ATF Proposes to Let Gun Makers Keep Original Serial Numbers

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives is proposing to change how people who modify firearms must mark them. Right now, if you take a regular rifle or shotgun and shorten its barrel to make it a short-barreled rifle or shotgun under federal law, you have to stamp your own name, city, and state onto the metal frame. The ATF says this is unnecessary because the gun already has the original manufacturer’s name and serial number stamped on it.

Why it matters: This is mostly an administrative update. It removes a physical stamping requirement that many gun modifiers find difficult or impossible to meet without buying specialized equipment or paying a gunsmith. It does not change who can own or register these firearms, nor does it change the background check or tax process. It simply streamlines how the resulting firearm is marked on paper and in the ATF’s database.

Who it affects

• Individuals who modify existing firearms to create National Firearms Act items, such as short-barreled rifles or shotguns

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This proposed rule was published by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives in the Federal Register, and readers should check the original document and the public comment page at regulations.gov before relying on it.

Agency: Justice Department, Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Bureau
Source: Federal Register — read the official document