The gun Tyler Robinson allegedly used to assassinate Charlie Kirk was so old that it predated serial number mandates — making the weapon impossible to track.
Hang on a second, re-read that first part - predated serial number mandates. Which came about in 1968, IIRC. OK. That means that was the first year they were "required by law". Prior to that, well, I have more than a few guns older than that and they all have serial numbers. Traceable? Well, I doubt you'd find the original sales receipt on a 120 year old rifle, but there's certainly a 4473 form filled out, with serial number, when I bought it.
Note the article does NOT say the Mauser didn't have a serial number. It just said it was manufactured before serial numbers were required by law. I find it hard to believe Germans - fricking GERMANS - would manufacture a war rifle and not include a serial number for tracking. So, the Mauser has a serial number. Totally. And like you said, what more do you want in traceability. They know exactly where it came from.
Total scam article. And completely ignores the existence of dremel tools and die grinders. With all the implications thereof.
I know a few folks who have Mosin Nagant rifles with period scopes attached. One has an original set -- the serial numbers match for both rifle and scope.
Read that again. The serial numbers match.
Mosins were manufactured from the 1890s through 1960 (and replicas are still made today), but many of the older guns still have serial numbers for tracking in the old Communist bloc nations.
As you said, just because the American serial number mandate came down in 1968 doesn't mean guns didn't have serial numbers before that. And you're correct, the article never claims that the gun used to kill Charlie Kirk doesn't have one; just that it was manufactured before America required them, which means precisely nothing since it was likely made in Germany.
Another explanation is this. 98 Mauser actions were/are extremely popular for gunsmiths at all levels to create Sporting rifles. Many polished the heck out of the actions to get a mirror finish for blueing. If made prior to 1968, there was no reason to leave any markings on the action, including the serial number. Many were polished to that degree.
Another very scary thought; it may have been rebarreled. Not many 98 Mausers were made in 30/06. Just sayn'
Not that it really matters, but obviously it was re-barreled. I doubt a war bring-back rifle would be chambered in 30-06. Not scary at all, but maybe you were being /sarc and I missed it.
As for the polishing, you'd have to remove quite a bit of material to fully remove the receiver serial number. I'm not saying it wasn't done, just that it'd take more than just polishing to remove that much metal.
Either way, this was a nothing article full of fake scare crap. Any pawn shop bolt action rifle with a decent scope could have made that shot. Traceability is really meaningless, and I doubt very many crimes were ever solved via a 4473 form.
"Any pawn shop bolt action rifle with a decent scope could have made that shot."
Relatedly, I've seen commentary from talking heads -- before Tyler Robinson was identified -- saying that the shooter MUST be military or government trained and could be a covert agent of a rival government. Because NOBODY ELSE could possibly shoot that well at that distance.
And my first thought was: The distance was ~160 yards -- not even proper zeroing distance -- with a relatively stationary target, an open line of sight, and very little wind. There are large tracts of rural states where your average local 12-year-old could make that shot. With open sights.
I have a K-98 that was manufactured by CZ after the war. It is chambered in 7.62 X 51/~.308; an Israeli Mauser. The new state of Israel needed arms for the home front and didn't have the $$ to order automatic weapons for all. Since the factory and equipment for making a bolt gun was available and the Czechs needed money a deal was struck. Enough history.
Why is the MSN making such a big deal of 'didn't have to be serialized'? It sounds like a BS distraction to me. How does a serial number, or the lack thereof, make any difference in an investigation? "We can't track it!" So f*##$ what? Control freaks one and all.
Not only that, WWI ghost guns can be fired from a rooftop and leave an acoustic signature that they were fired from 90-100 feet from the target. From ground level. Spooky.
I suspected this when I heard “it was an old German Mauser in 30-06.” Back in the fifties military surplus rifles were everywhere for not much money. Everything from Japanese, German and Italian bring-backs to surplus weapons from Sweden, Switzerland, Argentina, etc who were dumping their obsolete bolt actions in America in order to replace them with auto loaders.
Mausers were very often selected to “sporterize” and often converted to 30-06 ‘cause ‘Murica. Even if the rifle had a serial number, it would not have been recorded because no mechanism existed to record them.
I laughed at the talking heads, who should have known better, pontificating on how soon the ATF would “trace” the alleged sniper’s rifle.
P.S. Not sure the lack of a serial number dates to WWI. Late in WWII the Germans were cutting corners by eliminating unnecessary niceties. Adding a serial number may have been one of those niceties.
"My question is: the gun was used by Asshole Tyler Robinson whose father recognized from the photos published by the authorities and it was the rifle that belonged to the grandfather. What more tracing/tracking do you need?"
Answer: The GOVERNMENT can't trace/track it in their database of firearms -- which they are barred by federal law from having (but if you think that means they don't have one, I have a lovely bridge to Alaska for sale at a great price).
Cue demands from the Leftist gun-ban crowd to require historical guns to now be defaced by adding serial numbers and requiring full registration.
And cue the Fudds to line up to comply as long as they get to keep their "huntin' guns," and not realize that the gun-ban crowd is at this very moment two very short steps from trying to ban single-shot and bolt-action "sniper rifles."
Hang on a second, re-read that first part - predated serial number mandates. Which came about in 1968, IIRC. OK. That means that was the first year they were "required by law". Prior to that, well, I have more than a few guns older than that and they all have serial numbers. Traceable? Well, I doubt you'd find the original sales receipt on a 120 year old rifle, but there's certainly a 4473 form filled out, with serial number, when I bought it.
Note the article does NOT say the Mauser didn't have a serial number. It just said it was manufactured before serial numbers were required by law. I find it hard to believe Germans - fricking GERMANS - would manufacture a war rifle and not include a serial number for tracking. So, the Mauser has a serial number. Totally. And like you said, what more do you want in traceability. They know exactly where it came from.
Total scam article. And completely ignores the existence of dremel tools and die grinders. With all the implications thereof.
I know a few folks who have Mosin Nagant rifles with period scopes attached. One has an original set -- the serial numbers match for both rifle and scope.
Read that again. The serial numbers match.
Mosins were manufactured from the 1890s through 1960 (and replicas are still made today), but many of the older guns still have serial numbers for tracking in the old Communist bloc nations.
As you said, just because the American serial number mandate came down in 1968 doesn't mean guns didn't have serial numbers before that. And you're correct, the article never claims that the gun used to kill Charlie Kirk doesn't have one; just that it was manufactured before America required them, which means precisely nothing since it was likely made in Germany.
Another explanation is this. 98 Mauser actions were/are extremely popular for gunsmiths at all levels to create Sporting rifles. Many polished the heck out of the actions to get a mirror finish for blueing. If made prior to 1968, there was no reason to leave any markings on the action, including the serial number. Many were polished to that degree.
Another very scary thought; it may have been rebarreled. Not many 98 Mausers were made in 30/06. Just sayn'
Not that it really matters, but obviously it was re-barreled. I doubt a war bring-back rifle would be chambered in 30-06. Not scary at all, but maybe you were being /sarc and I missed it.
As for the polishing, you'd have to remove quite a bit of material to fully remove the receiver serial number. I'm not saying it wasn't done, just that it'd take more than just polishing to remove that much metal.
Either way, this was a nothing article full of fake scare crap. Any pawn shop bolt action rifle with a decent scope could have made that shot. Traceability is really meaningless, and I doubt very many crimes were ever solved via a 4473 form.
"Any pawn shop bolt action rifle with a decent scope could have made that shot."
Relatedly, I've seen commentary from talking heads -- before Tyler Robinson was identified -- saying that the shooter MUST be military or government trained and could be a covert agent of a rival government. Because NOBODY ELSE could possibly shoot that well at that distance.
And my first thought was: The distance was ~160 yards -- not even proper zeroing distance -- with a relatively stationary target, an open line of sight, and very little wind. There are large tracts of rural states where your average local 12-year-old could make that shot. With open sights.
I have a K-98 that was manufactured by CZ after the war. It is chambered in 7.62 X 51/~.308; an Israeli Mauser. The new state of Israel needed arms for the home front and didn't have the $$ to order automatic weapons for all. Since the factory and equipment for making a bolt gun was available and the Czechs needed money a deal was struck. Enough history.
Why is the MSN making such a big deal of 'didn't have to be serialized'? It sounds like a BS distraction to me. How does a serial number, or the lack thereof, make any difference in an investigation? "We can't track it!" So f*##$ what? Control freaks one and all.
another example of room temperature IQ news . anything to create “news”.
know nothing morons trying to be “smart”. we had a Luger dated from WWI and golly gee it had a serial number… imagine that
It’s nice to be regularly reminded that we live in the stupidest of all timelines.
Not only that, WWI ghost guns can be fired from a rooftop and leave an acoustic signature that they were fired from 90-100 feet from the target. From ground level. Spooky.
I suspected this when I heard “it was an old German Mauser in 30-06.” Back in the fifties military surplus rifles were everywhere for not much money. Everything from Japanese, German and Italian bring-backs to surplus weapons from Sweden, Switzerland, Argentina, etc who were dumping their obsolete bolt actions in America in order to replace them with auto loaders.
Mausers were very often selected to “sporterize” and often converted to 30-06 ‘cause ‘Murica. Even if the rifle had a serial number, it would not have been recorded because no mechanism existed to record them.
I laughed at the talking heads, who should have known better, pontificating on how soon the ATF would “trace” the alleged sniper’s rifle.
P.S. Not sure the lack of a serial number dates to WWI. Late in WWII the Germans were cutting corners by eliminating unnecessary niceties. Adding a serial number may have been one of those niceties.
"My question is: the gun was used by Asshole Tyler Robinson whose father recognized from the photos published by the authorities and it was the rifle that belonged to the grandfather. What more tracing/tracking do you need?"
Answer: The GOVERNMENT can't trace/track it in their database of firearms -- which they are barred by federal law from having (but if you think that means they don't have one, I have a lovely bridge to Alaska for sale at a great price).
Cue demands from the Leftist gun-ban crowd to require historical guns to now be defaced by adding serial numbers and requiring full registration.
And cue the Fudds to line up to comply as long as they get to keep their "huntin' guns," and not realize that the gun-ban crowd is at this very moment two very short steps from trying to ban single-shot and bolt-action "sniper rifles."
Wait til the find out about Curios and Relics
Or muzzleloaders, which can be ordered thru the mail.