[TexasGator]

“They are not against the law here in Texas.”

Illegal in all states.

(j)It shall be unlawful for any person to receive, possess, conceal, store, barter, sell, or dispose of any stolen firearm or stolen ammunition, or pledge or accept as security for a loan any stolen firearm or stolen ammunition, which is moving as, which is a part of, which constitutes, or which has been shipped or transported in, interstate or foreign commerce, either before or after it was stolen, knowing or having reasonable cause to believe that the firearm or ammunition was stolen.

(k)It shall be unlawful for any person knowingly to transport, ship, or receive, in interstate or foreign commerce, any firearm which has had the importer’s or manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, or altered or to possess or receive any firearm which has had the importer’s or manufacturer’s serial number removed, obliterated, or altered and has, at any time, been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.

[freeandfreezing]

No need to worry. The rifles are probably just a couple of leftovers from the Obama era Fast and Furious gun trading project that the local office of the ATF or FBI realized they needed to get rid of. So they filed off the serial numbers, just like they erased the flash memory in the phones the investigators used in the fake Russia investigation.

They just didn't count on somebody finding them.

Don't be surprised if nobody ever figures out anything about those firearms.

[FoxInSocks]

Who said the rifles were involved in “interstate or foreign commerce”? Even the authorities admitted they’ll have difficulty assessing the origins of these firearms.

The rifles will likely end up in some police officer’s private collection.

[Kevmo]

It would make sense at this point to pass a law saying it is illegal to breathe.

[Dead Corpse]

One... There is no evidence yet that these were “stolen”.
Two. They were not transported or shipped anywhere.

They are found goods and have not left Florida.

If the rightful owner comes forward to file a claim... then the story changes.

This is no different than finding a $100 bill on the ground.

[Lazamataz]

You are correct, by strict reading of the law, mere possession of a firearm with an obliterated SN is illegal.

However, it appears only one rifle had this problem. So, the guy turns in one to the cops and keeps the legit one.

[Quickgun]

We are not talking about the same thing. .50 BMG rifles are perfectly legal. Stolen ones are not.

[21twelve]

Well - can’t prove that they were stolen.

But then I got to the part about the serial numbers...

[fella]

Sounds like abridgements and deprivation of rights under color of law.