edit: title word

    • @HughJanus@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      79 months ago

      Guns with a serial number are generally also untraceable, since the serial number is not registered to anyone in most states.

    • mintyfrog
      link
      fedilink
      English
      69 months ago

      Untraceable for what?

      Almost all of them still use metal parts that can be x-rayed and still have barrels that leave ballistic fingerprints on bullets. Serial numbers don’t make something GPS-tracked.

      Untraceable in terms of ownership? There is no national firearm registry. Guns bought from FFLs require a NICS background check that is stored in an ATF database (of questionable legality), but private sale guns often don’t require NICS so the database isn’t an accurate registry of gun ownership.

      And criminals scratch off serial numbers anyways.

      And add on that any laws requiring serialization of privately-made firearms are only affecting nerds, not criminals. Criminals that are making guns because they can’t pass a NICS background check will continue not adding serial numbers - because they’re criminals.

      • @HughJanus@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        49 months ago

        Guns bought from FFLs require a NICS background check that is stored in an ATF database

        NICS checks are not stored. Or at least they’re not supposed to be. The firearms info is collected on a form 4473 in paper and kept at the FFL where the firearm is purchased.

        But the ATF has been caught several times collecting these records and digitizing them in an attempt to create a registry.