Why is a 12 ga Parker a "boat anchor" these days?

[B. Dudley]

Most assume the opposite. But, when you buy a gun on a nics check, serial numbers are not given to the atf. The firearms information is recorded in the dealers bound book and on the 4473 form, and both are retained by the dealer in their business records.
When a nics check is called in the only question asked by the “examiner” at the call center is “type of transaction and firearm?”. Answer is “Sale of Long Gun”. That is it. Period. All they know if that a long gun is being sold. They dont even ask how many. It could be 25 long guns or just one.

The only time that serial number would ever be communicated to the atf by that dealer is in the event of a trace. Which means the gun would have to have been used in a crime or stolen/recovered. The atf works FORWARD from the manufacturer to current day. And with a gun as old as a Parker... they wouldn't get very far.