Why do criminals file the serial number off of guns in their possession?

I think so the gun just can’t be traced in general. Can’t be traced back to the original distributor, seller, etc. Maybe the guns are sold on the black market from the manufacturer? Or, by supposed reputable wholesalers? I don’t know. I’ll be following.

To try and stop it from being traced back to the original owner and all the owners in between.

I don’t think its so much the end user that does the filing but more the distributors so that nothing is traced back to them.

Only stupid criminals do it. The smart ones know the serial numbers can be read even without the visible writing. The digits are punched into the metal and that changes the grain structure. Forensics has been able to read it for 30+ years.
New guns have the serial number in multiple locations and might even have it hidden inside the composite with a passive RFID.
So scratch away all you want. You’ll just add a little time to the sentence.

Because they’ve seen it on TV.

BTW, I flagged myself for the lack of clarity of this question, but it hasn’t been pushed to editing yet. I wrote ”...file the serial number of guns…” but meant to write ”...file the serial number off guns…”

I think this is mostly something made up for TV and the movies to advance a plotline. Most crooks are not going to go through the time and effort it takes to file a serial number off of a gun. You have to remember that guns are usually made of hardened steel to withstand the pressures of firing bullets. A normal metal file isn’t going to do the job most of the time.

@WestRiverrat Whitey Bulger just got convicted of of that, along with a host of other charges. Also, yesterday here in Massachusetts, a police officer shot and killed a young man after a routine traffic stop in which the motorist became belligerent then used his car as a weapon, trying to run down the state trooper. In his car were two handguns, both with the serial numbers scratched off. Bulger to some young street punk. That’s kind of the high to the low end of the criminal pecking order in a single day.

@WestRiverrat unno, I’ve seen a fair share of guns with serial numbers filed off of them. It may be like @Lightlyseared said and they’re influenced by tv but still, people do it.

@ETpro, I doubt that many young criminals know about Whitey Bulger. When I lived in Rhode Island, people would tell you, with much pride, which family they had ties to. Outside of New England, I doubt many young punks know Whitey or his history.

@bkcunningham I’ve never heard of him myself but then again I live near Philly so there is a whole slew of other names you hear around here. For a little while Joey Merlino used to live in my town. I feel like the guy who ratted on him(can’t remember his name now) still lives in this town as well.

@bkcunningham I would certainly hope that you realize that the breadth of awareness of Whitey Bulger’s exploits has absolutely nothing to do with what I posted above.