Serial Numbers Metal Engraving on Firearms: Dot Pin Making and Laser Engraver for Traceability

 

Almost all the industry needs traceability, from a Medical-surgical instrument that saves life to a firearm or explosive that takes away your life.
The service gun or the revolver that you have in your pocket for your protection needs serialization.

You would think why the serial number on guns is significant. What will happen if the gun serial number is not present on the weapon? How to put a serial number on a gun?
And many more.

I will answer all the answers to the questions that would be arising in your brain.

 

How are serial numbers on firearms significant?

The serial number on gun is essential. The serialization on the firearm or weapon must contain information such as :

1. Date of manufacturing of weapon that is gun or pistol.
2. The location of the manufacturing of the firearm

The engraver artwork such as: 

1. The brand logo and the unique code number 
2. The license number 

Case 1: If a man lost or someone stoles his gun or the pistol serial number will only help the actual owner to get it back.

As at the time of registration or licensing, the ower detail is mentioned against the unique code. The serial numbers for guns are present in the database of the government. That means if the gun is found in the hand of an unauthorized man, it can is identifiable, and the authority will be able to track the right owner of the weapon.

The database will contain the complete history of the owner, such as their name, for what purpose they bought the gun, where he is located, and what his background is, i.e. is they are from a political background or he has served armed forces.

 

Case 2: If there is a criminal act with the firearm. Firearm serial number will help us find the owner. In this way, we will be able to identify the gun and owner both of them.

 

Case 3: if the serial number is not present on the gun, the dealer is unauthorized and the owner has no legal right to own a firearm. This will help the government find out the illegal dealers of firearms. It will help identify the real dealer. 

 

Case 4: If there is any defect in the firearm, the run serial numbers on guns will help identify the right dealer. We will be able to trace back the history of the manufacturing. There won’t be any warranty issues. The component used for developing the gun can be traced, and it will help identify the defective part in the gun.

 

Case 5: If the criminal act has happened with the gun, it will get updated to the database.

 

What are the engraving machines available for serialization on the gun?

Laser engraving machine for guns 

Dot peen or vibro peen engraver for firearm 

The above two marking and engraving machines are best suited for permanent marking on the surface of a pistol or gun. 

Quality of engraving 

The engraving machines for serial code marking (traceability), branding, and graphics marking are best. But most clean and crisp legible marking is only achieved by Laser marker. It doesn’t mean that the dot pin is not good. I prefer dot pin for serialization, but I prefer Scribing or laser marking machine for graphic and brand logo engraving.

 

Time-consuming: At some point in time, Laser marking will be time-consuming. 

Dot pin will not be that time-consuming. 

 

Economic point of view: Laser engraving machine is costly but is affordable 

Dot pin engravers are very affordable and are economical. 

Portability: both the machine comes in both portable and standalone form.

Whichever is relevant for you according to the condition situations, we must take that.

 

Safety: by a Safety point of view, both could be hazardous, or we can say both are safe. we must use and handle both the machine carefully 

How much deep serial number engraving on the metal gun be?

According to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the serial number of guns must have a depth of a minimum of 0.08 mm. The depth of 0.08mm gives the serial number very clear visibility. Gun is used very roughly by the security guard, and in the training of solider, the right depth will keep the mark visible.

Every officer is assigned with a gun, and it becomes a part of them. 

Furthermore, it is deep enough to prevent the man with criminal intentions from grinding out the identity.

However, this does not rule out the possibility of serial numbers being removed by criminals. The ordinary serial number is not at all visible once you remove the marks. Criminals believe that his firearm is untraceable and unidentifiable. And that it may use the pistol for criminal actions and offense without fear of being exposed. Because serial numbers are generally applied by roll stamping, criminals will obviously grind them off in order to erase the mark. It means that after “removal,” deep scratches may be seen plainly on the metal surface.

It is not easy to remove the deep engraved serial number of guns. However, the depth of .08 mm will keep the number still visible even if you break the gun. 

 

Is the unique serial number still visible after removal with criminal actions where they try to remove the serial number?

Many owners are unaware that even if they wipe a serial unique code number, the unique code number may still be visible. To expose the unseen, forensic scientists employ a variety of techniques. The scribe marker or dot peen is integrated to create such marks. At the time when the dot peen is used to create a serial number, it engraves the metal deeper in the form of an alphanumeric character. The metal around the visible numerals is displaced as a result of this. This marking method affects the density of the metal beneath the characters by compressing it. We can utilize a technique to determine the traceability of the invisible mark since the density of the metal has changed.

The chemical solution applied over the marked surface of the metal firearm to recover the serial code over the gunmetal surface. 

An expert at Forensic science and technology implements different techniques to recover the engraver serial unique code. Some advanced techniques use electromagnets and vision camera identification and recognization. 

heatsign marks so that when someone tries to remove the serial code, the code will still be visible.

The operation of grinding off the serial digits may fill in the metal. Under magnification, though, the information is still legible.

Scientists can employ acid etching to make the invisible visible because the density underneath the dots varies during the marking process. When you put this acid to the erased mark’s surface, it eats away at the metal at various speeds, causing the mark to reappear.

 

What  Section 478.92  Regularion for Gun traceability Says?

According to Gun traceability regulations marking requiments of both serial number and other specification and information (Gun model number and manufacurer details etc ) must be : 

The Firearm frame or receiver of a gun & pistol must prominently laser engraver or Dot peen engraved for Clear visibility and permanent deep marking on the body of the firearm.

The Unique Serial code can never be duplicated with the serial number that appears or engraved on any other firearm that are already imported previously.

The Firearms which are imported on and after 30 Jan 2002 must have the engraving with any of the processes such as traditional engraving methods (casting or stamping), Advanced conventional techniques such as (laser engraving & dot pin marking) with a minimum depth of 0.03 inches. and the engraving size should not be smaller than 1/16 inch 

(Note: We recommend that you consult the entire regulation).

FFLs should develop a statistical validation mechanism throughout the serial number application process to guarantee that these standards are satisfied. For example, a weapon that has been polished or coated should be re-measured for appropriate depth before being distributed in commerce.

 

Benefits of laser marking systems to create serial numbers over the surface of the gun?

Non-contact technique

Laser engraving has several advantages, one of which is that it is a non-contact technique. It implies that the laser beam does not make physical contact with the metal gun or pistol it is applied to, relying instead on heat to produce the intended outcomes.

It is a significant advantage over more traditional techniques, as it eliminates the abrasion damage that was previously left on materials. Instead, just the region targeted by the laser will be vaporized, leaving the surrounding area unaffected.

 

Laser  Engraver operates at a variety of depths.

Unlike laser marking, which is comparable to deep engraving, the goal of laser engraving is to remove a piece of the substance that is metal gun surface.    Because laser systems, particularly fiber lasers, provide so much control, a variety of depths may be obtained to meet the user’s needs.

To illustrate this, we used a deep laser engraving on a metal stainless steel gun at two different depths. The accomplishment of a depth of 0.19mm and 1.5mm is only possible with laser engraving.

 

Laser engraving on metals of high Hrc value

Laser engraving machine engraves on the metal surface of high HRC value. The gun is constructed with metal if high Hrc value. Gun of higher HRC value are marked with ease with no corrosion. 

 

Application of laser engraving and where is the serial number on a gun?

 

Serial Numbers Egravingn Deeply

Deep engraving of your serial number assists protection for your firearm with a unique serial number from being tampered with illegally. We may also assist in the recovery of guns that have been misplaced or stolen. In addition, a person attempting to file off your weapon’s identifying number is discouraged by the number’s deep embedment into the pistol.

 

Barrel Markings Decoration

Most of a gun’s vital information is generally contained in its barrel, either directly engraved on it or indirectly (inscribed on it) (styLing, size of artwork, shape of graphing).

 

Markings on the upper receiver

The engraving is a significant feature that can improve the value of your handgun. You may value your gun at a greater price with a little investment on the look of your weapon, depending on the level of complexity.

Graphics Deep Etching on Lower Receivers

Having a personalized logo or image laser-etched on your lower receiver is a great way to express yourself. People will notice if you have an engraved receiver, and chances are you will be one of the few, if not the only, to have it done. In addition, it will add flair to your gun and, in certain circumstances, operator status.

Conclusion:

Many weapon manufacturers, the Department of Defense, the Armed Forces, and Homeland Security have cooperated with HeatSign. Criminal investigators now have new tools, thanks to technological developments. If a crime is committed, these instruments are essential in tying the handgun to the perpetrator. Heat sign has aided in investigating high-profile crimes that would have been hard to examine without these serial number marking methods and techniques.

 

heatsign is specialized in providing laser engraving machines for guns

HEATSIGN firearms engraving machines Capabilities :

• Engraves Small arms weaponry, such as pistols and rifles.
• All firearms in an armory accessible to assigned with serialized.
• Personalized laser engraver:  Engrave a logo on a personal weapon or engrave or text on every firearm portion.
• We also create and engrave bespoke logos for your business or event. Engrave collections for easy inventory monitoring.
• At any size, our high-powered fiber laser can engrave great details. For a charge, we may assist you with creating a great logo or picture.
• Uppers, lowers, barrels, dust covers, rails/handguards, bolt carrier groups, charging handles, pistol slides, revolvers, clips, magazines, swords, knives, and other armaments are all available for engraving.

For consultancy and machine for gun traceability, please emails us info@heatsign.com.