No Serial Number, can’t sell in Colorado:

[Bruce P Bruner]

I took half a dozen disposable shotguns to town yesterday to put on consignment. They couldn’t legally accept the oldest SxS. It is my J. Smith Bar in Wood Crab Knuckle. Can’t sell a firearm in Colorado without a serial number. Even though it is an antique from the 1870’s it cannot be consigned for sale. So, I suppose I’ll have my smith stamp some random number on the water table. How many ways can something be “infringed” for something that “Shall Not Be Infringed”?

[Ken Hill]

An 1870s gun doesn’t require a transfer. I don’t think the ATF cares about the gun since it is pre-1899. Is this the gunshop rule or a real CO law?

Ken

[Bruce P Bruner]

Yes, I was told any centerfire firearm regardless of age requires a serial number for transfer. All firearms consigned require “log in”. The only exception are cap fired muzzle loaders. I could legally ship the gun myself but I can’t stomach the uncertainty's of shipping.

[winplumber]

Originally Posted by Bruce P Bruner

Yes, I was told any centerfire firearm regardless of age requires a serial number for transfer. All firearms consigned require “log in”. The only exception are cap fired muzzle loaders. I could legally ship the gun myself but I can’t stomach the uncertainty's of shipping.

You can ship a cap lock but not a flintlock?

[Bruce P Bruner]

Originally Posted by Steve Huffman

You can ship a cap lock but not a flintlock?

My error, flintlock arms are not considered firearms.
Government: “Hold my beer”.

[Bill Murphy]

ATF considers guns such as yours "not a gun", and frowns on anyone littering their books with them. I don't think any state can mandate entering such guns in a licensee's bound book.

[Bruce P Bruner]

Originally Posted by Bill Murphy

ATF considers guns such as yours "not a gun", and frowns on anyone littering their books with them. I don't think any state can mandate entering such guns in a licensee's bound book.

I can tell you that these three antiques went into their books:
Syracuse, NY pre-1887 LC Smith Quality 3 double.
Pre-1890 W&C Scott double.
JP Clabrough serial number 970.

It could be simply a store policy to enter everything into the book. I was told it was Colorado law that all firearms are required to have a serial number to transfer. There are many shotguns manufactured without serial numbers. My Stevens double certainty doesn’t have one.

[ArtS]

I'm a little confused. Anything older than1898 is not defined as a firearm by ATF. Is this a Colorado only law? I don't think they can possibly dictate issues pertaining to official ATF documentation rules. The law on its face would force violation of federal rules. They may be able to pass a law that doesn't interfere with a federal rule, but I see no way they could require documentation in a book that is required by ATF rules and doesn't allow the entry.

[B. Dudley]

There are plenty of firearms made in the C&R era without serial numbers. A lot of them are single shot shotguns or .22 plinker rifles.

Heck serial numbers were not even required until the gun control act of 1968. Prior to that serial numbering would be for the manufacturers purposes only.


If that really is the case in CO, they really missed the ball on that one.

[Bill Murphy]

I didn't read Larry's entire post, but as Brian says, there are tens of thousands of guns without serial numbers and the ATF only requires NVSN, not a stamping of a new number. ATF doesn't want "non guns" to litter their bound books.