Firearm serial numbers - should they be kept private?

[HH1]

Here's a thought: Was then gun you are now selling bought new by you? If not, could the person simply be asking in case it is a gun he has previously owned?

[Dark Skies]

I know in the US people don't show them because guns have been 'cloned' before i.e. putting another guns serial number on a different gun which is the same make/model to get rid of any criminal history, but I think its incredibly rare for it to happen even over there.

I can't see the point of cloning a firearm's identity - I would have thought it would tend to throw up warning flags rather than the opposite.
In any event filing serial numbers [and] replacing them is probably a pointless exercise given the advances of Crystal Pattern Mapping - which compares sound crystal structures of metal with deformed crystals and compares the two to reveal the original number. Even grinding the metal down and polishing to a professional standard can't hide the crystal deformation deep down in the steel caused by stamping. You'd end up with a barrel shaped like a canoe before you got beyond the deformed crystals.

[phaedra1106]

You'd end up with a barrel shaped like a canoe.

You've obviously shot a Ruger Mini 14 at some point then

[glevum]

I think the serial number may be applied to newly manufactured guns, rather than replacing a serial number on an existing gun.

[Blackstuff]

I know in the US people don't show them because guns have been 'cloned' before i.e. putting another guns serial number on a different gun which is the same make/model to get rid of any criminal history, but I think its incredibly rare for it to happen even over there.

I can't see the point of cloning a firearm's identity - I would have thought it would tend to throw up warning flags rather than the opposite.
In any event filing serial numbers [and] replacing them is probably a pointless exercise given the advances of Crystal Pattern Mapping - which compares sound crystal structures of metal with deformed crystals and compares the two to reveal the original number. Even grinding the metal down and polishing to a professional standard can't hide the crystal deformation deep down in the steel caused by stamping. You'd end up with a barrel shaped like a canoe before you got beyond the deformed crystals.

Likely why its rare.

There are also of course guns which have serial number plates rather than it being stamped into the frame/receiver which could be easier to replace? However I think its just for quick checks on guns by police, rather than ones taken into a lab.

Personally I'm not bothered about the serial numbers on my guns being in photos etc. I can't really see what the harm is or how they could be misused.

[bradaz11]

I know in the US people don't show them because guns have been 'cloned' before i.e. putting another guns serial number on a different gun which is the same make/model to get rid of any criminal history, but I think its incredibly rare for it to happen even over there.

I can't see the point of cloning a firearm's identity - I would have thought it would tend to throw up warning flags rather than the opposite.
In any event filing serial numbers [and] replacing them is probably a pointless exercise given the advances of Crystal Pattern Mapping - which compares sound crystal structures of metal with deformed crystals and compares the two to reveal the original number. Even grinding the metal down and polishing to a professional standard can't hide the crystal deformation deep down in the steel caused by stamping. You'd end up with a barrel shaped like a canoe before you got beyond the deformed crystals.

when I've seen american's mentioning serials, one of the reasons for not advertising the serial is because if the gun isn't registered anywhere, they seem to think big brother will see them on the post and then be able to attach that serial number to them. So they the gvmt knows to look for it when the time comes that they try to take guns off the people. proper tin foil stuff