Government Use of Firearm Serial Numbers Ruled Unconstitutional

Above, I was able to verify my Winchester 94's manufacture history
through its serial number online before buying it. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I bought my Winchester 1894 rifle three years ago, I was able to first verify its manufacture history with my phone through its serial number. I confirmed that it was a pre-1964 model made in 1962. That's the intent of having serial numbers on firearms, for both the manufacturer and owner.

But in 1990, that was subverted by a law that made serial numbers available as a registration number for the government to track and ultimately lead to gun confiscation.

However, that provision has been recently ruled unconstitutional. 

According to AmmoLand:

U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)-– The most dangerous use of a serial number on a firearm is as a registration number. In effect, gun registration is gun confiscation. It was not the intent for which serial numbers were made. They were created to track firearms with production changes and as a way for government arsenals to track the production and military use of weapons.

A federal court recently held a law passed in 1990, which makes possessing a firearm with a removed serial (registration) number illegal, is unconstitutional.

This is an important decision. It has relatively minor effects at this time. The law was a step toward universal firearms registration.

Finding the law unconstitutional subverts the push for government control over firearms.

Suppose a person cannot be punished for merely possessing a firearm from which a serial number has been removed. In that case, the entire scheme for government control over legally owned firearms falls apart.

To read more, go here.