Are Manufacturers required to serialized slides?

[dwightlooi]

This is a question for someone who is into Firearms Manufacturing...

(1) Are manufacturers required to serialize the SLIDES of pistols they make (be it in CA or elsewhere in the USA)?

(2) I notice that on rifles, the firearm is usually serialized on the lower or upper receiver but seldom both or anywhere else. Is serializing just ONE indispensable piece also legal for pistols?

(3) The reason I ask is that if it is legal to manufacture and sell a handgun in the USA and in CA which only has the serial number on the frame and not the slide, the Approved Handgun list can be defeated totally by willing manufacturers in the following fashion:-

• Pistol is manufactured with a single shot upper (slide + barrel) combo with no serial number.
• The Frame is serialized and has NEVER been mated to a semi-auto upper in the manufacturing process.
• The pistol is sold as a legitimate SINGLE SHOT PISTOL with a 10 inch barrel.
• The company also sells slide + barrel combinations which are semi-automatic for the pistol.
• The Company has a buy back program for the un-serialized single shot uppers for the same price as the semi-auto uppers it sells.
• The un-serialized uppers are then re-used for manufacturing new California Single Shot Pistols by mating them to virgin frames.
• Every upper comes with a free "screw you California State Legislature sticker"

[Quiet]

In the USA...

The handgun receiver/frame needs to have the serial number.

A pistol slide is not a receiver and does not require a serial number.
^It's optional for the manufacturer to add the firearm's serial number to the pistol's slide/barrel.



In Europe...

The pistol slide and barrel needs to have the serial number.

The handgun receiver/frame does not require a serial number.
^In order to comply with USA importation requirements, European manufacturers add serial numbers to their handgun receiver/frame.

[beanz2]

Thanks, Quiet. I have an unmatching frame and slide combo (from a .22lr caliber conversion) and the different numbers just bothers me.

[ar15robert]

In the USA...

The handgun receiver/frame needs to have the serial number.

A pistol slide is not a receiver and does not require a serial number.
^It's optional for the manufacturer to add the firearm's serial number to the pistol's slide/barrel.



In Europe...

The pistol slide and barrel needs to have the serial number.

The handgun receiver/frame does not require a serial number.
^In order to comply with USA importation requirements, European manufacturers add serial numbers to their handgun receiver/frame.

Prob explains why glocks have the numbers on slide and frame too.I know here in the states the serials are meaningless on the slides and they can be sold traded or whatever without FFL.

[dwtt]

Thanks, Quiet. I have an unmatching frame and slide combo (from a .22lr caliber conversion) and the different numbers just bothers me.

If the guns shoots OK, then don't worry about the serial number on the slide and try not to let it bother you. There are more important things in life to worry about. I have two slides for my EAA Witness, one in .45 ACP and one in 10mm and they have different serial numbers marked on them, which are meaningless. The gun shoots fine and the different serial numbers don't bother me at all.