Cyrillic S/N Pre 2002

[Dan_Eastvale]

I believe a gun imported before 2002 with Cyrillic S/N can legally be transferred today. Think the ATF law states guns imported AFTER 2002 cannot be Cyrillic..

Am I correct?

Think FFLs will understand this?

[SkyHawk]

The ATF in 2002 only re-emphasized what they had been claiming the existing law always said, roman characters only.

This is what their 2002 ruling said:

ATF has consistently taken the position that “legibly” marked means using exclusively Roman letters, (A, a, B, b, C, c, and so forth) and ‘conspicuous” means that all required markings must be placed in such a manner as to be wholly unobstructed from plain view. These regulation apply to licensed manufacturers and licensed importers relative to firearms, armor piercing ammunition, and large capacity ammunition feeding devices, and to makers of National Firearms Act firearms.

That said, I'm not sure what the legalities are regarding transfers of firearms already imported and in circulation without roman characters. But there was no change to the law or to ATFs position in 2002 - there was just a smack-down reminder that went out in 2002.

[Dan_Eastvale]

Some major importers brought and sold Eastern Bloc firearms without altering the Cyrillic. I still see them at auction. I also see some of these guns at auction WITHOUT importer marks.
How are these transferred?

[Quiet]

Some major importers brought and sold Eastern Bloc firearms without altering the Cyrillic. I still see them at auction. I also see some of these guns at auction WITHOUT importer marks.
How are these transferred?

Importer markings and use of Roman letters/Arabic numbers became mandatory in 1968.

Firearms imported prior to 1968 were grandfathered in.

Typically, the manufacturer is indicated as the country of orgin (e.g. "made in Russia") and only the numerals are utilized for the serial number (non-Roman letters are dropped/not used).

[Dan_Eastvale]

Importer markings and use of Roman letters/Arabic numbers became mandatory in 1968.

Firearms imported prior to 1968 were grandfathered in.

Typically, the manufacturer is indicated as the country of orgin (e.g. "made in Russia") and only the numerals are utilized for the serial number (non-Roman letters are dropped/not used).

Great. I was thinking that should be the case. I was looking at a Circle 10 Mak with PW Arms Washington import marks but no serial number other than the original... Two Cyrillic (2nd like a squared off A but not an A) and the date code and four more numbers.

[SVT-40]

Importer markings and use of Roman letters/Arabic numbers became mandatory in 1968.

Firearms imported prior to 1968 were grandfathered in.

Typically, the manufacturer is indicated as the country of orgin (e.g. "made in Russia") and only the numerals are utilized for the serial number (non-Roman letters are dropped/not used).

100% correct. Drop the Cyrillic and just use the numbers..

The only issue is often that leads to multiple guns of the same type having the same serial number...