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Originally posted by TSBotswana:
Been a while since I posted on the fate of my rifle. The ATF here in Wy. shipped the rifle to a federal lab someplace in Ca. that handles all evidence across the nation......that's where they are going to try to raise the serial#. Was told that it typically takes about 2 months,they process each case in the order they were received. Also mentioned might take longer because they are really backlogged right now ............thats all I know for now just more waiting.

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Originally posted by TSBotswana:
Been a while since I posted on the fate of my rifle. The ATF here in Wy. shipped the rifle to a federal lab someplace in Ca. that handles all evidence across the nation......that's where they are going to try to raise the serial#. Was told that it typically takes about 2 months,they process each case in the order they were received. Also mentioned might take longer because they are really backlogged right now ............thats all I know for now just more waiting.

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Originally posted by drewhenrytnt:
No problem.

As a matter of fact, I would like to put a friendly challenge out to any members in Wyoming close to this shop. If you happen to have an FN Supreme with no number such as this one please bring to Triggers and ask them if they can help you identify it.

I believe if done professionally harrassment charges can be avoided.

Andy

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Positive influence.....Well, I suspect as with any other forum there are lurkers. If they have been educated to the fact there is likely no serial number on commercial FN mauser actions and will not cause the same problems when transferring a firearm that is enough.

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Originally posted by jeffeosso:
i BELIVE in RSA, the barrel is serialized .. i heard that somewhere before, but I might be mis-remembering ..

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Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
I legally imported them into the U.S. that way with no problems....but that was 30 years ago.

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Originally posted by richj:
Been a while since I took some pics at my smiths shop. FN 9.3x62

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Originally posted by TSBotswana:
Hi folks, been a long time since I posted here. Unfortunately I really don't have much of an update but will tell you what I know. In the middle of July I Contacted the agent who had the rifle sent to the lab in Cali. to see if there was any progress. He hadn't heard anything and once again stated they work on each case in the order they are received. Once he hears anything he would let me know. I'm sure the ATF lab has a few other pressing matters to take care of then my little ole rifle , but it would be nice to know whats going on. so much for using the rifle for this hunting season,dang it! In the meantime the 798's in the same caliber are looking real good...... Any way still waiting.
If anything new comes up will let you all know.

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Originally posted by 2152hq:
Interesting thread.
I too would have entered the rifle as NSN in my book. Assuming no evidence of filing, grinding, ect. Not uncommon to see one of these, or other firearms w/o a mfg ser#.

There are more than a few of the M98 actions around w/o numbers. Perhaps they were imported as parts (in most if not all of Europe, they would have been considered 'parts',,the bbl is the 'firearm').

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Originally posted by TSBotswana:
Good news, I finally got my rifle back and into my hands toward the last part of Oct.
I was told by the agent in charge that the process they use to pull a serial# is destructive on the area that they try to pull it from, so they decided to just issue serial #'s to be stamped on it.
From start to finish this whole thing took 7 months, it has been quite the learning experience. I'm just glad I ended up with the rifle in the long run. In retrospect I think things could've been handled differently, but as I have said before "I am no expert on this". Anyway this "saga" is over, I can now start the fun stuff that comes with setting up a new rifle and have all winter to do it right.
I want to thank everyone here for their advise and support as I've said its been a learning experience.
PS, it still looks like rust pitting on the barrel to me

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Originally posted by Sgt Ryan:
First of all let me thank Rich for the heads up that our store was being discussed in this forum. It is our intention here at Triggers Gun Shop to provide quality service at an affordable price. We also would like to stay in business and follow the rules set in place by the powers that be. Our intelligence has been questioned and possibly our family heritage. You folks don’t think very much of us as is very clear in your statements and I guess that’s OK you’re entitled to your opinion. How bright or dim we are is subjective at this point and you may not be qualified to make that determination. Let me set a few things straight in the “facts” as they have been presented so far.
First of all this has never been completely about the serial number. There were no requirements for a serial number until after 1968. We receive hundreds of firearms through this store without a problem. The rifle that is being questioned has been restocked with a beautiful piece of wood. It is checkered with an end cap of a different wood separated by a thin pin stripe like band between the two woods. The pistol grip is flared with the bottom of the pistol grip being of the same wood as the forend cap separated again by a pin stripe like wood between the two pieces. The bottom of the pistol grip is inlayed with a diamond shape material. The finish is high gloss possibly hand rubbed Tung oil finish. The bolt and all the small parts of that bolt are polished to a mirror finish. The bluing is a deep rich blue. So the metal before the bluing process must have had great care to polish it to a mirror finish also. There are markings on the left side of the receiver above the stock line that reads action made in Belgium. Those letters one can tell have been buffed and polished before the bluing process but are still clearly readable. All Mausers that I have seen have the serial numbers and identifying markings stamped on the top of the receiver forward of the bolt opening, over where the barrel screws into the receiver. The receiver was removed from the stock to make sure there were no other markings. All Identifying information has been removed. There are slight traces of stamping where the information should be, but the information has been sanded and polished out before the bluing process took place. It is not that the gun was not issued a serial number, the serial number was removed. The barrel has a “pitted” area only where the identifying stamp would be on the barrel. Ask yourself why somebody would go to all this expense of the stock work and the deep bluing and leave pitting in the barrel before bluing. The rest of the barrel has no blemishes just that one area. All identifying marks have been removed. Why would somebody remove serial numbers? This is not the kind of gun that traveled behind the seat in grandpa’s pickup truck. Why would the “pitting” damage only be in strategic areas where information about the gun is stamped? Why is the serial number polished out and the barrel markings not finished out but the pitting left? The gun is blued over the pitting… why?
Now maybe the current seller of the gun was just too uninformed to see these red flags before he purchased the gun. Maybe he did the refinishing and removed the markings for cosmetic purposes. Maybe the current buyer is unaware of the discrepancies. Maybe, could be, what if. What I do know is any firearm processed through this store will be legal to the best of our knowledge. Now if I were going to commit a murder in California and I could not escape in my white Bronco what I would do is find a public forum to shout to the masses foul, stupidity, incompetence and take the focus off me and place it on anybody else that could be responsible. In this case it was the ATF, the FFL dealer or anyone else. Then by public opinion I am not guilty of any crime. Some of the masses would believe and some would see through the smoke screen. Certainly my example is much more severe but the reasoning is the same. The seller and buyer may be as pure as the driven snow but there are enough little things in this deal that beg for clarity.
Was this a judgment call to contact the ATF?…You bet.
When a gun comes to us it may be from the most respectable person that was ever born in Texas or anywhere else. Have any of you called your local law enforcement to check a serial number to see if the gun was stolen before you made the purchase? We have people try to purchase firearms that cannot pass the background check. Do I let them have the gun anyway because they seem like good folks… I don’t think so. Our paper work is always in good order so if the ATF does there spot inspection of our store everything is accounted for. There is a little more to running a gun store than giving in to the desires of somebody who will trash your name on a public forum. The ATF has been very helpful with us and are very aware of the big brother mentality by which they are perceived.
With all that being said, do we make mistakes? Yes. Did we make a mistake on this deal? No. There were questions that could not be satisfied by the buyer or seller. We followed the rules. We believe that gun owners are good people and responsible citizens. If we thought otherwise we would not be in this business. But there is always some who will test the system or try to “get one over” on someone else. I am not suggesting that is the case here but one needs to be aware of the possibility and prepare for it. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused and any hard feelings. Hopefully we can be in business long enough to make some more mistakes and have an opportunity to resolve them.
If you have any questions about any of this I would be happy to discuss it with you. You can call the store 307-234-6722 ask for Jon. By the way our transfer fee is 25.00. Would you go through all of this for that amount?

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Originally posted by jeffeosso:

Interesting - the ATF didn't think a crime had happened, just serialized it?

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I have no idea if this owner is the biggest goof ball there is or if the ATF agent is the biggest knucklehead