- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
Serial Numbers
Home > Modern Firearms Manufacture > Final Steps > Serial Numbers
Serial number on a rifle
A serial number may be applied at any point during fabrication; it must be present on all manufactured firearms. The number must be placed on the major component, defining the product as a firearm. Low-cost commercial rifles and shotguns, including those made by major American manufacturers, were not required to be numbered until after the enactment of the 1968 Gun Control Act.
Click here to watch a high-speed machine engraving a serial number. Courtesy of Savage Arms
