[supercat]

Please explain the purpose and value of the FBI asking for the serial number of the rifle.

Two purposes, actually:

• It gave them something useful-looking to do while staying far away from the sniper.
• It gave practice for future gun-grabbing expiditions.

Quite logical, really.

[gatex]

"...Quite logical, really..."

Agreed. ---But it is amusing that the serial number defenders couldn't figure it out.