Changing the serial number on a Steyr receiver

[Helder22]

Well It seems I might be purchasing the Bulldog from a friend who's had one here in CA all along (so its CA legal).

Now I'm looking around for the Steyr and I was wondering about the serial number and what to do about it.

First, Is it legal to alter the serial number on the receiver after the receiver has been de-milled (I'm assuming that once the Steyr receiver has been altered to fit the Bulldog its pretty much irreversibly destroyed as a firearm?)

How hard is it to do?
How hard is it to do right?

Has anyone here ever done it?

Helder

[Robotprops]

Once you modify the receiver it becomes a deactivated firearm. You must have it certified as such by a gunsmith and then the gov. will recognize it as such. You may then attempt to change the serial number on gun steel. You will find this to be an effort in futility.

[joberg]

Good luck Helder trying to change that serial number on that piece (unless you want to spend thousands on a special dye/hard steel to re-stamp it).

[Helder22]

Wow, I didn't think it would be that hard. When a gunsmith re-chambers a barrel he will typically file off or fill in the old markings and stamp on the new caliber info onto the barrel. Cant see it being too different for the receiver unless the metal on the barrel and the receiver are very different. I thought the hard part might be finding the lettering stamps such as these

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=553351

but with the correct font.

[racprops]

Well I tried and came more or less empty, the three with it 7 top is very hard to fine in the right size, I ended up have a stamping tool made, it is too soft for steel but works fine on Pewter and Plastic.

If you lucky and get a Steyr with a 4 digit number you closer to home, it should have the serial number and the import stamps in a straight line, a 5 digit can have the import stamps below the number…

You really need a older 4 digit model then all you need do to stamp in the new numbers…

Again you will end up with a lower section after grinding off the original numbers…

Most people just leave the original numbers and say it is his other gun…

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[Bwood]

[Helder22]

Well, I just got this one off gunbroker. Its a four digit and Ill have to get a .222 mag for it since its a .223 rifle. The proof marks are not in line with the serial number unfortunately but Ive never actually seen one that was except for the one used the movie.
The good news is that in 1969 the receivers and mag housings for .222 and .223 rifles were identical (the BR Blaster used a 68 receiver) and has the same parts with the same part numbers. Well at least that parts that matter anyway. This rifle has the correct markings on the other side of the receiver and has the correct trigger guard mag release.

[racprops]

Well I will be darned, 4 digits and still the other stamps are under...

I was told most were inline...

And yes the rest looks good.

Rich
_________________
I never have enough time to do all I want to do!

[Robotprops]

It is a beautiful piece, but the fact remains that you cannot change the serial on an existing receiver. If you want a screen accurate piece you need to have it declared as a deactivated receiver and then attempt to alter the serial number.
If you're ok with the existing serial number, then you are way ahead.

[Helder22]

I know that it would be illegal to change the number on a non-formally deactivated receiver.
I'm actually OK with the number. I'm still deciding if I'm OK with the location of the proof marks. Altering the location of those would not be illegal if I decided to do so. I wonder if they could be engraved instead of stamped.

In fact, I found out that if it is even legal to change the location of the serial number on a functional receiver as long as the numbers remain the same. Not that this gun needs it, I just thought it interesting that it is in fact legal. I guess it makes sense.

[BeastMaster]

Why go through the hassle of trying to match the hero's serial?

You've got a unique serial of your own (on the receiver and the mag) so you should consider making this your own personalised version of the blaster. Those markings are like birth marks for that piece, so you should carry them off with your blaster build just like the ones on the hero. I think filling in and engraving the markings would be a big mistake and would probably result in ruining the shape/surface of the receiver. Plus you will never have them look as good as the original ones.

Personally If I was to use original parts I would love to have my own unique markings on the blaster. The prop has been copied so many times that to be honest it would be boring to have just another clone of the hero. Why not make your own hero?
_________________
"F*ck it, it's just a movie. Let him worry about it" Harrison Ford

[Staar]

[propsjonnyb]

I would agree with most of the opinions here , it is too much of a hassle changing the serial number to match without damaging the upper receiver , keeping it original is much more in keeping with the notion of a manufacturing run in the future an means you will have a more 'unique' piece , by all means have a Coyle 'upper reciever' if you want a 'film accurate' version but don't try to do-it -yourself at home - you need a professional to do a really good job.

[Helder22]

Oh, like I said, I'm happy with the numbers. It's my gun not his lol. It's the location of the proofs that are bothering me a bit. I might get over it. Even if I don't I wouldn't try to change them myself, I'd have a gunsmith do it. A gunsmith does not file of material to remove the numbers btw. He fills them in with steel and smooths the surface back then re-blues. You can not tell once it is done.

As you can see on DeckB26354's gun, he was lucky and his proofs are all aligned with the numbers. Looks soooo much better that way, doesn't it?

[propsjonnyb]

Both Rich and I are enough of a 'gunsmith' to go professional if we ever wanted to and as both he and I have tried to do exactly what you are proposing, on several occasions , please just let me just say , it is not an easy thing to do and would be expensive ( if you went to a professional) and it can go horribly wrong . As an example I have just had returned to me a ( pewter ) upper reciever , - granted it's a completely different softer metal - but the individual concerned and I mention no names , tried to use a tool unsuitable for the job in hand and in probably five seconds, completely took all the markings off one side leaving it with deep ridge striations down one side and totally un-repairable , now this individual is well knowledged and an excellent modeller in fact I consider him very good and it should never have happened - but it did , Your Styer rifle is built using a special ten ton rotary mandrel inside and out to make the barrel bore, particularly where the barrel meets the upper receiver, so if you knew anything at all about how this rifle was made originally, you wouldn't even contemplate for a single second what you are proposing, if you don't believe a word I said - speak to the members who have actually have converted Styer upper recievers they'll tell you who's right and whose wrong. I'm not saying it can't be done but amateurs shouldn't attempt it and I don't mean any disrespect to any amateur's here in fact the opposite's true - but you're getting into 'real' gunsmithing and that really should be left to the professional's.

[propsjonnyb]

Sorry , but to make my point clearer look at the first photo you've shown , especially look at the point where the barrel joins the reciever, you can see the striations on the barrel I was referring to in my post formed by the barrel mandrel , now the barrel screws into the upper reciever at this point - with one of the longest threads 57mm used - this means that there is less steel to work with where the markers stamped , and you need ten tons of pressure and a very special die stamp to mark that steel at that point without damaging the upper receiver , then you have to mill out a 'new' channel for both the ' new bolt' and your 'new' .44 CNC steel barrel as the old ones have to be discarded , so it fits 100% perfectly aligned to your CA gun frame to allow it to fire , you're original upper reciever is now a piece of non- functioning 'cosmetic' art attached to your 'working Bulldog , the addition of now putting a /functioning bolt' back in means just more work !!

[joberg]

To reiterate what others (specially Propjonnyb) the original screen used weapon was so expensive and difficult to built that they made just one hero gun . So to do what you want with the markings is best left to pros...sure, it's expensive but, at least, it'll result into something you really want and won't destroy your weapon in the process. (my 2 cents).

[Helder22]

Relax guys. If you read my posts again you will notice that I did say that IF I decided to have the proofs (Im not touching the numbers btw), moved I'd have a gunsmith do it. Not just any gunsmith either. After all the time and effort I'd get the best professional I could find to do the job.

[Staar]