[Dog Gone]

“Serial Numbers obliterated on Guns” they can still get the #’s. It will just take longer.

Yes, they can. The metal has been altered by the imprint of the serial number, and that can't be erased.

But it sure makes you think this episode was planned well in advance. Not that erasing visible signs of serial numbers makes much sense if you're not planning to come out alive.

[happinesswithoutpeace]

“Not that erasing visible signs of serial numbers makes much sense if you’re not planning to come out alive.”

Maybe he thought he was protecting whomever supplied the sidearms to him? Just a thought?????1

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

Because maybe he bought them from someone who erased the serial numbers.

[ReignOfError]

Yes, they can. The metal has been altered by the imprint of the serial number, and that can't be erased.

When the number is stamped, the metal underneath is mashed down (technical term there) and becomes more dense -- treated with acid, the surrounding less-dense metal burns away faster.

But I'm not sure how deep that phenomenon goes; if you file off the visible SN and keep filing a while longer, it might be possible to file off enough metal that the number can't be recovered. The lab can usually, but always recover the number.

But it sure makes you think this episode was planned well in advance.

Or that the killer purchased the guns illegally, and someone else at some point in the chain filed of the numbers so they couldn't be traced back to him.

[JimSEA]

The absence of serial numbers would likely speak to the source being stolen weapons sold on the “street”. The well planned nature of the crime, bomb threats two weeks before, seems to clash with the “crime of passion” murder of the girl.

[Quix]

Not that erasing visible signs of serial numbers makes much sense if you’re not planning to come out alive.
= = =

Not necessarily—if the intermediate puppet master sponsored set-up suppliers are desired to be protected on puppet masters’ orders . . .