Vintage guns with altered serial numbers?

CountryGent · Oct 16, 2025

So I had a nice Webley target model on Gunbroker "watch" for a while. I finally decided to mash the "Buy It Now" button tonight, but did one last re-read of the listing to make sure there wasn't anything of concern. And, uh-oh, the listing mentions the original serial number, though visible, had been altered at some point during the last century or so. By whom? No one knows and odds are it wasn't done in this country. This particular specimen appears to have been shipped to a then British Asian colony, most likely Singapore.

Anypoop, the BATFE has this:

§ 478.34 Removed, obliterated, or altered serial number.
No person shall knowingly 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 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.

(sigh) That language is pretty all encompassing, so I de-watched, and won't buy.

Out of morbid curiosity, is there any variance on historic arms like that or blanket no-go? Just wondering as I vaguely recall seeing vintage martial arms that had various overstamps and what not on serials.