CalFARS and Bound Book logging question

[ron70]

I acquired an M44 from another cal gunner using my ffl03 and COE. After taking it home, I noticed that the importer left there import mark on the barrel by the muzzle but no new serial number. Pulled it from the stock and nothing under the wood line. The only serial numbers on the rifle are the original Russian ones with cyrillic letter prefixes. How should I go about logging this rifle into my bound book and the CalFARS website? Do I just put the 3 numbers in the serial number or do I translate the letters, putting the translated serial number in there and make a comment letting them know that the importer didn't stamp a new number and that I translated the cyrillic letters into English?

[Xplosiv3]

Good question. Following.

[zinfull]

I normally buy C&R pistols and never seen an importer put any serial numbers on the guns. Just to be a pain I would fine out how to make the Russian marks on a computer and file it with the state.

[GunDog]

Contact your local BATFE Field Office and see what they recommend.

https://www.atf.gov/contact/local-atf-offices

[Nardo1895]

This thread discusses the issue from an 01 FFL perspective, but doesn't really come to a conclusion. If you read the linked ATF document it basically says the importer screwed up, but it doesn't say what to do when you buy one.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1817066

[SVT-40]

It's an old import. Just use the numbers. Some Cyrillic characters don't translate into "English".

[19K]

Are the letters that difficult to read?

[ron70]

I saw the thread in the ffl forum without a conclusion and that's why I posted here. Importer screwed up not putting a new serial and nothing is hard to read. The cyrillic letters do translate to English, I just want clarification before logging into my bound book and submitting on CalFARS. I'll contact the local BATFE field office today to see what they recommend.

[19K]

I saw the thread in the ffl forum without a conclusion and that's why I posted here. Importer screwed up not putting a new serial and nothing is hard to read. The cyrillic letters do translate to English, I just want clarification before logging into my bound book and submitting on CalFARS. I'll contact the local BATFE field office today to see what they recommend.

[ron70]

[ron70]

CFARS did not like the Cyrillic characters. Emailed DOJ about it and was told to call them. Was told over the phone to translate to English and enter that under serial number. I wasn't able to put any Cyrillic characters anywhere on the form so I let them know that in the comments section and let them know that I was told to translate into English and enter that into the serial number section. The analyst told me to save the email chain and that they could look up the phone call recording if it ever got kicked back to verify that they were aware of the issue and what I was told to do about it.

So there you go, BATFE wants you to enter it as is if there is no new importer number and CFARS will require you to translate it into English before being able to put it on the form and submit it.