no reason to even bother there is nothing to register.

Hi all, I'm new here and so glad to meet you all.  I have already bought some items and that was an easy thing for both of us, but getting to my question that is in line of what is being talked about here I am having a similar issue in new jersey where as an FFL wants to sell me a 1903  Springfield and where the serial # was to be is now  a few FLAT spots where the S/N was  ??filed off or what ever off.  I like the gun as it is in good cond.  So to follow the same lines here sorta,   can an FFL SELL the Rifle to me from his shop legally without any issues or is there something he should or needs to do before making the transfer and is there anything on my end that I must do in order to be LEGAL if im not when I buy it ???   and am I allowed to OWN such a Rifle and take it to Pa., to shoot it a few times and then put it away, my concern is getting stopped by NJSP and asking me to open my Rifle Case, then seeing the rifle has no ser. #., on it. ANY INPUT is appreciated ,    but it does have some #'s on it, such as at the muzzle, year, month, day. and some other marks down the gun in general.  I must say I got a BIG LAUGH about the comment that in NJ we don't know whats up, down, on, off, bayonette, or its lug, etc etc....such is new jersey screwed up gun laws.  my YUGO SKS good example on that.         LMAO   Thanks for your opinion and time and hope everyone is having a great hunting season.  god bless.      JAZZ

A lot of serial #s from long ago are worn down. They were not required until 1968ish. That being said it is against the law to possess a filed down serial # firearm.

 

 

Any person who knowingly has in his possession any firearm which has been defaced, except an antique firearm or an antique handgun, is guilty of a crime of the fourth degree.

 

"Deface" means to remove, deface, cover, alter or destroy the name of the maker, model designation, manufacturer's serial number or any other distinguishing identification mark or number on any firearm.

PX90 or another FFL will probably be along in a minute, but IIRC, if the serial number was removed to install, for instance, scope mounts, than it must be restamped elsewhere - and I believe that the BATFE might have to be involved in that. Otherwise it is simply a firearm with a defaced serial number which is illegal to own or sell. Run, do not walk, away from that 1903 if that is the case. Wondering if the number is gone because someone was trying to conceal that it is one of the 1903's with the incorrectly heat-treated receiver? Just speculation.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

He posted while I was still typing.

A lot of serial #s from long ago are worn down. They were not required until 1968ish. That being said it is against the law to possess a filed down serial # firearm.

yep

Some models were inexpensive, produced in large numbers, and the manufacturers didnt bother with serial numbers, my winchester single shot model 37 12 gauge is one such gun.

Some models were inexpensive, produced in large numbers, and the manufacturers didnt bother with serial numbers, my winchester single shot model 37 12 gauge is one such gun.

 

Absolutely true. A lot of early rimfires were similarly without serial numbers. However, if the gun had a serial number, and it has been defaced it is illegal to own or sell. I don't think there is any question that all 1903's had serial numbers.

Thanks guys, on that 1903 question.   my gut feeling was the same as all of your answer's for each scenario involved.  And although I Love the gun because it really is a good specimen of a 1903, I guess it will not be for me.  I was also asking : IF an FFL had this 1903 (and no not trying to cause him issue's) BUT for me this is about a trust issue, SO, knowing what you all told me now about the 1903, wouldn't or shouldn't the FFL know all of the same things you all told me ?  and if he did know why would he try to sell it to one of his good customer's knowing that if someone was to buy it could get in trouble.???  ...   I am disappointed that after all the guns I have bought off of him and he tries to sell me something that is really illegal and could possibly cause me LEGAL ISSUES with the LAW. So in short what are the FFL's responsibility in all of this and is it ILLEGAL FOR HIM TO SELL IT...?  thanks all, GREAT SITE. I expect to be a member for a long long TIME.  BY the way I am running fast from the 1903... :-(

If the serial number is just worn down, it is legal. If it is filed off, it is not legal.

 

Do you have information that suggests it was tampered with?

Caveat Emptor = Buyer Beware.

Again thanks guys/gals for all your info, it was as I expected the law would be, the only thing I have left is a receipt from the dealer with out the serial number on the receipt from the dealer that sold it to me.  I am now having problems with that same dealer trying to retieve my last couple guns from there of which one of the employee's from this site works there. But my concerns is if he did this to me who knows what might still be going on there.  As far as that employee he was not involved in that sale but again I do have a receipt that was filled out by this dealer's employee, no longer there for stealing from him, maybe, so I was told by owner.  I still have one handgun still there in which he is now adding fees and more in order for me to get my handgun out of there, and with the added fee's which were never posted or ever told to me prior to me buying the gun is going to be not only ridiculous but expensive for me and this is in retaliation against me.  Not to mention I have spent upwards of thousands at this place and I do mean thousands, multiple handgun thousands. I never heard of a 65 dollar transfer fee to another close by dealer who is willing to pick it up for me for free.  sorry I got off topic but it has lots to do with the subject at hand,,  but thanks so much for all your help, a great site for sure... God Bless.  N  BE SAFE.

I would consider calling Nappen about this guy...

"stopped by NJSP and asking me to open my Rifle Case"

Exactly how did thay see a case under the blanket?

 

Get a warrant

Paragraphs please.  I can't even read a lot of this.

I have over a dozen rifles and shotguns with no serial number, never had a problem completing the NJSP forms or ATF 4473 just put "None" or "NA" in the serial box and be done with it.

 

As long as the serial wasn't ground/filed off or tampered with it's fine which has been pointed out in this thread.

 

If the serial has been tampered with run far away from that gun...

 

But made with no serial number is OK and was common for many 22 rifles and shotguns.