Firearms Identification Field Guide

B

bedbugbilly

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I have my CCW for when I'm in Arizona during the winter months. I'm finally taking the class here in Michigan tomorrow to get my Michigan CCW. The company that is offering the class has a number of reference links on their site and this is one of them. "Firearms Identification Field Guide" that is put out by the Michigan State Police. It has some good information in it in regards to different handgun manufacturers, where to find serial #, calibers, etc. as well as info about the manufacturer. I though I'd post the link to it as I am always looking for information and some of this may help others as well. It's in PDF format so you can download it and save it on your computer for future reference as well.

http://www.bpassociatesonline.com/uploads/5/7/2/6/5726197/firearms_guide.pdf
 
I started browsing through the Guide and did notice one error right off: Calling the "crane" the flat part of the frame with the serial number on it.

The crane is a removable part with the quill, and is never serially numbered. The serial number is always on the frame.

And there is a "license to purchase?"

Bob Wright
 
Hi Bob - Like anything else, I'm sure there is more than one error along the way. :)

The "License to Purchase" - in Michigan, you need a "purchase permit" to obtain a handgun. It used to be that you had to go to your local Sheriff Dept. or LE - give them your info for a background check and they would issue you a 4 part "yellow purchase permit". Not a horrible process - usually in and out in 20 minutes or so when I did it. You then took the permit to the seller (LGS) - filled out the FFL paperwork and you got two of the four parts back - one to keep for your records and the other to return to the issuing dept. If you had a CCW permit - it was different but I wasn't familiar with that.

Now, you no longer have to go to the LE - you can go directly to the LGS, they do the FFL AND a 4 part "registration" - you get two copies and one has to be sent to the LE Dept. that used to furnish them in your county/city. A lot easier and less hassle. Primarily, the permits (registration) was to insure that the gun wasn't stolen and for future use in case it ever was from you, if recovered, it could be returned unless it was held as "evidence" in a crime.

The old method - if a person made a private sale - they still had to obtain the purchase permit only you filled it out and they ahd to return the copy to the LE. If you pulled a purchase permit the old way, and you decided not to purchase, all of the four part permit had to be returned to the issuing LE within so many days - or they would follow up to find out where it was. :)

In years past, I obtained some different handguns from estates, given to me, etc. that were never registered. I always registered them and they would just classify them as an "estate firearm" - run the serial # and register it. A lot of folks by-pass and by-passed getting them registered. However, if they should be stopped with a unregistered handgun - example - transporting to a range, etc. - they can be charged with "possession of an un-registered handgun" - something you don't want on your record!
 
On some guns (and many older Colts) the crane is serial numbered and if the gun is original, that number should match the number on the frame under the crane. On older S&W's the two numbers are assembly numbers and the serial is always on the butt or on the front of the grip.

But remember that the booklet is a field guide for troopers making out reports or securing evidence, not a volume for gun collectors. For its purpose, it seems to be adequate.

Jim
 
I agree with what James and Bob have said about S&W's, and I would also suggest clarifying that if the number on the barrel or cylinder contradicts the number on the butt or front of the grip, the number on the butt or grip should be used.

If I were editing the booklet, I would also suggest expanding the Star section as follows:

"The abbreviation S.A. is the Spanish-language equivalent of Inc. or Co. in the English language. It is part of the corporate name, and is not a model designation.

The butt of many Star pistols is marked with a letter over the serial number. The letter is the model designation, and is not part of the serial number."
 
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It should also be clear that unique identification of Lugers and P.38's requires the serial number, the letter suffix, the maker and the year. But if a trooper recovers a "Luger #1234", that will be good enough in most cases. Sure there are many Lugers numbered 1234, but how many will be at that location at that time?

Jim
 
I ran across that before. Some guy had a Mauser that was checked by another officer. The Serial Number hit NCIC as stolen.

The DA was going to prosecute until I explained to him that Mausers often had multiple guns with the same serial number, and explained to him the Mauser system of applying serial number.

If you're going to put out a firearm identification guide for LE you need to put in a disclaimer for such cases.
 
last time in michigan the only change made this year was that the purchase permit was now good for 30 days instead of 6.
 
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