Firearm Engraving

Making your own firearm at home is a tradition that predates the birth of our nation. It continues to be a fun and rewarding effort regardless if you are creating a vintage muzzleloader or a modern sporting rifle. You can start with basic raw materials or purchase partially manufactured kits and parts.

Do I have to serialize my privately made firearm?

 Yes & no.

At the federal level, some do and some do not. See: ATF Privately Made Firearms Individual states such as California and Connecticut DO require serialization of home built firearms. Maine’s LD1126 which goes into effect in January 2027, also requires serialization of private made firearms. 

What are the standards for marking a firearm?

You can view the full requirements for manufacturer’s markings on the ATF website, but these are the core components:

Manufacturer 
City & State of Manufacture
Model 
Caliber or Gauge (not MULTI)
Serial Number

  • Must be conspicuously engraved, cast or stamped (impressed) on the firearm frame or receiver.
  • The serial number cannot duplicate the serial number appearing on any other firearm from this manufacturer / model combination.
  • The engraving, casting or stamping (impressing) of the serial number must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size no smaller than 1/16 inch.

New with Final Rule – 2021R-05F

Final Rule – 2021R-05F (Definition of “Frame or Receiver” and Identification of Firearms) changed the what is and isn’t considered a firearm as well as how Federal Firearms Licensees have to handle them.  

A FAQ page for Final Rule – 2021R-05F is available and has information for firearm owners, dealers, gunsmiths and manufacturers. 

Here are a couple of important highlights: 

Is a licensee, who receives a privately made firearm (PMF) solely for marking a serial number, required to complete an ATF Form 4473 and conduct a NICS check prior to returning the PMF to the customer?

No. Marking serial numbers on PMFs is a “customization” and a licensee’s return of a firearm, received solely for repair or customization, to the person from whom it was received does not require an ATF Form 4473 pursuant to 478.124(a) nor a NICS background check. However, licensees must record the acquisition and disposition of the PMF in the licensee’s A&D record.

Is a licensee required to mark a privately made firearm (PMF) received for adjustment or repair that is returned to the person from whom it was received?

A licensee is not required to mark a PMF received for same day adjustment or repair that the licensee returns – on the same day as it was received – to the person from whom it was received. Furthermore, a licensee is not required to record an A&D entry, nor execute an ATF Form 4473, nor run a NICS background check when such firearm received under these conditions is returned to the customer from who received.

When acquiring unmarked privately made firearms (PMFs), what is the federal firearms licensee (FFL) required to mark on the PMF?

Licensees must legibly and conspicuously identify each PMF received or otherwise acquired (including from a personal collection) not later than the seventh day following the date of receipt or other acquisition, or before the date of disposition (including to a personal collection), whichever is sooner. PMFs must be identified by placing or causing to be placed under the licensee’s direct supervision, an individual serial number on the frame or receiver, which must not duplicate any serial number placed by the licensee on any other firearm. The serial number must begin with the licensee’s abbreviated FFL number, which is the first three and last five digits, as a prefix to a unique identification number, followed by a hyphen, e.g., ‘‘12345678-[unique identification number]’’. The serial number must be placed in a manner otherwise in accordance with 478.92, including the requirements that the serial number be at the minimum size and depth, and not susceptible of being readily obliterated, altered, or removed.

Our take on applying serial numbers

The first eight digits will be the shortened version of our FFL. Following that will be any unique number made up english letters (A-Z) and numbers (0-9). The complete serial number MUST be unique to OUR FFL in that we cannot apply the same number to more than one firearm. 

Example: If we’ve already engraved 60103790-1032A on one firearm, we cannot use that number again. We CAN use 60103790-1032B, etc. etc. 

This provides you with a significant flexibility in what you can request engraved for a serial number. For example, 60103790-2A1791 would be acceptable.

PLEASE NOTE: We make no claims of being legal experts and are not providing any legal advice. If you have legal questions, please contact a competent firearms attorney.

What firearms can you serialize?

We can engrave a serial number on most metallic frames and receivers as long as there is sufficient space to place the number to the ATF size and depth standards. 
We CANNOT engrave a serial number on polymer frames or receivers UNLESS there is already a metal tab embedded into the polymer. The ATF rules stipulate serial numbers engraved into polymer alone are insufficient to meet the marking standards. 

What do you use to engrave firearms?


We use a Vision 1624 Router/Engraver. It is a highly accurate and precise machine with a wide range of options for marking.

Discuss your needs with us and we can recommend different depths and styles depending on if you are going to refinish your firearm after engraving or not.

Links

ATF FAQ can be found here.