Hiding the Serial Number?

[Evil Bert]

HA HA HA... you probably thought this thread was about doing something illegal. You silly rabbit.

Anyway...

I have noticed that whenever people take a photo of their rifle, pistol or whatever firearm, I almost always see the owner black out or blur the serial number.

I have for the life of me tried to think of a reason why it would be bad if someone knew the serial number of your gun?

Obviously, if the weapon was stolen you would certainly want to hide it, but I would like to think people posting photos of their rifles, they are not stolen. Could be the case, but I doubt it.

You see this in almost every case on GB as well as forums like this.

So why all the covering up and what is the worst thing that can happen if someone on the interwebs saw your serial number?

[PrivateCitizen]

Why leave the door open to trouble when it takes just a moment to close it?

[one]

Why leave the door open to trouble when it takes just a moment to close it?

Sig line material right there.

[outrider627]

Some people call it an anti-fraud protection. Someone could steal the pics of your gun and claim that they're his or use them in a fake gunbroker auction.

There's a similar trend in car forums with license plates. IIRC, I read that it started on some California car forum. People would photoshop their plates to avoid identification by police or insurance companies for illegal mods.

[ZRH]

Some people call it an anti-fraud protection. Someone could steal the pics of your gun and claim that they're his or use them in a fake gunbroker auction.

There's a similar trend in car forums with license plates. IIRC, I read that it started on some California car forum. People would photoshop their plates to avoid identification by police or insurance companies for illegal mods.
Not just illegal mods. A lot of people with unsupervised access to DMV records also look at car forums. Why give out your name, address, etc?

The serial number thing on guns isn't quite the same but why risk trouble -.-

[ChicagoTex]

I also seem to recall being told once that someone can use your serial to report the gun as stolen from them. Don't know how true this is since I've never had to report a stolen gun before *knock on wood*

[Voodoochild]

I also seem to recall being told once that someone can use your serial to report the gun as stolen from them. Don't know how true this is since I've never had to report a stolen gun before *knock on wood*

In some ways you are correct. You never know who is out there trolling the internet and what they might do. Especially the hard-core Anti Gun zealots. What's to stop them from reporting your gun as stolen or saying it is modified to less than legal standards. They take the serial # and feed it to the ATF/LEO's and next thing you know you have visitors. Just black/blur it out and avoid the headaches.

[platoonDaddy]

Tooooooooooooooooo 'many' trollers.

As my great granddaddy would state "never leave home with soiled underwear.

[Scoby]

How could a normal person, not ATF or LE, possibly link a serial number back to you? It should not be possible.

I've got nothing to hide, so ATF or any other agency can come calling anytime they like.

I've never worried about it.

[ZRH]

How could a normal person, not ATF or LE, possibly link a serial number back to you? It should not be possible.

I've got nothing to hide, so ATF or any other agency can come calling anytime they like.

I've never worried about it.
Do you know that the ATFs glorius eTrace program is available to "law enforcement" in 35 mostly 3rd world countries? A lot with systemic corruption?

http://www.theiacp.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=XyXVs9cx570%3D&tabid=728

[SteyrAUG]

So why all the covering up and what is the worst thing that can happen if someone on the interwebs saw your serial number?


Idiots on the internet do stupid shit like report your gun stolen. Additionally Nigerians will sell your gun on the internet with your photos, best if they don't actually have your serial number.

[Scoby]

It's a what, 10,000,000 to 1 chance that would ever happen. If that.

I'd have a better chance winning the lottery.

[SteyrAUG]

It's a what, 10,000,000 to 1 chance that would ever happen. If that.

I'd have a better chance winning the lottery.

Well I doubt it is as remote as a 1 in 10 million chance, but I can eliminate the possibility completely with extremely minimal effort. And of course if somebody doesn't feel the need to do so, that is their prerogative.

[The Cat]

I don't obliterate mine - I change them to amusing combinations.

[Spiffums]

In some ways you are correct. You never know who is out there trolling the internet and what they might do. Especially the hard-core Anti Gun zealots. What's to stop them from reporting your gun as stolen or saying it is modified to less than legal standards. They take the serial # and feed it to the ATF/LEO's and next thing you know you have visitors. Just black/blur it out and avoid the headaches.

A lie and an anonymous phone call are the 2 easiest ways to screw up someone's life big time in the USA.

[usmcvet]

So. Can you mod the serial #'s w/o photo shop?

[ZRH]

So. Can you mod the serial #'s w/o photo shop?
Yeah, just copy and paste the numbers around. Photoshop looks better if you know how to use it. I usually just use paint to cut out the whole number part.

[Renegade]

i know someone who had an ATF visit based somone diming him by SN for having an illegal gun.

[Robb Jensen]

I don't put my serial numbers out there just as I don't put a copy of my Drivers License and SS# no one needs that info.

[wetidlerjr]

I can't say that all these horrible, life-changing things haven't happened but does ANYONE have a first-hand account of the showing of a firearm serial number that led to any kind of loss ? :cool:

[one]

If you don't want to work with removing the image computer wise you can just simply put a thin piece of electrical tape over the SN when you take the pic.

[Robb Jensen]

I can't say that all these horrible, life-changing things haven't happened but does ANYONE have a first-hand account of the showing of a firearm serial number that led to any kind of loss ? :cool:

Your logic is flawed, you can't logically argue from the particular to the general. Logic only works from the general to the particular.

Example: I have a gray and white cat.
Flawed logic would say that since my cat is gray and white that ALL cats are gray and white.
True logic would say that 1 cat (mine) or more correctly SOME cats are gray and white.

[usmcvet]

Robb, You're not gonna pull out a Venn Diagram are you!
:D

[HeavyDuty]

I choose to not show serials just like I choose not to show any other personally identifying information. And I don't feel the need to justify why - either you understand or you don't. It's more of a mindset.

[ZRH]

Your logic is flawed, you can't logically argue from the particular to the general. Logic only works from the general to the particular.

Example: I have a gray and white cat.
Flawed logic would say that since my cat is gray and white that ALL cats are gray and white.
True logic would say that 1 cat (mine) or more correctly SOME cats are gray and white.

How do you know all the cat is gray and white? You can only see some of it, some of the time. Ergo: The observable part of your cat is gray and white.

[Robb Jensen]

How do you know all the cat is gray and white? You can only see some of it, some of the time. Ergo: The observable part of your cat is gray and white.

The colors I 'see' in my color spectrum reflected into my eyes are gray and white. What I 'see' is 'what I see', however that's not the arguement....;) But I like your way of 'thinking' brother!

[wetidlerjr]

Your logic is flawed, you can't logically argue from the particular to the general. Logic only works from the general to the particular.

Example: I have a gray and white cat.
Flawed logic would say that since my cat is gray and white that ALL cats are gray and white.
True logic would say that 1 cat (mine) or more correctly SOME cats are gray and white.


Nice ploy but a failed one. :sarcastic:

[Skyyr]

Your logic is flawed, you can't logically argue from the particular to the general.


Actually, you can. Not trying to split hairs, but still, it can be done.

[Robb Jensen]

Actually, you can. Not trying to split hairs, but still, it can be done.

So says a fool.
99.99999999999999% of people argueing that way are wrong.

[usmcvet]

Well I'm glad to know I can do things in paint to alter or cover my serial numbers. I don't have Photoshop anymore.

[Robb Jensen]

Nice ploy but a failed one. :sarcastic:

You're saying since YOU don't know of any damage from a serial number made public that it's of no problem, apparently you don't understand that anyone showing 1 example disproves your theory.....and I believe someone already posted info on that so your 'ploy' as you call is purely SHIT!

[Robb Jensen]

Well I'm glad to know I can do things in paint to alter or cover my serial numbers. I don't have Photoshop anymore.

I use the free shareware named GIMP.

[rob_s]

I don't hide them unless it's someone else's gun. I just don't care to be bothered.

Regardless of whether or not it's statistically significant, I'd still like to hear any stories about showing a serial number on an internut gun forum turning into an issue for someone. Not to validate anything one way or the other, just out of curiosity.

[Robb Jensen]

Starting to get TOS'd...