Beware of Strange Receiver Markings

[ArtR 0]

Hi forum members.

A few months back, while researching serial numbers on rifles which are either owned, have been owned, offered for sale, or purchased, I ran across a receiver with a strange mark, to the right of the SN,  which peaked my interest.  Back in 2012, the item was put up for sale on an auction site and ultimately sold. However, the strange receiver mark was not mentioned in the item description.

When I came across the rifle's receiver image, I wrote to the forum Web-team, which includes two noted experts, for their comments. While it was not familiar to Bruce Canfield, Jim Pullen, the JSAR site webmaster, recognized it right away. He responded with an excellent explanation. Unfortunately, at the time, I misplaced his response and the topic sort of hit the back burner.

Today, I resurrected the item, and got the response resent, and now I am preparing this for your information and future use.

Below is the subject receiver with markings (SN redacted). The marking to the left may, or may not be, a light prefix strike or a slightly obliterated prefix strike. Jim and I thought it might be a slightly obliterated "B".

The marking to the right is of special interest here.

 

Below is Jim Pullen's original reply to me.

Now that’s funny!  Someone has reactivated a previously deactivated rifle and probably smuggled it 
in {to the USA} from the UK. The mark shown is the burning Proof house deactivation proof mark that
 has to be applied by UK law.  AB would be the examiner and 89 would be the year of proof. 

This would be a first type deactivation which are fairly easy to make like again with the correct tools and parts.
Jim

Below is the image that Jim sent with his reply.

When I queried Jim:

So, if the rifle was 'reactivated', is that legal? Who might have had access to the deactivated part(s). Makes one wonder what was done to deactivate?

 

ArtR

 

This was his reply:

Well in UK if you reactivate one it’s worth 5 years in HMP. Over here {the USA} the offense would be reimporting it or as I’d suspect here smuggling it in someone household goods. 

 

Activation on that ‘old’ type deactivation is fairly simple. New bolt, weld a weakening hole or slit the receiver and I’d think a new barrel extension as I’d think they would have welded that up to recent cartridge loading. So not much overall to get it to work. 

 

Jim

 

So, when viewing items on web sites, auction houses, at gun shows, or personally, keep in mind there may be strange marks lurking about, which may or may not become of 'legal' interest to you.

 

ArtR

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by ArtR
To correct/include part of Jim Pullen's response that somehow was not displaying correctly.

[camstuff 0]

Very interesting information you have shared.  I for one had never seen this before.  I’ll have to keep my eyes open for these marks from now on on any firearm.  

[ArtR 0]

Note to all: I just edited the original post to correct/include part of Jim Pullen's original reply  to one of my questions, as it was not displaying correctly.